n6 



NATUI^& 



'[ftQ#E.i,3i^5 



work. An historical collection of no little interest is shown 

 by Mr..M. W. Dunscombe, of Bristol. 



In class i.\., small telescopes and binoculars, are exhibited 

 various patterns of prism binoculars by Messrs. Aitchison, 

 Dallmeyer, Ross, Ltd., &c. Messrs. Aitchison show also 

 a field glass of novel tvpe with a body machined from a 

 solid casting, focusing' being effected by moving each 

 object glass in its own tube. 



In class X., microscopes and accessories, the catalogue 

 furnishes a very complete account of the English micro- 

 scope as produced by the best makers, including binocular 

 microscopes and various forms of instrument for special 

 purposes. Photomicrographic cameras are shown by 

 Messrs. Beck, and Ross, Ltd. Information of interest with 

 regard to different types of photographic lenses is given 

 in class xi., though too much space is perhaps devoted in 

 the catalogue to illustrations of camera bodies. 



In the careful classification and selection of instruments 

 to illustrate the various types, class xii., optical projection 

 apparatus, appears to us to be the most successful in the 

 catalogue. The class includes an exhibit by Messrs. 

 Chance Bros, of a complete lighthouse optical apparatus 

 of the fourth order. Other exhibits of interest are Mr. 

 R. W. Paul's projector lamps, the triple rotating lantern 

 of Messrs. Newton, and animatographs by Messrs.- Paul, 

 the Prestwich Manufacturing Co., and J. Wrench and Son. 



In class xiii., apparatus for optical measurement, some 

 new optical benches are shown by Messrs. Aitchison and 

 Beck, and there are interesting exhibits from the Cam- 

 bridge Scientific Instrument Co. and Messrs. Hilger. A 

 half-shadow polarimeter is shown by Prof. Poynting, the 

 half-shadow field being produced by the tilting of two 

 glass plates forming a V between the polariser and 

 analyser. 



Lender photometric apparatus the Ediswan Co. show 

 specimens of Prof. Fleming's large bulb standard lamps, 

 and various forms of photometer are exhibited by Messrs. 

 .Alex. Wright. Class xv. is devoted to ophthalmic appa- 

 ratus, and includes a novel form of ophthalmoscope of 

 British design and construction. The Cambridge Scientific 

 Instrument Co. and Messrs. Griffin show laboratory appa- 

 ratus under class xvi. Under class xvii., mathematical and 

 drawing instruments, some new forms of slide rule are 

 shown, including one with additional slides by Messrs. 

 Davis, of Derby, and an optical slide rule with reciprocal 

 division for determination of conjugate foci, &c., by Mr. 

 A. Salomon, of Huddersfield. An arithmometer of English 

 make is exhibited by Mr. S. Tate, and an adding machine 

 by the Burroughs .Adding Machine Co. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — Among the twelve distinguished men who 

 will receive honorary degrees on June 14 only two are 

 connected with scientific work. These are Commander 

 R. F. Scott, R.N., of the Discovery, and Colonel Sir 

 Francis E. Younghusband, K.C.I.E. The latter has been 

 appointed Rede lecturer, and has chosen as his subject 

 " Our True Relationship with India." The lecture will be 

 delivered in the Senate at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, June 10. 



Mr. L. A. Borradaile, of Selwyn College, who is well 

 known for his researches on the Crustacea, has been 

 appointed assistant secretary for lectures to the local ex- 

 aminations and lecture syndicate. 



A university lectureship in mathematics will shortly be 

 vacant owing to the resignation of Mr. G. B. Mathews, 

 F.R.S., of St. John's College. 



The special board for biology and geology has nominated 

 Mr. J. J. Lister, Fellow of St. John's College, to occupy 

 the university table at the laboratory of the Marine Bio- 

 logical Association at Plymouth for one month during the 

 present year. 



In spite of the efforts of the master of Pembroke, Prof. 

 Ridgway and others to bring the work of the studies and 

 examination syndicate to an end, the Senate decided by 

 H2 votes to gg that its deliberations should be continued. 

 It seems evident that a majority of residents is in favour 

 of some change. 



NO. 1857, VOL. 72] 



The "syhdrchte' entrusted with the building of 'the nfe*r 

 medical schools has exceeded the sum granted by Grace of 

 the Senate bv 2571'. 15^. 6d. It is now asking for 

 authoritv to pay this amount, and for g2o(. for the com- 

 pletion and fitting of the Humphry Museum, and 38b?. fo/ 

 extra fittings and furniture in the departments of surgery^, 

 midwifery, medicine, pharmacology,' and pathology. . 



The Pioneer Mail states that a grant of io^ooo rupee's 

 has been made to the Victoria Diamond Jubilee Technical 

 Institute of Lahore for buildings and appliances. A per- 

 manent grant of 100 rupees a month has also been made, 

 and the assistance thus given will enable the governors to 

 complete the equipment for the teaching of practical and 

 applied chemistry. - ■ 



At a meeting of the School Nature-Study Union held 

 at the College of Preceptors on Friday, a paper was read 

 on the training of teachers for nature-study by Miss R. 

 Lulham. In it the necessity for a proper ground work 

 was brought out, and during the discussion which followed 

 a resolution was passed urging upon the London County 

 Council the need of providing classes for those who have 

 to teach nature-study, and suggesting that a wild garden 

 for their benefit should be established in at least one of the 

 London parks, in which the botanic gardens arranged for 

 the students of systematic botany have already proved so 

 useful. 



We have received the first number of the University 

 Review, which is published by Messrs. Sherratt and Hughes 

 at 6d. net. Dr. Bryce contributes an introductory note 

 on the university movement, and among other articles deal- 

 ing with many aspects of higher education may be 

 mentioned one by Prof. Arthur Schuster, F.R.S., on " Uni- 

 versities and Examinations," and another by Sir Oliver 

 Lodge, F.R.S., -on "Questions for Discussion." Prof. 

 Schuster formulates briefly what the aims of an ideal uni- 

 versity should be, and proceeds to divide its work into two 

 parts. These are the acquisition of knowledge and the 

 power of applying it. The second part of the work of the 

 university is the higher, and is what is required for success 

 in life. Prof. Schuster says that it can be taught, and 

 therefore should be taught, in the university, but that this 

 power of applying knowledge cannot be tested satisfactorily 

 by examination. He then considers exhaustively the func- 

 tion of examinations, and shows what they are capable of 

 doing and the qualities they are incompetent to gauge. He 

 concludes by remarking that when a student " has shown 

 that he deserves a degree, it is right and proper that an 

 opportunity shall be given him to develop his special powers 

 and to distinguish himself." Prof. Schuster makes a pro- 

 posal to secure this by giving a year which is absolutely 

 at the student's disposal to be used under the guidance of 

 his teachers as he thinks fit. Sir Oliver Lodge discusses 

 the possibility of introducing a change in the " time of 

 year when examinations should be held : — whether candi- 

 dates should be examined directly lectures cease, and before 

 Session ends ; or whether they should be given time for 

 revision and digestion, and perhaps oblivion, and be ex- 

 amined just before a new Session commences." The 

 review also supplies full information of current events in 

 British and foreign universities. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 London. 



Royal Society, March 30.— "The Determination of the 

 Specific Heat of Superheated Steam by Throttling and other 

 Experiments." Bv A. H. Peake. Communicated by 

 Prof. Ewing, F.R.S. 



This paper is an account of original investigations 

 undertaken to determine the specific heat of superheated 

 steam. Two methods have been followed : — (i) the 

 throttling or wire-drawing of steam to obtain the law 

 connecting the variation of temperature with pressure, for 

 constant total heat ; (2) the direct heating of a current of 

 steam by electrical means. 



An account of an investigation on the same lines as 

 method (i), by Mr. J. H. Grindley, was published in the 

 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, A, vol. 



