May 6, 1880] 



NATURE 



17 



" Traps to Catch Sunbeams," by Capt. Abney. AVe are sorry 

 ;-> learn from Prof. Roscoe's preface that the interest in these 

 lectures having died out, they are to be diEcontinued. Never- 

 theless, as he says, they have undoubtedly done great good both 

 when delivered and in the remarkably cheap form in which they 

 have been published. The series, as a ivhole, has been a genuine 

 success. 



We understand that Dr. James Geikie, F.R.S., will shortly 

 send to press a work entitled " Prehistoric Europe — a Geological 

 Sketch," which treats of the principal climatic and geographical 

 changes which have taken place in our continent since the 

 commencement of the Pleistocene or Quaternary period. Mr. 

 Stanford Mill be the publisher. 



The Council of the Society of Arts have decided to summon 

 a public Conference to consider the question of supplying London 

 with pure water. The date for the Conference has been fixed 

 for Jlonday, May 24, and succeeding days. The arrangements 

 for the Conference are now being considered by a committee, 

 and full announcements will be made as early as possible. 



SI^■CE November last, instruction by means of lectures and 

 laboratory practice, in connection with the City and Guilds of 

 London Institute for the Advancement of Technical Education, 

 has been given during the evening in Chemistry and Physics as 

 applied to the Arts and Manufactures, by Prof. Armstrong, 

 Ph.D., F.R.S., and Prof. Ayrton, A.JL Inst. C.E., in rooms at 

 the Cowper Street Schools, Finsbury. On and after May 10, 

 day classes will also be establi.-hed, adapted to the scientific 

 requirements of persons partially engaged, or intending to engage, 

 in the manufacturing industries. The object of these day classes 

 is to aftbrd such preliminary training as is necessary for those 

 who may desire, later on, to study particular branches of Applied 

 Chemistry or Physics, for which special accommodation will be 

 provided in the new buildings. Two courses, each of twenty- 

 four lectures, in Chemistry and Phyiics will be given on two 

 afternoons per week during May, June, and July, for imparting such 

 laiowledge of the general principles as is necessary for the after- 

 understanding of the various branches of Applied Chemistry and 

 Physics : — Chemistry, Wednesdays and Fridays, at 3 to 4 o'clock ; 

 PliysicE, Wednesdays and Fridays, at 4 to S o'clock. Prof. 

 Ayrton will also give a special laboratory and tutorial course in 

 Electrical Engineering ; and Prof Armstrong will give a similar 

 course for instruction in Photographic Chemistry. Students 

 desirous of attending either of these courses are requested to 

 communicate with the respective Professors at the present 

 temporary laboratories, Cowper Street, Finsbury, E.C., before 

 May 10, stating the times at which they could attend, and the 

 maximum number of hours they could devote to the subject. 



We learn from Catania, under date April 26, that the 

 inhabitants were apprehending an 'eruption of Etna, An im- 

 mense cloud of smoke has been observed. 



A Parisian speculator has inaugurated the aeronautical 

 season by a private ascent on April 25 at La Villette gasworks. 

 The balloon, of only 300 cubic meters capacity, bore one aero- 

 naut, with 30 kilograms of handbills, which were distributed all 

 over Paris. The wind being slight, with a favourable direction, 

 thousands of these prospectuses were picked up by street pas- 

 sengers and largely read. The whole expense of the aerial 

 expedition, gas and eveiything, did not exceed 10/. sterling. 



The phylloxera has made its appearance in the vineyards on 

 Vesuvius and the opposite part of the Gulf at Puzzuoli and 

 Fianura. Much alarm prevails. Precautionary measures are 

 being taken. In Sicily the phylloxera, till now confined to 

 Caltanisetta, is likewise reported near Messina. 



At the Annual Meeting of the Royal Institution on May i, 

 the Annual Report of the Committee of Visitors for the year 

 1S79, testifying to the continued prosperity and efficient manage- 

 ment of the Institution, was read and adopted. The real and 

 funded property now amounts to nearly 85,000/., entirely derived 

 from the contributions and donations of the Members. Forty- 

 nine new Members paid their admission fees in 1S79. 



The Japan Gazelle states that the line of railway which has 

 been in contemplation for some time past between Tokio and 

 Mayebashi will soon be commenced. The surveys are com- 

 pleted, and it is said that the line will traverse a rich district, 

 and is expected to prove a great benefit to the couutiy. 



An exhibition of apparatus and products relating to bee- 

 cnlture will be held at Schwerin on August 2S-30 next. 



The Electrotechnical Society at Berlin, which was founded 

 on December 20, 1879, begins the second quarter of its existence 

 with no less than 1,248 members. 



The Emperor of Austria has presented the large gold medal 

 " for arts and sciences" to Dr. Karl Ritter von Scherzer in 

 recognition of his latest work, "Die britischen Welt-Industrien." 



The Report of the Rugby School Natural History Society for 

 1S79 is fairly encouraging. Several creditable papers are given 

 by the members ; we should like to see more papers of this class 

 and fewer lectures by grown-up outsiders, some of which seem 

 to us quite inappropriate in a Report of this kind. 



"The International Dictionary for Naturalists and Sportsmen 

 in English, French, and German," by Mr. Simpson- Baikie 

 (Triibner and Co.), is a very useful book of reference, and con- 

 tains a good many scientific terms, especially connected with 

 natural history. 



" The Sportsman's Guide " to the rivers, lochs, moors, and 

 deer forests of Scotland comes once more to remind us of the 

 hills and the heather, and to recall the memory of pleasant days 

 spent on loch and river. It bears evidence of careful revision, 

 and we are sure will prove useful to the tourist of scientific 

 tastes, even if he be no disciple of the rod or gun. 



It is known that M. Jamin, member of the French Institute, 

 has patented an electric lamp in which the light is directed by an 

 electrical current. A public company has been formed with a 

 capital of 8,000,000 francs for the working of the patent. 



The French Minister of Fine Arts has entered into an agree- 

 ment with the Jablochkoff Electric Light Company to light the 

 palace during the whole of the two months devoted to the 

 exhibition. The number of lights fed by the machinery is about 

 400, and the motive power regarded at about 320 horses. The 

 inauguration was to take place on May I, and a large crowd 

 had congregated to witness the process. But the crank of one 

 of the principal engines broke, and it was necessary to postpone 

 the opening for a few days. In spite of the growing opposition 

 of the friends of the gas co iipany, M. Gamier, the architect of 

 the Paris Opera, will establish a trial of the principal electrical 

 burners, to decide which is the more really fit for use in the 

 house. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Common Ocelot (Felis pardalis) from South 

 America, presented by Mr. Stephenson Clarke; two Elliot's 

 Guinea Fowls (Xumida cllioti) from East Africa, presented by 

 the Rev. Thos. Wakefield ; two American Barn Owls [Strix 

 /Jamiitta) from Jamaica, presented by Mr. G. E. Dobson, 

 C.M.Z.S. ; a Koala (P/iascoIarcliis ciiiereus) from South-East 

 Australia, a Grey Squirrel (Sciunts dtiereus) from North 

 America, two Blue-streaked Lories {Eos reticulata) from Timor 



