35* 



NATURE 



{Feb. 12, 1880 



undertaking, ever)' ward ' m the town was inducei to work there 

 one whole day, in addition to the regular workmen employed. 

 The piths were smoothed by the singing girls and others, and 

 finally all the officials took part in constructing the Fusiyama of 

 the garden, without which no Japanese garden is complete. 



As evidence of the enlightened condition of the Japanese as 

 compared with their neighbours in China, it is interesting to 

 learn from the Hiogo News that the duplex system of telegraphy 

 with the Morse instrument has been in successful working for 

 some months past on one of the longest of the Government lines, 

 that between Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki. 



The North China Herald understands that the investigations 

 made by Mr. Chaloner Alabaster, II.M.'s Consul at Hankow. 

 into the ancient religi ins and philosophies of China, hive led 

 him to the discovery that there is a very evident connection 

 between them and modern masonry. 



The Jahrbuch der Erfindungai, by II. Gretschel and G. 

 Wunder, 1879, does not profess to deal with the whole of the 

 wide field of science. It discu-ses especially the progress of 

 chemical technology, and of chemistry, which occupy nearly a 

 half of the book ; then, with the chief acquisitions of physics, 

 and analy-es several important works in astronomy and meteoro- 

 logy. The departments of chemistry and of physics are the 

 bet; without attempting to render science popular, the Jahr- 

 buck of MM. Gretschel and Wunder gives a good scientific 

 summary of the work accomplished, and it will be most useful 

 for those who, without being specialists in chemistry and physics, 

 wih to have trustworthy information as to the progress realised 

 in these branches during the year. 



We have had occasion during the past year (Nature, vol. 

 xix. p. 39S) to describe in detail the novel and interesting 

 chemical industry, created by Prof. C. Vincent of Pari?, v. Inch 

 eon ists in the manufacture of methyl chloride from beet-root 

 vinasses. The ingenious inventor has sought to increase the 

 applications of the final product of his manufacture, hitherto 

 confined to the production of methylated aniline colours and 

 artificial cold, and has discovered a profitable and valuable 

 employment for it in the extraction of the odoriferous principles 

 of flowers for use in perfumery. For this purpose the gaseous 

 methyl chloride is thoroughly purified by passing it through 

 concentrated sulphuric acid, and then liquefied by strong 

 pressure. The liquij chloride is introduced into the apparatus 

 containing the flowers, and after remaining a few minutes in 

 contact with them, pases into another apparatus where a 

 vacuum ha, been produced. A rapid vaporisation followed by 

 a renewed condensation brings the chloride back to its original 

 state, while the odoriferous principle, in company with waxy and 

 fatty extracts are left behind. They are entirely freed from the 

 latter and obtained in a high state of purity by simple treatment 

 with cold alcohol. Apart from the case and rapidity of the new 

 method, it seems to cause much less change in natural perfumes 

 than has hitherto been the case in distilling the flowers with 

 water. The new process has already been mounted on a scale 

 for treating a ton of flowers daily. 



The Emperor William has recently conferred the Order of 

 the Red Eagle on Prof. Ileeren, of the Hanover Polytechnic, 

 Prof. Hattendorf, of the Polytechnic at Aix-la-Chapelle, and 

 Professors Roth, Websky, and Wichelhaus, of the University of 

 Berlin. Most of these decorations are in recognition of special 

 services in developing the mineral resources of the country. 



We have received, as the first publication of the Willughby 

 Society, a reduced photolithographic reproduction of Tnnstall's 

 " Ornithologia Britannica," edited by Prof. Alfred Newton, 

 F.R.S. Other works in hand for the Society are Sir Andrew 

 S ith's papers in the South African Journal and "Report" of 



his Exploring Expedition, and Defontainc's " Memoire sur 

 quelques nouvelbs Especes d'Oiseaux des Cotes de Barbarie" 

 from " Hist, de l'Acad. des Sciences," 17S7. The Secretary of 

 the Society is Mr. F. Du Cane Godman, 10, Chandos Street* 

 Cavendish Square, W. 



M. W. de Fonvielle writes us that the works for di, incum- 

 bering the Loire of ice at Saumur are progressing favourably. It 

 is estimated that on February 7 not less than 50,000 cubic metre; 

 of ice blocks were exploded and sent adrift with the current. 

 M. Varoy, the Minister of Pitblic Works, has communicated to 

 his colleagues in council despatches announcing that no danger 

 is to be now apprehended from the impending swelling of the 

 Loire. One of the greatest difficulties in demolishing the ice- 

 blocks was the small quantity of water in the river, but owing to 

 the change of weather, the Loire is swelling rapidly. One of 

 the peculiarities of the Saumur ice-blocks is the difference of 

 colour exhibited. Some of them, impregnated with a minute 

 sand, and produced in the bottom of the stream, are coloured 

 yellow, others are perfectly transparent ; a large number formed 

 in the Vienne are magnificently;coloured azure blue, and many are 

 white and opaline, ow ing to a large number of air bulbs which 

 obscure the transparency. 



A VERY favourable report was presented at the annual meeting, 

 yesterday, of the Royal Microscopical Society. The total 

 number of Fellows is now 575 ; improvements have been made 

 in the library, several additions have been made to the collection 

 of instruments and objects, and it was proposed to enlarge the 

 journal of the Society. 



The report read at the recent annual meeting of the Birming- 

 ham Natural History and Microscopical Society showed tint 

 although the number attending the meetings during the past year 

 had, from various canes, been somewhat smaller than usual, the 

 work of the Society had been, on the whole, very satisfactory, 

 resulting in the discovery of many rare animals and plants, and 

 of four species of animals new to Great Britain. The finances 

 of the Society were in a flourishing condition. It was announced 

 that about 7C0/. had been expended on the library and apparatus 

 since the establishment of the Society in 1858. We believe a 

 special meeting of this Society will shortly be held to consider the 

 propriety of creating a new class of Members, to be called Asso- 

 ciates, consisting of intelligent youths of from fifteeen to twenty 

 one years of age, who are interested in natural history. This is 

 a step quite to be commended. Prof. Huxley has accepted the 

 office of honorary vice-president of this Society. 



A stlendid stalactite cavern has just been discovered in the 

 Adams Valley (Moravia), which is celebrated for its numerous 

 natural beauties. A pea ant from the village of Sloup had the 

 courage to penetrate into one of the numerous creeks which are 

 found in the caves near Sloup. When he had reached the end. 

 of the creek he lit a candle, and to his astonishment found him- 

 self in a picturesque stalactite cavern measuring some 40 metreo 

 in width and length and some 25 metres in height. Stalactites 

 of 1 or 2 metres in length descended from the ceiling, and 

 mighty stalagmites arose from the ground like a forest of stone 

 fir trees. The peasant announced his discovery to the Mayor of 

 Proskowitz (the district town), who also visited the cavern and 

 gave orders for enlarging the entrance and providing it with a 

 gate, &c. 



A letter from South Africa states that companies have been 

 formed in Griquahnd West and Natal to prospect for gold in 

 SikuUini's country, where it is known to exist. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include two Thars [Cafira jemlaica), six Impeyan 

 Pheasants (Lophophorus impeyanus) from the Himalayas, three 

 Horned Tragopans (Ccriornis salvia) from the South-East 



