452 
proportional to the depth of the sun’s atmosphere. At 
first sight the loss of 234°6° appears to be a trifling 
reduction of energy ; yet if we consider the mechanical 
equivalent which it represents, we cannot doubt its 
adequacy to supply the motive force expended in pro- 
ducing the observed movement of the attenuated matter 
within the solar atmosphere. Dividing the temperature 
of the photosphere, 4,035,000°, by 234°6, it will be found 
that the computed, apparently insignificant, retardation 

exceeds of the entire dynamic energy developed by 
I 
17,000 
the sun—an amount fully 15,500 times greater than the 
solar energy transmitted to all the planets of our system ! 
Making due allowance for the extreme attenuation, and 
the small quantity of matter to be moved, the most ex- 
aggerated computation of the probable expenditure of 
mechanical energy called for in keeping up the currents 
of the solar atmosphere, fails to establish an amount at 
all equal to that capable of being generated by utilising 
234° of the radiant heat emanating from the photosphere. 
In view of the foregoing statements and the demonstra- 
tions contained in the previous article on solar heat, we 
cannot consistently refuse to accept the conclusion, that 
the temperature at the surface of the photosphere is very 
nearly 4,036,000° Fah, J. ERICSSON 


THE Regius Professor of Physic at Cambridge (Dr. Bond) has 
issued a schedule of lectures on subjects connected with the study 
of medicine which will be delivered during the Academical 
year 1871-2. The following are the arrangements for this Term : 
Prof. Liveing will lecture on practical chemistry on Tuesdays, 
Thursdays, and Saturdays, at I P.M., commencing October 10. 
The Linacre lecturer will deliver a course of medical clinical 
lectures on Fridays, at 10 A.M., commencing October 13. The 
Professor of Anatomy (Dr. Humphry) will lecture on practical 
anatomy on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 6 P.M, 
commencing October 16. Mr. C. Lestourgeon, M.4., will on 
October 19 commence a course of surgical clinical lectures, and 
will continue the same on each Thursday during Term, at 11 A.M. 
Anatomy and Physiology will be the subject of a course by the 
Professor of Anatomy, commencing October 21, at 1 P.M., and 
continued on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at the same 
hour. The Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy 
(Mr. A. Newton) will lecture on those subjects on Mondays, 
Wednesdays, and Fridays, at I P.M., commencing October 23. 
Special departments in chemistry will be the subject of lectures 
by the professor of that faculty on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and 
Saturdays at noon, commencing October 26. Practical histology 
will form a separate course under the superintendence of Dr. 
Humphry, commencing October 28 at 11.30 A.M., and continued 
each succeeding Saturday until its completion. 
TuE Franklin Institute of Philadelphia announces the follow- 
ing synopsis of lectures for 1871-72. The regular course will 
comprise a series of forty lectures, divided as follows :—1. ‘‘On 
Physics and Mechanics,” by John G, Moore, M.S. 2. “On 
General Physics and Acoustics,” by. Prof. Edwin J. Houston. 
3. “On Guns, Gunpowder, and Projectiles,” by Lieut. C. E. 
Dutton. 4. ‘‘Onthe Chemistry of the Earth and of the Vital 
Process in Animals and Plants,” by Prof. Samuel B. Howell, 
M.D. 5. ‘On the History of Alchemy,” by William H. Wahl, 
Ph.D. 6. ‘*On the Metallurgy of Iron and Steel,” by Thos. 
M. Brown, Ph.D. Besides the lectures enumerated, the Insti- 
tute has arranged with a number of eminent lecturers for the 
delivery of a popular course of scientific subjects, and it is 
believed that the plan here indicated, of offering a series of lec- 
tures brilliantly and largely illustrated, will go far towards attract- 
ing the attention and interest of the public to these most im- 
portant subjects. 
NATURE 
[ Océ. 5, 1871 

THE Managers of the London Institution, Finsbury Circus, 
announce the following programme of lecture arrangements for 
the coming season. ‘The courses of educational lectures will be 
as follows :—First course, commencing Monday, October 30: 
Eight lectures ‘‘ On Elementary Physiology,” by Prof. Huxley. 
Second Course, commencing Monday, January 15, 1872: Eight 
Lectures ‘On Elementary Chemistry,” by Prof. Odling. Third 
Course, commencing Monday, March 11, 1872: Six lectures 
“‘On Elementary Music,” by Prof. Ella, director of the Musical 
Union. Fourth Course, commencing Monday, April 29, 1872: 
Six Lectures ‘‘On Elementary Botany ; with special reference 
to the Classification of Plants,” by Prof. Bentley. A Course 
of Four Lectures, adapted to a juvenile auditory, ‘‘On the 
Philosophy of Magic,” by Mr. J. C. Brough, principal librarian 
in the London Institution, will be commenced on Thursday, 
December 21. A Course of Two Lectures ‘‘On Science and 
Commerce ; illustrated by the Raw Materials of our Manufac- 
tures,” by Mr. P. L. Simmonds, will be commenced on Thursday, 
November 23. This course will be illustrated by a large collec- 
tion of beautiful and interesting specimens of animal and vege- 
table products. The following lectures will probably be de- 
livered at the Conversazioni of the coming season :— “ The 
Teachings of the Spectroscope,” by Dr. William Huggins ; 
‘“‘The Homing, or Carrier Pigeon : its Natural History, Train- 
ing, and Exploits,” by Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier ; ‘‘ The Sun,” by 
Mr. J. Norman Lockyer; ‘‘ Two Years’ Gleanings in Syria and 
Palestine,” by Captain Richard F, Burton; ‘‘The Haunts of 
Old Londoners,” by Mr. Thomas Archer ; ‘On Colour,”’ by 
Prof, Barff. The evening class for elementary chemical analysis 
will commence work, under the direction of Prof. H. E. Arm- 
strong, on Tuesday, November 7. 
In his address at the recent opening of the new Mechanics’ 
Institute at Bradford, Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P., remarked that 
when institutions of this kind were first established they were 
intended to give to mechanics scientific knowledge ; but it was 
discovered that that was impossible, except in rare cases, because 
mechanics had no elementrary teaching on which could be 
grounded scientific knowledge, and consequently these institutes 
were obliged to be turned very much into elementary schools 
and night schools, rather than into the teaching of science and 
higher literature, which we had hoped to give to our mechanics, 
A conviction, however, is now gaining ground that an essential 
portion of this elementary teaching consists of instruction in the 
rudiments of science, which would be of material advantage to 
none more than to the working classes. 
THE open Scholarship in Natural Science, established this 
year at St. Mary’s Hospital, has been gained by Mr. E. J. Ed- 
wards. This Scholarship is worth 40/. a year for three years. 
The Exhibition of 20/7, awarded at the same time, has been 
gained by Mr. Giles. Both gentlemen are students at the 
University of London. 
Tne Ettles Scholarship at the University of Edinburgh, which 
is annually awarded to the most distinguished graduate, has been 
given to Dr. Urban Pritchard, a student of King’s College, 
London. Dr. Pritchard also gained a gold medal for original 
researches on the structure of the organ of Corti, conducted by 
him in the physiological laboratory of King’s College. 
THE vacancy in the Botanical Department of the British 
Mseuum, caused by the promotion of Mr. Carruthers, has been 
filled by the appointment of Mr, James Britten, late assistant in 
the Royal Herbarium, Kew. 
Mr. RoBERT ROUTLEDGE, a scientific graduate in honours of 
the University of London, has been appointed conductor of the 
classes in Chemistry and Physical Science at the Manchester 
Mechanics’ Institute. These-classes are intended to encourage 
technical education among the working classes, and consist of 
