Octoi;ek 



goo] 



NA JURE 



589 



imporlaiicc was ihf identiticatioii of a rifl in the 

 -.iiow-cap with the subsequent canal called Jaxartes. 



In the opposition of 1900 the Phosin and Kujihrates 

 were always seen double, as in 1896. Mr. Lowell 

 suiryests that probably the two epochs of jfemination 

 of the canals on Mars as laid down by Schiaparelli 

 mav not be epochs of t;emination, but epochs of 

 i;realer conspicuousness of ihr p'niinntion at one 

 lime than a( anoth<'r; thi^ uuiikl hriiit; .ippartntly 

 discordant facts inlo line. 



Durinjj this opposition Solis Lacus was not seen 

 with its usual distinctness, and it is inferred that as 

 il w.is at its de.-id season it had turned sear and 

 yellow. White I'qualorial spots of lon;^ dur.ilion were 

 an important fr;ilure at this time. 



Tile obser\alions of 190', were \:ry fruillul «illi 

 resiills, and spcci.il reference shiiiild he made lo the 

 relationship lii'i w reii the o;is s and the double canals. 



( 



recfion about the Mare .\cidalium .ind the poll-, this 

 region beiiifj; obscurely .semi-white. (J)n Januarv 23 

 Mr. Lowell wrote :-- " No sharp limit to polar cap. 

 'i"hinl< it surrounded by sprin<^ cloud." 



.Many other points of interest in connection with 

 these and similar observations might be dwelt on at 

 some length, but the reader must be referred lo the 

 volume itself for a more intimate study. . 



In addition to a good inde.x to the volume, there 

 is a special index of the names on the maps and 

 globes. In the latter there are fifty-four regions. 392 

 canals, and 172 oa.ses mentioned, which will give the 

 reader some idea of the number of Martian markings 

 seen at KlagstalT. 



In addition to the fronlis|)iece, which is a repro- 

 duction from a photograph of the 24-inch ecjualorial. 

 there .iri' thirteen plates and seventy-six illustrations 

 in the text, .•11 of which are of first-class quality. 



Printed in large, clear type on 

 smooth, stout paper, and occupying 

 about 550 pages, the volume contains 

 ,1 valuable increase to our knowledge 

 of Mars, and forms a h.andsonie .addi- 

 tion to the astronomical librarx . 



On the production of this volume 

 Mr. Lowell .and his staff are lo be 

 sincerely congratulated, the more so 

 that since its publication success has 

 rewarded their endeavours in record- 

 ing the canals of Mars on a i)hoto- 

 gr'aphic plate (Roy. Soc. Proc, Ser. 

 A, \'ol. l\xvii., p. r^2). 



William .L S. LorKVF.R. 



A 270^ 



Fig. 3. — The same longitude (270°) as in Fie. 2 from observations made a 

 1903 (Lowelt). 



The reader should also direct his .attention to the 

 semi-annual llux in the development of the canals 

 which was revealed, showing that two waves of de- 

 velc;|)inent sweep alternately over the planet's surface 

 in the course of one of its years, this being clearlv 

 illustrated in Lowell's cartouches. 



Regarding the appearance of cloud on the planet's 

 surface, Mr. Lowell is inclined to think that the large, 

 whitish marking named Hellas to the north of 

 Syrtis Major represents either mist or cloud. In the 

 opposition of igoi it was never seen as white as the 

 polar cap, although it approximated to it more than 

 to all the regions outside of it. He was thus led to 

 believe that it was not formed of snow, but of " some- 

 thing which would thus hold an intermediate position 

 between snow and ground, namelv, cloud or mist." 



.\nother, among other references lo cloud, is men- 

 tioned at the opposition of 1903, in relation to the 



NO. IQ28, VOL. 74] 



THE PLACE OF THE MODERN 

 IMVERSITV IN THE STATE. 

 'PHK recent quatercentenary cele- 

 ^ brations of the University of 

 .\berdeen, and especially the speeches 

 of the venerable Chancellor of the 

 !iftts_JT L'niversity on that occasion, again 



J^- direct the attention of thoughtful 



I . men to the vital connection between 



national efficiency and well-being and 

 the provision made bv a .State for the 

 higher education of its people in 

 modernised universities. The pres- 

 ence of the King and Queen to open 

 the new buildings at Marischal 

 College serves admirably lo accen- 

 tuate the fortunate fact that in their 

 endeavours to provide this country 

 ,, ■ ■ , with institutions adeuuatelv equipped 



the opposuion of , . ■ r ^L 7 • i_ ^ 



to supply instruction of the highest 

 grade and with facilities for research 

 in all departments of knowledge, our statesmen, our 

 men of science, and our men of wealth are receiving 

 some of that encouragement of their efforts which it 

 is the power of our Sovereigns to bestow. 



The brilliant gathering of learned men eminent in 

 every sphere of human endeavour, and representative 

 alike of science, art, and letters, may be taken as 

 a happy augurv of the unanimity that prevails to 

 spare no effort in the pressing work of supplementing 

 and extending the supply of seats of the highest 

 learning in every part of the country, with a view' to 

 place Great Britain on terms of equality with other 

 great nations in the keen competition which is the 

 outstanding characteristic of international relations at 

 the beginning of the twentieth century. 



With these evidences of educational enthusiasm 

 and endeavour before us, it seems a filling opportunity 

 to consider brieflv what ,ippe.-irs to be the current 



