Skptembek 24, 1896] 



NA TURE 



519 



the undertaking, and Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer has accepted the 

 ottice of President. The exhibition is to be opened on May 5, 

 and will remain open for about three months. Its objects, as 

 described in the prospectus issued by the acting Commissioner in 

 London, are : " To promote and foster industry, science, and art, 

 by inciting the inventive genius of our people to a further im- 

 provement in arts and manufactures, as well as to stimulate com- 

 mercial enterprise by invitinij all nations to exhibit their pro- 

 ducts, both in the raw and finished slate. Samples of the pro- 

 ducts for which this and the other -Xustralasian colonies have 

 become famous will be exhibited, with a view to increase the 

 development of their natural resources." 



The French Congress of Medicine is to be held during the 

 Easter holidays of 189S at Montpellier, under the presidency of 

 Prof. Bernheim, of Nancy. The questions proposed for discus- 

 sion are : (l) The clinical forms of pulmonary tuberculosis, 

 (2) microbic associations and mixed infections, (3) therapeutic 

 use of orjjans with internal secretion. 



The novelty of the idea of trying to reach the North Pole in 

 a balloon seems to have worn off to some extent, so that there 

 is a good chance now for a new suggestion. For this one has not 

 had very long to wait, since the latest seems to be to make 

 the attempt in a submarine boat. There is, however, as far as 

 we know, no one at present who is going to make this perilous 

 journey ; but it is only the idea that has been suggested. The 

 author of this is M. G.-L. Pence, and his views on the subject 

 will be found in the Rcvuc ScHiiliJii/iie (No. 12). Evidently 

 this method of reaching the pole was brought home to him after 

 having read that Nansen had found no shallow soundings above 

 a certain high latitude. Relying on this fact and another, viz. 

 that the polar seas are not entirely covered with ice throughout 

 their length and breadth, but are here and there open to some 

 extent, he suggests that the submarine boat could then often 

 emerge to the surface to make observations and recoup fresh air. 

 There seems, however, to be no suggested difficulty about find- 

 ing the necessary pools ; it is true that he mentions electric 

 search-lights pour rcionnailrc les c'ciieils on Hots sous-marins , 

 but it would be distinctly awkward for those on board if no 

 openings were found. The navigation also would not be an easy 

 matter, since we know very little about the variation of the 

 Compass in these regions. The writer, M. Pence, seems, how- 

 ever, to be aware of the fact that greater progress must be made 

 in the building and management of submarine boats before any 

 such attempt could be seriously carried out ; but it appears to us 

 that the proper place for such a boat would be in deep water, 

 especially free from shallows and ice, and not rendered in- 

 capable of rising to the surface by the intervention of ice perhaps 

 yards thick. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Rhesus Monkey [Macaius rhesus) from 

 Inilia, presented by Mr. W. J. Drake ; two Brown Capuchins 

 (Cc/iiis /aliiellus,) from Guiana, presented by Mr. Walter Ham- 

 mond ; a White-crowned Mangabey (Ccrcocc/iiis athiops), a 

 Diana .Monkey (Cercopithciiis diaiia) from West Africa, pre- 

 sented by Captain B. Parmeter ; two Chacma Baboons (Cj'«d- 

 cephalus porcarius) from South Africa, presented, respectively, by 

 Mr. Herbert Blair and Mrs. Matcham ; a Black-headed Lemur 

 (Lemur hrunneus) from Madagascar, presented by Mr. T. 

 Cubitt ; a Lioness (Fclis h-o) from .Vrabia, presented by Mr. C. 

 ,\. Osborne ; three Chipping .Squirrels ( Tainias asiaticus) from 

 Washington State, U.S.A., presented by Mr. Alfred E. Speer ; 

 four Common Quails (Colurnix communis) from North Africa, 

 presented by Mr. J. Rooney ; a Tawny Owl (Syrniuiii a/uco), 

 British, presented by Mr. C. A. Lowes ; a Little Grebe (Tachy- 

 baplcs fluvialilis), British, presented by Mr. Howard Bunn ; 

 two Salt-water Terrapins (Clct/imys terrapin) from North 

 NO. 1404, VOL. 54] 



America, presented by Master and Miss Wilcox ; two Dwarf 

 Chameleons (Cliamickon pumilus) from South Africa, presented 

 by Mrs. Robinson ; a Common Hare (Lcpiis curopictts-albiito)^ 

 European ; a Two-wattled CsL^5o\wa.Ty [Casiiarius hicaru/iculatus) 

 from the Aroo Islands, a Naked-throated Bell Bird {Chasino- 

 rhyiiihus nudicoUis) from Brazil, a Levaillant's Cynictis (Cyniclis 

 levaillanti), a White-crested Touracou {Corythaix albocristata) 

 from South Africa, three Maguari Storks [Ciconia maguari) 

 from Chili, deposited ; a Spotted Cavy [Calogenys paca) from 

 South America, a Viverrine Cat {Fclis viverrina) from India, an 

 Ariel Toucan (Ramphaslos artel) from Brazil, purchased ; two 

 Pumas {Felis coucolor), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The Rf.cent Solar Eclii'se. — Prof. 11. Geelmuyden com- 

 municates to Astr. Naihr. , No. 3378, some of the oljservations 

 made at this eclipse. M. Schroeter, of the Observatory of 

 Christiania, noted the time of the arrival of the shadow from his 

 station near Vadso as i6h. 57m. o'5s. Central European time, 

 with an error of +o'5s. , the end of totality occurring at 

 i6h. 58m. 41S. with a possible error of .several seconds. He 

 remarks also of the " peu d'oliscurite" during totality. In spite 

 of the clouds, he says he could read and write without difficulty 

 at a distance of 50 cm., and could follow the seconds hand on 

 the face of his chronometer, placed at a distance of i '4 metres. 

 This, however, was not the experience of the observers across 

 the Varanger Fjord on the island at Kio. The eclipse, as 

 observed there, was described by general consent as an exceed- 

 ingly dark one, and the timekeepers, with stop watches and 

 chronometers, all required some kind of artificial illumination. 

 M. Mohn, who was in Finmarken to inspect the meteorological 

 stations, was situated at Bugones, on the southern side of the 

 Varanger F'jord. He remarks that during totality he could read 

 the smallest letters of a journal. One of the fortunate observers, 

 M. Lous, was stationed near Bodo on the summit of a mountain, 

 Hegmotind (lat. 67° 25', long. 14" 58' E. of Greenwich, height 

 about 500 metres). He used a small telescope by Plossl, aperture 

 26 mm., magnifying 14 times. After totality was over he made 

 a sketch of the cortma, from which the following description has 

 been gathered. The angles referred to below arc measured from 

 the top in the ordinary way. 



From 350° to 50° and around 180° the size of the corona was 

 16'. From 50° to 130" or 140° there was an extension of 30', 

 divided by a radial suppressitm between 80° and 90" inclined 

 towards the inner corona. From 280° to 350° were two tufts 

 meeting at their bases nearly at 310°, and both pointed at their 

 exterior edges; the largest extension of one was 36' between 

 290' and 300", the other rose to 50' between 330' and 340°. 

 The latter was nearly vertical. These red prominences were 

 seen at 75°, 100°, and at 280°, the last being visible to the naked 

 eye. The aljove numbers are only approximate. 



One of the party of astronomers who went out to Japan to 

 observe the eclipse, has communicated an article to the Times, 

 from which we make the following summary. Akkeshi Bay was 

 the spot finally settled upon for making the observations, this 

 place being situated on the island of Yezo, and lying somewhat 

 to the north of Kushiro. H. M S. Humher conveyed the party 

 thither, and on their arrival they found that there were already 

 five ships anchored in the bay, including the flagship Centurion. 

 On landing it was discovered that Prof. Schaeberle, accompanied 

 by Mr. Charles Burckhalter and two amateur astronomers, had 

 already taken up their positions at a tea-house in the village, the 

 instruments having been set up in the garden. Prof. Schacberle's 

 40-feet telescope " was propped up against a rock, which seemed 

 to have been providentially placed there for him." Oux confreres 

 determined to follow their example, and they consequently 

 established themselves at another tea-house, and " we never saw 

 reason to regret this choice." Prof. Shin Herayama was simi- 

 larly situated about a mile away in a third tea-house. Passing 

 over the description of the erection of the instruments, and other 

 facts mentioned in the article, we come to the following account 

 of the eclipse. " All, in fact, went well, and even merrily, until 

 the fatal day, which was gloomy throughout. The sun did show 

 himself at noon, and at intervals afterwards, but twenty minutes 

 before totality the clouds shot down finally. Not a vestige of 

 the corona was seen. The sky grew suddenly dark, of course, 



