428 



NA TURE 



\Sept. 24, 1874 



which those entitled to speak with authority saywas never 

 equalled in this country. The specimens numbered about 7,cxx). 

 Almost every county in Scotland made large contributions, while 

 England and Wales sent a number of exhibits. In fact, almost 

 every fungologist in Britain contributed specimens. 



In an address on Education at Rochdale on Saturday, Mr. 

 Jacob Bright urged the claims of Owens College, Manchester, to 

 assistance from the national exchequer, and hinted that a time 

 was approaching when the enormous revenues of Oxford and 

 Cambridge would be made more productive to the country. 



The members of the Tcgeihof h-asSxxMi Polar Expedition have 

 arrived at Hamburg. They everywhere in Norway met with a 

 very cordial welcome. The new country, as far as explored, 

 coniprises five islands, and contains hares and foxes. When 

 rescued, the members of the expedition were in rags, and for a 

 fortnight had been short of provisions and of firing. They were 

 compelled to shoot all the sledge dogs, as the animals showed 

 signs of madness. The members of the expedition will, it is 

 expected, reach Vienna to-morrow. 



A NOTICE has been issued from the Science and Art Depart- 

 ment that the Classes in Chemistry (Prof. Frankland), Biology 

 (Prof. Huxley), Physics (Prof. F. Guthrie), and Applied Me- 

 chanics (Prof. Goodeve), have been tranferred to the new Ijuild- 

 ings, South Kensington, where they will open in the beginning 

 of October. 



Me. Andrew Mitrray writes to the Gardener s Chronicle 

 that he has, within the last few weeks, made some observations 

 at the Ochil Plills, Kinross-shire, on Piiigtikula and Droscra, 

 with reference to the fly-digesting powers they are' asserted to 

 possess. He states that he found the leaves of Pin^uiada close, 

 quite independently of the fact of a fly being in them or not. 

 " The leaves are found with their margins in all stages of curling 

 over, some with no insect on them much more curled over than 

 others with several." The secretion which Dr. Hooker states 

 kills a captmred insect he finds is glutinous, and he believes it 

 does not faU on to the insect, but that death results from the 

 secretion adhering to and closing up the spiracles by which the 

 insect breathes. With regard to Diontea, he suggests that it 

 should be carefully noted (i) whether the secretion is never pre- 

 sent until after an insect has been captured ; (2) whether it is 

 always present after one has. 



Among the recent additions to the Manchester Aquarium is 

 fine specimen of the Monk or Angel Fish, between five or six 

 feet in length, and weighing at least one hundred pounds. With 

 the exception of an example of very similar dimensions brought 

 to the Brighton tanks about a year ago, but since dead, it is one 

 of the largest yet recorded as taken on the British coasts. 

 This specimen was captured at Colwyn Bay, near Conway, and 

 is still in the most healthy and perfect condition. A number of 

 young herring, of which fish the Manchester Aquarium now pos- 

 sesses many hundreds, were consigned last week by the curator, 

 Mr. W. Savillc-Kent, to the aquarium at the Ciystal Palace; most 

 of these arrived in safety, and are of especial interest as being the 

 first of the species successfully introduced at that institution. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Chimpanzee (Troglodytes nii;er)\ a Bay 

 Antelope {Cephalophus dorsalis), and three Royal Pythons 

 (Python regiiis), from West Africa, presented by Mr. C. B. 

 Mosse ; a King Vulture [Gyfarc/iiis popa) Irom South America, 

 presented by Mr. G. I. Brumschweiler ; a Grey Ichneumon 

 (J/erpestes grisetis) from India, presented by Capt. Ilallett ; two 

 Little Billems (Ardetta minnta), European, presented Ijy Mr. 

 A. A. van Bemmelen ; an Alligator (Alligator mississippiettsis) 

 from Demerara, presented by Cajit, Turner ; a Vellow-fronlcil 

 Amazon {C/irysotis oc/iroeipliala) from Gui.ina, deposiltd. 



MARITIME CONFERENCE 



THE conclusions come to by the recent Conference on 

 Maritime Meteorology have been forwarded to us 

 with the following letter : — ■ 



" Sir, — I have the honour to inform you that the Per- 

 manent Committee of the International Meteorological 

 Congress at Vienna (1S73), at whose sugtjestion the 

 recent Conference for Maritime Meteorology was held in 

 London, has resolved to forward the Resolutions adopted 

 at that Conference for publication at once, thus antici- 

 pating the publication of the full Official Report of the 

 Conference. The Permanent Committee will feel deeply 

 obliged if you can find space for them. 



"Robert H. Scott, 

 " Secretary to the Permanent Committee." 

 Resolved — "That there should be but one form of Meteoro- 

 logical Register for the Navies and Mercliant Services, and that 

 those who cannot fill the log should keep part of it. " 



Questions. Resolutions. 



I. — Observations — 



Columns I to fi.* — Dale and Position of the Ohsen'ations. 

 Is it your opinion that a That an additional column 

 fresh column should be added should be given in the log for 

 headed "Course and distance "Course and distance." 

 by tlie log in every \\atch of Tliat the course should be ex- 

 four hours ? " pressed in degrees, and not in 

 points. 



That the question of hours, 

 4-hourly periods, as proposed by 

 Captain Toynbee, should be, 

 adopted. 

 Columns 7 and S. — Currents. 



That observations on the 

 "direction and rate" of currents 

 be transferred to the column for 

 Remarks. 

 Column 9 — Rfagnetic I 'aria/ion. 

 Is it desirable to give an That an additional column be 

 additional column for the given in the log for the direction 

 " Direction of ship's head "? of tlie ship's head, and the 

 amount of heel to port or star- 

 board. 



That the total compass-error 

 and not variation only be given. 



That the Conference expresses 

 its opinion that the lettering on 

 the English compass should be 

 adopted by all nations for 

 meteorological purposes. 

 Columns 10 and 11. — li'ind Direction and Force. 

 Is it possible to employ an That a decided answer to this 

 anemometer at sea, so as to question cannot at present be 

 give trustworthy results? given, but it is desirable that 



various anemometers should be 

 tested by special ships, and that 

 a special form of four extra 

 columns should be prepared for 

 the purpose of recording sucli 

 observations. 

 Can the use ui the Beaufort That the use of the Beaufort 

 scale be made universal ? scale sliould be continued, with 



the addition of the amount of 

 sail which Beaufort's ship would 

 have carried had she been rigged 

 w ith double topsails. Also that 

 the direction and force of the 

 wind should be recorded at the 

 lime of observation, and not esti- 

 mated for a certain number of 

 previous hours. Also, that they 

 should be recorded every two 

 hours. 

 Columns 12 and 13. — Baromtttr, 

 To what degree of minute- To one-hundredth of an incb 

 ness is it necessary to observe at sea, or its equivalent in the 

 this instrument ? metric scale. 



nbers of the colun 



cIs Ab.sl 



,ct log. 



