514 

to beseen northward. By these results the anticipations of Dr. 
Petermann, who long ago recommended an expedition to the 
North of Spitzbergen, are fully borne out. 
THE number of entries at the London Medical Schools is this 
year unusually large, University College taking the lead with the 
largest number of fresh entries. We understand that the means of 
instruction at this admirable school are further enlarged by sup- 
plying the only disadvantage at which it has hitherto laboured—a 
deficiency in the number of beds. In future the students at this 
institution are to have the privilege of attending the clinical in- 
struction at Middlesex Hospital. 
Mr. W. R. S. RAtston is to give the Ilchester Lectures at 
Oxford this term. They will take place on November 4, 11, 
and 18, and will be upon Russian Mythology and Folklore. 
Tue first Evening Lecture at the London Institution, Finsbury 
Circus, will take place on Thursday, November 2, at half-past 
seven, the subject being ‘‘ Michael Faraday: the Story of his 
Life,” by J. H. Gladstone, Ph. D., F.RS. 
TEE Council of the Hackney Scientific Association will hold a 
Conversazione on November 7, at 7.30 P.M., at their Rooms, 
The Tabernacle, Old Street, N.E. 
On Saturday a meeting of the Senatus Academicus of the 
University of Edinburgh was held for the purpose of considering 
what steps should be taken in regard to the admission of the 
female medical students to the examinations. After a long dis- 
cussion the Senatus adopted a resolution to the effect that no 
further difficulties were to be placed in the way of the ladies as 
regarded either matriculation or preliminary examination. 
Weare glad to learn that at Marlborough College 205 boys 
are studying Science, and about three-fourths of these have two 
lectures a week. Thus since the commencement of the half no 
form has had more than seven lectures on one subject. The 
following averages were obtained out of amaximum of 100 marks 
for each subject :— 
Sixths and Upper Fifth—Chemistry. . . ee) (O5f53 
Upper Voluntary (from the three Fifths)— Chemisty: y 55°94 
% Magnetism 66°91 
Upper Shell Form— Chemistry oo Te od 64°20 
Upper Fourth, A— 5 ooh owantpein oe Gas 
Upper Fourth, B— 56°29 
Lower V oluntary (from three preceding) — Magne tism O18 5 
Modern School : Upper Division—Chemistry. . 53°04 
53 Middle Division— “5 me 30570 
A Lower Division— 5 53°45 
no Upper Division—/ Magne lism 72°40 
x Middle Division— 9 ea SAS 
Mr. HENRY WALKER states, ina letter to the Daily News, 
that interesting relics of the Glacial period are now to be seen at 
the Finchley Station, on the Highgate and Edgware Railway, en 
the branch line to Barnet, where the boulder clay is now being 
revealed in a section of nearly thirty-feet deep. The clay seems , 
to have a maximum thickness of nine feet, and is rich in fossils | 
drifted hither from the liassic, oolitic, and chalk formations of the 
north. 
abundance, 
Pror, Core has lat<ly published in the Indianopolis Journal 
an account of a visit to the Wyandotte Cave, and of the animal 
life occurring within its limits. He reports this cave to be as 
we!l worthy the popular favour as the Mammoth Cave of Ken- 
tucky, since, although lacking the large bodies of water of the 
latter, it is fully equal and even superior to it in the number and 
beauty of its stalactites. The gypsum regions in the more remote 
parts of the cave are especially beautiful, this substance occurring 
in amorphous masses of great purity, or in the form of loose | 
crystals resembling snow. Fourteen species of animals were 
found in this cave, consisting of a blind fish similar to, if not | 
Ammonites and gryphenas are found in great variety and | 
NATURE 

[ Oct. 26, 1871 

identical with, that of the Mammoth Cave, seven species of in- 
sects, two of spiders, one of centipedes, and three crustaceans. 
Several of these species, as might be imagined, are destitute ot 
eyes, such organs being unnecessary to them in their subterranean 
abode. 
THE discussion in the Indian papers about the Bis-cobra or 
Bhyscuppra has at length brought out a description. It appears 
that the name Cobra is misleading, for the animal is a saurian 
and has nothing to do with the snake, but its supposed poisonous 
qualities may have furnished the version of Cobra from Cuppra. 
It is a lizard of no very remarkable appearance; nor does it 
differ materially in outline from others of its class, Its length is 
from twelve to twenty inches. It has four feet and an elongated 
tapering head, in shape not uniike that of the common blood- 
sucker. It lives on trees, particularly the peepul, and on old 
tumbiedown buildings. It is carnivorous, seeking its prey at 
night. On provocation it can change its hue from one shade of 
green to another, but it is not true that it can do more. It is 
often confounded with the burrowing lizard, which it much re- 
sembles, though there is a clear distinction. The latter is a 
vegetarian, having much longer claws, is different in gait, and 
cannot change its colour. The natives have a superstitious dread 
of the Bhyscuppra, but their fears have of late been proved to be 
unfounded. The creature has no poison in its mouth, nor even 
fangs. The writer says he has seen a goat bitten by it without 
unfavourable results, and has heard of other cases. 
THE Cundurango is a tree found in Ecuador, the young 
stems and roots of which are claimed to be a specific 
cure for cancer and other diseases. A quantity of this was 
sent by the Government of that country to the State De- 
partment in Washington to be experimented upon by some phy- 
sicians of that city, and the result of the inquiry having been 
satisfactory, a special expedition was sent out to obtain an in- 
creased supply. Much controversy has arisen, however, as to 
the real virtue of the plant, many physicians denouncing the 
whole movement as savouring of quackery and humbug. The 
precise botanical relationships and character of the plant have 
been until recently unknown ; but we now learn from the Andes, 
of Guayaquil, of July 29, in a communication from Dr. Buyon, 
that it belongs to the order Zufatoriacee, and species Mikania 
guaco of Endlicher, and that its name of cundurango in the 
Quichua language means vine of the condor. It is the same 
plant that is called the guaco in Colombia. According to the 
tradition of the country, when the condor is bitten by a poisonous 
serpent it swallows the leaves of the guaco plant, and experiences 
no harm. In Colombia there are said to be three varieties of the 
guaco—green, purple, and white—the purple variety being in- 
tensely bitter, the white Jess so and more aromatic, while the 
green has more astringency. Dr. Bliss, of Washington, is 
understood to be the great champion of the cundurango, and 
to have accomplished several notable cures upon prominent 
personages, and considers it to be as reliable a specific in cancer 
and scrofula and other blood diseases as cinchona and its alka- 
loids have proved to be in zymotic diseases. It is quite certain 
that for many years this plant has been brought forward in 
tropical America as an invaluable cure for a variety of diseases. 
As the Wikania guaco is found abundantly in South America, it 
can readily be obtained without going into the interior of 
Ecuador, should it answer all the expectations of its partisans. 
THE total fall of rain in Calcutta to the 31st July was 64°24 
inches, the average for 17 years being 37°13 inches. This rain 
| was accompanied by heavy floods and much damage to crops. 
COAL is reported as having been found in the Nizam’s domi- 
nions in the Rajpore and Kummun districts. Attention is now 
being directed to Beerbhoom, Chota, Nagpore, Rowah, and 
Bundulcund as a great mineral region, 
