616 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXI. No. 



We learn from Nature that the valuable col- 

 lection of shells formed by the late Mr. Thomas 

 Gray, of Glasgow, who died recently at the 

 advanced age of eighty-nine, has been left by 

 him to Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow. More 

 than 7,000 species of shells are represented in 

 the collection. 



Professor Hilary Bacerman, of London, 

 who died on December 5, aged seventy-five, 

 leaving an estate of the value of £15,000, be- 

 queathed £500 to the memorial fund of the 

 Iron and Steel Institute. The residue of his 

 property he left subject to a life interest, 

 to be applied in the encouragement of the 

 study of mineralogical science at the Royal 

 School of Mines. 



President Taft sent to congress on April 9 

 a message recommending an appropriation of 

 $50,000 for a laboratory in which to conduct 

 investigations on cancer. " The very great 

 importance of pursuing the investigation into 

 the cause of cancer," said the president, " can 

 not be brought home to the congress or to the 

 public more acutely than by inviting atten- 

 tion to the memorandum of Dr. Gaylord 

 herewith. Progress in tke prevention and 

 treatment of human diseases has been mar- 

 velously aided by an investigation into some 

 diseases in those of the lower animals which 

 are subject to it, and we have every reason to 

 believe that a close investigation into the sub- 

 ject of cancer in fishes, which are frequently 

 swept away by an epidemic of it, may give us 

 light upon this dreadful human scourge." 



Cincinnati's city council has repealed the 

 ordinance passed a year ago whereby " more 

 daylight was to be gained for workers by set- 

 ting local clocks two hours fast from May to 

 October of each year." 



A LETTER has been received from Professor 

 E. B. Frost, director of the Yerkes Observa- 

 tory, regarding recent observations of Halley's 

 Comet made at that place. On April 12 Pro- 

 fessor Prost found the comet more conspicuous 

 than the adjacent star c Piscium, and Pro- 

 fessor Barnard estimated the nucleus, which 

 was not stellar, to be two magnitudes fainter 

 than this star. On April 14 the comet was 

 photographed with 6 m. exposure. No tail was 



visible with any of the instruments. Visual 

 observations of the spectrum were made by 

 Professor Frost and Dr. Sloeum, and showed 

 a distinct continuous spectrum from the nu- 

 cleus. No bright bands or lines were seen. 

 The intensity of the continuous spectrum, 

 relative to the emission bands, has greatly 

 changed since the comet was visible in the 

 evening. 



The Harpswell Laboratory, at South Harps- 

 well, Me., will be open to investigators during 

 the present summer from June 20 until Sep- 

 tember 1. Owing to the absence of Dr. Kings- 

 ley in Europe it will be under the charge of 

 Professor H. V. Neal, of Knox College, Gales- 

 burg, HI., to whom all communications and 

 applications for places should be addressed. 

 Thanks to the participation of several colleges 

 and universities, the laboratory is in a position 

 to offer its facilities free to all who are de- 

 sirous of carrying on investigations on the 

 northern fauna or flora. There are only nine 

 rooms available for students, and as some of 

 these are already engaged, an early application 

 for places is advisable. No circulars will be 

 issued this year. 



The seventh annual session of the Puget 

 Sound Marine Station, located at Friday Har- 

 bor in the State of Washington, will com- 

 mence on June 28 and continue till August 

 8, 1910. This station, which is conducted 

 upon a cooperative basis through the affiliation 

 of a number of the educational institutions 

 of the northwest, will open this season with 

 greatly increased facilities. A laboratory 

 building is under construction which will be 

 available for use at the beginning of the 

 coming session. This structure will be pro- 

 vided with running water, both fresh and salt, 

 research rooms for investigators, dark room 

 for photography, facilities for elementary in- 

 struction and a small but well selected library 

 bearing upon the natural history of the north- 

 west. The equipment includes a steamer fitted 

 with dredging apparatus for deep water work 

 and small boats for shore collecting. Provi- 

 sion has been made for elementary classes as 

 well as for advanced students and for investi- 

 gators who wish to pursue individual re- 



