NA TURE 



[November 28, 1907 



out of the five memoirs, only two are devoted solely to 

 American biological subjects. Since all five are by well- 

 known experts, the following brief remarks may in the 

 main take the form of commendation rather than of 

 criticism. 



As regards No. i, Mr. Ridgway is to be congratulated 

 on having got through rather more than half his 

 heavy task, the present part bringing him nearly to the 

 conclusion of the perching birds, of which no less than 

 1675 species and races are recorded in the first four parts. 

 As in the previous volumes, generic terms are employed 

 in the modern restricted sense, and the " keys " to the 

 various family and generic groups are all that can be 

 desired in the way of lucidity and comprehensiveness. 



The catalogue standing as No. 2 in our list is a work 

 exclusively for the benefit of specialists, to whom it will 

 no doubt prove invaluable. The invertebrates having been 

 completed in the first part, the present issue is devoted 

 to fossil vertebrates, fossil plants, and minerals, rocks, 

 and ores, which are severally arranged in three main 

 sections. In the vertebrate section the specimens are re- 

 ferred to their respective classes, in which they are 

 catalogued according to the alphabetical order of their 

 names. This seems, on the whole, the most satisfactory 

 arrangement ; but we venture to think that the author 

 has carried the alphabetical plan a little too far in making 

 it extend to the class-divisions, the sequence of birds, 

 fishes, mammals, and reptiles being, in our opinion, 

 decidedly unsatisfactory. The system of cross-references 

 in cases where a specimen has been referred to more than 

 one genus is well planned, but the addition of a species 

 index to each section or class would have considerably 

 added to the value of the catalogue as a work of 

 reference. 



With No. 3 we come to a work of prime importance, 

 which cannot fail to be of the highest value to systeniatists. 

 No complete revision of the families and genera of bats 

 has, we believe, been published since the issue of Dobson's 

 invaluable catalogue, and as great progress in our know- 

 ledge of the group has been made since that date, such 

 a revision was urgently wanted. For this task few zoo- 

 logists are better equipped than Mr. Miller, who for some 

 years past has devoted much attention to the order, and 

 has studied the chief collection on both sides of the 

 Atlantic. Perhaps the most important divergences from 

 the Dobsonian classification are the wide sundering of the 

 Emballonuridrc and Vespertilionids, and the transference 

 of the mastiff -bats from the former group to a separate 

 family following the latter ; the second change being a 

 further development of one inaugurated by Winge and 

 endorsed by Max \\'eber. 



Dr. Stejneger's work on the reptiles of Japan, the Liu 

 Kiu and neighbouring islands, and a considerable propor- 

 tion of the mainland of the Far East, will take rank as 

 a valuable systematic monograph, in which special atten- 

 tion is devoted to geographical distribution. 



In his memoir on the Pacific diatoms collected bv the 

 AlhaUoss, standing last on our list, the author directs 

 attention to the importance of collecting these organisms 

 on account of their value in determining difficult questions 

 connected with the extent and volume of ocean currents, 

 and the origin of the materials deposited on the bed of 

 the sea. Now that this has been pointed out, there is 

 little doubt that the authorities will see their way to the 

 collection of diatoms in a much more careful and 

 systematic manner than has hitherto been attemnted in 

 America. R. L. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



C.\MRRiDr.E. — The board of anthropological studies lias 

 put forward a proposal to establish a diploma in anthro- 

 pology. The board believes that the interests of anthro- 

 pology will be best served by the encouragement of 

 research, and that the proposed diploma in anthropology 

 should be granted for an original dissertation, and not by 

 examination. 



On the recommendation of the general board of studies 

 the readership in animal morphology is to be transferred 

 to the more genei-al subject of zoology. It is proposed 



NO. 1987, VOL. yy] 



that the board be authorised to appoint a reader in zoology 

 with the annual stipend of lool., to be paid from the 

 common university fund. The board also proposes that 

 a demonstrator in petrology be appointed. 



Mr. \V. Welsh has been appointed chairman of the 

 examiners for part i. of the mathematical tripos, 1908 

 (new regulations). 



Prof. Rldgeway, the Disney professor, gives notice that 

 he will maintain the thesis "that Sergi's theory of 'the 

 Mediterranean race ' is untenable," on W'ednesday, 

 December 4, at 5 p.m., in the archaeological lecture-room. 



London. — At the meeting of the Senate on November 20 

 a report was received from the committee speciallv 

 appointed to advise the Senate on the question of the 

 establishment of the proposed Institute of Medical Sciences 

 at South Kensington. The committee found that the 

 financial support offered for the original scheme was in- 

 adequate, and that, apart from the money difficulty, the 

 scheme had become impracticable on account of the opposi- 

 tion of the medical faculty. The .Senate therefore decided 

 that the donors to the fund should be informed that the 

 money paid was at their disposal. 



Prof. Starling, F.R.S., has been elected by the medical 

 faculty a member of the Senate, in succession to Dr. 

 Lauriston Shaw, resigned. 



Manxhester. — A deputation from the University, sup- 

 ported by the members of Parliament and municipal 

 authorities of Lancashire and the surrounding counties, 

 waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 

 November 20 in reference to the proposed reduction of the 

 Government grant to the University from 12,000/. to 

 10,000/. per annum. Throughout this district numerous 

 public bodies interested in higher education have passed 

 resolutions expressing disappointment at the recommend- 

 ation of the advisory committee, and requesting the 

 Government to continue its full support. The Vice- 

 Chancellor gave evidence to show that this reduction in 

 the grant will seriously hamper the steps which have been 

 taken to develop in various directions the higher branches 

 of the work of the University. The Chancellor of the 

 Exchequer emphasised the determination of the Govern- 

 ment not to reduce the total grant of 100,000/. devoted to 

 higher education, but, whilst admitting that there was no 

 suggestion that the work of the University had been 

 slackened in any of its departments, pointed out that the 

 advisory committee was unbiased and free from pressure 

 from any quarter. Further consideration of the case was 

 promised. Quite apart from its local effect, the " principle 

 of a maximum " is regarded here as one of great danger 

 to the advance of higher education. The Manchester 

 Guardian remarks : — " In our own opinion the committee 

 has not only incidentally done serious damage to the Uni- 

 versitv, but it has done violence to a principle much more 

 important than the one it has introduced. That principle 

 is, that while there are many valid reasons why the amount 

 spent by the State on educational institutions should be 

 increased, there is only one valid reason for its ever being 

 reduced — their inefficiency. It is right to penalise a 

 college or a school because it does not come up to 

 standard, but it is contrary to justice and to public 

 policy to penalise one of which nothing but praise is 

 uttered." 



OxTORD. — A grant of 300/. having been m.ade from the 

 University chest to the professor of pathology for the 

 provision of a lecturer and a demonstrator in his depart- 

 ment, the professor has nominated Dr. E. W. Ainley 

 Walker as lecturer in pathology. 



Sheffield. — Mr. Haldanc visited the L'niversity on 

 November 20, and inspected various departments and 

 addressed a large gathering of the students, staff, and 

 others, presided over by Sir Charles Eliot, the Vice- 

 Chancellor. Mr. Haldane spoke of the developments of 

 recent times which have brought universities into contact 

 with industrial life. The closest connection of science and 

 industry may be made to the lasting advantage of both, and 

 without damage to either. It is becoming truer every day 

 that no man can hope to control a great university who 

 has not at his disposal resources which science alone can 

 give. The laboratory and the prof'ssor have inspired 



