224 



NATURE 



[October 24, 191 2 



g-cneral addresses also delivered. Profs. Kovalski, 

 Wicchert, and Weiss reviewed recent work on 

 radiations, atmospheric electricity, and the rdZe 

 of mag-netic phenomena in the study of molecular 

 and atomic conceptions. The second day was 

 devoted to meetings of sections, at which a great 

 number of communications were presented on 

 mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology and 

 mineralogy, botany, and zoology. Finally, on the 

 concluding day another general assembly was held, 

 again devoted to administrative matters and 

 general addresses, among which may be specially 

 mentioned that by Prof. Chodat, on vegetable pig- 

 ment, and that by Dr. Paul Sarasin, on the Swiss 

 Xational Park. 



The Societe Helvetique des Sciences naturelles, 

 founded at Geneva in 1815, has been the moving 

 spirit in many important scientific undertakings in 

 Switzerland. It has successfully created, or, at 

 least, been the means of creating, the fine topo- 

 graphical map of Switzerland, the geological, 

 geodetical, and meteorological services, the in- 

 vestigations of earthquakes, glaciers, rivers, lakes 

 and marshes. The various branches of work are 

 directed by special commissions or committees, 

 selected from the Society's ranks, which send in 

 reports annually ; they receive grants from the 

 Swiss Government totalling annually about 80,000 

 francs (3200Z). As each branch expands in course 

 of time, and grows in importance, it is usually 

 taken over by the Swiss Government and given an 

 independent organisation. It is in this way that 

 the Swiss Federal Services of Topography and 

 Meteorology have originated, and the seismo- 

 logical service started and organised by the Society 

 is now passing into the hands of the Federal 

 Government in "like fashion. By way of counter- 

 poise, the creation of a new commission was decided 

 at the Altdorf meeting, to be charged with organ- 

 ising studies and regular observations of atmo- 

 spheric electricity. 



But of all the recent activities of the Society, 

 the most interesting for its importance and bearing- 

 is the work of theCommission for the Protection 

 of Natural Sites, organised in 1906, which has 

 culminated in the creation of a magnificent national 

 park, situated in the lower valley of the Inn 

 (Grisons), one of the wildest parts of the Swiss 

 Alps. In accordance with contracts made with 

 the commune of Zernez and various neighbouring 

 communes, an uninterrupted stretch of territory 

 of about 100 square kilometres area, which it is 

 hoped soon to extend to 200 square kilometres, 

 will be almost completely withdrawn from the 

 interference of man. The flora and fauna, which 

 are here relatively very rich — the region is still 

 frequented by chamois, and a few bears are still 

 met with — will be able to develop freely in accord- 

 ance with natural laws of evolution. The only ex- 

 ception will be a few roads or paths to give access 

 to the reservation, and some blockhouses con- 

 nrructed for the purposes of repressing poaching, 

 enforcing the prohibition of hunting, and organ- 

 ising a service of regular observations. It will 

 thus be possible to study the formation of a natural 



NO. 2243, VOL. go] 



"biocenose " on a somewhat magnificent scale — a ■ 

 true "biological refuge" of a most interesting 

 kind. 



Part of the territory leased by the Society for 

 the National Park of the Grisons has been taken 

 for twenty-five years, the rest for ninety-nine years. 

 The costs of rent, surveillance, and observations, 

 will be defrayed out of funds furnished by a 

 popular league, the " Ligue Suisse pour la pro- 

 tection de la nature " (founded under the auspices 

 of the Societe Helvetique des Sciences naturelles), 

 the ordinary members of which pay an annual con- 

 tribution of at least a franc, and the life members 

 a lump sum of at least twenty francs. _ The 

 Federal Government also has announced its inten- 

 tion of applying to the Chambers for regular 

 annual grants. 



The above details, taken from the bulky report 

 of the Central Committee, and from the interesting- 

 address of Dr. Paul Sarasin, President of the Com- 

 mission for the Protection of Natural Sites, prove 

 that Swiss naturalists have made a great achieve- 

 ment. The "Territoire Reserve" of the Grisons is 

 not only the most important in Europe, on account 

 of its extent, but in some respects excels the cele- 

 brated American Reservations, which are only 

 partially reserved, and do not form one unbroken 

 block. 



THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL. 

 Installation of Lord Haldane as Chancellor. 



THE installation of Lord Haldane as Chancellor 

 of the University of Bristol on Thursday last, 

 October 17, in succession to the late Mr. H. O. 

 Wills, was made the occasion of a brilliant and 

 memorable ceremony. Bristol, the ancient city 

 of the west, is the youngest of the new universi- 

 ties ; and it is peculiarly fortunate in having: 

 secured for its chancellor one who represents the 

 modern spirit of organisation and progress. In 

 presenting the deed to the chancellor, Mr. Lewis 

 Fry expressed the profound satisfaction of the 

 University that he had been able to accept the 

 unanimous invitation to become its head. Lord 

 Haldane, in the course of reply, remarked that 

 he had spent a considerable part of his fife and 

 such energv as he possessed in endeavottring to 

 forward the cause of the new civic university, and 

 he hoped to be permitted to mould and fashion 

 the operations of this great conception still further 

 in the future. 



In honour of the occasion, a large number of 

 honorary degrees were conferred upon men and 

 women distinguished in letters, art, science and 

 public service's. Lord Haldane himself received 

 the patent of the honorary degree of LL.D., and 

 among the other recipients of degrees were the 

 following, who were presented in the order given. 



M.Sc. (Engineering).— ]ohn Munro, professor _ of 

 mechanical and mining engineering in the University. 



jVf.j3.5._W. R. Ackland, lecturer in dental surgery 

 in the University. 



)\/ f;,._N. C. Dobson, emeritus professor ot sur- 

 rte'ry' in the late University College, Bristol ; J. P. 



