March 27, 1902] 



NATURE 



499 



of the catalogues shows apparatus made by Messrs. J. J. Griffin 

 and Sons for the purposes of instruction in sound, light and heat 

 in schools and colleges. Among the new and ingenious devices 

 contained in the catalogue we notice simple apparatus for the 

 determination of the coefficient of linear expansion, the deter- 

 mination of relative conductivities, and a model theodolite. To 

 make the catalogue of permanent use in the laboratory, tables 

 are given of physical constants frequently required, and of 

 logarithms, anti-logarithms and trigonometrical functions. The 

 new catalogue of physical and electrical apparatus made by the 

 Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company contains many in- 

 struments of precision not found in the lists of other instrument 

 makers. For instance, a comparator and cathetometer com- 

 bined, which can be used in a vertical or horizontal instrument, 

 is described in the catalogue, and also geometric tripod stands, 

 which can be so arranged as to form a stand of any desired 

 height. Both these appliances were designed by Prof. C. V. 

 Boys, and have not been illustrated previously. Other note- 

 worthy instruments are a chronograph for laboratory use and 

 the "Cambridge" standard coils, which are wound with bare 

 platinum silver wire round a stout mica frame supported by a 

 brass carrier. The coils are contained in a glass case with an 

 ebonite top and are immersed in insulating oil. This arrange- 

 ment ensures the coil being at the true indicated temperature, 

 as there is no lagging due to paraffin wa^c or silk covering. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Wedge-tailed Eagle {Aqtiila auda.x) from 

 Australia, presented by Mr. Aubrey Richardson ; two Spotted 

 Turtle Doves ( Turtur swa/ensis), a Barred Dove ( Geofelia 

 striata) from India, presented by Mr. L. Ingham Baker ; a 

 Common Bluebird {Siatia wilsoni) from North America, pre- 

 sented by Miss L. B. Dyar ; five Prjevalsky's Horses (Eijuiis 

 prjevahkii) from Northern Mongolia, an Egyptian Jerboa 

 {Dipus aegypticus) from North Africa, a Raven (Corvus corax), 

 a Lapwing ( Vaiiellus vulgaris), European, a Red-fronted 

 Amazon {Chrysotis vittata) from Porto Rico, a Lesser Sulphur- 

 crested CockatoT (Caeatua sulphiirea) from Moluccas, two 

 Californian Quails (Callipepla californica) from California, five 

 Vellow-winged Sugar-birds (Coereba cyaiiea), three Brazilian 

 Tortoises (Testudo tabulata) from South America, a Long- 

 necked Chelodine {Chcloiiina loiigicollis), a Bearded Lizard 

 {Amphiholurus barbatus)^ a Gould's Monitor ( Varanus goiildi)^ 

 a Lace Monitor ( Varantis variiis) from Australia, twenty-four 

 sharp-headed Lizards (Lacerta diigesi) from Madeira, deposited. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 Astronomical Occurrences in April. 

 April 2. 4h. Saturn in conjunction with moon. Saturn 

 5" 15' S. 



3. 9h. Jupiter in conjunction with moon. Jupiter 



5° 53' S. 



4. 8h. 46m. Minimum of Algol (3 Persei). 



5. Sun eclipsed, invisible at Greenwich. 



9. I5h. 51m. to 2oh. 35m. Transit of Jupiter's Sat. IV. 

 10. Saturn. Outer minor axis of outer ring = I3"'96. 



10. i6h. Ceres in conjunction with moon (Ceres 



o' 23' N.). 



11. 9h. 36m. to loh. 15m. Moon occults 5^ Tauri 



(mag. 4-2). 



12. iih. 23m. to I2h. Ilm. Moon occults 119 Tauri 



(mag. 4-6). 



14. I2h. 36m. to I3h. 9m. Moon occults 68 Geminorum 



(mag. 5-0). 



15. Venus. Illuminated portion of j disc = 0'435, "' 



Mars = I 'ooo. 

 15. Iih. 47m. to I2h. 17m. Moon occults 27 Cancri 



(mag. 5-6). 

 21. iih. 46m. to I2h. S2m. Moon occults a Virginis 



(mag. I '2). 



NO. 169I, VOL. 65] 



April 22. 5h. oni. to 8h. 4Sm. Moon eclipsed, partly visible 

 at Greenwich. Moon rises at 7h. Jm. totally 

 eclipsed. 

 23. I2h. Mercury in conjunction with Mars. Mercury 

 0° 40' S. 



23. I2h. 30m. to l6h. 12m. Transitof Jupiter's Sat. III. 



24. loh. 2Sm. Minimum of Algol (S Persei). 



25. loh. 53m. to I2h. 7m. Moon occults B.A.C. 55S0 



(mag. 57). 



25. I2h. Venus at greatest elongation, 46° 12' W. 



26. loh. 51m. to I5h. 40m. Transit of Jupiter's Sat. IV. 



28. i6h. 20m. to I7h. 44m. Moon occults p' Sagittarii 



(mag. 39). 



29. I4h. Saturn in conjunction with moon. Saturn 



5° 20' S. 



Origin of Disturbance in Corona, May 17-18, 1901. — 

 Bulletin No. 18 from the Lick Observatory is devoted to the 

 discussion of more detailed examination of the photographs 

 obtained during the total solar eclipse in Sumatra, which showed 

 evidence of a marked disturbance in a certain region of the 

 corona. A set of positives on glass from solar negatives taken 

 at Dehra Dun, India, for the Solar Physics Committee, 

 have since been received from the .\stronomer Royal, 

 giving exact records of the solar surface on May 17, 

 iS, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26 and 28, igoi. The photographs 

 of May 17 and 18 show no evidence of spots or other 

 active features, but that for May 19 shows a medium-sized spot 

 just passed into view round the east limb. On the 20th, this is 

 seen to be followed by a group of smaller spots, surrounded on 

 all sides except the west by a large area of faculce. This group 

 of small spots shows conspicuous changes from day to day. 



The positions of the spot on the plates of May 19 and 28 were 

 measured, and from the reduced values its probable position on 

 the day of eclipse was computed. It would be on the opposite 

 side within 4° of the limb. The position angles of the spot as 

 projected on the limb and the apex of the coronal disturbance 

 are practically identical. As, moreover, both the sunspot and 

 the coronal disturbance appear to have had the same latitude, 

 it can hardly be doubted that this unusual appearance in the 

 corona was in reality immediately above the group of sunspots 

 and facuke, and that it had its origin in the same disturbance of 

 the solar surface. In view of this conclusion, an attempt was 

 made to determine if any measurable displacement of any of 

 the coronal masses had occurred during the interval of about 

 five minutes, but no certain indication of such motion could be 

 detected. In this connection, however, the interval of one and 

 a half hours between the times of eclipse in Mauritius and 

 Padang should render a comparison of the negatives secured 

 at the two stations valuable. 



Foucault's Pendulum. — An interesting announcement is 

 made in the Mirch number of the Bulletin de la SociJtJ 

 Astroiiomique de Frame to the effect that a movement is being 

 started among the astronomical authorities in Paris to arrange 

 for the repetition of Foucault's famous experiment at the 

 Pantheon, which was interrupted in 185 1. No definite arrange- 

 ments are yet settled, but it is hoped this majestic demonstration 

 of the rotational movement of the earth will be successfully 

 installed with all the advantages of modern refinements in 

 instrumental construction. 



A CONVENIENT TERMINOLOGY FOR THE 



VARIOUS STAGES OF THE MALARIA 



PARASITE y 



T HAVE found it necessary in labelling a series of models of 



the malaria parasite in the Central Hall of the Natural 



History Museum to use as simple and clear a terminology as 



possible. I think that this terminology will be found useful by 



others who are perplexed by such terms as " sporozoites," 



"blasts," "ookinetes," " schizonts," " amphionts " and 



" sporonts " — terms which have their place in schemes dealing 



with the general morphology and life-history of the group 



Sporozoa, but are not, as experience shows, well suited for 



immediate use in describing and referring to the stages of the 



malaria parasite. 



It is necessary to treat the malaria parasite from the point of 

 view of malaria ; that is to say, to consider its significant phases 



