Fkbruart 9, 1883.] 



SCIENCE. 



25 



former. Seven intervals of the normal metronome 

 from 0.4 to 1.5 seconds were studied. The result 

 showed that the indifference point at which the judg- 

 ment accorded most accurately with the time of sen- 

 sation was 0.755 seconds. Intervals less than this 

 were overestimated, those greater than It underesti- 

 mated. — (Philos. studien, 11. 1.) G. s. H. [75 



EARLY IBTSTITTJTIOWS. 

 Universities. — On taking the rectorship of the 

 University of Greifswald, Professor Dr. Behrend de- 

 scribes briefly the beginning and growth of universi- 

 ties : the origin of different faculties (medicine, from 

 Salerno; law, from Bologna; theology and philoso- 

 phy, from Paris); constitutions; relation with the 

 state, and so on. — (Deutsche rundschau, Dec, 1882.) 



D. W. K. [76 



English surnames. — Dr. Beddoe, F.R.S., consid- 

 ers them from an ethnological point of view. Large 

 proportion of Norman names among the peers ; Sax- 

 on names among the small land-owners and yeomen ; 

 nothing like a complete amalgamation of blood be- 



tween the upper and lower classes. Probably a- tenth 

 of the inhabitants of the British Isles bear names of 

 the Celtic-Irish type. Several other conclusions are 

 reached. — (Journ. antkrop. inst., xii. 2. ) D. w. R. [77 



Agrarian institutions. — Professor Hanssen con- 

 tinues his studies of land-holding and agriculture 

 among the early Germans. Certain heads of families 

 joined together in clearing a tract of land. Upon 

 this they took house-lots (permanent holdings) and 

 arable lots (shifted from one part of the clearing to 

 another, according to the field-grass system). The 

 house-lots were held in severalty, the rest of the land 

 in equal, but undivided shares. This was the primi- 

 tive agricultural community. It is assumed by Pro- 

 fessor Hanssen to have been an association of land- 

 owners. We would suggest that it is an open ques- 

 tion whether it was an association of land-owners, 

 or an association of tenants. — (Zeitsch. gesammt. 

 staatsw.,lSS2,o, 4.) n. w. R. [78 



Medieval formulae. — The "Monumenta Ger- 

 maniae historica. Leges V. Formulae. Pars pria. 

 4to. 1882," has appeared. — D. w. E. |79 



INTELLIGENCE FROM AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC STATIONS. 



GOVERUMENT OEGAmZATIOBTS. 



Smitlisonian institution. 

 Telegraphic annovncements of astronomical discov- 

 eries. — Arrangements having been completed with 

 the director of the Harvard college observatory 

 for conducting the system of telegraphic announce- 

 ments of astronomical discoveries, which was estab- 

 lished by this institution in 1873, correspondents are 

 informed that hereafter the American centre of recep- 

 tion and distribution of such announcements will be 

 the Harvard college observatory, Cambridge, Mass., 

 to which address all astronomical telegrams should in 

 future be sent. It is hoped and believed that this 

 transfer of a highly important service will prove 

 beneficial to the interests of astronomical science. 



National musenm. 



The museum cases and stands have been recently 

 examined, with a view to adoption, by gentlemen 

 from Richmond college, Cornell university, and the 

 museum of hygiene connected with the United States 

 navy. 



Becent additions. — A large collection of remains of 

 the Arctic sea-cow (Rhytina gigas), including eleven 

 skulls more or less perfect, has been recently received 

 from Dr. Leonard Steineger, collector for the Smith- 

 sonian institution, at Bering Island. The specimens 

 were accompanied by two skulls of zipliioid whales, 

 and some valuable bird-skins. Nineteen car-loads of 

 specimens have been received from the late Perma- 

 nent exhibition in Philadelphia. 



Cast of a v)hale. — A cast of a humpback whale has 

 just been completed. It represents a young female, 

 32 feet 5 inches long, which was captured at Prov- 

 incetown, Mass., about three years ago. The cast 

 shows one-half the exterior. In the concavity, which 

 is painted black, the skeleton is mounted in its natu- 

 ral position. The work has been done by Mr. Joseph 

 Palmer. 



Preparation for the fisheries exhibition. — A large 

 number of objects have been added to the collection 

 illustrating the fisheries, for exhibition in London in 

 April. A model of an undisturbed oyster-bank and 

 of one overdredged are being prepared under the su- 



pervision of Lieut. Winslow. One of the museum 

 preparators is in New Haven, engaged in making, 

 under the direction of Mr. Emerton of Yale College, 

 a model of a giant squid. Pive relief-models, repre- 

 senting the entire Atlantic coast of the United States, 

 are in course of preparation by the U. S. coast sur- 

 vey, at the expense of the U. S. fish commission. 

 Those representing the Gulf of Maine and the Gulf 

 of Mexico are completed. The latter was exhibited 

 by Professor Hilgard at the recent meeting of the 

 National academy. The isobathic lines are shown in 

 the same manner as the contour lines of the geologi- 

 cal relief-maps. The models are prepared by Mr. C. 

 Lindenkohl. Mr. Henry W. Elliott and Capt. J. W. 

 Collins have prepared a series of drawings of fishing- 

 vessels in action. They are probably the most accu- 

 rate drawings of this nature ever produced, and are 

 worthy of study by artists engaged on marine sub- 

 jects. The Light-house board and Life-saving ser- 

 vice will make a full display of their apparatus. 



Model of Zuni. — An accurate model of the pueblo 

 of Zufii has recently been completed for the Bureau 

 of ethnology under the superintendence of Mr. Victor 

 Mindeleff. It is about 19 X 11 feet square, and shows 

 the details of the houses and streets. The data for 

 its construction were derived from actual surveys. 



Archeological fraud. — A remarkable archeological 

 fraud in the form of a stone idol arrived at the mu- 

 seum a few days ago. It had been advertised as 

 probably the 'god of all the gods.' It has the beak 

 of a bird, the forehead of a lizard, the wings of a 

 beetle, and the abdomen of a grasshopper. The feet 

 are six in number, — four like those of a gopher tor- 

 toise, two like those of a seal. The general color is 

 brown, relieved here and there with lighter spots and 

 streaks. The length of the object is about 2-J feet, 

 the width about 6 inches. 



Department of agrionltnre. 

 Extension of statistical dimsion. — The scope of 

 the statistical division was last year enlarged to 

 include in its monthly reports statements showing 

 the through rates of transportation by railroad and 

 steamboat companies, on all the principal routes of 

 the coimtry, for the principal agricultural products. 



