482 



NA TURE 



\Oct. lo, 1872 



The following scientific lectures will be delivered in connec- 

 tion willi the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Literary and Philosophical 

 Society during the session 1S72-73. " The Progress of Solar Re- 

 search," liyj. N. Lockyer, F.R.S., Oct. 21 and 23. " New Illus- 

 trations of Divine Contrivance in Nature," by Prof. S. Haughton, 

 M.D., Oct. 28 and 30. "Water; its Nature, Circulation, and 

 Functions," by Prof. D. Page, LLD, Nov. 4."aud 6. " The Life, 

 Cliaracter, and Work of Faraday," by Dr. J. H. Gladstone, 

 F.R.S., Nov. 1 8 and 20. "On Stellar Astronomy," by Prof. 

 R. Grant, Dec. 6 and 13. " Oil Coals, Oil Shales, and Oil 

 Wells," by A. Taylor, Dec. 16, iS, and 20. "On Polarized 

 Light," ijy W. Spottiswoode, F.R.S., January 29, and 31, 

 1873. "Early Moral and Political Condition of Mankind," by 

 E. B. Tylor, F.R.S., Feb. 5 and 7. \ 



Lectures will be delivered during the ensuing session in con- 

 nection with the Oldham Literary and Philosophical Society, on 

 tlie following subjects: — "Star Depths," illustrated by 0.\y- 

 hydrogen Lantern and Photographic Sides, by R. A. Proctor. 

 "Flame," illustrated by experiments, by Prof. J. H, Core. 

 " Balloon Ascents for Scientific Purposes," by James Giaisher, 

 F.R.S. "The Origin of the British Flora." by L. C. Miall, 

 "The Caverns of Devonshire," by W. Pengelly, F.R.S. 

 "Sand, Gravel, and Clay ; or, an Arctic Climate in Britain," 

 by J. E. Taylor. " Folk-Lore of Natural History," by Robt. 

 Holland. This will be the second session, the first having been 

 decidedly successful. 



The distribution of the prizes and certificates in the Guildford 

 Science Classes took place on September 20, under the presi- 

 dency of Lord Midleton. The classes have been very successful 

 during the past year, the members under instruction in the vai-ious 

 subjects amounting to seventy-seven, against forty-four in the 

 previous year ; and the proportion of certificates awarded being 

 larger than the average of all England. Guildford is showing in 

 tlie institution of these classes an example that might well be 

 followed by other towns whose opportunities are greater. We 

 are sorry, however, to learn that up to the present time the com- 

 mittee has entirely borne the brunt of the elementary expenses, 

 not one sixpence having been contributed by tlie public of Guild- 

 ford during their three years' existence. This is not as it should 

 be. Probably in time our country towns will learn that their 

 own interest is involved in cultivating a knowledge of science. 



The Astronomical Jii-^isti-r for October contains the first in- 

 stalment of an article on astronomical allusions in Homer, Dante, 

 Shakespeare, .and Milton, Homer and Dante being treated of in 

 the present number with great care and fulness of knowledge. 

 Tlie subject is an interesting one, and we believe Mr. G. J. 

 Walker's treatment of it will be of service towards a history of 

 the progress of man's knowledge of the heavens. 



From the same periodical we learn that the new dome for the 

 Edinburgh Observatory, alluded to in a recent number of 

 Nature, is now erected, and admirably fulfils all the expecta- 

 tions formed of it, such as increased space inside, greater ease 

 of revolution, larger and more easily worked shutter, better ven- 

 tilation, and freedom from vibration and bumping. This latter 

 cuiious quality was a very vicious propensity of the old dome, 

 partly from its being mounted on cannon balls, which enabled it 

 to roll in every other direction as well as in that of the line 01 

 railway, wherein it was wanted to roll ; and partly from tlie un- 

 precedentedly windy and stormy exposure of tlie Edinburgli 

 Observatory on the summit of Calton Hill. The new dome, 

 therefore, may be considered a very creditable piece of engineer- 

 ing, and a decided success on the part of Mr. Howard Grubb. 



We learn from the ISrilish MaUcal Jounuil ^ that 300 young 



Russian women have claimed admission as students in medicine 

 and surgery at the newly opened Medical School of St. Peters- 

 burg. The number of admissions being fixed, however, at 70, 

 there will be a great many disappointed. 



Tlifi Volcano of Santorin, when last visited in October 1871, 

 had ceased giving the small eruptions which had been common 

 almost without intermission since the great eruption of i866, and 

 the summit of the crater, covered with great blocks of lava, pre- 

 sented the same appearance as in 1707. A little steam was still 

 escaping, but this seemed due almost entirely to the vapour of 

 water condensing on tlie cinders covering the cone. In the 

 north the fumeroUes were still active, and all around the stones 

 were covered with sulphur. At the S.E. point the volcanic 

 activity had not completely ceased, but had greatly diminished. 

 All this would show that the eruption had entered on its last 

 stage, and after a period of great central activity in 1S66-67, 

 accompanied by a diminution of activity in 1S69-70, it is now 

 again assuming a condition of rest and quietude. 



The completion of the Australian Land Telegraph is a great 

 scientific feat, for by it London is now within a few hours' com- 

 munication with Adelaide and all the other centres of population 

 on the Australian continent. Whilst the Suez Canal, the Mont 

 Cenis Tunnel, and the Pacific Railway, are undoubtedly great 

 and stupendous works, the carrying of a line of telegraph across 

 the uninhabited and almost unknown interior of Australia for 

 l,Soo miles is a gi'eat result, especially when performed single- 

 handed by the colony of South Australia. Some interesting disco- 

 veries have been made during its progress. The river Roper has 

 now been ascertained to be a noble river, and the only one in 

 Australia navigable for large sea-going steamers and ships for 

 100 miles from the sea, and some apparently very productive 

 gold fields have also been found. 



AuROR.E BoRicALES have been very conspicuous lately. On the 

 25th of August one was seen at Thurso and at Ilcrnosand in the 

 Gulf of Bothnia and feebly also at Lisbon. — On the 26th at .Sevres 

 and also at Stockholm. — On Sept. 2, at Sevres, Stockholm, 

 Reval and Windaw. — On Sept. 3, at Sevres, Paris, Hernijsand, 

 and Rome. — On the 4th, at Sevres, Paris, London, and Arch- 

 angel. — On the 5th, at Sevres and Paris. — On the 6th at Ilerno- 

 sand. So that there have been in Europe, during the period from 

 the 2nd to the 6th of Sept., an almost continuous succession of 

 Aurora; visible in England, France, Scandinavia, Russia, and 

 once in Italy. 



A White Aurora BoreaUs was observed at Baumette near 

 Angers, on llie Stli of August, by M. A. Cheux, who tlius 

 describes it. — About 10 o'clock the sky was lit up in the N.N. W., 

 by a white light ; and at successive intervals white rays were shot 

 out mostly towards the North or North-West. At about 10 '30, 

 a magnificent white ray shaped like a fan, and 22" in height, 

 occupied the northern part of the sky. This gradually faded, 

 and by 1 1 '30 tlie sky had resumed its natural colour. This is 

 the fourth Aurora Borealis observed in the last four months, the 

 others having been seen on the 9th of May, the gth of June, the 

 loth of July, and this on the Sth of August. The coincidence in 

 these montlily dates is something remarkable. 



Prof. O. C. Marsh, of New Haven, has been diligently at 

 vi'ork during the past summer in elaborating the rich mass of 

 fossil vertebrates collected by him last year and the year before 

 in various parts of the West. His latest discoveries are two large 

 pachyderms allieil to PaUcosyops, a gigantic fossil tapir called 

 IlyracJiyus friiic-ps, two camivora allied to the l'hY?-rUu', and, 

 most important of all, two species of bats {Nyciilhciium -vhx 

 and A; /n'sct/s), the first 'of ^tlie order ever detected fossil in 

 America, 



