592 
A pIspATCH from Melbourne states that the 
expedition of the Sydney Geographical Society, 
under Professor David, to the Ellice Islands, 
between the Gilbert Islands and the Fiji 
Islands, has obtained evidence confirming the 
theory of Darwin as to the formation of coral 
islands. Diamond drilling in coral to the depth 
of 557 feet failed to reach bottom. 
A socreTy entitled ‘Société des Sylvicul- 
teurs de France et des Colonies’ is being 
formed in France, as has been learned from 
Garden and Forest, for the purpose of diffusing 
the knowledge of silviculture and increasing 
popular interest in this art. 
DurineG the year ending June 15, 1897, there 
have been added to the library of the University 
of Chicago 10,717 books, of which 7,383 were 
purchased, 2,930 were added by gift and 404 in 
exchange for University publications. 
THE preliminary plans of the New York 
Zoological Park, to be located in South Bronx 
Park, New York, have been completed and will 
be submitted first to the President and the Ex- 
ecutive Committee, then to a committee of 
three experts, consisting of Professor Charles 
S. Sargent, director of the Arnold Arboretum ; 
Thomas Hastings, architect, and W. Barclay 
Parsons, civil engineer. If their reports are 
favorable the plans will then be submitted with- 
out delay to the Board of Park Commissioners. 
With the final plan of the Zoological Park 
grounds will be submitted the plans and eleva- 
tions for the following buildings: The lion 
house, the monkey house, the elephant house, 
bird house, winter house for birds, reptile house, 
tropical ruminants’ house, main restaurant and 
administration building. Of secondary struc- 
tures will be submitted the plans for the flying 
cage, eagles’ and vultures’ aviary, wolf and fox 
dens, bear dens, sea lions’ pool, pheasants’ 
aviary, buffalo house, deer barns, mountain 
sheep shelter and ducks’ aviaries. If the so- 
ciety’s plans are approved by the experts and 
the Park Commissioners, the engineers will pre- 
pare plans for a system of sewerage and water 
supply. 
TueE London correspondent of the New York 
Ewening Post telegraphs that at Maidstone vac- 
cination is being used against typhoid under 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Vor. VI. No. 146. 
the direction of the pathological laboratory of 
the State Army School at Netley. Professor 
Wright and Surgeon-Major Temple, of Netley, 
have so improved the method that they are able 
to obtain the characteristic reaction of blood 
serum on typhoid bacilli, which is taken as a 
proof that the individual is protected by the in- 
jection. Enough vaccine has been sent to 
Maidstone to inoculate the whole population if 
necessary. The number of cases of typhoid 
fever reported is greater than 1,500. 
ADVICES from Honolulu state that the lava in 
the crater of Kilauea has risen over 100 feet 
in eight days and that an overflow is expected. 
THE report of the trustees of the South 
African Museum, Cape Town, for 1896, says 
Natural Science, records the reorganization of 
the staff and the completion of the new build- 
ings. The Museum now has the services of 
Mr. W. L. Sclater as Director; Mr. L. Perin- 
guey as Assistant Director, with special charge 
of the insects; Dr. W. F. Purcell as keeper of 
land invertebrates; Dr. G. S. Corstorphine as 
keeper of geology and mineralogy, and Dr. J. 
D. F. Gilchrist as honorary keeper of marine 
invertebrates. During the year 1896 a special 
grant was expended upon the purchase of a 
series of large mammals for the collection, 
while an exchange with the La Plata Museum 
furnished an important series of South Ameri- 
can mammals and birds. Large acquisitions of 
European rocks and fossils were also purchased 
for comparison with the South African speci- 
mens. 
THE Honorable William T. Harris, United 
States Commissioner of Education, will deliver 
five lectures on ‘The Philosophy of Education’ 
at the Teachers’ College, New York, on the 
following dates: ‘Thursdays, October 14th and 
28th and November 4th, at 3:30 p. m.; Fridays, 
October 15th, at 2p. m., and October 29th, at 
3p. m. 
A COURSE of twelve lectures on the ‘The 
Geological History of Invertebrate Animals’ 
is being delivered by R. H. Traquair, M.D., 
F.R.S., in the Lecture Theatre of the South 
Kensington Museum. These are the Swiney 
Lectures on Geology, given under the direction 
of the trustees of the British Museum. 
