September 17, 1896J 



NA TURE 



487 



A NEW edition of Dr. Oliver Lodge's " Elementary 

 Mechanics, including Hydrostatics and Pneumatics" has just 

 reached us from Messrs. W. and R. Chambers, Ltd. It 

 has been completely revised by the author and by Prof. Alfred 

 Lodge. 



Messrs. Taylor Brothers, Leeds, have sent us the second 

 edition of "The Collector's Manual of British Land and 

 Freshwater Shells," by L. E. Adams. The preface states that 

 the book has been re-written and brought up to date. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include two Bonnet Monkeys (Maiacns sinitiis, i 9 ) 

 from India, presented respectively by Mr. John Hart and Mr. 

 E. E. Hodgskins ; a Rhesus Monkey (Aiacacus rhesus, 9 ) from 

 India, presented by Mr. Frederick Tomlin ; a Mozambique 

 (Ccnopithecus pygerythrus, i) from.-South-east Africa, presented 

 by Mr. A. C. Jackson ; two Lanner Falcons [Fako laiiarius). 

 South European, presented by Mr. W. Glynes Bruty ; a Glaucous 

 Gull (Lams glaiiitis) from Franz Josef Land, presented by the 

 Jackson-IIarmsworth Polar Expedition ; a Raven ( Corz'«i corax), 

 British, pre.sented by Mr. O. L. Pegler ; an Egyptian Jerboa 

 (Dipus agypliiis) from North Africa, a Rat-tailed Serpent 

 (Trigoiiocephaliis lanceolattis) from St. Lucia, W.I., deposited ; a 

 Diana Monkey \Cercopithecus diana, 9 ) from West Africa, three 

 Capteira Partridges (Odontophoriis dentatus) from Brazil, pur- 

 chi»sed ; a Red Deer (Cennis elaphus, 9 ) from Scotland, received 

 in exchange ; two Triangular-spotted Pigeons {Columba guinea), 

 a White-backed Pigeon {Cohintba leitconota), two Half-collared 

 Doves ( Turtur semitonptatus) bred in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The recent Solar Eclipse. — M. Tisserand furnishes a 

 few details on the results obtained by the Russian astronomers 

 during the eclipse of August last, which were communicated to 

 him through M. Backlund, Director of the Observatory of 

 Pulkowa. M. Backlund's station was situated in Novaya 

 Zemlya, where he landed three weeks before the day of the 

 eclipse. During this period the sky remained constantly cloudy, 

 the temperature varying from o" to 3^ C. During some occasion- 

 ally bright moments altitudes of the sun were obtained to check 

 their chronometers and determine their rates. M. Galitzine 

 made a series of magnetic observations. At four o'clock on the 

 morning of the eclipse the sky was still overcast, but the 

 weather cleared up somewhat, and the observers were able to 

 observe the four contacts under good conditions. Clouds, 

 however, were not entirely absent ; but successful observations 

 and photographs of the corona were taken. 



M. Eugene-M. Antoniadi, in the September number of the 

 Bulletin de la SociJW Astronomiquc de France, gives an account 

 of his trip in the Norse King to Vadso. The article in question 

 is illustrated, and contains, among others, a drawmg of the 

 region in and about Vadso, and an excellent photogravure of the 

 town of Hammerfest. 



Comet Brooks. — A Centralstelle Circular, dated September 

 10, gives an ephemeris, with elements, of this comet computed 

 by Prof. E. Lamp from observations made on September 7, 8, 

 and 9. They are as follows : — 



Elements. 

 T = 1896 July 7278 Berlin M.T. 

 » = 38"22'1 



a = 149' 22' -1896-0 



»■ = 88" 16' J 



log r/ = 006497. 



Ephemeris 12/2. Berlin M. T. 



The unit of brightness occurred on September 4. 

 NO. 1403, VOL. 54] 



Comet Giacobinl — A circular from Kiel, dated September 

 9, gives the elements and ephemeris of this comet calculated by 

 Dr. II. Kreutz from observations on September 5, 6, and "]. 



Elements. 

 T =1896 October 8-003 Berlin M.T. 

 a. = 155' 2'-I 1 

 fl = 195" 39''5 \ 1896-0 

 i — 8° 45' -2 ) 

 log (/ = 0-04004 

 These elements are stated to be somewhat uncertain. The 

 orbit is probably an ellipse. 



Ephemeris \zh. Berlin M.T. 



Sept. 7 ... 17 16-5 



II ... 17 25-1 



15 ... 17 35-0 



19 ... 17 46-4 



23 •■• 17 59'3 



27 ... iS 13-9 



log A B. 



-80 ... 9-785 ... I'l 



- 8 41 ... 9772 ... 1-2 



- 9 24 ... 9-757 ... 1-3 



- 10 10 ... 9-742 ... 1-4 



- 10 58 ... 9-050 ... 1-6 



- II 47 ... 9-709 ... 18 



New Feature on Mars. — With reference to the recent 

 observation of bright light on the terminator of Mars, referred 

 to on September 3, we may state that the bright prominences 

 (mountains ?) on the terminator of Mars were first seen by the 

 astronomers of the Lick Observatory in 1890, and have been 

 regularly observed (measured) at subsequent oppositions by the 

 observers at Mount Hamilton, Nice, and Flagstaff. 



Prof. Hussey observed their first appearance in 1896 on 

 August 28, oh. 45m. Greenwich mean time, in the Chersonesus 

 region of Mars. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Ir is announced that a sum of between ^^15,000 and ^17,000 

 is to be spent in providing buildings and fixtures for the 

 Sunderland Technical College. 



Among recent appointments we notice the following : — Mr. . 

 Lake becomes Principal of the Technical and University 

 Extension College, Colchester ; and Mr. J. W. B. Adams, 

 Head-master of the Tenby and Intermediate and Technical 

 Schools. 



Mr. a. M. Drennan, of the Burnley Grammar School, has 

 been appointed Head-master of the Banbury Municipal Secondary 

 and Technical School. 



Among recent appointments abroad may be mentioned : — 

 Prof. W. Dames to succeed the late Prof. Beyrich in the chair of 

 Geology and Palfeontology at Berlin ; and Dr. W. Wien, to 

 be Associate Professor of Physics at Berlin. 



The Chemical Laboratory of the University of Illinois has 

 been destroyed by fire. It is reported to have been one of the 

 largest and best-appointed of its kind in the country, and was 

 erected at a cost of about ;^8ooo. Its fittings, apparatus, &c., 

 are said to have added to this amount about X7000. 



The Syllabus of the Municipal Technical School and Muni- 

 cipal School of Art, Manchester, for the forthcoming session 

 is now ready. It is issued by Mr. John Heywood, Man- 

 chester. The Calendar for the twelfth session of the Merchant 

 Venturers' Technical College, Bristol, is also ready, and maybe 

 had, at a small charge, of Mr. H. Y. Hill, Bristol. We have 

 also had sent to us the prospectus of day and evening classes to 

 be conducted at the Battersea Polytechnic Institute. Copies 

 may be obtained on application to the Secretary. 



The fifth annual report of the Department of Agriculture of 

 the Yorkshire College, Leeds, is a record betokening much 

 activity. Most of the lecture courses appear to have been well 

 attended, though in the teachers' agricultural classes the 

 attendance fell off so considerably that it was found impossible 

 to hold a summer vacation course. In the winter courses the 

 same difficulty was experienced, and though attempts were made 

 to form classes at five centres, it was only possible to obtain 

 sufficient students to form one class. At the request of the West 

 Riding County Council, the department formulated a scheme 

 for the institution of gardens for instruction in horticulture in 

 connection with evening continuation schools. The scheme has 

 been adopted by the West Riding County Council, and grants 

 have been promised by them provided certain regulations are 

 complied with. 



