464 
Institution, on the Cryptogamic forests of the coal period, and a 
continuation of the report on the Anthropological Congress at 
Copenhagen. 
Cosmos states that the cavern of Montesquieu-Avantés (Ariége) 
has been recently explored by M. F. Regnault, of Toulouse, who 
discovered, on the surface of a hearth covered with stalagmite, 
bones of ruminants and human bones, the latter consisting of 
fragments of skulls, ley and arm bones. The whole were sent 
to M. F. Garigou, who declares that both kinds of bones are 
broken in the same manner, and each bears indications of a 
smashing instrument and of a sharp tool that has scratched them. 
These bones are said to be exactly similar to those which were 
regarded as furnishing decided proof of cannibalism, at the 
Anthropological Congress in 1867. M. Garigou writes that he 
has no hesitation in agreeing with MM. Spring, Dupont, Schaffau- 
sen, Broca, Carl Vogt, Steenstrup, &c., that primitive man was, 
like modern savages, anthropophagous. 
Les Mondes also reports that Prof. Capellini of Bologna, has 
discovered remains of man and of animals in a cavern in the 
island Galmeria, the access to which is difficult and dangerous. 
In excavating he found many implements ef flint and stone, the 
working of which showed that they belonged to the most 
remote stone age. Besides objects referrible to the hand of 
man, he found many which had been carried there by the 
human inhabitants of the cave, and a considerable quantity of 
animal bones, mixed with the human bones. The condition 
of the latter indicated that the cave had been inhabited by 
cannibals. At the centre of the cave were traces of a hearth. 
Dr. BERTHOLLE has communicated to the Société Médico- 
Chirurgicale the particulars of what he believes to be a case of 
spontaneous combustion, which recently came under his notice, 
the subject being a woman who was an habitual spirit drinker 
frequently suffering from delirizm tremens. 
THE Sidcle states that M. Combes has declined to act on the 
commission charged with the temporary direction of the Paris 
Observatory, and that his place has been filled by M. St. Claire 
Deville. 
WE have received the prospectus of a new series of the 
‘Zeitschritt fiir die gesammten Naturwissenschaften,” edited by 
Dr. C. G. Giébel and Dr. M. Siewert, of Halle. One of the 
main features of the journal is to be the publication of monthly 
reports of the progress of astronomy and meteorology, physics 
and chemistry, geology, mineralogy, paleontology, botany, and 
zoology. 
Cosmos reports the death of M. Florent Prevost, assistant- 
naturalist at the Museum of Natural History, and known for his 
useful work in connection with the agronomic applications of 
zoology. 
WE have received from the Chairman of the Technological 
Commission of Victoria, a report on the promotion of technical 
and industrial instruction, by lectures and otherwise, among the 
working classes of Victoria. 
THE Food Committee of the Society of Arts had recently 
before them a specimen of meat treated by Professor Gamgee’s 
process. A joint of mutton—stated to be part of a sheep slain on 
December 28th, and to have been, since the treatment, simply hung 
up in Professor Gamgee’s premises—was roasted and tasted by the 
Committee, who pronounced it very satisfactory ; but the Com- 
mittee considered that a test over a longer time and at a warmer 
period of the year, was necessary before any decided opinion as 
to ils success could be given. Another joint—from a sheep slain 
on the 22nd December—was ordered to be placed in charge of the 
Secretary, to be tested at a future time. Mr. Tallerman also ex- 
hibited specimens of meat imported from Australia, and showed 
it both cooked and uncooked. He explained the plan he had 
adopted, by means of which cheap dinners were prepared from it 
NAL ORE 
[March 3, 1870 
for the use of the people. Specimens of raw meat from Australia, 
preserved in tins by Manning’s process, were brought before the 
Committee. The meat consisted of beef steaks, which were 
cooked and tasted by the Committee. The meat, though sound, 
was not considered satisfactory in flayour. 
Cosmos reports the death of M. Foucou at New York, shortly 
after establishing himself at Oil Creek, where he intended to 
carry on the working of petroleum, to the industrial application 
of which he had given much attention. 
Mr. HARTNUP, astronomer at Liverpool, has published his 
annual report to the Marine Committee Mersey Docks and 
Harbour Board, and is no doubt not a little gratified at dating it 
from a new Observatory. The old building having been swept 
away by dock improvements, a new site was found on the left 
bank of the river, on the top of Bidston Hill, about a mile to 
the rear of Birkenhead Docks, and two hundred feet above the 
mean sea-level. The new building occupies about five hundred 
square yards in an acre of land set apart for the use of the 
Observatory. Underground rooms, with arrangements for ele- 
vating the temperature at pleasure, are provided for the testing 
of nautical instruments. In each hot-air chamber one hundred 
chronometers can be placed at once for examination, Two 
octagonal, domed rooms, twenty feet in diameter, rise at opposite 
angles of the building, one being occupied by the transit, the 
other by the equatorial instrument. In the words of the report, 
‘* The site is remarkably favourable for astronomical and meteoro- 
logical observations.” We may, therefore, hope to hear of much 
good work being accomplished at the Liverpool Observatory. To 
facilitate comparison of chronometers without the trouble of 
carrying them to the Observatory, a time-gun has been placed 
on the river brink near the landing-stage at Birkenhead. This 
gun is fired every day at one o’clock by a galvanic current sent 
from the standard clock on Bridston Hill, and masters of vessels 
lying in the port thus get the true time. Besides the observations 
of transits required for the service of the establishment, the usual 
meteorological observations have been taken, comprising daily 
and hourly readings of the barometer, the velocity and direction 
of the wind, the amount and duration of windfall, and the mean 
daily temperature of evaporation. All these results, collected 
into tables, are published at the end of the report, and thereby 
add to its utility. The site of the old Observatory was in lati- 
tude 53° 24’ 48” N., and longitude 3° o’ 1” W. from Greenwich : 
the new Observatory is 17°04 seconds farther to the west. 
ACCORDING to the Sydney Correspondent of the 7%mes the 
production of sugar in Australia appears to be progressing 
rapidly and successfully. 
WE learn from the Society of Arts Fournal, that at a recent 
meeting held at the Town IIall, Keading, it was decided to 
accept the offer made by the Hon, Auberon Herbert, and to 
establish a free library. 
For many years past the French physician, M. Burg, has 
been engaged in investigating the effect of copper as a pre- 
servative and curative agent in cholera. In support of his 
theory, M. Burg instances the immunity enjoyed by workers 
in this metal from cholera. He has obtained from the Prefect 
of the Paris police, certain statistics which go to prove that 
this immunity in the case of copper-workers has a real exist- 
ence. In the instances of jewellers, engravers on metal and 
clockmakers, out of a population of 11,500, there were 16 
cases of cholera, or I in 719. Engravers in copper, makers 
of metal eyelet-holes, jewellers working with copper, had, in a 
population of 6,000, 6 cases, or I in 1,000, Founders, tap- 
makers, chisellers, turners in bronze, lamp-makers, and workers 
in counterfeit gold, had, in a population of 14,000, 7 cases, or 
I in 2,000. Opticians using copper, mathematical instrument 
makers, musical instrument makers, stampers, metal polishers, 
&c., out of a population of 5,650, had not a single case of cholera. 
ee 
