388 



NA TURE 



\_Feb. 2 1, 1884 



University College session of about thirty-three weeks. Even 

 these fees, moderate as they are, are beyond the means of a 

 large number of students, so that the committee, without such 

 a -si stance as would be afforded by exhibitions, are unable to 

 extend to them the advantages of the Hall. Besides help 

 in this direction a need is felt for a reference library, as the 

 books necessary for many of the courses at University College 

 an! the School of Medicine are numerous and costly. A special 

 fund has been started for this purpose, and it is hoped that 

 further subscriptions may be obtained. It is worth mention 

 that the committee have recognised a principle which, so far 

 as we know, has never been adopted in institutions of this 

 kind. We refer to the representation of students on the 

 governing body. This liberal measure, which invites the co- 

 operation of students and gives them a means for the legitimate 

 expression of opinion, will enable the students in residence to 

 have a member elected annually as their representative on the 

 committee. It is hoped that the benefit of this may be felt in 

 strengthening the bond of a common interest. We have not 

 touched on many of the advantages of the Hall which are felt by 

 those who know the difficulties incident on a student's life in 

 lodgings, as they were dwelt upon when we recorded in this 

 journal the commencement of the scheme in the winter of 1882. 

 It is therefore only necessary to state that the Hall in its enlarged 

 scale offers the same comfortable and well adapted academic 

 residence as that originally provided, and that under Miss Grove, 

 the able principal, the high tone which has marked the institu- 

 tion from the beginning is still mainlained. When we point out 

 that the scheme has received the support of the late and present 

 Presidents of the Royal Society, the late Sir William Siemen-, 

 Sir John Lubbock, M.P., Mr. Samuelson, M.P., Dr. Gladstone, 

 Prof. Carey Foster, and many o'hers, we have said enough to 

 commend it to all our readers. In the nature of things Science 

 and Art, as well as Literature, will gain by this and similar 

 attempts to put the higher education on a more satisfactory 

 basis. 



Dr. Reusch has communicated to Naturen the result of his 

 analysis of a portion of volcanic ash from the Krakatoa eruption, 

 given him by Prof. Kjerulf, who had receive! it direct from 

 Ba'avia. He finds the principal constituents of the ash to be 

 ordinary pumice-stone, s ime fragments of which are more than 

 I mm. in length, while others are reduced to a condition of 

 colourless or slightly brownish vitreous pumice-powder. Inter- 

 mixed in the general mass are fragments of larger crystals of 

 felspar (Plagioklas) and of some rhomboidal mineral of the 

 nature of augite. 



At a meeting of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' 

 Society on the 29th ult., an account was read from the Peith 

 Enquirer of a volcanic eruption in Western Australia, contri- 

 buted by a highly respected settler who had lived in that district 

 some years. The phenomenon he describes was witnessed by 

 him on the same day as that on which the calamity occurred in 

 the Sunda Straits, although he was in total ignorance of that dis- 

 turbance at ihe time. He writes: — " I was travelling inland with a 

 flock of sheep, when late in the afternoon of Saturday, August 25, 

 to my profound astonishment, a shower of fine ashes began to rain 

 upon me and my party. The fall of the ashes commenced just 

 about sunset, and the shower, which was at first but very slight, 

 soon became thicker, until it resulted in a steady and heavy rain 

 of light calcined fragments. After the sun set I noticed a bright 

 ruddy glare on the horizon towards the north-east ; this was at 

 first only just perceptilile, but as the time wore on it increased 

 in both brilliancy and extent. The glare was not at all diflfused, 

 and it was of such a nature that it was impossible to mistake it 

 for a display of the Aurora Aiislralis. On the contrary, I could 

 easily see that the source of the glare was strictly circumscribed. 



or, in other words, it was confined to one spot ; but as it in- 

 creased in intensity the fervid glow mounted higher and higher 

 in the heavens. So far as X could roughly calculate, the source 

 of this extraordinary illumination must have been situated about 

 400 miles inland to the northeast of Roeburne. The showeri of 

 ashes ceased just after sunset, and I observed that the steady 

 glare was still to be seen until before sunrise, but as the sun rose 

 the lurid appearance of that portion of the horiz m gradually 

 decreased, and at last quite died away when the orb of day made 

 its appearance. Fortunately, I afterwards had an opportunity of 

 questioning some natives who had recently come from that part 

 of the country, and they described the cause of the glare plainly 

 enough. 'Big mountain burn up big,' they said; and then 

 they added, * He big one sick. Throw him up red stuff, it run 

 down side and burn grass and trees. We frightened and run 

 away, and fire-sticks (i.e. I presume the ashes) fall on us. Two, 

 three days after we go lo jk again ; mountain only smoke then, and 

 red siclv tur.ied black and hard, just like stone.' A plainer 

 description of a volcano in a state of eruption could hardly be 

 given by uncivilised beings ; and I am therefore compelled to 

 conclude that I was the far-distant witness of the first eruption 

 of a volcano that has occurred in Australia within the memory of 

 living men." 



Nine lectures on the principal types of the human species will 

 be delivered in the theatre of the Royal College of Surgeons, on 

 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 4 o'clock, commencing 

 on Monday, February 25, by Prof. W. H. Flower, LL.D., 

 F.R.S., as follows : — Introduction, anthropology and ethno- 

 logy ; Physical or zoological anthropology ; Nature and extent 

 of the differences between the permanent types or races of men, 

 illustrated by comparison between the European and the Tas- 

 manian native ; Methods of estimating the differential characters 

 of the various modifications of the human species, elements of 

 craniometry ; Characteristics of the black, or frizzly-haired races, 

 in their typical and modified forms ; Characteristics of the 

 yellow, or so-called Mongolian races ; Cha'-acteristics of the 

 white, or so-called Caucasian races ; Races not readily grouped 

 under either of the above principal types; Classification of the 

 races of the human species. The course will conclude on 

 Friday, March 14. 



We regret to learn that the Council of the Geographical 

 Society have decided to discontinue the examinations which they 

 have held for a number of years for pupils attending our public 

 schools. The number of candidates has been dimini-hing every 

 year. The Council are, we understand, considering a scheme 

 for establishing a Professorship of Geography ; but, while we 

 recognise their anxiety to promote in this way their branch of 

 science, we confess that we are doubtful if this is the best means 

 of attaining the object. The sphere of geography is at present 

 quite undefined ; in Germany it embraces something of nearly 

 every science, while in this country it is often regarded as almost 

 synonymous with topography. 



Preparations for the holding of the International Health Exhi- 

 bition are proceeding rapidly. The General Committee now num- 

 bers nearly 400 members, and from these 17 Sub-Committees 

 have been formed. These have all been doinj; valuable work in 

 advising the Executive Council as to the nature of objects which 

 it is desirable should be fully illustrated, in obtaining the co- 

 operation of many persons of eminence in the various branches 

 on which the Exhibition will treat, and in supervising the appli- 

 cations fur space. The allotment of space, which has been 

 largely applied fjr, is being rapidly proceeded with, and appli- 

 cants will soon he informed of the decision of the Executive 

 Council with regard to their applications. In response to a re- 

 quest made by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Presi- 

 dent of the Exhibition, the eight Water Companies of London 



