452 



NATURE 



[March u, 1880 



present Government has created three new establishments- 

 Lyons, Besancon, and Bordeaux, and M. Bischofsheim, the 

 liberal' banker, one at Nice. Among the high region me- 

 teorological observations Clermont-Ferrand could be used for 

 astronomy if fitted with instruments and garrisoned by observers. 

 The organisation of French astronomy has been completed by 

 the creation of a school of astronomy at the Paris Observatory 

 by Admiral Mouchez, who had already organised a school of 

 astronomy for navy officers at-Montsouris. The course of studies, 

 whose duration is two years, was recently opened; the first 

 year will be occupied in learning exclusively the meridian 

 service, and the second the equatorial service, as well as 

 general physics. The experiments connected with the physical 

 department will take place at the Sorbonne, in the laboratories, 

 as well as at the observatory. Four pupils have been selected 

 by the director for the first 'promotion. They will have a 

 salary of 1,800 francs a year, with lodgings in the buildings 

 of the Observatory. After having successfully passed their 

 examinations, they will be appointed assistant-astronomers in one 

 of the government observatories. By a singular exception to the 

 rules of the competition principles they are not appointed after an 

 examination, but selected by the director of the public observatory 

 from the Normal School, Polytechnic School, and Licencies- 

 es-Sciences mathematiques. They must not be more than 

 twenty-five years of age when nominated. In addition to the 

 Government pupils two more are trained at the expense of 

 M. Bischofsheim, for his Nice observatory, and three others have 

 been authorised to follow the course of lectures and applications 

 after having proved their ability. Similar authorisations may 

 be granted every year on application. Meridian service will be 

 taught by Admiral Mouchez, M. Loewy, M. Perigaud, astro- 

 nomer, and M. Gaillot, head of the Bureau des Calculs. 



The American Academy of Arts and Sciences intends to 

 celebrate its 100th anniversary on May 26. 



The Easter Monday and Tuesday excursion of the Geologists' 

 Association will be to South Hampshire, with Christchurch as a 

 centre. 



The following statistics in connection with the termination of 

 the St. Gothard tunnel will be of interest to our readers : — The 

 total length of the tunnel is 14,920 metres, or 112 feet more than 

 9$ miles. Its width is 65 metres, or 21J feet. The undertaking 

 has required for its execution seven years and five months — four 

 and a half years less than the time taken to complete the Mont 

 Cenis tunnel. The average daily progress was Sk metres or 18 

 feet. The number of holes bored amounted to 320,000, and 

 490,000 kilogrammes of dynamite were used in blasting. 

 1,650,000 drills were consumed and 1,450,000 cartloads of 

 dc'bris were taken out from the bowels of the mountain. 



The phylloxera has appeared in Sicily in the province of 

 Cultanisetta. 



Radical remedies are now being adopted in France with a 

 view of exterminating the phylloxera. The Government proposes 

 to spend the sum of 2,400,000 francs (96,000/.) for inundating 

 7,000 hectares of vineyards in the Departments L'Aude and 

 L'Herault. 



The earthquakes in San Salvador, viz., in the capjtal and the 

 cities in the vicinity of Lake llopango, seem to have lasted from 

 December 21 until January 10. A violent shock on December 

 27 destroyed a number of villages near Lakes llopango and 

 Zollapango, some fifteen miles from the capital. A violent shock 

 was again felt on January 1, particularly in the port of La 

 Libertad. The city of San Salvador is stated to be quite deserted 

 by the population. News dated February 5 report earthquakes 

 from Cuba and from various parts of Mexico, particularly from 

 the districts of Cordoba, Orizaba, Tehuacan, and Veracruz. A 



violent earthquake occurred on February 9 at Kaposvar and 

 other localities of the Somogy County (Hungary) shortly before 

 midnight. A moderate shock of earthquake, proceeding in the 

 direction from south to north, was felt in Lower Carniola in 

 several places, such as Gradaz and Rudolfswerth, on February 

 12, at 5.15 p.m. 



A FEW days since the Bulletin of the French Bureau Central of 

 Meteorology published for the first time the daily telegrams sent 

 from Briancon meteorological observatory, whose altitude is 

 1,300 metres, 300 more than the summit of Puy de Dome. At 

 present the French high region stations are three in number, 

 Briancon, Puy de Dome, and Pic du Midi. A fourth is being 

 fitted on the new German frontier, which will complete the 

 system. 



Dr. Kienitz-Gerloff, of Weilberg, writes to inform 

 botanists that henceforth he is charged, in place of Herr 

 Limpricht, with the account of bryology for the Botanische 

 Jahresbericht, edited by Herr Just. He begs bryologists to 

 favour him by transmitting their papers. 



In connection with the Commission which has been organised 

 in Switzerland for the investigation of earthquakes, to which we 

 referred in a recent article, Prof. Heim, of Zurich, publishes a 

 little brochure, on " Les Tremblements de Terre et leur Etude 

 scientifique," in which he reviews existing facts and theories, 

 gives instructions for the observation of earthquakes, and 

 describes the organisation of the Swiss Commission. 



No. 3 of the Proceedings of the Birmingham Philosophical 

 Society contains a number of papers of considerable interest. 

 Dr. Richard Norris has an elaborate contribution, illustrated 

 with many photographs, "On the Existence in Mammalian 

 Blood of a New Morphological Element which explains the 

 Origin of the Red Disk and the Formation of Fibrine " ; Mr. 

 Lawson Tait describes the researches on the Digestive Principles 

 of Plants ; and Prof. Bonney contributes a paper on the pre- 

 Cambrian Rocks of Great Britain. 



The following papers were read yesterday at the half-yearly 

 general meeting of the Scottish Meteorological Society :— 1. Re- 

 port from the Council of the Society. 2. The Velocity of the 

 Wind at different Heights above the Ground, by Thomas 

 Stevenson, Honorary Secretary. 3. The Storm of December 28, 

 1S79, by Alexander Buehan, Secretary. 4. The Influence of 

 the recent Fog on the Health of London, by Dr. Arthur Mitchell. 

 5. Thunderstorms in Scotland, their Diurnal Periods, by Alex- 

 ander Buehan. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Macaque Monkey (Maeacus cynomolgus) 

 from India, presented by Mrs. S. M. Young ; a Malbrouck 

 Monkey (Cercopithecus cynosurus) from West Africa, presented 

 by Lady Dorothy Nevill ; two Wild Boars {Sits scrofa) from 

 India, presented by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G. ; a Crab- 

 eating Opossum (Didelphys cancrivora) from St. Vincent, W.I., 

 presented by Mr. Geo. Dundas ; a Leadbeater's Cockatoo 

 (Cacalua leadbeateri) from Australia, presented by Mr. J. Veale ; 

 a Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacalua galeri/a) from 

 Australia, presented by Mr. T. Phillips ; a Herring Gull (I.arus 

 argentalus), European, presented by Mr. H. D. Martin; a 

 Macaque Monkey (Maeacus cynomolgus) from India, a Crab- 

 eating Raccoon (Procyon cancriverus) from Baranquilla, two 

 Wild Cats (Felts catus) from Spain, a Ring-tailed Coati (A'asua 

 rufa), a Harpy Eagle ( Thrasactus harpyia) from South America, 

 deposited; a Harnessed Antelope (Tragclaphus scriptus) from 

 West Africa, purchased ; a Red Kangaroo (Macropus rujus), a 

 Gaimard's Rat-Kangaroo (Hypsiprymnus gaimardi), born in the 

 Gardens. 



