184 

course. That regarding “ microscopists” and spontaneous | 
germ-formation is especially deserved and well laid on. | 
This race of pseudo-experimenters, who do not know the | 
simplest necessities of accurate experiment, but who by 
mere assertion endeavour to bear down genuine scientific 
men, is really the class which does mischief alike to 
science and to the cause of religion. Dr. Tyndall is 
certainly not fairly censured by the so-called “religious ” 
press, but does it ever deal either praise or censure fairly? 
His remarks onthe Materialists at the end of the Address 
are quite conclusive as to the absurdity and injustice of 
calling him by that name. There is a verse in Scripture 
that would suit the case exactly, but we leave the problem 
as a puzzle to the Editor of the Record. 
The Students Manual of Comparative Anatomy and 
Guide to Dissection. By G. Herbert Morrell, M.A., 
B.C L. (Oxford: Shrimpton.) 
WE have received the only part as yet published of this 
treatise, viz., that relating tothe Birds. Mr. Morrell gives 
with great care, in a tabular form when possible, a conden- 
sation of all the information to be obtained in such works 
as Huxley’s “ Lectures on the Skull,” and “ Classification 
of Birds,” Wagner’s, Siebold’s and other manuals, and the 
“Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology,” supplement- 
ing this by extracts from his own notes of dissections in 
the anatomical laboratories of the Oxford University 
Museum, and of Professor Rolleston’s lectures given there. 
It is proposed to issue an atlas of woodcuts borrowed 
from various works to illustrate the letterpress. The book 
will be found very convenient by students at Oxford and 
elsewhere, who are carefully studying the comparative 
anatomy of the Vertebrata. We must decidedly object, 
however, to the omission of one group of organs evézrely 
—the reproductive. It is a concession to a strange pre- 
judice, and really renders a good work eee 4 
alte JE 


PELL ERS LO) LHe EDITOR 
[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed 
by his Correspondents. No notice ts taken of anonymous 
communications. | 
The Eclipse Expedition 
I WRITE you a brief account of the doings of the English 
Eclipse Expedition up to the present time, thinking it may be 
interesting to your readers. 
After leaving London we proceeded direct to Naples, staying 
on the road only a few hours at Cologne, half a day at Verona, 
and aday at Rome. Everywhere on the journey the most 
marked kindness was shown to the Expedition as the repre- 
sentatives of English Science. From Ostend to Verona we never 
changed carriages, and there only on account of a slight breakage 
in the carriage itself. Never once were we asked for passports, 
never once were our instrument cases overhauled, or anything 
beyond mere personal baggage, at the custom houses. At Naples 
we stayed a day, which was occupied in taking the lids off all 
the cases, repairing one or two slight accidents which had befallen 
the instruments, and making plans for our distribution in Sicily. 
At four o’clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, the 13th, we 
were all on board the Psyche, 2 despatch boat which had been 
Jent by the Government to convey ourselves and instruments to 
Sicily. A delicious sunny afternooon, asea as smooth as molten 
glass, a ship’s company receiving us with the utmost kindness 
and hospitality, how could the evening not pass as merry as a 
marriage bell? I cannot retail to you all the jokes which passed, 
the lively chats and quiet strolls by moonlight, the polariscopes 
and spectroscopes pointed to the sea and sky, ere long destined to 
address their momentous questions to the Sun himself, now having 
their merits and demerits freely discussed by the savazts ; but you 
can imagine it all. Atlast we turned in to enjoy that repose which 
sea air always induces in landsmen. 
At ahout six we were all called and told we were approaching 
the Straits of Messina, the yery Scylla and Charybdis of our 
NATURE 

yan. 5, 1872 

classical lore. In moonlight, soft, cool, and delicious, we beheld 
those rocks of Scylla and steered through Charybdis, though we 
felt it not, andso onwards in the rising sun through the Straits. 
After breakfast we held our (as we then though’) final council 
only about an hour before we were to separate for our various 
Sicilian stations. Scarcely had the council broken up, when 
the sad event occurred which was destined to alter all our plans. 
We were steaming along about ten miles north of Catania, the 
gigantic cone of Etna, capped with snow, appearing to rise from 
the cliffs of lava under which we were passing, when the ship 
struck on a treacherous sunken rock, shown in none of the charts. 
I cannot pass over this sad catastrophe without referring to the 
noble behaviour of our gallant commander, Lieut. Fellowes, to 
whose coolness and energy we owe the safe disposal of ourselves, 
instruments, and baggage at Catania, without any serious loss. 
Mr. Lockyer, at the request of the captain, immediately tele- 
graphed to Malta, whence the Royal Oak came to the aid of the 
Psyche. More lately the admiral of the Mediterranean fleet (Sir 
Hastings Yelverton) has arrived in the Lord MWurden, and 
anchored beside her, and I am glad to be able to say that if the 
present calm weather continues there is every prospect that the 
ship may be saved. 
For this expedition it was foundsnecessary to make Catania 
the head quarters instead of Syracuse, as had been originally in- 
tended, as there would inevitably have been too great delay in 
removing the heavier instruments to Syracuse to carry out the 
original plan. Since our arrival, we have received all possible 
help from our own and the Italian Governments. From the 
latter we obtained the use of the garden of the Benedictine 
monastery, where we are working, as well as guards at some of 
our stations. Both here and elsewhere the American and Italian 
observers join heartily with us, and to their co-operation we owe 
much, 
The arrangement of the English parties are now as follows. 
At Catania weare strong in the spectroscope. Mr. Lockyer 
and Mrs. Lockyer are working with a large reflecting mirror 
fitted with a single prism, but with special adaptation for giving 
plentiful illumination, as well as for placing the hydrogen spec- 
trum side by side with the spectrum obtained from the corona. 
Mr. Seabrokes has a large retractor fitted with a spectroscope of 
six prisms for examining the chromosphere. Mr. Pedler works 
with a small direct-vision instrument. Prof. Thorpe has mounted 
his apparatus on the top of a portico in the garden, and has 
been engaged the last few days in making out daily cucves 
of the chemical intensity. To Mr. Vignolles, sen., and Mr. Vig- 
nolles, jun., and myself are committed the time and general 
observations. In addition to the above, we hope to haye the 
assistance of several of the officers from ships in the neighbour- 
hood, who will make sketches of the appearances, and help the 
observers in various ways. 
Our next detachment, under the charge of Prof. Roscoe, has 
left us, intending to find a stage of observation as high as possible 
on Etna. It is confidently expected that, by leaving some seven 
or eight thousand feet of the densest atmosphere behind, delicate 
but important observations may be made which would be impos- 
sible at alower level. This party is piloted by Prof. Sylvestre, of 
the University of Catania, who, in common with allthe authorities 
here, has shown the utmost courtesy toward the Expedition. 
The spectroscope observations will be conducted by Prof. 
Roscoe, with the assistance of Mr. Bowen ; the polariscope is 
under the charge of Mr. Harris; photographic arrangements 
under Dr. Vogel; while Mr. Darwin willsketch the appearances 
presented. 
At Agosta we are strongest in the polariscope, this instrument 
requiring the longest possible duration of totality. The party is 
under the charge of Prof. Adams (of King’s College, London), 
who, in the polariscope, is assisted by Messrs. Ranyard and 
Clifford. The only spectrocopist stationed here is Mr. Burton, 
and the sketcher, Mr. Brett. This party have been living 
under canvas for the last few days, and, I need hardly add, 
received the utmost kindness from a military detachment 
stationed there with them. 
At Syracuse we are only represented by one photographer, 
Mr. Brothers, assisted by Mr. Fryer and by Mr. Griffith, who 
will take observations with his polarimeter, 
The authorities at Malta sent us here two sappers, thanks to 
whose exertions our observations have been erected with great 
rapidity, enabling us to station our instruments and make pre- 
liminary trials in the very positions they will occupy during the 
Eclipse. Since our arrival these preliminaries have kept us all 

