jFebbuaey 20, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



283 



University of California, are from 24 to 48 

 per cent. Oak and chestnut, the -woods prin- 

 cipally used in this country, yield from eight 

 to thirteen per cent, of tannin. Acacia timber 

 is beautiful in grain and durable in contact 

 ■with the ground. Even the smaller species 

 have a value for tool handles, furniture and 

 various other useful and ornamental objects. 

 Some of the best species yield a hard, heavy, 

 ■ close-grain, tough timber comparable to wal- 

 nut and rosewood. In addition to tannin and 

 timber, many of the acacias produce valuable 

 by-products. The widely known gum arable 

 is derived principally from the Arabic acacia, 

 though also from a number of Asiatic and 

 African desert species. Cutch, an astringent 

 gum in constant demand, is another acacia 

 product. Many other kinds of gums are 

 yielded by different acacia species. The flow- 

 ers of still another species, known as cassie, 

 yield a perfume, the manufacture of which at 

 Grasse, France, the center of the perfume in- 

 dustry, is very profitable. 



We learn from the London Times that the 

 •plans of the Austrian Antarctic expedition, 

 which it is hoped will sail from Trieste in the 

 early summer, were set forth at a meeting 

 'held at Vienna on January 15. The principal 

 supporter of the project is Count Hans 

 Wilczek, to whose energies the success of the 

 Austrian expedition which discovered Franz 

 Josef's Land 40 years ago was largely due. 

 Financial help is also being provided by the 

 Academy of Sciences and the Geographical 

 Society, but so far only about half of the re- 

 quired sum of over 600,000 kronen ($125,000) 

 has been obtained. The leader of the expedi- 

 tion is Dr. Felix Konig, of Graz, who took 

 part in the German Antarctic expedition. 

 The ship which has been acquired is likewise 

 that which was used in that expedition; her 

 name, however, will be changed from Deutsch- 

 land to Oesierreich. Dr. Konig, who is being 

 assisted by the advice of Captain Amundsen, 

 intends to sail from Trieste to Buenos Aires, 

 , and thence to South Georgia Island, where an 

 intermediate station fitted with wireless tele- 

 graphic apparatus will be installed. By this 

 .means it is hoped to keep up communication 



between the ship, which will also be fitted with 

 wireless, and civilization. The base is to be 

 made close to a bay found by the German expe- 

 dition in the newly discovered barrier, where 

 it is hoped that the ship will be able to winter. 

 The principal work will be carried out by sledge 

 journeys, which will be made in three direc- 

 tions, one to the south with the object of reach- 

 ing Queen Maud Mountains, the second towards 

 Grahamland in order to try to discover its 

 continuation southwards, and the third in the 

 direction of the Enderby quadrant. The expe- 

 dition is expected to cover two years, but pro- 

 visions are being taken for three. From 

 remarks made at the meeting by Professor 

 Nordenskiold the object of the expedition 

 appears to be to discover the relations of the 

 eastern and western section of the Antarctic 

 regions with one another. 



UNIVEBSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS 

 Mrs. Eussell Sage has extended her offer 

 to give $100,000 for a new dining hall at 

 Princeton University provided that the uni- 

 versity raise $400,000 for the purpose. 



Under the will of Dr. Cumberland George 

 Herndon, two scholarships, named after the 

 testator's father the William A. Herndon 

 scholarships, have been founded in the depart- 

 ment of medicine of the University of Vir- 

 ginia. Candidates must be unable to defray 

 the expense of their medical education and 

 must signify their intention of entering the 

 medical service of the army or navy. The 

 scholarships provide for the necessary expenses 

 of the student during the four years of his 

 course and will yield approximately $425- 

 $450 per annum. 



By an agreement between the universities of 

 St. Andrews and Bordeaux, Dr. T. Pettigrew 

 Young, lecturer in French at St. Andrews, will 

 proceed to Bordeaux to act as exchange pro- 

 fessor for the month of May, while during the 

 same period Professor Charles Cestre, of Bor- 

 deaux, will join the staff of St. Andrews Uni- 

 versity. Professor Cestre has also been com- 

 missioned by the French ministry of instruc- 

 tion to deliver a number of lectures on the 

 French literature and language in various 

 parts of Scotland and England. 



