I 12 



NA TURE 



\June i, 1882 



Messrs. Hachette and Co. have just published two "map- 

 size" chromo-lithographic plates of the "Phylloxera de la 

 Vigne," one of which illustrates the habits of the insect, whereas 

 the other represents it in its varied stages and conditions. They 

 are especially suitable for the lecture-room, and their distribution 

 in some of our colonies might serve to nip unnecessary panic in 

 the bud. All the figures are enormously enlarged, and highly 

 (perhaps a little too highly) coloured, with full explanatory text. 



Miss Ormerod's "Reports of Observations on Injurious 

 Insects during the year 1S81 " (W. Swan Sonnenschein and Co.) 

 is far more bulky than its predecessors. This is mainly due to 

 a lengthy and valuable series of reports on the Turnip Fly, which 

 we commend to the notice of all who are likely to be directly 

 influenced by this pest. Other old fiiends (?) receive thei r 

 usual share of attention. Miss Ormerod was recently appointed 

 honorary consulting entomologist to the Royal Agricultural 

 Society. 



The following i~ the programme of the Davis Lectures on 

 zoological subjects which will be given in the lecture-room in the 

 Zoological Society's Gardens, in the Regent's Park, on Thursdays 

 at 5 p.m., commencing June S : — June 8, Armadillos, living and 

 extinct, by Prof. Flower, LL.D., F.R.S. ; June 15, the British 

 Lion, by Prof. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S. ; June 22, Crocodiles, 

 by Prof. Parker, F.R.S. ; June 29, British Snakes and Lizards, 

 by Prof. Mivart, F.R.S. ; July 6, Frogs and Toads, by W. A. 

 Forbes, B.A. ; July 13, Insects and their Metamorphoses, by 

 Prof. Martin Duncan, F.R.S. ; July 20, Foreign Zoological 

 Gardens, by P. L. Sclater, M.A., F.R.S. 



We are glad to notice that the Principal of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural College at Cirencester has supplemented the teaching of 

 biology in that institution, by establishing a thoroughly equip;. ed 

 and efficient biological laboratory. One of the largest and best 

 lighted rooms in the college has been devoted to this purpose, 

 and under the direction of Prof. Harker, has been furnished 

 with dissecting tables and apparatus suited to modern require- 

 ments for the effective teaching of the subject. A number of 

 microscopes have been provided ; and practical demonstrations 

 in the laboratory now form a necessary part of the course. The 

 students are afforded every opportunity of acquainting them- 

 selves with the methods of microscopic manipulation. A special 

 collection of types and a reference library in biology are to form 

 part of the new institution. In view of the growing importance 

 of biology in relation to agriculture, we think this is a wise step 

 in the interests of the student. 



According to the Golos correspondent at Singapore, M. 

 Miklukho Maclay was at that place on April 10, on his return 

 from Australia and on his way home. But his visit home is 

 to be short, as he expects soon to return to Australia, where 

 he has left his large collections. His health is very bad in con- 

 sequence of continuous fever and neuralgia, and notwithstanding 

 his being only thirty-seven years old, he looks an old man. 1 lis 

 twelve years' travel, accompanied with all possible privations, 

 has broken his health. It is to be feared therefore that the 

 publication of the results of his journeys and the description of 

 his extensive collection will be considerably delayed. 



In the Scandinavian Exhibition now being held at South 

 Kensington, there is a very fine and complete collection of 

 objects in prehistoric archaeology. 



We have received the second part of the " Descriptions of 

 new Indian Insects from the Collections of the late Mr. W. S. 

 Atkinson," by Mr. Frederic Moore (published by the Asiatic 

 Society of Bengal). The remarks that have already appeared 

 in NATURE, concerning the first part, apply equally to this, 

 and we defer a longer notice until the completion of the work. 



"Human Morphology" is the title of a work in three 

 volumes, by Mr. H. A. Reeves of the London Hospital, the first 

 volume of which Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co. will immediately 

 publish. 



The Gottingen Royal Society of Sciences have announced the 

 following subject for prize competition (Beneke-foundation) : 

 Comprehensive researches are desired on the microscopical, that 

 is, the anatomical and micro-chemical structure of vegetable 

 protoplasm. The two prizes offered are about 85/. and 34/. 

 respectively. Papers, written in German, Latin, French, or 

 English, to be sent in in the usual way, before August 31, 1884. 

 The prize award takes place on March 11, 1885. 



The Ben Nevis and Fort-William meteorological observations 

 will be recommenced to-day by Mr. Clement L. Wragge, under 

 the auspices of the Scottish Meteorological Society. A new- 

 fixed station is to be established near the lake, about 1,840 feet 

 above the sea, the observations made at which, together with 

 additional observations by means of travelling instruments at 

 certain fixed hours and places to be taken during the ascent 

 and descent, will the better enable atmospheric disturbances ex- 

 isting in the stratum of air between the summit of Ben Nevis 

 and Fort- William to be observed, and discussed with some ful- 

 ness. The hours of observation at Fort- William will be 5 a.m., 

 6 a.m., 7 a.m., S a.m., 8.30 a.m., 9 a.m., 9.30 a.m., 10 a.m., 

 10.30 a.m., II a.m., 11.30 a.m., noon, I p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 

 6 p.m., and 9 p.m. The observations to be taken on the journey 

 to Ben Nevis will be 6 a.m. on the peat moss, 7 a.m. at the lake, 



8 a.m. about 300 feet, and S.30 a.m. at Buchan's Well. On the 

 summit of Ben Nevis, Mr. Wragge will observe at 9 a.m. 

 9.30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10.30 a.m., and II a.m. During the descent, 

 or homeward journey, the observations will be at Buchan's Well 

 at 1 1.30 a.m., about 300 feet at noon, at the lake at I p.m., and 

 on the peat moss at 2 p.m. Thus all these observations will be 

 simultaneous with those taken at the low level station at Fort- 

 William. Specially constructed thermometers to record the tem- 

 perature by clockwork on the top of Ben Nevis at 9 p.m. have- 

 been most kindly placed at Mr. Wragge's disposal by Messrs. 

 Negretti and Zambra, London. The indications of these instru- 

 ments at that hour on the Ben will be of especial value to 

 meteorologists, since the means of temperature and humidity at 



9 a.m. and 9 p.m., the observing hours adopted by the English 

 and Scottish Meteorological Societies, will thus be obtained for 

 the top of the Ben. Mr. John Browning, of the Strand, London, 

 has kindly presented a rain band spectroscope, to be used in the 

 Ben Nevis investigations, from the use of which, in the hands 

 of Mr. Wragge, valuable observations bearing on weather fore- 

 casting may be expected. Dr. R. Angus Smith, F.R.S., Man- 

 chester, has generously undertaken to supply apparatus for 

 measurement of the actinism of the sun's rays and of daylight ; 

 and it has further been arranged that a very complete system of 

 ozone observations at the foot, on the slopes and top of the Ben 

 shall be carried out. The ordinary observations on Ben Nevis, 

 at Fort- William, and at intermediate points will be of atmospheric 

 pressure, temperature of the air, earth, lochs, and wells, direc- 

 tion and force of wind, kind, and amount of cloud, movements 

 of the various strata of cloud, rainfall, ozone, and optical phe- 

 mena. Additional rain gauges will be fixed on the summit of 

 lien Nevis to ascertain if the rainfall is the same with various 

 winds at different points of the plateau, particularly from near 

 the edge of the tremendous cliffs inward over the plateau. The 

 work of arranging and opening the stations has already been 

 commenced, and Mr. Wragge will doubtless have the entire 

 system in full working order by 9 a.m., June I, as stated above. 



We learn from Natural that the authorities at Washington 

 have availed themselves of the presence in the capital of Herr L. 

 Stejneger, of Christiania, to secure the services of this eminent 



