Oct. 22, 1885 | 
NATURE 
609 
to upwards of 30,000/., and by the end of 1884 it had exceeded 
37,0004. 
WE have received Prof. Rockwood’s account of the progress 
in vulcanology and seismology in the years 1883, 1884, from the 
Smithsonian Report for 1884. Under Vulcanology he treats of 
the volcanic eruplions during the two years (dealing mainly with 
the Krakatoa eruption), and of the investigations of former 
volcanic activity. In seismology he divides his subject into 
earthquake lists of 1882 and 1883, special earthquakes of 1883 
and 1884, lists of former earthquakes, and theories of earth- 
quakes. In seismometry Prof. Rockwood deals with instruments 
and their records. The pamphlet, which should be a vade 
mecum for all engaged in investigating seismic phenomena, con- 
cludes with a bibliographical list of all the books and papers 
relating to the subject, which appeared during the two years 
under review. This list is surprising for its length and variety. 
VUIBERT’s Fournal de Mathématiques Elémentaires, which 
has had an existence of nine years in a lithographed form, com- 
mences its tenth year in print. It may be called the French 
schoolboys’ mathematical journal, for it is addressed specially to 
them, and all the solutions are contributed by them. It appears 
fortnightly from October 1 to July 15, and the terms of sub- 
scription are very moderate. We have unfortunately in this 
country nothing to correspond to it, and it may therefore be use- 
ful to signalise its existence to mathematical masters. 
AT a meeting of the Council of the National Fish Culture 
Association held on Friday last under the presidency of the 
Marquess of Exeter, it was resolved to take immediate steps to 
conduct a series of investigations and observations on the ocean 
in regard to its temperature at various depths ; also as to the 
habits of fish, their spawning grounds, their enemies, and the 
cause of their erratic migrations. The Duke of Edinburgh, it 
was stated, had much interested himself in the subject, and had 
obtained the cooperation of the Admiralty and Trinity Board 
in aiding the Association to carry out the observations with the 
view of promoting marine fish culture and undertaking it on a 
thoroughly scientific basis. 
THE Severn Fishery Board have made arrangements with the 
National Fish Culture Association to incubate salmon ova. 
When hatched out the fry will be placed in the waters under the 
control of the Board, which is doing its utmost to cultivate all 
species of Salmonidee. The National Fish Culture Association 
will, it is understood, render similar service gratuitously to other 
Boards, in order to assist in developing the inland fisheries of 
the United Kingdom. 
THE Institute of Chemistry has obtained a Royal Charter of 
Incorporation from the Privy Council, and it is intended to 
celebrate the occasion by a dinner on November 6. 
THE following Penny Science Lectures will be given at the 
Royal Victoria Hall and Coffee Tavern, Waterloo Bridge Road, 
during the ensuing weeks.—On Tuesday, October 27, Mr. W. 
D. Halliburton will lecture on the ‘‘ Circulation of the Blood” ; 
on Tuesday, November 3, Sir John Lubbock will lecture on 
“* Ants” ; on Tuesday, November to, Mr. W. Lant Carpenter 
will lecture on ‘‘ Electrical Fire Alarms in America.” 
A sHocK of earthquake was felt at half-past seven o’clock on 
the morning of the 13th in Granada and the surrounding country. 
The movement is described as a long trepidation, with a 
rumbling noise. At Palermo a shock occurred on the morning 
of the 15th. A house, three storeys high, fell in, and a number 
of persons were buried in the aééris. 
Iy connection with the General Italian Exhibition held in 
Turin last year, the Italian Meteorological Society has just 
issued an interesting drachwre on the pres2nt state of astronomical, 
physical, and meteorological studies in the peninsula. In these 
departments the show was thoroughly national, special promi- 
nence having been given to those branches which are at present 
most widely cultivated in Italy. Thus in terrestrial physics full 
scope was given to seismology, vulcanology, and geodynamics, 
all which studies, owing to the special local conditions, have 
here been associated;with some of the most illustrious names in 
science. Meteorology was well represented by specimens of the 
best apparatus from the chief meteorological stations in the 
country, and in astronomy the progress of all the local observa- 
tories was fully illustrated. Amongst the objects on view were 
astronomical, physical, and meteorological apparatus ; charts, 
maps, designs, photographs ; printed and manuscript works on 
these subjects. Although still far behind some other countries 
in the production of scientific instruments, the display showed 
that in recent times Italy has made considerable progress in this 
branch of mechanics. To illustrate the history of these sciences 
the exhibition included some curious old instruments associated 
with the names of illustrious pioneers, who laboriously prepared 
the way now followed by their more fortunate successors living 
in better times and enjoying the advantage of more perfect 
appliances. The pamphlet contains a complete list of the 
ninety-one meteorological and geodynamic stations already 
established throughout the peninsula, as well as the names of 
exhibitors, to whom diplomas, gold and silver medals, and other 
distinctions were awarded. 
Mr. MELLARD READE’s presidential address to the Liverpool 
Geological Society was on ‘‘ The North Atlantic as a Geological 
Basin.” After discussing the form and nature of the ocean-bed 
so far as is disclosed by the latest soundings and dredgings, he 
pointed out that all along the coast of Spain and North Africa 
the bottom was exceedingly irregular, as proved by the sound- 
ings for the telegraph cables, consisting apparently of mountains 
and valleys. On the opposite coast of South America, and 
especially about the mouths of the Amazons, the soundings were 
comparatively shallow and of nearly uniform depth. Taken 
together with the known great depth of alluvial deposits at the 
mouths of all the great rivers where borings had been made, and 
the undoubted great age of the Amazons Basin, Mr. Reade 
arrives at the opinion that this plateau is a submarine extension 
of the delta proper, consisting of geologically modern sediment 
probably thousands of feet thick. The same reasoning, he 
points out, will apply to other great rivers and coasts where 
similar conditions exist. 
FRoM aseries of experiments by Herr Graber, relating to the 
effects of odorous matters on invertebrate animals, it appears 
probable that in the case of many insects neither the antennz 
nor the palpi can be absolutely pronounced the most sensitive 
organ of smell, inasmuch as the one organ is most sensitive for 
some odorous matters, and the other for others. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Purple-faced Monkey (Szmnopithecus leuco- 
prymnus 3) from Ceylon, presented by Major Norris ; a Rhesus 
Monkey (Aacacus rhesus  ) from India, presented by Mr. J. H. 
Fielding ; a Common Marmoset (Hafale jacchus), a Black-eared 
Marmoset (apale penicillata) from Brazil, presented by Miss 
Knowles ; a Common Marmoset (Hapale jacchus) from Brazil, 
presented by Lady Cowley ; a Common Hare (Lefus europeus), 
British, presented by Mr. F. J. Allpress ; a Mexican Souslik 
(Spermophilus mexicanus 6) from Mexico, presented by Dr. 
Stuart ; a Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), British, presented 
by Mr. J. G. Taylor; a Macaque Monkey (Macacus cyno- 
molgus 8) from India, a Green Monkey (Cercopzthecus calli- 
trichus 2) from West Africa, deposited; an Ariel Toucan 
(Ramphastos ariel) from Brazil, purchased ; a Hoolock Gibbon 
(Aylobates hoolock  ), received in exchange. 
