92 
also Secretary of the Science and Art Depart- 
ment ; Captain W. de W. Abney, C. B., to be 
the Principal Assistant-Secretary of the Science 
and Art Department ; Mr. W. Tucker, C.B., to 
to be the Principal Assistant-Secretary of the 
Education Department. 
Dr. E. von LOMMEL, professor of physics in 
the University of Munich, died on June 19th, 
aged 62 years. 
Mr. RICHARD CONGREVE, a well-known 
writer on Comte’s philosophy and on social and 
political subjects, died in London on July 5th. 
AN International Conference of Horticultu- 
rists was opened last week in London. Among 
American delegates were Professor L. H. Bailey, 
of Cornell University, and Mr. T. G. Fairchild 
and Mr. H. J. Webber, of the Department of 
Agriculture. 
Nature states that the prize of 500 guineas, 
offered by the Sulphate of Ammonia Committee 
for the best essay on ‘the utility of sulphate of 
ammonia in agriculture,’ has been awarded by 
the judges—Mr. J. Bowen-Jones, of Shrewsbury, 
and Dr. J. Augustus Voelcker, of London—to 
Mr. James Muir, County Instructor in Agricul- 
ture to the Somerset County Council. Seventy- 
three essays were sent in. 
Ir is expected the Queensland Parliament 
will grant £1,000 towards the British Antarctic 
Expedition. 
THE estate of late Samuel J. Tilden has 
finally been settled. The report of the referees 
shows that the New York Public Library, com- 
posed of the Astor, Lennox and Tilden founda- 
tions, has received $2,859,000. This is about 
one-third the sum Mr. Tilden wished to devote 
to the foundation of a public library. 
THE Dismal Swamp, 143,000 acres in extent, 
partly in Virginia and partly in North Carolina, 
has been bought by lumber merchants who pro- 
pose to drain it. This would greatly alter the 
fauna and flora of a region of much scientific 
interest. e 
THE State Zoologist of Minnesota, Professor 
Henry F. Nachtrieb, has equipped a houseboat 
for the study of the fauna of the Minnesota 
and Mississippi Rivers, particularly the fishes. 
The houseboat was built at Mankato and started 
SCIENCE. 
[N. 8. Von. X. No. 238. 
down the river about the middle of May. The 
party is in charge of Professor U. O. Cox, of 
Mankato Normal School, and expects to reach 
the southern border of the State by the first of 
September. The data and material thus far 
collected are very satisfactory and encouraging. 
It is the hope of those interested in the work 
that this may become the beginning of a per- 
manent station. The party consists of Professor 
Cox, J. E. Guthrie, Chas. Zeleny, Wm. Kien- 
holz, and occasionally also of Professor Nach- 
trieb. 
THE Botanical Gazette contains news in regard 
to botanical excursions as follows: Dr. Charles 
E. Bessey proposed to visit the foot hills of 
western Nebraska, collecting specimens and 
making phytogeographical notes in the region 
above 1,200 m. altitude. Professor John Macoun 
is engaged in field work upon Sable Island, ‘The 
Graveyard ofthe Atlantic.’ Later in the season 
he will examine botanically some of the remote 
parts of New Brunswick. Dr. J. N. Rose is 
making explorations in central and southern 
Mexico. He proposes to make a special study 
of the genus Agave and an investigation of the 
Tampico hemp industry. 
ProFEssor E. M. SHEPARD, of Drury College, 
and lately of the Missouri Geological Survey, 
has returned, says the American Geologist, from 
a trip to the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand 
and Australia. He has secured numerous and 
fine photographs of active volcanoes, coral 
islands and glaciers. 
THE steamship Diana was expected to sail from 
Sydney, Cape Breton, yesterday. As we have 
already stated, it carries supplies to Lieutenant 
Peary, under the direction of Mr. Herbert L- 
Bridgeman, New York, and in addition takes 
three scientific parties: One under the direc- 
tion of Dr. Robert Stein, which will remain in 
Ellesmere Land; one under Professor William 
Libbey, of Princeton University, equipped es- 
pecially for deep-sea exploration, and one under 
Mr. Russell W. Porter, of Boston, in the first 
instance a hunting party. 
On behalf of the British government Mr. 
Francis Mowatt has written to Lord Lister in 
regard to the National Antarctic Expedition as 
follows: Iam directed by the Lords Commis- 
