172 
NATURE 
[Dee. 9, 1869 
several years, it was never applied to this purpose: and we think 
it but justice to the cause of science in Ireland, to call the 
attention of the Science and Art Department to this fact, and to 
urge them to have this sum inserted in the estimates for the 
coming year. 
It is scarcely necessary to remind readers of NATURE of the 
importance of having the Museum of Economic Botany as close 
to the Botanical Gardens as possible, especially when, as in this 
case, these gardens are so largely resorted to; but it may not 
be amiss to inform them that the numerous members of the 
Royal Dublin Society have among themselves contributed, as 
donations, almost all the specimens in the present Economie 
Museum. 
A local committee has been formed in Dublin of the ‘‘ Veitch” 
Memorial. Dr. Moore, F.L.S., Director of the Botanical 
Gardens, Glasnevin, is the chairman, and a considerable number 
of subscriptions has been received. 
AT a meeting of the Ashmolean Society, Oxford, Nov. 29th, 
Prof. Lawson read a short paper on Chlorophyll. Although he 
had made no original observations on this subject himself, he 
had no doubt but that a general view of what had been done 
In 
speaking of the optical properties of chlorophyll, he called 
recently by others would prove interesting to the Society. 
particular attention to the observations made on this branch of 
the subject by Professor Stokes ; observations which had dis- 
proved the old theory that chlorophyll could be separated into 
two primary substances of a yellow and blue colour (the 
xanthophyll and “cyanophyll of M. TFremy). He dwelt also 
upon the fact that Mr. H. L. Smith’s careful comparison of the 
spectrum of the endochrom of diatoms with that of chlorophyll 
went far to prove the two substances to be identical. Chloro- 
phyll had been formerly supposed to be a product of the 
vegetable kingdom only ; but more recently a green colouring 
matter, closely allied to chlorophyll if not identical with it, had 
been detected in many of the lower forms of animal life. These 
discoveries illustrated in a striking manner how the supposed 
gaps between the two kingdoms were filled up. 
Ar Clare College, Cambridge, a scholarship, value 502., 
tenable for three years, will be given for proficiency in natural 
science. The examination, commencing March 30, 1870, will be 
in chemistry, chemical physics, comparative anatomy, physiology, 
and geology. 
ferred to a less perfect acquaintance with a greater number. 
Further particulars can be obtained from the tutor of the 
Excellence in one or two of these subjects is pre- 
college. 
Tue Pall Mall announces the publication of the seventeenth 
volume of the Report of the Schools Inquiry Commission. It 
comprises reports on the schools in what the Commissioners have 
defined as the north-western district—namely, the counties of | 
Lancashire and Cheshire. 
WE understand that it is not the intention of the Government 
to fill up the vacancy in the curatorship of the Botanic Gardens 
at the Mauritius, caused by the death of Dr. Meller, but to 
promote the head-gardener to the highest post of authority. 
Dr. MCQUILLEN has exhibited in the Microscopical Depart- 
ment of the Academy of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia, slides 
of blood corpuscles of men and the lower animals, to which 
chloroform and nitrous oxide had been administered, to show 
that there was no morphological change in these bodies after ad- 
ministration of anzesthetics, as stated by certain physiologists in 
England. He showed specimens also in which, the blood cor- 
puscles having been brought into actual contact with chloroform 
and ether, disintegration had taken place. 
On the same occasion, Mr. W. H. Walmsley called attention 
to the very great merits of glycerine jelly as a medium for the 
preservation of every description of objects, animal or vegetable. 
With this the most delicate tissues can be perfectly seen and 
examined ; it preserves the colours, is very tenacious, and “its 
refractive powers are sufficient to render all inert structures 
transparent ; while even the delicate lines on the scales of a 
mosquito’s wing are as distinctly visible as if mounted dry.” 
The formula for the preparation of this valuable jelly is thus 
set forth:—Take one package of Cox’s gelatine, wash re- 
peatediy in co/d water, then place in a vessel and cover with cold 
water. Allow it to soak an hour or two, pour off superfluous 
water, add a pint of doling water, place vessel on fire, and boil 
for ten or fifteen minutes ; remove from fire, and when cool, but 
still fluid, add the white of an egg well beaten, replace on the 
fire, and boil until the albumen of the egg coagulates. Strain 
while hot through flannel, and add an equal portion by measure: 
ment of Bower's pure glycerine, and fifty drops of carbolic acid in 
solution: boil again for ten or fifteen minutes, and again strain 
through flannel; place in water bath, and evaporate to about 
one half; then filter (through cotton) into 2 oz. broad-mouthed 
phials. When thus made, the jelly is to be used in the mount- 
ing of objects as follows :—Place the stock bottle in a small jar 
of boiling water; when it becomes fluid, a sufficient quantity 
must be removed to the slide (previously warmed) with a glass 
rod ; the object (previously soaked for some hours in equal parts 
of glycerine and distilled water, with a few drops of alcohol) is 
to be placed in the drop of fluid jelly, a cover applied, and a 
light weight placed upon it to exclude superfluous jelly. When 
cold, clean off the slide with a knife, wash in cold water, and 
finish with a ring of gold size or shellac varnish. 
THE volume of the Memoirs of the Geological Survey of 
England and Wales, just published, consists of an important mono- 
graph on the Geology of the Carboniferous Limestone, Yordale 
Rocks, and Millstone Grit of North Derbyshire and the ad- 
joining parts of Yorkshire, explanatory of sheets 81 N.E. and 
S.E., and 72 N.E. of the Survey Map. The work is by Messrs. 
A. H. Green, C. Le Neve Foster, and J. R. Dakyns; and con- 
tains an elaborate description of the geology of the district, 
illustrated with numerous important {sections and a few views. 
Mr. Etheridge has contributed an Appendix and tabular list of 
fossils, with indications of the localities in which they occur. 
ASTRONOMY 
Spectroscopic Observations of the Sun 
Proressor C, A. Young, of Dartmouth, U.S., has com- 
municated to the October number of the Yournal of the Franklin 
Institute the following important observations of solar pro- 
tuberances, which entirely endorse the work done by Mr. Lockyer 
in this country. We are enabled to place them thus early before 
our readers by the kindness of Professor Morton. 
September 4th, 1869.—Prominences were noted on the sun’s 
limb at 3 p.m. to-day in the following positions, angles reckoned 
from 
a 
3 
North point to the East :— 
Bice. 
I. +70° to +100’, very straggling, not very bright. 
2. —10, large and diffuse. 
3. —90°, small, but pretty bright. 
September 13th, 1869.— The following protuberances were 
noted to-day. 
1. Between + 80° and + 1100, a long straggling range of pro- 
tuberances, whose form was as in Fig. 1, I dare not profess any 
