436 
NATURE 
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a wonderful event, not heard of in former generations. On the 
following morning the rain ceased, and the mad wind became 
quiet, and then for the first time men felt at ease in their heart.” 
WE have to record the death, in his seventy-ninth year, of the 
Rev. William Hincks, F.L.S., for many years Professor of 
Natural History and Director of the Museum in University Col- 
lege, Toronto, and previously Professor of Natural History in 
the Queen’s College, Cork. Mr. Hincks, who had but just 
resigned his professorship owing to the infirmities of age, was an 
accomplished and enthusiastic botanist, and had also devoted 
much attention to certain depariments of zoology. He possessed 
a wide range of scientific knowledge, and through a long life had 
done much for the diffusion of scientific tastes and culture. 
Almost to the very close of life he was an enthusiastic student, 
actively engaged in pursuing his favourite researches, and alive 
to all that was passing in the scientific world. He published 
many papers on natural history and other subjects, some of 
which were specially devoted to the Fauna and Flora of Canada, 
chiefly in the ‘‘ Journal of the Canadian Institute.” To the 
Museum connected with University College, of which he was 
the director, he devoted much time and labour, and rendered it 
very valuable service. He was an active member of the Cana- 
dian Institute, and one of the Editing Committee, which is 
charged with the publication of the ‘‘Journal.” In 1869 he was 
elected president, and was re-elected the following year. 
Mr. SAMUEL SOLLY, F.R.S., expired suddenly on Sunday 
last. Mr. Solly was deservedly well known from his numerous 
contributions to the advancement of science, especially by his 
work on the ‘Human Brain,” ‘ Surgical Experiences,” an 
“* Analysis of Miiller on the Glands,” and by his various papers 
and Jectures on surgery in the medical journals, 
A GERMAN translation of Mr. E. B, Tylor’s ‘‘ Primitive Cul- 
ture” is in progress. Dr. Spengel is the translator, and the 
publishers Winter and Co. of Leipzig. 
OvrR old friend Cosmos, the publication of which has been 
suspended since September last, reappeared on the roth inst. in 
a new form, under the tile of Za France Scientifique, still edited 
by M. Victor Meunier. The new journal takes for its motto, 
“*Reégenérer la France par la Science, et la Science par la 
Liberté.” The three numbers already received contain articles 
original and selected on science and education. 
Les Mondes for September 23rd contains an account of an in- 
vention by M. Corbin, a sugar manufacturer of Lizy-sur-Ourcq, of 
a portable railway, which can be laid down daily in any position, 
and can be used for facilitating agricultural operations, causing a 
great reduction in the amount of labour required. The invention 
could evidently be applied only in the case of farms consisting of 
very large fields, as occursin some parts of the East of England 
THE Zoological Society of London have just received a fine 
living example of a species of Cassowary new to their collection. 
It is a young bird, but is probably referable to the Casuarius 
uniappendiculatus, described some years ago by Mr. Blyth from 
a specimen observed alive in Calcutta, although there are at 
present no traces of the single throat-wattle, from which the 
species obtained its name. In general appearance the new 
acqui:ition resembles the Mooruk or Bennett’s Cassowary 
(C. Lennettii) rather than the Common Cassowary of Ceram 
(C. galeatus). It is said to have been captured on the coast of 
New Guinea, near the Bay of Geelvink, and was, we believe, 
obtained by the Zoological Society from one of the sister insti- 
tutions of the Continent. 
In reference to our article last week on the Smithsonian In- 
stitution, we hear that quite recently the learned societies and 
public libraries of Holland have undertaken to co-operate with 
the Institution in this enterprise, by forming a Central Scientific 
Bureau of the Netherlands, at which the packages intended for 
transmission to America are to be collected, and forwarded from 
time to time to the Smithsonian Institution, which will distribute 
them to the parties addressed. The Bureau also proposes to 
establish special agencies in different parts of Europe, and has 
already announced the firm of MM. J. B. Bailliére and Son, or 
Paris, as the agents for France, to whom all French institutions 
are requested to address such copies of their works as may be 
intended for the Netherlands. 
WHEN ocean cables were first submerged, various apprehen- 
sions of probable injury were entertained, some of which have 
proved to be well founded, and others less so. It was supposed 
that worms or mollusks would burrow in the substance of the 
envelope, and ultimately penetrate to the centre of the wires ; or, 
again, that the attachment of barnacles, mollusks, or other 
marine animals on the exterior would invite the attacks of the 
sharks, rays, and other fish of powerful jaws, and induce them 
to subject the bunch of matter to such a mastication as should 
produce serious harm to the cable. To what extent any acci- 
dents have happened from this source it is perhaps difficult to 
say ; but we now learn from Harfer’s Weekly that the Florida 
cable between Punta Rosa and Key West has been injured in 
numerous places, as supposed by sea-turtles biting through or 
crushing it in their teeth, to such an extent as to destroy its con- 
tinuity. It is, perhaps, a question whether the turtle be charge- 
able with these operations ; and we think it is quite as probable 
that, under the circumstances, some ray or other fish has attacked 
it, and for the reasons already suggested. 
A CORRESPONDENT requests us to state that the valuable speci- 
mens of Stagonolepis Robertsoni and other reptilian remains from 
the upper Elgin sandstones, which Prof. Huxley has lately 
examined, are to be found in the Elgin Museum, and not in that 
of Dundee, as mentioned in our last week’s ‘‘ Notes.” 
WITH reference to the earthquake recorded in our last number 
as having occurred in Chile and Peru in June last, a correspondent 
informs us, that being at that time in Madeira, a perceptible 
shock was felt there on the 20th about 6 P.M. 
M. SrrouMBo, a Professor in the University of Athens, has 
suggested the substitution for some scientific terms in ordinary use 
of others etymologically more correct. He proposes in particu- 
lar saccharometer for saccharimeter, eidoloscope for kaleidoscope, 
rheumatometer for rheometer, rheumatostat for rheostat, apo- 
chrose for achromatism, phasmoscope for spectroscope. 
AMONG recently started magazines deserving a word of com- 
mendation is Ze Traveller, a monthly international journal for 
England and America, devoted to international topics, real 
estate and agriculture, and to universal travel. It contains 
original articles by well-known writers on the various subjects 
included under the above headings, some of which are illustrated, 
reviews, notes and queries, correspondence, &c., of a character 
calculated to interest a variety of readers ; and the price at which 
it is published brings it within the reach of all. 
Part II. vol. ii. of the *‘ Transactions of the Entomological 
Society of New South Wales” is occupied by the first portion of 
a description, by Mr. Macleay, of a collection of over 1,100 
Coleoptera, brought from Gayndah a town on the Buraett River 
in that colony. Many of both genera and speciesare new. In 
this paper Mr. Macleay makes an innovation which he thus re- 
fers to in his introductory remarks :—‘* I have always hitherto, in 
describing new genera and species, adopted the system most 
usual with Engliso entomologists of giving these descriptions in 
Latin. On this occasion I intend to depart from that rule, as I 
believe that many of those who take an interest in Australian 
entomology will infinitely prefer the descriptions given in plain 
and intelligible English.” 
[ Sepz. 28, 1871 
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