280 
cloud was seen sailing in an easterly direction about 30° above 
the horizon, which at about 11 o’clock was suddenly illuminated 
by the intensest bright forked lightning, illuminating the cloud 
and the clear sky for upwards of half an hour, without any 
thunder being heard. The light was brighter than the electric 
light. Similar phenomena are very rare in these latitudes, and 
are believed to augur a good harvest. On the 12th inst. another 
phenomenon, perhaps of volcanic origin, was observed at 
Norrképing, the water in the river being seen suddenly to 
rise, and three large waves with frothy crests to roll thunder- 
ingly up the stream. After the lapse of a few minutes three 
smaller followed, of which the first only was froth-crested. 
Five minutes later it was observed that the water in the river 
had fallen quite four inches. The waves did not reach as far as 
the shore, and no earthquake or subterranean noise was felt or 
heard. After a quarter of an hour the river had resumed its 
wonted appearance. The phenomenon, it is suggested, may 
also have been caused by a sudden subsidence in the river 
basin. 
A MOVEMENT is on foot in Christiania, at the instance of the 
Society for the Promotion of the Norwegian Fisheries, for the 
establishment in the Christiania fjord, near Drobak, of a bio- 
logical station for the hatching of sea-water food-fish and salmon, 
in consequence of the great success of other stations along the 
coast. Ina report on this subject by Herr A. Landmark, Chief 
Inspector of the Norwegian Fisheries, he draws special attention 
to the great development of the salmon and trout fisheries of 
Great Britain and Ireland, in consequence of the care and 
attention paid to them in this country. 
UpsaLa UNIVERSITY has just received a somewhat valuable 
present in the shape of a collection of Scandinavian, Icelandic, 
and Greenland eggs, specially remarkable for its completeness 
and excellent preparation. Among some of the rarest are eggs 
of Tringa islandica, Phalaropus platyrhinchus, and Lestris 
pomerina. 
AN automatic bichromate battery has recently been produced 
by Messrs. Woodhouse and Rawson, the dimensions of which 
are only 74” x 13” x 84”, and weight 6]bs. One charge will 
light a 5-candle power lamp for about two hours. The electrodes 
are attached to an ebonite plate supported in position over the 
liquid by the upper edge of the containing case, within which 
is placed a more shallow case, constituting the liquid reservoir. 
The reservoir itself is free to move up and down without any 
possibility of disarrangement, and rests upon a small roller con- 
nected with a lever at the bottom of the case. By moving this 
latter the liquid reservoir is raised, and its contents “* immerse” 
the electrodes. A ratchet arrangement prevents disconnection 
being made until the battery is out of use. By this arrange- 
ment, requiring the use of one hand only, an accurate regulation 
of the electrodes can be obtained. Further, it is easy, when 
using ordinary bichromate solution, to raise or lower the liquid 
reservoir from time to time while the battery is in use, and so 
displace the gas which gathers upon the surface of the electrodes 
in consequence of their polarisation. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Bonnet Monkey (A/acacus sinicus 6) from 
India, presented by Mrs. Cooper ; an Erxleben’s Monkey (Cevco- 
pithecus erxlebeni) from West Africa, presented by Miss Peers ; 
a Blue-fronted Amazon (CArysotis estiva) from South America, 
presented by Lady Kensington ; a Rendall’s Guinea-fowl (Wamida 
rendalli) from West Africa, presented by Mr. F. Le Sueur ; 
three Razorbills (A/ca torda), eight Puffins (Fratercula arctica) 
from Ireland, presented by the Rey. Ed. Weldon ; a Long-eared 
Owl (Asio ofus), European, presented by Mr. F, Allen; three 
Angulated Tortoises (Chersina angulata), an Areolated Tortoise 
NATURE 
[Fuly 23, 1885 
(Homopus areolatus) from South Africa, a Black Sternothere 
(Sternotherus niger) from West Africa, presented by the Rev. 
G. H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S.; two King Vultures (Gyfagus papa) 
from Tropical America, deposited ; an Axis Deer (Cervus axis 6 ), 
a Duyker-bok (Cephalophus mergens § ), born in the Gardens. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE ASTRONOMISCHE GESELLSCHAFT. — The first and 
second parts of the twentieth year of the Vierteljahrschrift, 
issued by this Society, have been published as a single number. 
It contains reports from some thirty of the Continental ob- 
servatories, detailing the astronomical work accomplished 
during the year 1884, and a Report from the Bureau of Calcula- 
tion at Berlin, on the part of the Transit of Venus Commission, 
describing the progress made in the reduction of the observations 
of the transit of 1882. Dr. B. A. Gould, with the authority of 
the Government of the Argentine Republic, has offered the 
stereotype plates of the Catalogue formed from the Cordoba 
zones, to the Society, the gift carrying with it the sanction of the 
Government to a new edition being printed therefrom at such 
time as may be desirable. All the errors detected up to the 
time of Dr. Gould’s communication have been corrected on the 
plates. It is almost needless to add that this valuable gift has 
been accepted by the Society, who will preserve the collection 
of plates at Leipsic.—The death is announced of Dr. T. Clausen, 
late director of the Observatory of Dorpat; amongst many 
other important contributions to astronomical science, his 
masterly discussion of the observations of Lexell’s comet of 
1770 will be remembered ; his prize-memoir thereupon published 
in the Astronomische Nachrichten elicited from Bessel the eulo- 
gising remark—‘‘ Welche herrliche, oder richtiger, meisterhafte 
Arbeit ist die yon Clausen iiber den Cometen von 1770 ; sie ist 
eine Leistung unsere Zeit, welche unsere Nachkommen ihr 
anzurechnen nicht vergessen werden.” 
The next meeting of this Society will be held at Geneva, 
from August 19 to 22, under the presidency of Prof. Auwers. 
THE NEw ComMet.—Mr. Bainard of Nashville, U.S., having 
notified his discovery of a small telescopic comet, on July 7, to 
Prof. Pickering, it was observed at Harvard College on July 9, 
the resulting position being— 
a 1 STS Ink fuk Sh iy 
July 9, 12 33 0 M.T.; R.A. 17 17 48°4; Decl. —6 1 8 
Prof. Millosevich communicates the following observations 
made at the Collegio Romano, in Rome :— 
h. m. s. bs Sos: 
July 12, 9 56 29; Rome M.T.; R.A. 17 12 52°35 5 
Decl. — 7 32 15°6. 
He remarks that the comet had a nucleus 11m. in the preceding 
part of the small nebulosity. 
The elements of the comet’s orbit are yet uncertain, from the 
case not being a favourable one for calculation. The Dun Echt 
Circular of July 16 has an orbit computed by Mr. Chandler from 
observations between July 9 and 11; the resulting date of peri- 
helion passage is May 16. But on combining the above ob- 
servations on July 9 and 12 with one on July 15, made by Col. 
Tupman at Harrow, it would appear that the comet may not 
arrive at perihelion till September. In this uncertainty we defer 
printing elements till next week. In any case the comet can 
hardly be one possessing much interest. The theoretical in- 
tensity of light seems to be decreasing. 
Turrie’s Comet.—At the time of writing, no ephemeris to 
facilitate the re-observation of this comet at its approaching peri- 
helion passage has, to our knowledge, been published, beyond 
the few positions which have been given in this column, on 
the assumption that the perturbations during the actual revolu- 
tion have not been very sensible. If it should prove that no 
computation of the perturbations has been effected, it will be 
desirable to make a close examination of the north-eastern 
heavens during the absence of the moon in August, and just 
before morning twilight. The period of revolution of this comet 
at its last perihelion passage in December 1871, was 5045 days, 
which, without perturbation, would indicate September 24 as 
near the date of next perihelion passage. 
