Sept. 9, 1880] 



NATURE 



445 



kers", are described in the report. They are composed of 

 white opaque quartz, having in some cases a laminated structure, 

 and traversed occasionally with veins and crystals of the same 

 mate-ial. That the blocks have travelled a considerable distance 

 cannot be doubted ; and that their transportation was not eflTected 

 by the action of water only appears proved. The blocks are all 

 more or less rugged and sub-angular, although without any 

 decided traces of glacial polish or scratches. They occur most 

 plentifully on the higher ground. 



They have been so largely utilised by the farmers and for 

 artificial rockeries that it is to be feared, unless care is taken to 

 prevent it, those now remaining on the spots they have so long 

 occupied undisturbed may altogether disappear. 



The report concluded with an appeal to local observers to 

 report upon the erratics still unrecorded before the work of 

 destruction is completed, and evidence throwing light on difficult 

 problems of glacial geology is destroyed. 



Report on the Exploration of Caves in the South of Ireland, by 

 Prof. A. Leith Adams. Includes a Report by Mr. R. J. 

 Ussher. — Describes caves at Carnigea Gower, four miles south 

 of Middleton. Stalagmite floor -on sandy clay; beneath the 

 stalagmite was much charcoal, the roof had an opening to the 

 surface, down which much kitchen rubbish had been thrown, 

 associated with hammer stones, flint flakes, iron implements, and 

 remains of recent animals. A report was read on the implements, 

 by Mr. R. Day, which are of no great antiquity ; one piece of 

 pottery was believed to have a Roman (capital) letter inscription. 



Report on the Carboniferous Polyzoa, by \V. G. R. Vine. — 

 Discusses the character of the genus and species and the views 

 held on them by the earlier workers, and after a comparison of the 

 specific forms he relegates to each of these the precise genera to 

 w hich they belong. 



Report on the " Geological Record," by Mr. W. Whitaker. — 

 Four volumes have been published, each of which gives an 

 abstract of all geological work done throughout the world, for 

 one year ; they contain an average number of 20, 200 entries in 

 each volume. 



Sixteenth Report of the Committee appointed to Explore Rent's 

 Cavern, by Mr. Pengelly. — The deposits passed through in the 

 cavern were : — 



Iron and 

 Bronze. 



Black Mould. Roman Remains (Ovine). 



■ Granular Stalagmite, 5 feet. 



I Extinct Animals. 



I Cave Earth. Extinct Animals. 



(Hy^na). 

 Crystalline Stalagmite, 12 feet. 



( Bears). 

 Breccia. 



Newer 

 Type. 



Rougher 

 Type. 



Work commenced in March, 1S65, by excavating down to 

 4 feet throughout the whole cavern ; finished in November, 

 1879, the floor had at that time been so excavated, at a cost of 

 1,850/. to the Association. A further grant was then given to lay 

 bare the limestone floor ; and subscriptions from private somxes 

 amounted to 51/. received, which enabled the base of the cave 

 deposit to be excavated for a length of 132 feet. Occasionally 

 stalagmitic fragments occurred on the base of the breccia, resting 

 on the rock. On June 19, iSSo, the work was suspended, it 

 having only yielded seventeen finds — amongst them a flint nodule, 

 which had not been touched by the implement maker — which are 

 of greater rarity. Archasological finds were more numerous than 

 remains of animals ; the implements con-espond to those of the 

 oldest river gravels in type. Referred to the good work done 

 by Mr. George Smerdon, the foreman of the workmen during 

 sixteen years, who has become crippled with rheumatism, brought 

 on by execution of the work, .ind suggested the desirability of 

 raising subscriptions to purchase for him an annuity of 10/. a 

 year. 



Report of the Com?nittee, consisting of Mr. James Iltywood, 

 Mr. Shatn, Mr. Stephen Bourne, Mr. Wilkinson, the Rev. W. 

 Delaney, and Dr. J. II. Gladstone (Secretary), appointed for the 

 purpose of reporting whether it is important that II. M. Inspectors 

 of Elonentary Schools should lie appointed with reference to their 

 ability for examining the scientific specific subjects of the Code 

 in addition to other matters. — The Committee nominated at 

 Sheffield for the purpose of considering "whether it is impor- 

 tant that H.M. Inspectors of Elementary Schools should be 



appointed with reference to their ability for examining the scien- 

 tific specific subjects of the Code in addition to other matters," 

 have received a considerable amount of evidence upon the 

 subject, and bog to report as follows : — 



1. It has come to their knowledge that the teaching of the 

 scientific specific subjects is practically discouraged by the 

 incapacity of many of H.M. Inspectors to examine in them. 



2. This incapacity is explained by the fact that the Inspectors 

 are not generally chosen so much- for their fitness to judge of 

 such educational work, as on account of their high scholarship, 

 or through political patronage. 



3. In the opinion of this Committee there might be an ex- 

 amining body for H.M. Inspectors, composed of three of the 

 most experienced of the present senior Inspectors, associated 

 with a similar number of the Science Examiners of the Science 

 and Art Department. The examination should be thrown open 

 to elementary teachers, and the candidates might be tested in 

 the practical work of examination in one of the Central Elemen- 

 tary Schools in London. 



4. The Committee believe that the opening of the Inspector- 

 ship to fully qualified elementary teachers would tend to raise 

 the esprit de corps of the profession, and improve the character 

 of both inspector and teacher. 



5. The Committee are further of opinion that while a university 

 degree may be fitly regarded as a test of scholarship, it is not a 

 test of the particular qualifications for an examiner, and there- 

 fore is not sufficient in itself to guarantee the holder thereof as 

 worthy the position of Inspector. There appears to be no 

 reason w-hy academical honours should be made an indispensable 

 condition of appointment. 



6. The Committee recommend that a memorial be presented 

 to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council on Education 

 embodying the above conclusions. 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. Fye-Smith, Prof. 

 M. Foster, and Prof. Burdon Sanderson [Secretary), appointed 

 for the purpose of investigating the Influence of Bodily Exercise oit 

 the Elimination of Nitrogen [the Experiments to be conducted by 

 Mr. North). — During the past year four series of preliminary 

 experiments, each of several weeks' duration, have been made by 

 the Committee on the subject, the expenses of which have been 

 met from other funds. In the course of these experiments unex- 

 pected difficulties have been encountered relating to method. 

 The most serious of these difliculties having now been for the 

 most part overcome, we are in a position to proceed with our 

 inquiries next winter, and have therefore to request that the sum 

 of 50/., previously granted to us, may again be placed at our 

 disposal. 



SECTION A— Mathematical and Physical 



On some Laws which regulate the Succession of Temperature 

 and Raififall in the Climate of London, by H. Courtenay Fox, 

 M.R.C.S. — The following paper is an attempt to answer the 

 question : Is there to be found any definite relation between 

 extremes of rainfall or temperature in any month or season, and 

 the weather of the month or season next following ? 



The data used by me are the same as those upon which the 

 foregoing paper on "Synchronisms" is based, viz., the monthly 

 temperature and rainfall for the Royal Observatory for sixty-six 

 years — 1815 to iSSo. In accordance with the principles explained 

 by me at p. 277 of the Report of the British Association for 

 1879, each month is distributed under the five heads of tempera- 

 ture — according as it was very cold, cold, average, warm, or very 

 \\ arm ; and under the five heads of rainfall — according as it was 

 very dry, dry, average, wet, or very wet. 



I have presented three tables, which show, for each month or 

 season wliich is classed under one or other of the extremes of 

 rainfall or temperature, the character, in these respects, of the 

 month or season next following. 



A careful study of these tables enables us (whilst omitting all 

 those results which are of an ambiguous character) to state the 

 following definite propositions : — 



1. A cold spring is very prone to be followed by a cold 

 summer, a cold summer tends to be followed by a cold autumn, 

 and a cold autumn has a slight tendency to be succeeded by a 

 winter of low temperature. 



2. Warm summers are generally followed by warm autumns. 



3. In no fewer than eight out of the twelve months (that is in 

 every one except February, March, May, and October), very loii> 

 temperature tends to be prolonged into the succeeding mouth. 



