140 
NATURE 
[Dee. 2, 1869 
the fall of an aérolite? 
such instances. 
We also read in Cicero that the earthenware statue of the god 
(Summanus), which stood on the top of the Capitol of Rome, 
was shivered by lightning, and its head sent into the Tiber. Is 
not the distance very great? I have myself seen fragments of an 
elm-tree struck by lightning, in Eton Playing-fields, about ten 
years ago, driven to a distance of twenty-five yards, The 
fragments were several feet long, and some of them must have 
weighed ten or twelve pounds. I shall be thankful for any 
information on these matters. Caw. Ds 
Humboldt, in his Aosvos, mentions two 
NOTES 
WE give elsewhere an account of the Anniversary Meeting 
of the Royal Society last Tuesday ; one of the announcements 
made, however, we prefer to detail here. Dr. John Davy, 
brother of Sir Humphry Davy, has bequeathed to the Royal 
Society, in fulfilment of an expressed wish of his illustrious 
brother, a service of plate, presented to Sir Humphry Davy for 
the invention of the Safety Lamp, to be employed in founding a 
medal to be given annually for the most important discovery in 
chemistry made in Europe or Anglo-America. The directions 
given in the will, respecting the manner in which the plate 
should be disposed of, have been fulfilled, and the proceeds in- 
vested in India securities, yielding a little more than 30/. a year. 
The Council will determine the form of the medal, and specify 
the conditions under which it will be awarded. 
THE Royal Institution Friday Evening Meetings are arranged 
to commence on the 21st of January. The evening discourses before 
Easter will probably be given by Prof. Tyndall, Prof. Odling, Prof. 
Ruskin, Dr. Carpenter, Mr. Clifford, Prof. Sylvester, Dr. Rol- 
leston, Prof. Roscoe, Prof. Huxley, Prof. Williamson, and Dr. 
Blackie. The Christmas lectures (adapted to a juvenile auditory) 
will be by Prof. Tyndall, who has chosen Light for_his subject : 
the first will be delivered on the 28th inst. at 3 o’clock. Arrange- 
ments have been made for the following courses before Easter:—On 
the Architecture of the Human Body, by Prof.,Humphry, F.R.S.; 
on the Vegetable Products of Chemistry, by Prof. Odling, 
F.R.S.; on Meteorology, by Mr. Robert Scott; on Plant Life 
as contrasted with that of Animals, by Dr. Masters, F.L.S. ; 
Deductions from the Comparative Anatomy of the Nervous 
System, by Prof. Rolleston, F.R.S.; an Introduction to the 
Science of Religion, by Prof. Max Miiller; on the Sun, by J. 
Norman Lockyer, F.R.S. After Easter, the following courses 
will be delivered :—On the Principles of Moral and Political 
Philosophy, by Prof. Blackie; on Physics, by Prof. Tyndall, 
F.R.S.; on Astronomy, by Prof. Robert Grant, F.R.S.; on 
History, by Prof. Seeley. 
Ir is now generally understood that the Earl of Dunraven 
will not be a candidate for the presidentship of the Royal Irish 
Academy, and that the Rey. Professor Jellett, B.D., will be 
elected. Should this be so, we may look for a great revival in 
the scientific forces of the Academy. 
AN important meeting has been held this week at Cambridge, 
for the purpose of considering the question of the abolition of 
university tests. The Master of Trinity quoted a remark made 
thirty-five years ago by the present Bishop of St. David's, to 
the effect that science, as well as literature, morality, and 
religion, would gain by such a measure; and from what we 
gather, the reading of this extract gave a tone to the mecting. 
Here are the resolutions passed :—Proposed by the Master of 
Trinity, seconded by the Venerable Professor Sedgwick : ‘‘ That 
in the opinion of this meeting the time has come for settling the 
question of university tests ; that the mode in which the question 
is dealt with in the permissive Bill introduced by Sir. J. Cole- 
ridge is open to grave objections, and that any measure designed 
to effect such a settlement should include an enactment that no 
declaration of religious belief or profession should be required of 
any person upon obtaining a fellowship, or as a condition of its 
tenure.” Proposed by the Master of Trinity, seconded by 
Prof. Maurice: ‘‘That a representation be drawn up and pre- 
sented by a deputation to the Prime Minister embodying the 
resolution just passed; that a committee be appointed to 
draw up such a representation, consisting of the Master of 
St. John’s, the Master of Trinity, the Master of Christ’s, 
Professor Sedgwick, Professor Maurice, the University Librarian, 
Mr. Ferrers, Mr. Porter, and Mr. Phear; and that the repre- 
sentation, when drawn up, be circulated for signature among all 
masters, resident fellows, or resident ex-fellows, of colleges, or 
officers of the University or of any college.” 
Curist’s COLLEGE, Cambridge, makes a most liberal offer to 
students of natural science, viz. scholarships and exhibitions, in 
number from one to four, and in value from 30/. to 70/., accord- 
ing to the number and merits of the candidates ; that is to say, 
four well-informed students may each obtain a scholarship worth 
yol. a year, and tenable for some years. The examinations will 
be on April 5th, 1870, and will be open to any one, whether a 
member of Christ’s College or not, provided his name is not on 
the boards of any other college in Cambridge, and provided he 
is not of sufficient standing for B.A. It will be open, therefore, 
to all undergraduates of Oxford, and to non-collegiate students of 
Cambridge, as well as to all students who are not members of 
either University. The candidate may select for himself the 
subjects of examination, and must send his name, &c., to the 
Master of the College before March 29th. Further necessary 
information may be obtained from the Rey. W. Gunson, Tutor 
of the College. 
PROFESSOR PRINGSTEIN has been elected a correspondent of 
the Academy of Sciences of Paris, to fill the vacancy caused by 
the death of Professor von Martius. 
WE have received the following from our Dublin corre: 
spondent :—The Council of the Royal Dublin Society have 
appointed Mr. H. W. Dunlop, B.A. Dub., C.E., as temporary 
assistant librarian. The Science and Art Department, on con- 
dition that the Library of the Royal Dublin Society should be 
open to readers from 10 o'clock A.M. to 10 o'clock P.M, each 
day, Sundays and Holy Days excepted, assented to provide 
for the extra services of the.staff of porters and for a temporary 
assistant librarian. Perhaps there is no other public library 
in Great Britain and Ireland that is so completely at the 
service of the public as this library ; and there is none that for 
its size possesses a larger selection of modern foreign works on 
literature and science. Its great defect is a useful working 
catalogue, and it is to be hoped that the Science and Art 
Department, seeing how successfully the Committee has managed 
the affairs of this library, will not grudge them the small sum 
required to compile a catalogue. It may not be uninteresting 
to mention that the expense incurred in the binding of the works 
issued by the Patent Office amounts to an average of 50/. a 
year. ‘The works are presented by the Patent Office to several 
public institutions in Ireland. But while some towns, such as 
Belfast, store them away in a Jumber-room, in Dublin they are 
carefully arranged and substantially bound. The Library is now 
open from 10 o’clock A.M, to 10 o'clock P.M. 
THE Board of Trinity College proceeded on Saturday last to 
the election of a librarian, and, somewhat to the surprise of the 
literary circle in Dublin, they adhered to their ancient custom, 
and elected one of their own body to this important post. The 
newly-elected librarian is the Rev. Dr. Malet, Senior Fellow 
and Senior Lecturer of Trinity College. Dr. Malet is well 
known as a numismatist. He is the author of a catalogue of 
Roman silyer coins in Trinity College, Dublin, and there is no 
doubt will make both an efficient and popular librarian. The 
Rey, Dr, Dickson retains his position as assistant-librarian. 
