92 



NA TURE 



\Dec. 4, 1873 



past few years to encourage the study of physical science ; we 

 hope the results will lead her to do so to a still greater extent. 



The fund being raised for the purpose of providing a suitable 

 memorial to the late Prof. 'Sedgwick, of Cambridge University, 

 reaches nearly :o,ooo/. The form of the testimonial will be 

 some new and suitable buildings for the schools of geology, and 

 a full-length statue of the late professor. 



The Cape mail brings word that the Challenger has arrived 

 at Simon's Bay. On her voyage from Bahia she touched at 

 Tristan d'Acunha, and made a survey of the groups of islands 

 to whicli it belongs. Two Germans were found who had lived 

 there for a couple of years, and who gladly availed themselves 

 of the opportunity of leaving. 



The annual course of lectures of the Brown Institution, under 

 the Government of the University of London, will be delivered 

 in the theatre of the University by Dr. Burdon-Sanderson, 

 F.R.S., on successive Tuesdays and Fridays during the present 

 month, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The first lecture will be 

 given on Tuesday next the gtli inst. 



Professor E. Weiss, of the Vienna Observatory, we learn 

 from the Bulletin International of the Paris Observatory, has 

 identified the comet recently discovered by Coggia, with the first 

 comet of iSiS, discovered by Pons at Marseilles. 



"We understand that the Lords of the Privy Council on Edu- 

 cation have decided to unite the Professorships of General and 

 Applied Chemistry in the Royal College of Science, Dublin, 

 and that this joint professorship will be conferred on Mr. Gallo- 

 way, for many years the Professor of Applied Chem.istry to the 

 College. The only vacancy to be now filled up in the college staff 

 is therefore that of the Professorship of Zoology. 



Prof. N. L. Shaler, Geologist of the State of Kentucky, 

 in a recent letter to the Frankfort Yeoman, makes a rather 

 novel suggestion for improving the navigation of the Ohio River, 

 and at the same time preventing the enormous destruction of 

 property which its floods now occasion at intervals, by v ashing 

 away its banks. In what has hitlierto proved a vain endeavour 

 to accomplish the former object, a large amount of money has 

 been already spent under appropriations of the United States 

 Contress, for wing-dams and other structuies to concentrate the 

 flow during the season of slack water ; and schemes have been 

 considered with more or less favour that involved the expendi- 

 ture of from ten to forty million dollars. The waste by floods, 

 of property bordering the river, is estimated by Prof Shaler at 

 400,000 dols. per annum. He thinks that both objects could be 

 accomplished by simply planting willows upon the banks, as he 

 finds that wherever such a plantation has been effected, the re- 

 sulting growth not only holds the soil in which it is rooted, but 

 accumulates that which is brought down by the river. When 

 the banks have been sufficiently strengthened and extended by 

 means of such plantations, a deepening ot the channel must re- 

 sult, which will improve navigation. The entire cost of plant- 

 ing the banks of the river from Pittsburgh to its mouth is esti- 

 mated by Prof Shaler at 100,000 dols. 



On Monday, Nov. 24, a meeting of the Royal Geographical 

 Society was held in the theatre of the University of London, 

 Burlington Gardens ; Sir Bartle Frere in the chair. Two papers 

 were read — one by Capt. J. .Moresby, R.N., " On recent disco- 

 veries at the eastern end of New Guinea," and the other by the 

 Rev. \V. Wyatt Gill, on three visits to New Guinea. Capt. 

 Moresby's paper entered at much length into the configuration 

 and aspect of the country, which the author described as not un- 

 like that of Australia. From all ihe saw of the people, the old 

 idea that they were the most savage of all races must be aban- 



doned. Capt. Moresby's paper described the utensils used by the 

 natives, and looked forward to a better future for them in conse 

 quence of their connection with England. The Rev. Mr. Gill 

 then related his experience, which in general confirmed that of 

 Capt. Moresby. 



The late Mr. Robert M' Andrew, F.R.S., of Isleworth 

 House, Middlesex, has bequeathed to the University of 

 Cambridge a very large and valuable collection of recent 

 shells. The collection is one of great scientific interest, 

 and is well known to persons engaged in the study of this branch 

 of natural history. Mr. M' Andrew also bequeaths to the Uni- 

 versity "such of the purely conchological works in my library 

 as the Vice-Chancellor or any Professor or other official nomi- 

 nated by him shall select, provided they are works which the 

 said University does not already possess (otherwise than in the 

 Public Library of the said University), and such works are to be 

 placed in the Natural History Museum or some library connected 

 with it." 



A CORRESPONDENT asks whether any of our readers can in- 

 form him if there exists any description of a fine section of 

 Rhretic beds which is to be found about half a mile outside the 

 town of Newark -upon-Trent? 



We have received copies of the Nc-iO York Tribune^ox October 

 29, 30, 31, containing full reports of the recent meeting of the 

 American Academy of Sciences, in New York. The reports 

 are very detailed, and have evidently been prepared with great 

 care for the Tribune, which, moreover, to judge from the 

 numbers referred to, seems to devote something like one-third of 

 its space to matters more or less connected with Science, not to 

 mention literature. We fear this would not pay in this country ; 

 it evidently does in America. The American Academy, appears 

 to be a kind of select upper Association for the Promotion 

 of Science. It started with fifty members, and adds only five 

 new members each year ; there seems to he but little fpre- 

 arrangement as to the meetings. 



The earthquake on the Qth November, in Western Asia 

 Minor, was rather remarkable. It was felt at 10 a.m. at the 

 Dardanelles and Broossa. It reached to Ak Hissar, Phocrea, 

 and the islands of Samos and Nisyros, in fact from N. to S. 

 At Smyina a first shock was felt at 9.49 r.il., and another at 

 3.20 A.M. [of the next day?]. After the first shock a strong 

 smell of sulphur pervaded the atmosphere and entered the 

 houses. A thick mist which had hung about for days dispersed, 

 and the night was clear. Nisyros was supposed to be the centre. 

 At the Dardanelles the shock was preceded by a rumbling noise. 

 At Broossa there was a second shock at I r.M. An earthquake 

 was felt on October 10, at 4.45 A.M., at San Salvador, in Cen- 

 tral America. It was slight. 



The naturalists connected with the U.S. Yellowstone Expe- 

 dition of the summer of 1S73 have all returned from the field, 

 and are at present engaged in prepaiing reports for transmis- 

 sion to the Secretary of War. The opportunities furnished by 

 the occasion were not so good as had been hoped for, the re- 

 gion proving to be much more destitute of animal and vegetable 

 life than anticipated. Everything was done, however, by 

 them that the circumstances would allow. The collections 

 embrace a full series of everything met with in the form of ani- 

 mal and vegetable life. The collections of butterllies and of 

 plants were especially rich ; of fossils not many were obtained, 

 but among them will doubtless be fouml some new species. 

 Among these was a large ammonite, 3 ft. in diameter, presented 

 to the party by Lieut. P. H. Ray. A few uncharacteristic 

 bones of fossil vertebrates were picked up, but the expedition 

 failed to reach any of the great bone deposits of the Miuvaises 

 Terrcs, as they had hoped to do. 



