April 27, 1871 | 
NATURE 

The Physiological Laboratory will be open for fractical 
instruction in Physiology daily. The lectures will be free 
to all Members of the University. 
An election of a Superintendent of the Museums of 
Zoology and Comparative Anatomy was held on Tues- 
day, April 25, at one o’clock in the afternoon. This office 
was instituted in 1866, and was made tenable for five 
years; it is in the gift of the members of the electoral 
roll, The late superintendent, Mr. John Willis Clark, M.A. 
of Trinity College, was re-elected. 
The Syndicate appointed November 17, 1870, “to 
consider wether any, and if so what, alterations may be 
made with advantage in the system of University exami- 
nations to enable persons who are unacquainted with the 
Greek language to obtain degrees,” have issued an 
amended report. They recommend the substitution of 
French and German in place of Greek in the previous 
examination, at the option of the candidates. Every 
candidate who selects French and Cerma1 will have to 
satisfy the examiners in papers containing passages from 
French and German authors for translation into English, 
with plain grammatical questions, and translate passages 
from English authors into French or German. In addi- 
tion they will have to answer such questions on the Gospel 
selected for the Greek Testament subject and on matters 
collateral thereto as do not require a knowledge of the 
Greek language. ‘The proposed alteration will come into 
force at the previous examination in the Lent Term, 1872. 
It will only affect those persons who proceed to a degree 
in honours ; as a Greek classic the Acts of the Apostles in 
the original Greek are still retained as subjects in the 
general examination required of all candidates for the poll 
degree. A Grace, confirming the report of the Syndicate, 
will be offered to the Senate to-day. 
The Board of Natural Science Studies have issued an 
amended report, recommending certain alterations in the 
examination for the Natural Sciences Tripos. They pro- 
pose to separate the examination into two parts, and to 
continue it during eight days instead of six as heretofore. 
They also introduce a véva voce examination in addition 
to that by printed papers. The subjects of examination 
will be:—1, Chemistry and certain other branches of 
Physics ; 2, Botany, including Vegetable Anatomy and 
Physiology ; 3, Geology and Palzontology; 4, Mine- 
ralogy; 5, Comparative Anatomy, Physiology, and 
Zoology. The questions, exclusive of those which relate 
to practical work, will be comprised in twelve papers, and 
be so distributed that each of the papers will contain one 
or more questions in cach of the following branches of 
science :—I, Chemistry and certain other branches of 
Physics ; 2, Botany, including Vegetable Anatomy and 
Physiology ; 3, Geology and Palzontology; 4, Mine- 
ralogy; 5, Comparative Anatomy, Physiolozy, and Zoology. 
Some ‘of the questions will reler 10 objects exhibited at 
the examination. In the first six papers the questions 
will be of a more elementary character, and it will be open 
to the Board of Natural Sciences in any schedules which 
they may issue to indicate the subjects that shall be suit- 
able for this part of the examination. In the last six 
papers the questions will take a wider range, yet still, so 
far as regards those branches for which schedules are 
issued by the Board of Natural Science Studies, will be 
confined to subjects indicated in the schedule ; each of 
the last six papers will include a larger number of ques- 
tions on the several subjects than the first six papers 
severally contain, and some of the questions will have 
special reference to the philosophy and history of those 
subjects. The Board further recommend that the fore- 
going alterations come into operation at the examination 
to be held in December, 1872. 
EDINBURGH 
The half-yearly meeting of the General Council of the 
University of Edinburgh was held on Tuesday, the Chan- 

cellor presiding. A report was given in with reference to 
the graduation in Arts, and, after some discussion, it was 
agreed by a majority to represent to the University Court 
that the degree of M.A. should be remodelled. The 
report of the committee recommending the establishment 
ofa Chair of Celtic languages and literature was approved. 
A report was given in proposing that two additional mem- 
bers should be appointed to the Curatorial Court by the 
University Council. The report was adopted. It was 
resolved by a majority that the Council should represent 
to the University Court that it was advisable that the 
regulations with reference to degrees in law at present in 
force should be amended to the effect (1) of having two 
degrees in law attainable by examination, and (2) of not 
requiring for the lower degree a degree in Arts as a neces- 
sary preliminary. Some other business was transacted, 
after which the meeting separated. 


NOTES 
A PARAGRAPH has appeared in several papers stating that the 
venerable Professor of Geology in the University of Cambridge 
Prof. Sedgwick, purposed shortly vacating the chair. This 
announcement, we are credibly informed, is, to say the least, 
premature; and appears to have originated in a paragraph in the 
Professor’s report to the University on the Museum under his 
charge. The words of this, however, do not necessarily imply 
more than that he begins to feel the burden of years heavy 
upon him; and in the University it is not believed that 
his resignation is imminent. Whether that come soon or late, 
all who have known how much he has done for the cause of 
natural science in the University will deeply regret it ; and tle 
fine collections in the Woodwardian Museum, amassed in great 
part during bis tenure of the chair, and to no inconsiderab!e 
extent at his own expense, will long be a monument not unworthy 
of a life spent in the pursuit of science and in the service of his 
University. 
Tile subject for the Sedgwick prize, to be awarded in 1874, 
is ‘‘ The Pottonand Wicken phosphatic deposits and their gener: 1 
relation to the strata of Western Europe lying between the Por.- 
land beds and the Gault.” The prize is opea to all graduates 
who have resided sixty days during the twelve months preceding 
October 1, 1873. The essays are to be sent to the Registrary 
on or before October 1, 1873, privately with some motto pre- 
fixed, and to be accompanied by a sealed envelope with the same 
motto on the outside, enclosing a paper coataining the name and 
college of the candidate. The prize was founded in 1865, by 
some friends of Dr. Adam Sedgwick, to encourage the study of 
geology. It consists of three years’ interest on 500/. Scinde 
Railway Stock, but although subjects were proposed in 1867 
and 1870, no essays were sent in, 
Tue Science and Art Department has issued a circular on the 
subject of the examinations in Ireland, which are henceforth to 
be placed on the same footing as those in England. 
IN answer to several inquiries from America, we have grect 
pleasure in stating that the report that the eminent astronomer, 
Leverrier, is reduced to great poverty, is entirely without founda- 
tion. 
WE regret to record the death of William Wilson, the eminent 
bryologist, which took place at Warrington on the 3rd of April, 
in the 71st year of his age. Mr. Wilson is chiefly known as the 
author of ‘‘Bryologia Britannica,” the standard work upon 
British mosses, which was published in 1855, and of which a 
second edition was in contemplation at the time of his decease, 
He took a high place as an authority upon mosses among conti- 
nental botanists, and was in intimate communication with them. 
In the earlier portion of his life he devoted much attention to 
