NAT ORE 
527 
THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1870 
THE TRANSITS OF VENUS IN 1874. AND 1882 
oN PARLIAMENTARY paper issued at the close of 
last session gives some information on what is 
intended to be done in the matter of the great ap- 
proaching astronomical events of 1874 and 1882, which 
will interest many readers of NATURE. The corre- 
spondence on this subject between the Astronomer Royal 
and the Hydrographer of the Admiralty, and between 
the Hydrographer and the Secretary to the Admiralty, 
is given at full length, and together with the appended 
remarks of Captain Toynbee, Admiral Ommaney, Com- 
mander Davis, Mr. Stone, and Mr. Warren De la Rue, 
well merits careful perusal. On the whole it seems to 
be at least doubtful whether the requisite Antarctic 
station for the observation of the transit, which in the 
opinion of the Astronomer Royal should, if possible, 
be in the neighbourhood of Mounts Erebus and Terror, 
can be attained, or if, when attained, it is likely to 
be possible to make observations from it. But this 
Antarctic station is only required for the transit of 
1882, and there is ample time to make a preparatory 
Antarctic expedition to ascertain the doubtful point. 
In the meantime, however, let us see what has been 
settled about the transit of 1874. For the proper ob- 
servation of this event the Astronomer Royal informs 
us that it will be necessary, after making allowance for all 
the aid that may be expected from foreign and colonial 
observatories, to organise expeditions to the following five 
stations :—(1) Oahu (Sandwich Islands), (2) Kerguelen’s 
Island, (3) Rodriguez, (4) Auckland (New Zealand), (5) 
Alexandria. At the first three of these stations—namely 
Oahu, Kerguelen’s Island, and Rodriguez—it will be 
necessary to make preparatory observations for twelve 
months, in order to ascertain the absolute longitudes of 
these places, which are not exactly known, The total cost 
ofthese proposed observing expeditions for the transit of 1874 
is estimated by the Hydrographer at 10,404/.,a sum which, 
it must be admitted, is moderate for work of such sur- 
passing importance, and, as the Lords of the Treasury 
state that they have “no objection to offer” to the pro- 
posed expenditure, we may take it for granted it will be 
so far carried out. But what I wish to call attention to at 
the present moment is the valuable opportunity thus 
offered for still further augmenting the importance of this 
event to the progress of science generally, by converting 
these proposed astronomical expeditions into expeditions 
for general scientific observation. At three of the spots 
to be visited it will be necessary to keep up an observing 
party, more or less extensive, for upwards of twelve 
months. Now, it so happens that the three spots thus 
selected for astronomical observatories are also of very 
great interest for biological studies. The Sandwich 
Islands are well known to be the seat of a most peculiar 
indigenous flora and fauna, which has been hitherto very 
incompletely explored, rivalling perhaps even that of the 
Galapagos in eccentricity. They are likewise the seat 
of some of the most stupendous volcanic phenomena 
known on the globe. Who can doubt that one or more 
zoologists, botanists, and geologists would find ample 
work during a twelvemonth’s sojourn in these islands, 
and would reap a rich harvest of results? The little 
island of Rodriguez was formerly the residence of a bird 
allied to the Dodo, and probably of other extinct forms o 
life. Professor Newton and his brother have, it is true, 
already made us tolerably well acquainted with the oste- 
ology of Pezophaps, as this gigantic ground-pigeon is 
termed. But there is no doubt that a careful exploration 
of the bone-caves of Rodriguez will lead to still further 
discoveries as regards /Pezofhaps, and most pro- 
bably result in bringing to light other unknown extinct 
inhabitants of the submerged continent, which was the 
ancient focus of Didine life. Kerguelen’s Island, the 
third point selected for a temporary astronomical ob- 
servatory, is also in many points worthy of renewed 
investigation. Although we may probably believe Dr. 
Hooker, who visited it during Sir James Ross’s Antarctic 
Expedition, left but few plants for future botanists to 
discover, the seals and whales that frequent its shores, 
together with the sea-fowl and other inhabitants of the 
coast, would well occupy the attention of zoologists. It 
is, moreover, of especial importance that the “abundant 
fossil remains” of its now extinct forests should be 
thoroughly investigated, in order to obtain more know- 
ledge of the former distribution of land and water in the 
South Pacific. I have mentioned only some of the prin- 
cipal and most noticeable points for biological inquiry in 
each of these three localities. But, as every naturalist 
knows, in the case of such isolated land-areas as these 
marine islands, it is of especial importance to the progress 
of our knowledge of general geographical distribution to 
have a complete account of every branch of their faunas 
and floras, both recent and extinct. I beg leave, there- 
fore, to urge upon all who are interested in the progress 
of science, the importance of not losing the opportunity 
that now presents itself. The additional expense of at- 
taching two or three qualified Natural History observers 
(or at any rate collectors) to these three expeditions could 
not be very great. The numerous American and Russian 
exploring expeditions are invariably accompanied by 
zoological and botanical collectors, nor is the money 
required to publish the results obtained by them grudged 
by the Governments of these countries. Even poverty- 
stricken Austria did not send the Vovara round the 
world without a competent corps of naturalists, and 
we are now reaping the fruits of the abundant har- 
vest which they gathered in. Far from lagging behind, 
wealthy England ought to take the lead in such cases, 
and instead of its being necessary, when an opportunity of 
the sort occurs, to take all kinds of extraordinary steps 
in order to induce the Government to take advantage of 
it, such things should be done as matters of course. 
1 My 135 
PHILOLOGY AND DARWINISM 
[The following paper was written nearly half a year ago, 
before the translation into English of Prof. Schleicher’s two 
pamphlets, by Dr. A. V. W. Bikhers. | After reading the article 
on Dr. Bikhers’ translation, by Prof. Max Miller, in a previous 
number of NATURE, it struck me that many readers might be 
glad to have some further account of Schleicher’s views. 
F. W. F.] 
ope relations of the science of language to the 
Darwinian hypothesis have been touched upon by 
one of the most acute and learned of modern scholars, 
