Fune 1, 1871 | 
tozoa, Prof. Traquair. Respecting the work and the association 
which has been formed to prosecute it, we spoke at some length 
a few weeks ago, and will only remind our readers that the secre- 
tary of the Zoological Record Association is Mr. H. T. Stainton, 
F.R.S., to whom all applications for further information on the 
. subject should be addressed. 

WE are glad to see that the higher examination for women at 
the University of London has this year been successfully taken 
by one candidate in the department of Natural Philosophy and 
Chemistry. She is from the Cheltenham Ladies’ College. 
WE have received the Anniversary Address of Sir Roderick 
Murchison, as retiring President of the Royal Geographical 
Society, dealing with the history of geographical progress during 
the past year. 
A LETTER has been received from Dr. Hooker from Moga- 
dore, bringing down the narrative of his journey to April 26. 
The party had visited Ceuta, Gibraltar, and Casa Blanca, but 
had found no very striking novelties since the last report. 
Mr. THomas Moory, the Curator of the Chelsea Botanic 
Gardens, is now delivering in the gardens a course of six lectures 
on Botany for medical students. 
A SCIENTIFIC society has been formed at Middletown, Con- 
necticut, and Dr. John Johnson, of the university, elected presi- 
cent, Prof. Rice, corresponding secretary, and Prof. John M. 
Van Vleck, treasurer. 
Pror. Newton of Cambridge is engaged upon a revised 
edition of Yarrell’s well-known ‘‘ History of British Birds,” 
which has long been justly regarded as the standard work 
on the ornithology of these islands. It is now more than 
thirty years ago since the late Mr. Yarrell began the first 
edition of this book, and as the literature of the subject 
has in that time been doubled if not trebled, the editor 
will have enough to do to bring the work up to the level 
of the information of the present day. It is announced that the 
mode of publication will be in monthly numbers, the first of 
which may be expected in the course of a few days. 
AT a recent meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Col. 
Strachey made a communication to the effect that the Govern- 
ment of India have lately resolved to place four lacs of rupees 
in deposit, which sum should be available for completing the 
new Museum building at Calcutta. He regretted the delay 
which has been caused in the construction of the building, and 
stated that it was greatly due to the financial difficulty in which 
the Government of India found themselves a short time ago. 
Col. Strachey mentioned that the original approximate estimate 
amounted to about three and a half lacs of rupees. This sum 
had been sanctioned by Government, and the work for the new 
building was commenced. Subsequently the regular estimate 
came up, and it amounted to about seven lacs. After about four 
lacs had already been spent, a revised estimate was called for, 
and this rose to about ten lacs. It was, therefore, not surpris- 
ing that the Government stepped in and inquired into the whole 
matter carefully, and this caused such a delay that it became 
impossible to complete the Museum within the appointed time, 
23rd March, 1871. However, Col. Strachey hoped that the 
present action taken by Government in the matter would bring 
the building to its desired completion at as early a date as 
possible. 
Ar Plymouth, one of the largest provincial centres of science 
instruction in connection with the South Kensington department, 
this year’s examinations have just been brought to a close, the 
arrangements having been carried out under the direction of the 
School Board for the town, in compliance with the request of 
NATURE 

89 

the department in their circular of March 7th. In accordance 
with it the School Board appointed their clerk, Mr. Henry 
Soltan, as the examination secretary, and the assistants were 
selected principally from the secretaries of the various Science 
and Art Schools of the town. These gentlemen have been 
occupied every evening during last month, up to Monday 
last (22nd), in superintending the conduct of the various examina- 
tions which have all been held at the Public Free School, and 
which have comprised no less than twenty-two subjects in 
science, besides the four branches of art study, of the second 
grade, the examinations in which in previous years have been 
held in March. The details show that a total of 846 papers 
has been worked, 257 in Art and 589 in Science. The largest 
numbers of papers in any special subjects were Physical Geo- 
raphy 151, and T'reehand Drawing, and Mathematics, stages 
I, 2, and 3, each 112. 
A CONSIDERABLE portion of modern astronomical literature 
appears to be designed to bring science into contempt. A 
paper has been circulated, containing an ‘‘ extract from a letter 
addressed to John Hampden, Esq., Chippenham, Wilts,” attri- 
buting the death of Sir John Herschel to ‘the chagrin he has 
for some time evinced at the severe attacks recently made on the 
astronomical theories with which his name has been so long and 
prominently associated.” It is only the most uncleanly of animals 
that howl around the bodies of the dead; we should have 
thought that any ‘‘ gentleman” receiving such a letter would 
have consigned it at once to the fire instead of sowing it broad- 
cast over the land. 
THE Scotch papers report a mirage at the mouth of the 
Forth on Sunday the 21st inst. The weather was remarkably 
warm, and in the afternoon there was a dull deceptive haze. 
The sea presented almost the appearance of a mirror, and the 
vessels upon it seemed to have a double reflection from the sea 
and the background beyond, At one time the masts and riggine 
seemed elongated to four or five times their natural length, and 
then in the course of a few minutes they were reduced so as to 
be scarcely visible. At other times the vessels appeared to be 
sailing double—one ship in sea and one in air. Extraordinary 
appearances were assumed by the May Island, which rose and 
fell and changed to all manner of shapes in the course of a few 
minutes. At one time it appeared a perpendicular wall, risins 
to the height of several hundred feet, and shortly afterwards it 
appeared to be flat on the surface of the sea All the other 
objects which came within the range of the refraction underwent 
similar changes, and the illusion lasted with varying features for 
several hours, 
Dr. MARSHALL HALL has contributed to the Deaizes Gazette 
a letter, calling attention to the importance, at the present time, 
of establishing local centres for instruction of farmers in agri- 
cultural chemistry and sciences connected therewith. In con- 
nection with the circular of Mr. Little’s, printed last week, we 
hope the subject is now at length attracting the attention it 
deserves. 
THE Zngineer of last week contains a drawing of the ma- 
chinery used in the casting of the Vendome Column, lately 
thrown down by the Paris Communists. 
Av Derajat, in India, a supply of water has been obtained by 
artesian boring at the depth of 400 feet. 
“To the Rt. Hon. Earl Granville, K.G., H.M.’s Secretary 
of State for Foreign Affairs,” &c,, &c. Suppose there were 
addressed to his Lordship a rather pressing letter from the 
Anthropological Society of Honolulu or Bolivia, requesting him 
to furnish male and female skulls of each of the tribes of Irish, 
Welsh, Erse, Lowlanders, Danes, English, &c., inhabiting these 
