800 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VII. No. 180. 



Columbia University has sent a zoological 

 expedition consisting of Mr. N. B. Harrington, 

 fellow in zoology, and Mr. Reid Hunt, tutor in 

 physiology, to the Guinea coast, Africa, to 

 study the developmental Stages of the Crossop- 

 terygian fishes. These are now looked upon 

 as representing more nearly than any other re- 

 cent fish-like animals the ancestors of the ter- 

 restrial vertebrates, and the investigation of 

 their development is expected to throw light 

 on many long disputed problems relating to the 

 origin of the higher animals. The expedition 

 has been made possible by a gift of $1,800 from 

 Mr. Charles H. Senf. 



The Yale zoological expedition to Bermuda 

 under the direction of Professor Verrill has re- 

 cently returned with a large and valuable col- 

 lection of specimens, illustrating mainly the 

 marine fauna of the island. 



Pbofessoe C. L. Bristol has left for Ber- 

 muda in company with Mr. J. Watson Vail. 

 Professor Bristol will install the laboratory of 

 the New York University, which will be well 

 equipped for the special study of embryology 

 by the time of the arrival of his students, who 

 will sail on June 16th. On this, the second 

 summer expedition, Professor Bristol and his 

 students purpose making a further reconnais- 

 sance of the island, with a view to erecting a 

 permanent station. In addition to other re- 

 searches they will make experiments in sub- 

 marine photography. 



The annual conference of State and Provin- 

 cial Boards of Health of North America will 

 meet at Detroit on August 11th and 12th. 



The Bucks County Natural History Associa- 

 tion, Pennsylvania, held its annual meeting on 

 June 2d. An address upon the work of the As- 

 sociation was made by Mr. Nathaniel Richard- 

 son, the President, and the program included a 

 paper on petroleum by Professor Hart, of Lafay- 

 ette College. 



The fifth International Congress of Hydrol- 

 ogy, Climatology and Geology will be opened 

 at Liege on September 25th next. 



The bill appropriating .$10,000 for the ex- 

 termination of the brown-tail moth in Massa- 

 chusetts has been passed, with the important 



exception that it was amended by striking out 

 the appropriation of $10,000 and providing that 

 all expense connected with the work should 

 come out of the appropriation for exterminating 

 the gypsy moth. The Board of Agriculture is 

 given charge of the work. 



The United States Civil Service Commission 

 announces that on June 27, 1898, examination 

 may be taken for the grade of Nautical Expert, 

 Navy Department, Hydrographic Office. There 

 is at present a vacancy in this grade at the 

 Hydrographic Office at Washington at a salary 

 of $1,000 per annum and another at the branch 

 Hydrographic Office, New York City at a salary 

 of $1,400, which it is desired to fill. The ex- 

 amination will consist of the following named 

 subjects, which will be weighted as follows : 



Letter-writing, 1 



Pure mathematics, 3 



Physical geography, 2 



Nautical definitions, 1 



Navigation, 2 



10 



The first meeting of the State Trustees of 

 Scenic and Historic Places and Objects, under 

 their new corporate name of ' The Society for 

 the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places 

 and Objects,' was held in New York on May 

 31st. The following governing board of trustees 

 was elected ; Andrew H. Green, Frederick AV. 

 Devoe, Samuel Parsons, Jr., Henry E. How- 

 land, Walter S. Logan, Edward P. Hatch and 

 Edward Hagaman Hall, of New York, and 

 Charles S. Francis, of Troy. Mr. Green was 

 elected President, Mr. Francis Vice-President, 

 Mr. Hatch Treasurer, and Mr. Hall Secretary. 



The Council of the British Medical Associa- 

 tion are prepared to receive applications for 

 grants in aid of researches for the advancement 

 of medicine and the allied sciences. Applica- 

 tions must be made to the General Secretary, at 

 the office of the Association, 429 Strand, W. C, 

 and must include details of a precise character 

 and objects of the research which is proposed. 

 The Council are also prepared to receive appli- 

 cation for one of the three Research Scholar- 

 ships, which is of the value of £150 per annum, 

 tenable for one year, and subject to renewal by 

 the Council for another year. 



