APRIL 12, 1901.] 
Book’ and of ‘Steam Boiler Practice,’ also asso- 
ciate editor of the Engineering News, is to de- 
liver a series of six lectures before the senior 
students in engineering of Purdue Univer- 
sity, Lafayette, Ind. The lectures of Mr. 
Kent will extend through the week beginning 
April 15th and will close a long series of 
lectures delivered at Purdue by outside en- 
gineers. 
THE death is announced of Audubon Whe- 
lock Ridgway, assistant in the Department of 
Ornithology of the Field Columbian Museum, 
Chicago. He was bornin Washington in 1877, 
and was the only son of the eminent ornithol- 
ogist, Dr. Robert Ridgway. 
THE death is also announced, at Berlin, of Dr. 
Schlichter, the African traveler and geographer. 
Dr. C. R. ALLEN, vice-president of the Tor- 
rey Botanical Club, has presented the New 
York Botanical Gardens with his valuable col- 
lection of stoneworts. 
THE Astronomical Journal states that the fol- 
lowing grants from the Gould Fund haverecently 
been made: to Mr. John A. Parkhurst, $30; 
to Dr. Herman 8. Davis, $500; to Mr. Paul S. 
Yendell, $225; to Professor Simon Newcomb, 
$25. A considerable additional amount of in- 
come has accrued, for the distribution of which 
applications are awaited. These applications 
may be made by letter to any of the directors, 
stating the amount desired, the nature of the 
proposed investigation, and the manner in 
which the money is to be expended. The 
directors, desiring to stimulate the participa-— 
tion of American astronomers in the attempt 
to bring up the arrears of cometary research, 
offer to them the sum of $500 for computation 
of the ‘definitive’ orbits of comets; this sum 
to be distributed at the average rate of $100 for 
each computation—the amount to vary accord- 
ing to the relative difficulty of the computation, 
and to be determined by the directors of the 
Gould Fund. Computers should promptly 
notify the directors of their participation or de- 
sire to participate, and manuscripts should be 
submitted not later than July 1, 1902. 
IT is stated in Popular Astronomy that Dr. 
Lewis Swift has disposed of his astronomical 
equipment to the Pasadena and Mount Lowe 
SCIENCE. 
599 
Railway. The instruments are to remain on 
Echo Mountain, and Professor H. L. Larkin is 
now director of the observatory. 
Dr. PATRICK GEDDES, who was responsible 
for the formation of the International Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Science, Arts and 
Education, and the holding of an International 
Assembly at the Paris Exposition last year, 
proposes a similar assembly, in connection with 
the exposition and congresses to be held at 
Glasgow this year. 
THE Zoological Society of London has ar- 
ranged the following lectures to be held after 
the general meetings on Thursdays, April 18th, 
May 16th, June 20th and July 18th: 
‘On the Protection and Nourishment of young Fishes’: 
Professor C. StrewaRT, LL.D., F.R.S. 
‘Biological Stations at Home and Abroad.’ With lan- 
tern illustrations: Professor W. A. HERDMAN, 
F.R.S. : 
‘Mimicry.’ "With lantern illustrations: Professor E. 
B. PouLTON, F.R.S., F.ZS. 
‘Rhinoceroses, Recent and Extinct.’ 
DARD, F.R.S., F.Z.S. 
THE laboratory of the U. S. Fish Commission 
for the study of marine biology, at Beaufort, 
N.C., will re-open for work on the first of May, 
and will remain open through September. The 
laboratory is open to those wishing to carry on 
botanical or physiological work, as well as 
to those engaged in zoological investigations. 
The usual histological apparatus and reagents 
are provided, and the collecting outfit includes 
a steam launch with dredge and trawl. The 
more commonly used journals will be kept on 
file. There is no charge for tables. Applicants 
for tables should address Hon. Geo: M. Bowers, 
U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, 
Washington, or Professor H. V. Wilson, Univer- 
sity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N. C. In- 
quiries as to climate, accommodations, etc., 
should be addressed to the latter. 
THE ship built for the use of the German Ant- 
arctic Expedition was launched at Kiel on 
April 1st, in the presence of a distinguished 
company. The vessel has been named Gauss 
in honor of the great mathematician. 
Mr. F. E. Brep- 
THE census of France was taken on March 
24th. The results are looked forward to with 
