

a 
Aug, 24, 1871] 
NATURE 
325 

a mile long, and perhaps 100 yards wide; and in that track 
just 300 large trees have been destroyed. In one field, thirty- 
six large trees were blown to pieces, trunks split down and 
broken off; and in another, eleven large trees lie side by side. 
The roof and side of a cottage were blown away. In one 
field four waggons were destroyed ; one, loaded with nearly 
two tons of hay, was blown clean over a high hedge, hay 
and all. An old blind cart horse shared the same fate ; 
while another waggon was blown about twenty yards, over 
two hedges, the four wheels being discovered in four different 
fields, and one-half the waggon, which was broken like fire- 
wood, was not found at all till Sunday evening. This is no 
exaggerated account, for we have seen the ruins, and the 
various places have been photographed.” 
_ Mr. E, DIckKENsoN of Springfield, Massachussetts, asks us 
to request dealers in English birds’ eggs to forward him their 
price lists. 
A CORRESPONDENT throws out the suggestion that the tragical 
explosion of gun cotton at Stowmarket might have been occa- 
sioned by the fall of a meteoric stone. 
M. ZALIOSKI, in an article in Zes MWondes on the explosion of 
explosive compounds, asserts that the explosive properties of 
inflammable matter are not dependent on the normal tem 
perature of the atmosphere, but upon its hydrometric state. 
Gunpowders, he adds, during a drought acquire spontaneous 
explosive qualities, even without any elevation of temperature, 
while they are also more ready to act upon and communicate the 
smallest spark. 
THE Revue Scientifique appears to be starting into renewed 
vigour since peace and order have been restored in Paris. The 
last number is largely occupied with the proceedings af the 
British Association, including an admirable translation of the 
President’s address, 
On the 19th June very slight earthquakes were felt at Simla at 
9.40 P.M. The weather has been very sultry. 
AN attempt to obtain European ice for India by the Suez 
Canal has failed. Out of ninety tons of Alpine ice shipped only 
four arrived. It is probable the parties did not know the busi- 
ness so well as the Americans. As it is the Alps do not at 
present supply the Mediterranean, many parts of which use 
frozen snow from Mounts Olympus and Tmoius. 
THE troubles of the Indian Government about snakes are 
serious. The number of deaths by snake bites is great, but the 
number of snakes is greater, and when the experiment is tried 
of paying for snakes killed, the local treasuries are in danger of 
depletion, a fradulent trade in dead snakes springs up worse 
than that in sham tigers. Science seems to be the only media- 
tor. In Bangalore rewards were paid in one month for 1,913 
snakes, but Dr. Nicholson has found on examination that only 
6 per cent., or 123, were really poisonous. 
THE rise of the Ganges in the month of June was thirty-five 
feet. 
Dr. Baron EOtv6s, the son of the late eminent Minister of 
Public Instruction in Hungary, is now in this country inspecting 
our schvol arrangements for teaching science. We hope he may 
go back with a satisfactory story to tell. } 
A MEETING of the German Astronomical Society is fixed to 
be held at Stuttgard, on the 14th of September, 
Sucu of our readers as were interested in the discussion 
carried on at the beginning of last year, by Messrs. Sylvester, 
Huxley, Lewes, Iugleby, Croom Robertson, and Monck, on 
Kant’s view of Space and Time as Forms of Thought (NATURE, 
g to 15) may be glad to know that in the fourth edition 

of the ‘*History of Philosophy from Thales to Comte,” 
which has just appeared, Mr. Lewes discusses the whole question 
of the distinction between Sensibility and Understanding, and 
also that of mental forms, as understood by Kant, 
Tue ‘‘ Birmingham Saturday Half-Holiday Guide,” containing 
sixty-eight closely printed pages and a good map, for the price 
of sixpence, demands a word of notice. It is admirably ar- 
ranged in every particular, the various districts being undertaken 
by those especially acquainted with them, and the whole brought 
together under careful editorship. Our attention is natuially 
especially directed to the portion—about one-third of the book— 
devoted to the natural history of the district, which is produced 
under the superintendence and by the members of the active 
Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society. 
The work is one of those peculiarly suited to such a body, and 
is well executed, chapters heing devoted to the ornithology, 
lepidoptera, coleoptera, conchology, botany, and geology of the 
surrounding country. A more careful revision of the scientific 
names would have improved the appearance of the book ; but, 
as it is, it is certainly the best, as it is the cheapest, work of the 
kind which has yet been issued. The suggestions of routes and 
indications of interesting objects are concise and yet complete. 
We hope that Liverpool and Manchester will not be slow to 
follow the example of Birmingham, and that the naturalists of 
the former towns will come forward as their cov/iéres have done, 
and discharge as ably their portion of the work. 
Tue extreme heat experienced during the first fortnight of 
August is worth recording. Mr. H. Steward has published the 
following figures:—Monday, Aug. 7, solar maximum tempera- 
ture in vacuo, 113° F. ; maximum temperature in shade, 82°F. ; 
Tuesday 8th, 113° F. and 81° F. ; Wednesday 9th, 110° and 84° ; 
Thursday tcth, 112° and 86°; Friday 11th, 119° and 89°, Saturday 
12th, 115° and 89° ; Sunday 13th, 125° andgr’, These high tem- 
peratures are far exceeded by those published by Mr. F. Nunes, 
of Chiselhurst, who, by means of standard thermometers (the one 
in the sun being in vacuo, and placed on the grass) has obtained 
the following figures :— 
Max. in Shade. Max, in Sun. 
August I OUCH VAS y wren 147°0 
a a2 6 6 weer A gg uG{o)%) 
nor eS ' 83°77 . « I50°2 
a3 4 721 139°3 
Bee 8 Tipo 148'0 
imo Son 145°5 
Al STO me een LA OLO 
wo eto 6 81'0 147°0 
moron eases 151°5 
atTOr NP Pace USO 4 ane 1480 
c 7 eDw RS ye OL 150°7 
erie =) OUZOP ra aes TAGES 
ope tis oe NBR S Ge a tile) 
Ao. MU a 1) a) EOS Vauhn Sie) 
Surely there must be an error somewhere. The maximum tem- 
perature of Mr. S. or Mr. N. differ by 40° and 50°! 
teach or correct amateur meteorologists ? 
Who is to 
From the report of the special course of instruction in biology 
to science teachers at South Kensington, we learn that Prof. 
Huxley’s recent course was attended by thirty-nine students, of 
whom thirty-two were present during the whole time occupied 
by the lecture and demonstrations, and have made all the pre- 
scribed reports. Miss Margaret A. T, Macomish heads the 
prize list. 
On Sunday, July 9, a magnificent waterspout was seen off 
Cork harbour. It did not last long, its breaking up being fol- 
lowed by a heavy downpour of rain, which extended for some 
miles round. 
Dr. Perers, of the Clinton Observatory, N.Y., has dis- 
covered another of the small planets, making the 114th of the 
series, 
