November 18, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



715 



temperature observations were made at vari- 

 ous depths (samples being collected at the 

 same time), besides many other observations 

 at the surface during the voyage. The read- 

 ings were exact to one 200th of a degree Centi- 

 grade. The results will throw valuable light 

 on the different currents of the Atlantic, es- 

 pecially in the eastern part about the Canaries 

 and Azores and in the domain of the Gulf 

 Stream. Detailed observations with the Ek- 

 man current-meter were made in the Straits 

 of Gibraltar and on the submarine slope south 

 of the Azores. In the straits, interesting re- 

 sults were obtained as regards the limit be- 

 tween the upper or eastward-flowing current, 

 and the lower or westward-flowing current, 

 which was found to be at a depth of from 50 

 to 100 fathoms, according to the tide. The 

 maximum velocity measured was about 5 

 knots, while velocities of from one to two 

 knots were common, both in the upper and the 

 lower current. By exposing photographic 

 plates at varying depths, information was ob- 

 tained as to the intensity of light beneath the 

 waters of the Sargasso Sea. The effect of 

 light was clearly observable at 300 fathoms, 

 and in a less degree at 500; but at 900 no in- 

 fluence of light was traceable. Only the blue 

 rays were found to reach as low as 300 fath- 

 oms. The biological researches have yielded 

 a rich harvest. Centrifugal action on the 

 samples of water by means of a steam winch 

 revealed the presence, in the warm waters of 

 the Sargasso Sea, of excessively minute 

 pelagic plants, such as escape through the 

 meshes of the finest silk nets. They were 

 found in thousands in each liter of water 

 down to about 50 fathoms, and the observa- 

 tions permitted the vertical distribution of the 

 different species (many of them new) to be 

 determined. These minute organisms belolig 

 to the order Coccolithophoridce, the smallest 

 species occurring chiefly in the warm seas, 

 but two were found in some numbers even in 

 the cold water of the Great Newfoundland 

 bank. Deep-sea fishes and others of the larger 

 organisms were obtained by tow-nets and 

 trawls, used at varying depths, from the sur- 

 face to 2,000 fathoms. Many new species 



were brought to light, and pelagic fishes were 

 found to exist at all depths, though scarce in 

 the deepest layers. Off the west coast of Ire- 

 land, as man,y as 330 deep-sea fishes were 

 caught in a single haul at 500 fathoms. The 

 fauna at the bottom down to 2,900 fathoms 

 was investigated by a special trawl, but very 

 few species were obtained frorti the greatest 

 depths. The results of the temperature ob- 

 servations across the Gulf Stream to the 

 south of the Great Banks were so interesting 

 that the homeward route was altered so as to 

 permit further investigations to be made, the 

 visit to Iceland being therefore abandoned. 



Nature states that the British Board of 

 Agriculture is understood to have applied to 

 the commissioners appointed under the devel- 

 opment act for an annual grant of £50,000 

 for the purpose of research work in agricul- 

 ture and for giving technical advice to farm- 

 ers. A number of agricultural institutions 

 have sent in applications for financial help, 

 but the board and two of the commissioners — 

 Messrs. A. D. Hall and Sydney Webb — are 

 engaged on a comprehensive scheme that shall 

 ensure the best use being made of the present 

 material. The board has appointed a special 

 advisory committee, including the Duke of 

 Devonshire, Lord Keay, Sir Edward Thorpe, 

 Dr. Dobbie, Mr. S. U. Pickering, Professor J. 

 B. Farmer, Lieutenant-Colonel Prain. Drs. 

 Teall, Harmer, MacDougall and Wilson, and 

 Messrs. Davies, Middleton, Staveley-Hill and 

 Stockman to help generally in the work. 



VyiVERSITY AXD EDUCATIONAL NEWS 

 Mr. James A. Pattex, of Chicago, has given 

 $200,000 to endow a chair of experimental 

 pathology in the medical school of Northwest- 

 ern University. Special attention is to be- 

 given to the study of tuberculosis and pneu- 

 monia. 



By the will of the late Samuel W. Bowne, 

 bequests in stocks and bonds of considerable 

 value are made to Wesleyan University and 

 Dickinson College. Goucher College receives 

 $20,000 and the Drew Theological Seminary 

 $1.30,000. 



