495 
NATURE 
[ Oct. 20, 1870 
tutor.) On Elementary Botany: Mr. Trotter, Trinity. On 
Physiology : The Trinity Preelector of Physiology (Dr. M. Fos- 
ter) at the New Museums. 
MERTON COLLEGE, Oxford, announces an open Natural Science 
scholarship of the value of 80/. for five years, and one or more 
exhibitions of.the value of 257. for three years, to be awarded 
in December next. The examination will be in chemistry, 
physics, and physiology, and an opportunity will be given for 
showing a knowledge of practical work in chemistry and phy- 
siology. They will be awarded either for special excellence in 
one subject or for excellence in two out of three subjects, but 
no candidate will be examined in more than two subjects. 
There is no limit to age, but members of the University must not 
be over six terms standing. 
THE Natural Science Scholarship at Lincoln College, Oxford, 
has been awarded to Mr. Schofield, of Owens College, Man- 
chester. The National Science Demyship of 80/. a year at 
Magdalen College, Oxford, has not been filled up, there being 
no candidate up to the required standard. 
THE Dublin University have just published the regulations for 
the examinations for women for 1871. They will be held 
in Dublin in March 1871, one for senior and one for junior 
candidates. The latter must not be above eighteen years of age. 
Examinations will also be held at any place where a ladies’ 
superintending committee shall be constituted, and at least 
twenty candidates guaranteed to present themselves. 
WE understand that Dr. Schimper, the palzeontologist, escaped 
from Strasburg the day before the final closing of the gates at 
the commencement of the siege. Fears are entertained as to the 
safety of his fine collection. 
In addition to the literary prospects of the approaching season 
already announced, Mr. Murray’s list of forthcoming books in- 
cludes the following:—‘‘ On the Descent of Man, and on Selection 
in Relation to Sex,” by Charles Darwin ; with illustrations, 
2 vols. crown 8vo. ‘*The Student’s Elements of Geology,” 
by Sir Charles Lyell; with numerous woodcuts, post 8vo. 
“*Scrambles among the Alps, 1860-69,” by Edward Whymper, 
including the First Ascent of the Matterhorn, with Observations 
on Glacier Phenomena in the Alps and in Greenland ; with 100 
maps and illustrations, medium 8yo. ‘“‘ A Visit to High Tar- 
tary, Yarkand, and Kashgar (formerly Chinese Tartary), and 
Return Journey over the Karakorum Pass,” by Robert Shaw ; 
with map and illustrations, 8vo. Second and cheaper edition 
of ‘* The Music of the Most Ancient Nations,” by Carl Engel ; 
with roo illustrations, 8vo. A third edition of Kerr’s ‘‘The 
Gentleman’s House; or, How to Plan English Residences, 
from the Parsonage to the Palace ;” with ‘illustrations, 8vo. 
Among Mr. Bentley’s announcements are—‘‘ Travels in the Air; 
a Popular Account of Balloon Voyages and Ventures, with 
recent attempts to accomplish the navigation of the air,” by 
J. Glaisher, of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich ; royal 8vo., 
with 133 illustrations. ‘‘ The Marvels of the Heavens,” from 
the French of Flammarion, translated by Mrs. Lockyer ; crown 
8vo., with numerous illustrations. A new and cheaper edi- 
tion of ‘‘ The Heavens,” an illustrated handbook of Popular 
Astronomy, by Amédée Guillemin, edited by J. N. Lockyer, 
F.R.S. ; demy 8vo., with 200 illustrations. 
Mr. M. C. Cooxe’s Hand-book of British Fungi will be 
published in the course of the ensuing season by Messrs. Mac- 
millan and Co. Although the first volume is already printed, its 
issue will be delayed until the whole work is ready. It will bea 
complete vade mecum for the British Fungologist, and will contain 
descriptions of all the species, and illustrations of all the genera. 
We are glad to see that the University of St. Lawrence has 
recognised Mr. Cooke’s services to botanical science by con- 
ferring on him the honorary degree of M.A. 
Mr. VAN VoorsT has in preparation ‘‘The Mollusca of the 
European seas,” by Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys, F.R.S., in continua- 
tion of his work on ‘‘ British Conchology.” 
AN English edition of M. Taine’s ‘‘De I’Intelligence,”’ re- 
vised with additions by the author, is in preparation, and will 
shortly be published by L. Reeve and Co, 
WE have received a prospectus of a very energetic society 
located in the north of London, called the Hackney Scientific 
Association, which is now commencing its fourth session. It 
numbers among its officers many men of high scientific standing, 
and the following is its programme of papers for the season :—— 
Recent Progress in Astronomy—W. T. Lynn ; Comets—Henry 
T. Vivian ; Observations on Solar Eclipses—William J. Dyer ; 
Water—C. W. Stidstone ; The Predicted and Observed Meteor- 
ology of 1870, and the Probable Weather for 1871—Frederic 
Pratt ; A Catalogue of variable Stars, with Remarks upon their 
Physical Constitution—Albert P. Holden; The Calendar— 
Henry T. Vivian ; The Methods used in endeavouring to deter- 
mine Man’s Antiquity—William H. Davis ; Infusoria—William 
West ; The Diseases prevalent in certain Geological Formations 
—H. W. Emons ; Micro-Photography—C. W. Stidstone; The 
Habitable Condition of other Worlds, as affected by Tempera- 
ture—Frederic Pratt; The Origin and Constitution of the 
Minor Planets, called Asteroids—Albert P. Holden ; Inorganic 
Chemistry—George C, Fearn, 
WE are glad to find in the number of our able contem- 
porary, the Academy, for October, an extension of the scientific 
department. The paper will be published in future regularly on 
the 15th, instead of the second Saturday in each month. 
WE learn from the American Entomologist and Botanist that the 
botanists of New York have formed themselves into a club, named, 
after one of the most distinguished botanists of America, the 
Torrey Club. The club publishes a2 monthly Auz/letin, the ob- 
ject of which is ‘‘to form a medium of communication for all 
those interested in the flora of this vicinity, and thus to bring 
together and fan into a flame the sparks of botanical enthusiasm 
at present too much isolated.” It is many years since a similar 
botanical club or society has existed in London. 
Mr. G. P. BippeRr has written to the 7imes describing a 
remarkable example of parhelia or mock suns observed by him 
on the 7th inst. at Canterbury :—‘‘A portion of a circular are 
was seen considerably above the halo and convex to it and the 
sun. The centre of the circle of which it formed part was, as 
nearly as I could estimate, close to the zenith. This are had 
all the prismatic colours pure and distinct, and about 80° or go° 
of it were visible. The following rough approximation repre- 
sents the general arrangement of the whole: Altitude of the sun, 
about 12°; radius of the halo, about 25° ; interval between the 
nearest points of halo and rainbow arc, about 25°; radius of 
rainbow arc, about 25°.” 
THE new buildings of the Taunton College Schoo! were for- 
mally opened during the past week. After a sermon from the 
bishop of the diocese and the inevitable luncheon, some very 
good speeches were made, among which we may especially men- 
tion those of the head-master, Rev. W. Tuckwell, Mr. J. G. Fitch, 
and Mr. E. B. Tylor. Mr. Tuckwell thus announced the pro- 
gramme of the system of instruction given at the schoo!: “I 
may be allowed to say one word upon the nature of the education 
which we are striving to carry out, because to this is chiefly due 
the impulse in our favour which has so greatly altered om posi- 
tion. All who have been concerned with us are aware that in our 
curriculum we have departed widely from the ancient systems. 
We refuse to restrict our boys, as my own contemporaries were 
restricted, to the exclusive study of Greek and Latin ; but while 
we give to these only a portion of our time, and find room for 
the higher mathematics, for physical science, for geography 
