64 



NATURE 



\_Nov. 15, I < 



four other towns — Halle, Karlsruhe, M. Gladbach, and Rheydt 

 — the arran;jements for its introduction have progressed so far 

 that it will moit probably be in operation in them before the 

 end of this year. It is therefore likely that by the end of 1S83 

 forty towns within the Imperial German postal territory will 

 possess the advantages of the telephone, against twenty-one last 

 year, and seven in October, 1881. 



The programme of the Yorkshire College Students' Associa- 

 tion for the present session is a varied and interesting one. A 

 " Yorkshire College Photographic Clab " has recently been 

 formed, and has already a good roll of members, including 

 several members of the College staff. A prize competition has 

 been arranged, and the Society has every prospect of success. 

 The secretary of the Photographic Club is Mr. W. O. Senior. 



Only six months ago a Society of Natural Science was 

 formed at Bournemouth, and already it has 103 members, the 

 president being Prof. AUman, F.R.S. The Society being esta- 

 blished upon the most comprehensive basis, recognises every 

 department of physical science as coming within the scope of 

 its investigations. It is open to all, without limitation of class 

 or sex. During the past session various papers have been read, 

 and during the summer months bi-weekly morning and evening 

 walks were taken under the leadership of the appointed heads of 

 sections for botany, entomology, marine and terrestrial zoology 

 and geology. The Committee contemplate devoting part of its 

 funds to be awarded annually as prizes for the best and most 

 systematically arranged collections of natural history spechnens, 

 made solely by each exhibitor, as an inducement to the younger 

 members to cultivate habits of careful observation and system- 

 atic study of nature. The Society held a very successful con- 

 versazione on the 7th inst. at Bournemouth, and so attractive 

 was the exhibition connected therewith, that it was kept open 

 the following day. Captain Hartley, chairman of the Bourne- 

 mouth Improvement Commission, opened the conversazione by 

 giving some account of the origin and objects of the Society. 

 The exhibition was of a very varied and instructive character, 

 and at intervals during the day short popular lectures were given 

 on such subjects as air, sound, the moon, natural magic, while 



e Rev. G. H. West exhibited and explained from time to time 

 various apparatus illustrating physical phenomena. Altogether 

 the Society gives promise of a successful career. 



Mr. George Murray vrill deliver a lecture on the potato 

 disea e at the Parkes Museum of Hygiene, 74A, Margaret Street, 

 Regent Street, on Thursday, the 22nd instant, at 8 p.m. 



Several members of the French Chamber of Deputies having 

 contended that the transmission of telegrams was not so easy 

 with underground wires as with aerial lines, M. Cochery has 

 invited a number of opponents and electrical engineers to demon 

 strate on the lines now in existence, that the difference, if there 

 is any, is quite immaterial. 



At a recent meeting of manufacturers and artisans convened 

 by the Mayor at Coventry, resolutions were enthusiastically 

 carried in favour of the adoption of a system of technical 

 education in the city. It is proposed to provide a building for 

 the consolidation and extension of the science classes, a lecture- 

 hall, and reading-room, with a reference library of works apper- 

 taining to trade and manufactures, and to establish in connection 

 with these three workshops for the practical teaching of mech.anics 

 (toolmaking, weaving, and watchmaking). It is estimated that 

 about 4000/. will be needed for the building, and 3000/. for the 

 fixtures and equipment of the building and workshops, in ad. 

 dition to which it will be necessary to provide an annual income 

 of at least 300/. Subscriptions and donations exceeding 1000/. 

 were promised at the meeting. 



The piercing of the Arlberg Tunnel, which will be 10,270 

 metres long, thus ranking third in the world, was expected to 

 be compIe;ed to-day. The work began on November 13, 1880, 

 on the western and eastern sidei simultaneously, and has there- 

 fore lasted just three years, instead of four, as was calculated. 

 Special trains will bring over two hundred invited guests from 

 Austrii, Italy, and Switzerland, to witness the final boring and 

 the connection of the two galleries. 



Mr. G. J. Symons writes to the Times to say that Miss 

 Eleanor Nunes, who had been keeping an extremely accurate 

 record of the fall of rain at Langtree Wick, Torrington, Devon, 

 died last spring, having left the sum of 100/. to him "to be 

 applied to meteorological purposes." Mr. Symons announces 

 that he is prepared to consider applications from all parts of the 

 kingdom for rain-gauges to be sent gratuitously on loan subject 

 to very easy conditions, and to send them to all accepted 

 applicants who reside five miles from any rain-gauge now at 

 work, and the same distance from any other applicant. 



The Romando has arrived at Cherbourg after a journey of 

 two months, from Cape Horn. The results of the wintering 

 have been important, and the crew is in good health. 



The diminution of credit rendered inevitable by the state of 

 French finances uill bear very little on the Budget of Public 

 Instruction ; the work of building the Meudon Observatory 

 w ill not be stopped, and is proceeding favourably. 



We learn from a trustworthy source that there is again talk 

 of transporting the Paris Observatory to some distance from 

 the city, to a site in the vicinity of the new Flammarion 

 Ob.^ervatory. 



The Portuguese Government has appointed the explorers 

 Capello and Ivens to proceed again on an expedition to West 

 Africa, for the purpose of completing their map of the province 

 of Angola, and of exploring the Congo. The explorers will 

 leave by the packet on December 6. 



News has reached Europe of the assassination of M. De 

 lirazza, but it is conjectured that this is the French explorer's 

 brother, and not the explorer him, elf. 



In our note on the Royal Society last week. Dr. Warren De 

 La Rue's name was given incorrectly. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Bonnet Monkey {Macacns sinicus S ) from 

 India, presented by Mr. C. R. Browne; two Red tailed Guans 

 {Orlalida ruficauda] from Tobago, West Indies, presented by 

 Mr. Alfred C. Priestly; two Gold Pheasants (Thaiimalea picta 

 i i) from China, presented by Mr. H. W.Tyler; two Bar- 

 breasted Finches (Miinia nisoria) from Java, presented by Mr, 

 J. Abrahams; a Kestrel {Tinnunculus alaudarius), British, 

 presented by Mr. John Colebrook, F.Z.S. ; two Long-eared 

 Owls (Asia olus), European, presented by Mr. C. Purnchard ; a 

 Masked Parrakeet (Pyrrhulopsis personala) from the Fiji Islands, 

 presented by Miss J. D. Smith ; two Alligators {Alligator missis- 

 sippiensis) from the Mississippi, presented respectively by Mr. 

 Roland Bridgett and Mrs. M. E. Symons ; a Peregrine Falcon 

 {Falco peregrintis), European, a Goffin's Cockatoo {Cacalua 

 goffini) from Queensland, deposited ; a Bennett's Wallaby (Hal- 

 maluriis bennetti 9 ) from Tasmania, two Black Wallabys {J/al- 

 malurii! ualabaliis i i ) from New South Wale--, a Yellow- 

 footed Rock Kangaroo (Petrogale xanlhopus i ) from South 

 .\ustralia, a Mexican Eared Owl {Asia tnexicanus] from Mexico, 

 a Downy Owl (Pitlsatiix torgualus) from South America, an 

 Annulaled Worm Snake {Vermecilla annuiaia) from Western 

 Australia, purchased. 



