138 
NATURE 
[APRIE 1," Toms 

and geology—is now welcomed both for 
purposes of 
exhibition and in the study series. 
Bureau of American Ethnology. 
The work of the Bureau of American Ethnology 
during the year has brought together much new mate- 
rial relating to the habits and customs and the 
languages ot the American Indians. One of special 
interest was a reconnaissance by Mr. F. W. Hodge, 
ethnologist-in-charge, of a group of prehistoric ruins 
on a mesa in Cebollita Valley, N. Mex. These ruins 
consist of a number of house groups forming a com. 
pound built on an almost impregnable height, and 
designed for defence; not only the groups but the 
individual houses have the form of fortifications, while 
the vulnerable point of the mesa rim is protected by 
means of a rude breastwork of stones. Among the 
special features of interest which Mr. Hodge discovered 
were a burial cist in which skeletons, pottery, and 
the remains of a mat were found; three small cliff 
lodges situated in the sides of the cliffs; several cere- 
monial rooms or kivas associated with the ruined 
houses; and the remains of the early reservoirs of the 
inhabitants. 
National Zoological Park. 
The collection in the park is the outgrowth of a 
small number of living animals which for several 
years had been assembled in very crowded quarters 
near the Smithsonian building, mainly for the pur- 
poses of scientific study. Chiefly through gifts and 
exchanges the size of the park collection has gradually 
increased, until it now numbers 340 species of mam- 
mals, birds, and reptiles, represented by 1362 indi- 
viduals. : 
: Astrophysical Observatory. 
The work of the Astrophysical Observatory has com- 
prised observations and computations at Washington 
and in the field relating to the quantity of solar radia- 
tion, its variability from day to day, and the effect of 
the atmospheric water vapour in absorbing the radia- 
tions of great wave-length such as are emitted toward 
space by the earth. Much attention has been given to 
the design, construction, and testing of new apparatus 
for these researches, including apparatus for measur- 
ing the sky radiation, special recording pyrhelio- 
meters to be attached to free balloons for the purpose 
of measuring solar radiation at great altitudes, and a 
tower telescope at the Mount Wilson Station. 
The principal results of the year include: a new 
determination of the number of molecules per cubic 
centimetre of gas, depending on measurements at 
Mount Wilson of the transparency of the atmosphere ; 
successful measurements by balloon pyrheliometers of 
the intensity of solar radiation up to nearly 45,000 ft. 
elevation above sea-level. The results tend to confirm 
the adopted value of the solar constant of radiation. 
Most important of all, the investigation by the tower 
telescope at Mount Wilson shows that the distribution 
of radiation along the diameter of the sun’s disc 
varies from day to day and from year to year. These 
variations are closely correlated with the variations of 
the total amount of the sun’s radiation. Thus the 
work of the year yields an independent proof of the 
variability of the sun and tends to elucidate its nature. 

UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
BIRMINGHAM.—Dr. Douglas Stanley has been ap- 
pointed to the chair of therapeutics. ; 
Dr. L. G. Parsons has been appointed to the newly 
created lectureship in infant hygiene and diseases 
peculiar to children. 
Dr. C. K. Tinkler is resigning his post as lecturer 
NO. 2370, VOL. 95] 

in chemistry on his appointment to the London Uni- 
versity readership in chemistry in the department of 
home science at King’s College. 
CambBripGE.—An exhibition of 5ol. a year tenable for 
two years is offered each year by the governing body 
of Emmanuel College to a research student com- 
mencing residence at Cambridge as a member of 
Emmanuel College in October. The governing body 
may award additional exhibitions of smaller value 
should properly qualified applicants present themselves. 
The exhibitions will be awarded at the beginning of 
October. Applications, accompanied by two certificates 
of good character, should be sent to the Master of 
Emmanuel not later than September 24. ; 

It is stated in the issue of Science for March 12 
that the Massachusetts Committee on Education voted 
unanimously on February 25 in favour of “taking 
initial steps toward the establishment of a State 
university.” 
Dr. F. J. Goopnow will be formally inaugurated 
president of the Johns Hopkins University on or 
about May 20. According to Science it has been 
arranged to give the occasion a double significance, 
for, in addition to the inauguration of the third presi- 
dent of the University, the new site at Homewood is 
to be dedicated formally. 
THE scientific advisory committee of the University 
of Sheffield has recently held, on March 18, 19, and 
20, an exhibition of British-made laboratory apparatus 
and material, with the double object of _-acquainting 
consumers with sources of supply, and of obtaining 
support for the new industries so as to enable them 
to become permanently established. The exhibits in- 
cluded glass and porcelain ware of different kinds and 
different sources of manufacture, glass wool, trans- 
parent and opaque silica ware, acid-resisting metals, 
filter papers, and a variety of clay goods. THe exhibi- 
tion aroused considerable interest in Sheffield and the 
neighbourhood, and great satisfaction was expressed 
by visitors at the progress which the manufacture of 
laboratory ware has made in this country in the period 
since the war began. 4 
Tue Board of Education has published a ‘‘ Memor- 
andum on the Teaching of Engineering in Evening 
Technical Schools’? (Circular 894, price 6d.). . Its 
object is to furnish _ suggestions to teachers and 
organisers of schools which’ provide evening classes 
in mechanical and electrical engineering,: and not to 
lay down a scheme of instruction suitable for universal 
application. The need for a great variety both in 
methods and organisation, to meet the needs of 
students working in different areas under special in- 
dustrial conditions, is borne in mind throughout. 
Part-time courses only are considered in the memor- 
andum, and such subjects are dealt with as the 
classification of the courses, suitable curricula, and 
the outlines of laboratory and class work. The 
detailed outlines of work for courses in mechanical 
and electrical engineering to suit students of different 
grades will provide teachers with practical help in 
modifying and improving their own syllabuses of in- 
struction. 
THE annual report of the University College, Lon- 
don, Committee shows that the total number of 
students for the session 1913-14 was 2206, including 
in the faculty of scieice 148 men and 50 women; in 
the faculty of medical sciences, 138 men; in the 
faculty of engineering, 134 men; post-graduate and 
research students, 313 men, 128 women. Of evening 
students there were in the faculty of-science 22 men, 
29 women. For the current session, 1914-15, owing 
to the war, there has been a decline in the total 
