152 



SCIENCE 



[X. S. Vol. XXXII. No. 813 



•cave farm near Mitchell, Indiana, and has es- 

 tablished a small laboratory there primarily 

 for cave work. Cement pools have been placed 

 inside and outside the caves and offer excel- 

 lent opportunities for breeding cave animals 

 in the light and outside forms in the dark. 

 In fact, a more favorable place could not be 

 found for a study of cave animals. The uni- 

 versity offers a five-hundred-dollar fellowship 

 in addition to a furnished cottage, to any one 

 Tvho has had sufficient training to take up 

 ■such work. Applications should be sent to F. 

 Payne, Winona Lake, Indiana. 



The British civil pensions granted during 

 "the year ended March 31, 1910, are, as we 

 learn from Nature, as follows: Among the 

 pensions granted in recognition of scientific 

 work we notice the following : Mr. Thomas 

 Bryant, in recognition of his services towards 

 the advancement of surgery, £100; Mrs. M. L. 

 Gamgee, in consideration of the valuable con- 

 tributions to physiological science of her hus- 

 band, the late Professor Arthur Gamgee, £70; 

 Mrs. E. J. Seeley, in consideration of the 

 valuable writings on geology and paleontol- 

 ■ogy of her husband, the late Professor H. G. 

 Seeley, £70; Miss H. S. Murphy, in considera- 

 tion of the services rendered by her father, 

 the late Professor E. W. Murphy, in further- 

 ing the use, of chloroform, £50 ; Mr. J. Sully, 

 in recognition of his services to psychology, in 

 addition to his existing pension, £95; Mrs. 

 Joanna Calder Eraser, in consideration of the 

 value of the investigations in anatomy and 

 embryology of her husband, the late Professor 

 A. Eraser, £70; Miss Julia Dobson, in recog- 

 nition of the important services rendered by 

 her brother, the late Surgeon-Major G. E. 

 Dobson, F.E.S., to zoological science, in addi- 

 tion to her existing pension, £15. 



The Botanic Garden Syndicate of Cam- 

 bridge University states that the experiments 

 in plant breeding have continued, but the sac- 

 rifices that have been made in providing space 

 under glass for this work necessarily injure 

 other iihportant interests. Space out of doors 

 is still wanted for growing specimens in 

 greater numbers for class work. In the report 



of last year the hope was expressed that an 

 arrangement would be made with one of the 

 colleges for ground upon which to plant trees 

 and shrubs that are not provided for in the 

 Botanic Garden, but unfortunately it was not 

 fulfilled. Eresh arrangements for this purpose 

 are now under consideration. In seed-raising 

 for the forestry department much work has 

 been done. During the year 1909, 1,0.34 plants, 

 1,601 bulbs and 3,131 packets of seeds were 

 received, while 1,789 plants, 546 cuttings, and 

 3. 582 packets of seeds were distributed, the 

 latter chiefly to botanic gardens. The number 

 of specimens supplied for botanical purposes 

 amounted to 108,979, representing an increase 

 of 7,500 over last year. 



Nature states that on June 20, at the invita- 

 tion of the lord mayor of Birmingham, a meet- 

 ing of the most prominent naturalists of the 

 city was held in the Council House to con- 

 sider the establishment of a Natural History 

 Museum. The lord mayor, in opening the 

 meeting, stated that the city council is willing 

 to allot considerable space for a natural his- 

 tory museum, but can not undertake to pro- 

 vide the collections. Sir Oliver Lodge moved 

 " that this meeting heartily approves of the 

 establishment of a natural history museum 

 worthy of the city." In the course of an in- 

 teresting speech he remarked that the study of 

 natural history is of special value to town citi- 

 zens, and it has become more difficult to carry 

 on the study save by such means as the meet- 

 ing had assembled to promote. Birmingham 

 is a great city, and can well afford a natural 

 history as well as an art museum. Sir George 

 H. Kenrick seconded the motion. He empha- 

 sized the responsibility that rests on individ- 

 ual effort to make the museum a success. He 

 laid particular stress on the value of a library 

 attached to the museum, and well stocked with 

 books dealing with the subjects illustrated only 

 perhaps partially in the galleries. Alderman 

 Beale, chairman of the art gallery committee, 

 and other speakers, including Professor Car- 

 lier, strongly advocated the formation of a 

 museum. If the city council carries out its 

 intention of allotting the space, there will ap- 



