PS I ee a = 
(FOI Rt IS EP 
Oct. 7, 1886] 
schools are lacking. Indeed it appears from the papers that the 
other public buildings of the State of Michigan share these 
defects with the schools; the court-house, according to Mr. 
Waters, is little better than a death-trap, and the others are far 
from being what they should be. 
WE have received the Report and Proceedings (vol. i. part 1) 
of the Bristol Naturalists’ Society. The former is very satis- 
factory, as it shows an increase in the membership and an in- 
creased attendance at the meetings. The finances, too, are ina 
sound state, with the exception of the special library fund, 
which appears to be in debt. The Council urge the formation 
of similar Societies in neighbouring towns, and their affiliation 
to the Bristol Society, ‘‘for so much can be done for science by 
mutual intercourse and encouragement.” The contents of the 
Proceedings (the part being profusely illustrated) reach a high 
standard. Prof. Lloyd Morgan publishes the third and fourth 
parts of his ‘‘ Contributions to the Geology of the Avon Basin,” 
dealing with the Portbury, Clapton, and Portishead districts. 
Mr. Wilson, Curator of the Bristol Museum, gives the history 
of the exploration of the bone-cave or fissure in Durdham Down, 
from which the series of mammalian remains in the Bristol] 
Museum were obtained. Lists are given of the remains found, 
and of the principal publications referring to them. Mr. Buck- 
nall publishes Part 9 of his ‘‘ Fungi of the Bristol District,” 
while Mr. Griffiths writes on the Cicada sebtemdecim, “* the 
seventeen-years’ locust”’ of America. There are several other 
more general papers. At the end is the continuation of the 
** Flora of the Bristol Coal-Field,” edited for the Society by 
Mr. J. W. White, the compilation of which was commenced 
seven years ago, and which has continued steadily ever since. One 
thousand and three species have already been treated as inhabit- 
ants of the district. The present part, which is the sixth, treats 
of Glumifere Gymnosperme and Cryptogamee Vasculares, It is 
proposed to begin at once revising the earlier parts with a view 
to the prepar. t on of a second edition, and an appeal is made 
to members and friends to aid in making the work as complete 
and accurate as possible. It is hoped in this way to lay before 
the Society a thoroughly worthy account of the botanical wealth 
of Bristol. 
THE Otago Acclimatisation Society have, during the past 
year, been highly successful in their fish-culture operations in 
New Zealand. The utmost is being done to naturalise Sal- 
monide to the waters of that country, and from all accounts the 
experiment is likely to succeed. The Society are about to try 
the experiment of retaining salmon in fresh waters at Marshall’s 
Creek with a view to testing the assertion that it is not a physio- 
logical necessity for fish to repair to the sea to render them 
capable of reproduction, 
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE Free Library, though suffering from 
a fire which arose from the flue of a sunlight in the reference 
room getting overheated, and caused both reference and issue 
department to be closed for many days, nevertheless records 
general prosperity, boasting at the same time the issue of the 
smallest percentage of fiction of twelve of the largest free libraries 
in England. A new catalogue of 10,000 books added to the 
lending department during the five years and a half the library 
has been open, and another of the juvenile department, are being 
prepared to meet the want that must be so urgent in a library 
where crowded applicants can gain knowledge of the treasures 
offered them by no other channcl. Only thirteen volumes, not 
worth 1/., have been lost during the same length of time, not 
reaching I in 100,000 issues; in the juvenile department only 
I in 185,000 ; and during the past year not one volume! Yet, 
as if this were not satisfactory, the Committee have decided to 
make every borrower (z.e. over 8500 persons) renew his ticket 
yearly, instead of once in five years, for the sake of correcting 
NATURE 
555 
addresses. Balancing this enormous aggregate of trouble to the 
public, A/zs that of the library officials in carrying it out, against 
that of the latter in tracing borrowers who have removed without 
signifying the same to them, we cannot think that this shows 
either the wisdom of the serpent or the harmlessness of the 
dove! Science and other educational classes, so aptly carried 
on under a free library committee, were attended by 141 
students in 1884-85, and, we are glad to see, by 186 in 
1885-86. Three branch reading-rooms, however, we note with 
surprise, were not attended sufficiently to make it worth the 
expense of keeping them open. 
THE intelligent community of Watford, to whose various clubs 
and classes, all working together under one committee, we called 
attention some time ago, find co-operation so successful that they 
have published a bound hand-book of 160 pages, containing, 
besides a library catalogue with supplementary lists down to 
September 1886, all the other varied information which they 
have to lay before the public. The principal item to notice is 
that they have succeeded in adding the University Extension 
lectures to the numerous branches of art and science already 
under their care. The name of ‘‘ The Free Library ‘ College’ 
of Science, Art, Music, and Literature” has now been adopted, 
as denoting the ‘‘ collection” of schools of which it consists. 
Sir John Lubbock has accepted the new office of President of it, 
and on Tuesday, the 28th ult., he delivered an opening address. 
He chose the subject of ants and their ways ; and, since natural 
history is among the scientific pursuits of the college, it was both 
a specially fitting and, we need not add, a generally interesting 
subject. The nucleus of all the various work carried on at Wat- 
ford is a free library rate which even now only brings in 240/. a 
year. Such success should therefore encourage such smaller 
towns as cannot find separate committees each with its own 
work and expenditure also. 
AmMoNGST the papers read at the International Congress of 
Orientalists at Vienna were one by Dr. Stein on the Hindu 
Kush and Pamir in Iranian geography, and one by Prof. Kuhn 
on the Indian dialects spoken in the Hindu Kush. Prof. de 
Lacouperie also read a paper on the aboriginal languages of 
China. 
Messrs. SPON have in the press: ‘‘ Metal Plate Work, its 
Patterns and their Geometry,” by C. T. Millis, M.I.M.E. ; 
‘© 4 Practical Hand-Book on Pump Construction,” by Philip R. 
Bjorling ; ‘‘Spons’ Mechanics’ Own Book” (second edition) ; 
“Quantity Surveying,” by J. Leaning (second edition, revised 
and enlarged); ‘“‘ A Treatise on Secondary Batteries,” by Prof. 
Silvanus P. Thompson, D.Sc., B.A. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Mona Monkey (Cercopithecus mona) from 
West Africa, presented by Mr. W. P. Hewby; a Malbrouck 
Monkey (Cercopithecus cynosurus) from East Africa, presented 
by Mr. Lionel R. Crawshay ; a Rough Fox (Canis rudis) from 
British Guiana, presented by Capt. J. Smith ; a Hairy-rumped 
Agouti (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) from Guiana, presented by 
Mrs. Otto Fell; a Common Hedgehog (Zrinaceus europaeus) 
British, presented by Madame Tina Mazzoni ; two Moorhens 
(Gallinula chloropus), British, presented by Lord Moreton, 
F.Z.S. ; a Horned Viper (Viper cornuta) from South Africa, 
presented by Mr. C. B. Pillans. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
PERSONAL EQUATION IN OBSERVATIONS OF DOUBLE STARS. 
—M. Bigourdan, of the Paris Observatory, has taken the above as 
the subject of his Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Physical Science. 
In an historical review of the subject he refers to the labours of 
Dawes, W. Struve, O. Struve, Dunér, O. Stone, F, R. Helmert, 
and T. N. Thielo. He dwells particularly on the researches of 
