236 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. I., No. 8. 



dienfies have been large and alttentive. The courses 

 were Opened toward the end of October with six lec- 

 tures by Dr. William B. Carpenter of London, on the 

 Physical geography of the deep sea, in which he 

 treated successively of the oceanic basin generally, 

 thermal significance of oceanic water, action of prev- 

 alent winds on the ocean-surface producing horizon- 

 tal circulation, physical conditions of inland seas, 

 animal life of the deep sea, and land and sea in geo- 

 logical time. This was followed by a second course 

 of six lectures by the same on Human automatism. 

 The question was stated in the first lecture, and was 

 followed by a discussion of congenital or primary 

 automatism, secondary or acquired automatism, auto- 

 matism in intellectual action, of the motive powers, 

 and in morals. 



On alternate evenings during the progress of these 

 courses, Dr. George L. Goodale of Harvard university 

 gave twelve lectures on Physiological and geographi- 

 cal botany : an outline sketch ot some of the relations 

 of plants to their surroimdings. These series were 

 followed by a course of six lectures on Motion and 

 matter, by Professor Thomas C. Mendenhall of the 

 Ohio state university, beginning Dec. 4; by twelve 

 lectures on the Philippine Islands, with sketches of 

 Panama, Japan, China, Singapore, Ceylon, the Red 

 Sea, and the Mediterranean volcanoes, by Dr. Sam- 

 uel Kneeland of New York, on Dec. 12 and follow- 

 ing days. Three lectures on Storms were given by 

 Mr. W. M. Davis of Harvard university, beginning 

 Jan. 8; two on the Jelly-fishes, by Dr. J. Walter 

 Pewl-;es of the Museum of comparative zoology, on 

 Jan. 22 and 25. On Jan. 2.3, Professor Samuel P. 

 Langley of the Allegheny observatory began a series 

 of twelve lectures on the Sun and stars. Professor 

 James T. Bixby of the Meadville theological school is 

 about finishing a course of twelve lectures on the 

 Inductive philosophy of religion; and Mr. F. W. 

 Putnam of the Peabody museum began, March 13, 

 his cvrrrent course of six lectures — the last, we be- 

 lieve, for the season — on American archeology. Tlie 

 topics of the several lectures in this last course are, 

 1°. Ancient mounds, earthworks, and fortifications in 

 the United States ; 2°. Explorations of ancient towns ; 

 3°. Stone graves of the Cumberland valley, and their 

 contents; 4°. Ancient pottery ; 5°. Altar-mounds and 

 their contents; 6°. Burial customs, and the arts of 

 the ancient Peruvians. 



— The meeting of the International commission on 

 the geological map of Europe was held at Foix last 

 September. The commission consists of two commit- 

 tees, — one on the map, and one on nomenclature. 

 The former is composed of Messrs. Beyricli and Han- 

 checorne (directors liaving but one vote), Daubrfie, 

 Giordano, De Moeller, Mojsisovics, and Topley. At 

 the last meeting, Messrs. DaubriSe, Mojsisovics, and 

 Topley were absent. The Austrian and German geolo- 

 gists have agreed to form only one commission for the 



execution of the geological work of central Europe. 

 A scale of the sedimentary formations, adopted by 

 Austrian and German geologists, was accepted as a 

 provisional basis for discussion. The commission 

 voted unanimously to adopt the proposition of Mr. 

 Neumayer to appoint a committee to compile a pale- 

 ontological nomenclator. Much difBculty, however, 

 seems to have arisen in coming to a general under- 

 standing about this nomenclature. The length of 

 time required for the publication of the map will 

 probably exceed the limit of six years. Some of the 

 geographical sheets are already engraved, and a num- 

 ber of others are drawn. Assent to the subscriptions 

 demanded had not yet been received from France, 

 Spain, Scandinavia, Germany, and Denmark. The 

 last meeting of the commission previous to the Berlin 

 congress of 1884 will be held at Zurich, probably in 

 August. The general price of the map will be 125 

 francs to the public, 100 francs to the subscribing 

 governments. 



— The Smithsonian institution, in co-operation with 

 the Biological society of Washington, is making an 

 effort to procure full statistics with regard to the trees, 

 shrubs, and herbaceous plants growing in the public 

 grounds of the city and suburbs. In order to trace 

 the changes wliich have taken place in tree-planting 

 in this district, it is desirable to learn what kinds 

 were grown here soon after the permanent establish- 

 ment of the government in Washington in 1800, and 

 where specimens of these can now be examined. In- 

 formation is wished for as to any rare or remarkable 

 trees Icnown to have stood in the public grounds, but 

 removed during the extension of public buildings or 

 other improvements, or of trees of great size or age, 

 or remarkable for their connection with public events. 



— Dr. J. C. Houzeau, director of the Royal obser- 

 vatory at Brussels, has returned to Belgium from his 

 expedition to tlie United States to observe the transit 

 of Venus, and, having obtained leave from his gov- 

 ernment, will spend the remainder of the winter 

 season at Cannes. The king of Belgium is anxious 

 to have the observatory transferred to liacken, to an 

 eligible site in the vicinity of his castle; but as yet the 

 removal is not definitely decided upon. A temporary 

 shed has been erected for the new meridian-circle 

 made by the Repsolds. 



— According to Nature, March 8, tlie mathemati- 

 cal papers and memoirs of the late Professor Henry 

 J. S. Smith of Oxford are to be collected and pub- 

 lished in two quarto volumes by the press of his own 

 university. Miss Smith will contribute a biological 

 introduction; and the general editorship of tlie work, 

 which will include a considerable quantity of hith- 

 erto unpublished material, wiil be intrusted to Mr. 

 J. W. L. Glaisher. 



— Eugene G. Blaclcford issues a most attractive 

 invitation to witness the ' display ' of broolc-trout he 

 will make at his stalls in Fulton Market, New York, 



