Fune 30, 1870] 
NATURE 
165 
association would show how general amongst teachers is the 
dissatisfaction with the ancient methods, and might lead to more 
uniformity of practice by securing a free public discussion of the 
best methods and most suitable terms. There are abundant 
materials available as the basis of discussion, and no doubt the 
aid of the most distinguished geometers would be easily secured 
by the Association, so as to bring about a decision on controver= 
tible points. Several English text-books are already in existence, 
and there are many good features as well as many defects in all 
of them. Excellent series of lectures have lately been given on 
the subject in London and Cambridge, and some of the lecturers 
have printed very full notes for the use of their students. The 
syllabuses of Mr. Clifford, and Professor Hirst, are very sug- 
gestive. 
After an exhaustive discussion, the Association would doubt- 
Tess be able to secure the publication of a text-book which 
would have the approval and patronage of all its members. If 
the readers of NATURE who approve of the plan, would send 
their names to Mr. Levett, with -contributions, if possible, 
towards expenses of printing, postage, and advertisement, some 
practical result would soon ensue. 
Brixton RICHARD WORMELL 
Storms and Fishes 
CAN any of your readers give me any information on the fol- 
lowing subjects ? 
1. What is Le Verrier’s law of storms? 
T asked this question some months ago, but no one replied to it. 
2. Have any articles or special works on Poisonous Fishes 
appeared since Dumeril’s memoir on the subject ? 
I should also be obliged to anyone who can give me informa- 
tion regarding fresh-water frshes that are in the habit of attack- 
ing bathers. Don Paez describes such fishes in some of the 
South American rivers. M.D, 
The Scientific Education of Women. 
WILL you kindly allow me to add some information to an 
article which I have just seen in NATURE of June 16, on the 
Scientific Education of Women? First, however, allow me to 
correct an error which was made in an article on Lectures to 
Ladies, which I observed in NATURE some months ago, in 
which it was stated that the first series of educational lectures to 
women given under the auspices of any society for such lectures, 
was given under the direction of the Edinburgh Ladies’ Educa- 
tional Association. The fact is, that the first series of lectures of 
that kind, in recent years, was given in Liverpool, Manchester, 
Leeds, and Sheffield, under the auspices of the ‘‘ North of Eng- 
land Council for the higher Education of Women.” These 
lectures were given in the Autumn of 1867. The subject was 
Physical Astronomy. Under the auspices of that society, as 
well as of other societies, many sets of lectures have been given 
since that time on subjects connected with Physical Science. 
But I have always regretted, ‘as the writer of your article 
regrets, that a greater number of the lectures have not been 
on such subjects, for I have always found that women exhibit a 
peculiar aptitude for the study of Physical Science. I have also 
found in my own experience a considerable desire on the part of 
women for such studies ; and I believe that the fewness of such 
courses of lectures to them is to be put down to the scarcity of 
people at once competent and willing to teach them such sub- 
jects. From all that I have seen there is in my mind no doubt 
that the desire for true scientific instruction throughout the 
country, both among women and among men, exceeds the 
present possibility of supplying that teaching. I called your 
attention to this fact some months ago, and I believe that we 
cannot over-estimate its significance. 
With respect to the remarks made in your article as to 
the medical education of women, it may interest your readers to 
know that Cambridge, which has moved so much in the matter 
of women’s education, has not been behind-hand in this; but 
that a few weeks ago a petition went up to parliament praying 
that, in the ensuing legislation for the medical profession, pro- 
vision might be made to prevent the exclusion of women from 
that profession. This petition was from resident graduates, and 
one hundred names were attached, among which were those of 
two heads of houses, nine University professors, and thirty-eight 
tutors or assistant-tutors of Colleges. 
In your notice of the exhibiticns in connection with the lectures 
to women at Cambridge, you speak of the Cambridge higher 
examinations for women. These examinations, which were 
instituted last year for women over eighteen years of age, were 
suggested to the University by a memorial presented by the 
North of England Council for the Higher Education of Women, 
a body to whose exertions the whole of this cause is deeply 
indebted. JAMES STUART 
June 22 
ILLUMINATION OF THE SEA 
HE following is derived from the Ao/nische Zettung 
of June 19 :-— 
“Gulf of Siam, April 11 
“Last night, between two and three o’clock, I had 
the opportunity of witnessing an illumination of the 
sea of the most peculiar kind. It had become quite 
calm, after a sharp breeze which had sprung up from 
the N.N.W., caused by a passing storm in the distance. 
Heat-lightning was still very frequent in the west horizon, 
and the sky was covered with light clouds, through which 
the moon shone rather brightly. We took in sail and set 
the engines going. I then noticed in the water large 
white flakes which I had at first taken to be reflections of 
the moon ; they were about a fathom in diameter, appa- 
rently lustreless, and of no particular shape, like objects 
seen lying deep in the water. By the rising and falling of 
the sea’s surface these flakes floated off to a short distance 
from the ship without imparting any noticeable increase 
of brightness to the water illuminated by the moon’s rays. 
After steaming further forward for six or seven knots, a 
most wonderful spectacle presented itself. On both sides 
obliquely in front of us, long white waves of light were 
seen floating towards the ship, increasing in brightness 
and rapidity till at last they almost disappeared, and 
nothing was observed but a white lustreless, whirling 
(schwirrendes) light upon the water. Aftcr gazing for 
some time it was impossible to distinguish between water, 
sky, and atmosphere, all which were but just now clearly 
distinguishable, and a thick fog in long streaks appeared 
to be driving upon the ship with furious swiftness. The 
phenomenon of light was somewhat similar to that which 
would be produced by the whirling round of a ball striped 
black and white so rapidly that the white stripes seem to 
be lost and blended with the dark ones. The light was 
just as if we were enveloped in a thick white fog. The 
direction of the waves of light upon the ship was always 
on both sides obliquely from the front. "The phenomenon 
lasted about five minutes, and repeated itself once more 
afterwards for about two minutes. Without doubt, there- 
fore, shoals of small creatures in the water were the cause 
of this luminosity, and the waves of light find their cause, 
according to my conviction, in the white flakes above 
described. Yet their moderate velocity of 14 geog. mile 
per hour, and the weak light at first emitted by each 
flake, so weak as not to influence the tint of the surface- 
water, does not seem calculated to call forth a phenomenon 
of such magical effect’ as the one described. The lumi- 
nous appearance commonly seen in the wake of a ship, 
or in water disturbed by oars or rudder, is not to be 
compared with such a phenomenon as the above. In the 
former the light is lustrous, glaring green and blue, like 
phosphorus, often very splendid in deep clear water, 
mingled with a reddish white foam. We saw a beautiful 
instance of this kind one night, in perfectly still and 
smooth water, in a lonely bay of Nipon. It was pitch 
dark and perfectly quiet, when a heavy shower of rain 
came on, in large but not dense drops. Every drop as it 
struck the water became iliuminated, little drops of fire 
sprang up in the air, and a little luminous circle formed 
itself. It seemed as if the bay was suddenly filled with 
little flowers of fire. This phenomenon was almost imme- 
diately dissipated by a puff of wind.” 
