April i, 1880] 



NATURE 



5i5 



Society of Arts have resolved to give the projected conference 

 their most cordial support, should an executive committee be 

 formed. The Council have promised to accommodate such a 

 conference in their rooms, and to undertake the publication of 

 Proceedings, &c. Here therefore is a nucleus around which a 

 practical project may well form itself, and following 01 this s'.ep 

 I hope soon another may be taken. Allow me through your 

 columns to thank my various correspondents for their support 

 and suggestions. James Paton 



Glasgow, March 29 



In your last number "Academicus" dogmatises thus, "Con- 

 ferences are not required, but proper salaries for the curators." 

 He leaves us quite in the dark, however, as to where the proper 

 salaries are to come from. Now I presume that a conference 

 would be the best means of ascertaining the existing state of 

 local mu-eums and of eliciting suggestions for their improve- 

 ment. 



I beg therefore to propose that the subject should be brought 

 forward at the next meeting of the British Association, to be held 

 at York. J. Romilly Allen 



"Herschel and Cameron's Practical Astronomy" 



I received not long ago 'by post a pamphlet bound, rather 

 takingly, in red cloth wrapper, with gilt letter title, stamped 

 largely diagonal-wise on the side ; which title consisted of these 

 words — " Herschel and Cameron's Practical Astronomy." The 

 title-page assigns the authorship to one "Alex. Mackenzie 

 Cameron," and adds "Revised throughout by Capt. John 

 Herschel, R.E., in charge Astronomical Branch of the Great 

 Trigonometrical Survey of India." 



1 will not waste your space by describing the contents ; but as 

 I am wholly and entirely guiltle-s of any knowledge whatever of 

 the work, and as the use of my name inside, and of my patro- 

 nymic outside (the intention of which is obvious), are alike 

 unauthori-ed, I trust you will grant me so much as is necessary 

 to protest formally against so daring a piracy. 



Collingwood, March 20 J. HERSCHEL 



P.S. — I transmit the work for your satisfaction. Tlease 

 consign it to the waste basket. 



Meteor 



A brilliant meteor was seen here at 7.57 this evening. 

 Course nearly north to south, passing near ( Ursx Majoris, and 

 disappearing suddenly nearly over 5 Leonis. Colour greeni-h 

 white, like burning zinc, with trace of a reddish train, but no 

 track visible afterward-. B. W, S. 



Hampstead Heath, N.W., March 29 



The Audiphone 



I HAVE received a number of letters on this subject which I 

 cannot reply to singly. So far as my own experience goes any 

 audiphone is a total failure in about two-thirds of the cases of 

 deafness. 



The essential difference between my own form and the others 

 is that mine is light, cheap, doe; not require to be held with the 

 hand, and, for musical purposes, gives the correct timbre or 

 quality of tone. Colladon's form especially gives a very harsh, 

 rough quality, and is offensive to a musician ; the same objection 

 applies also to my own, made in thin sheet metal ; and for this 

 reason birch veneer is preferable to any other material I have 

 tried. I have no intention of making them for sale, but in case 

 of any difficulty in obtaining or making one I will forward any 

 required for zs. f>d. each, which is about the cost of making. 

 The only trouble is in obtaining a curved surface on which the 

 wood can be fastened whilst wet. My first w ere made by wetting 

 the veneer, fastening it in a curve with strings and bent pins and 

 allowing it to remain until dry. The surface should then be 

 varnished, first with shellac in spirit and afterwards with the 

 same to which a small quantity of ivory black is added. The 

 natural colour of the wood is unpleasant, as it makes the user 

 look like a dog on a hot day, i.e., as if he had his tongue out a 

 considerable distance. 



The amount of deafness does not appear to be of any import- 

 ance. I know cases of totally deaf people who can hear' perfectly 



with a small audiphone, and others of only partial deafness in 

 which it is a complete failure. Thos. Fletcher 



4, Museum Street, Warrington 



A COMET OBSERVED FROM H.M.S. 

 TRIUMPH 



CAPT. A. H. MARKHAM, R.N., of H.M.S. Triumph, 

 the flagship on the Pacific Station, reports that a 

 comet was observed during the voyage from Parti in 

 Peru, to Manta on the coast of Ecuador. The Triumph 

 left Pavta on February 7. The comet was first seen on 

 the evening of the 7th at about 8 o'clock. The nucleus 

 was distinctly made out, bearing south-west at an altitude 

 of 7° above the horizon. The tail, a long-spreading one, 

 was not very brilliant, but could be clearly traced to an 

 altitude of 35 , the observed termination bearing about 

 south-south-west. The whole phenomenon subtended an 

 angle with the horizon of about 70 . It was situated in 

 the constellation of Argo Navis, and the direction of the 

 tail was in a line almost equidistant between Sirius and 

 Canopus. It set at about 9.30 p.m. 



On the next evening it was again seen at about 8 p.m., 

 but nearer the horizon, which proved that it had been 

 travelling with extraordinary rapidity. Although the 

 nucleus was closer to the horizon than on the preceding 

 evening, the altitude of the end of the tail was 40 , showing 

 that it had increased in size. Clouds banking up to the 

 southward prevented Capt. Markham from observing the 

 time of setting. On the 9th, the third evening of observa- 

 tion, it was very hazy, but the tail could still be seen, re- 

 sembling the streamer of an aurora, in the same position 

 as on the two previous evenings. At the same time a 

 bright luminous patch was observed immediately under 

 Canopus. 



SOCOTRA 



THE following letter has been forwarded to us for 

 publication : — 



" Gollowan Bay, Socotra, February 16 



"My Dear Sir Joseph Hooker, — Just a line to say 

 how I am getting on ; we reached here on the 1 ith. The 

 Sultan has not yet turned up, but we expect him soon. 

 The Seagull could not go round to Tamarida, but put in 

 here atthe west end of the island; she leaves again 

 to-'lav. 



" All my things are now landed and my encampment is 

 close to the shore. I have to wait here for the Sultan in 

 order to get camels from him. 



"The island is well worth examination. I have already 

 over 150 species of plants besides some birds, lizards, and 

 insects. The flora is splendid. All my plants have been 

 collected within a couple of miles of my encampment. 

 Some lovely Orobanches and Dodders, Stapelias, other 

 Asclepiads, Aristolochias, Adeuium in thousands, and 

 plenty of Rubiacece. I stick about here for some time, as 

 I may as well do one little bit thoroughly before taking a 

 rapid run over other parts. 



" My collector has taken to the animals, and I intend 

 to make him look after them. The geology of the island 

 is curious : granite, diorite, and limestone being all mixed 

 up in a most perplexing way. There is plenty of water. 

 but not sufficient surface soil for much cultivation here, 

 My companion from Aden has unfortunately had a touch 

 of some fever, but is now better. 



" Excuse this short note, but I did not expect the 

 Seagull to go so soon, and I have a lot of specimens 

 under way which will not keep. 



" I am well, and expect great results, and if hard work 

 will produce them they ought to be obtained. 

 " Sincerely yours, 



"Baylfy Balfour 



"P.S. — Letter just come from Sultan ordering shei'<s 

 here to give me camels and men and everything 1 want." 



