38 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 418. 



acteristic vegetation to water, light, tempera- 

 ture and other special factors. A resident in- 

 vestigator to be placed in immediate charge of 

 the laboratory will begin a series of researches 

 upon certain more important problems out- 

 lined by the board, and facilities will be pro- 

 vided by the aid of which a few other investi- 

 gators from any part of the world may carry 

 on work upon any problem connected with 

 desert plants. A discussion of the scope and 

 purposes of the laboratory was arranged to 

 be given before Section G at the Washington 

 meeting of the American Association. 



The Convocation of Oxford University has 

 authorized a grant of £100 from the Craven 

 Fund to Mr. David G. Hogarth, M.A., fellow 

 of Magdalen, in aid of researches and explora- 

 tion at JSTaucratis. 



The Thomson Foundation Gold Medal of 

 the Eoyal Geographical Society of Austra- 

 lasia, Queensland, will be awarded to the 

 author of the best original paper (provided it 

 be of sufficient merit) on each of the following 

 subjects, the papers to be sent in by the date 

 named: (1) The commercial development, ex- 

 pansion, and potentialities of Australia; or, 

 briefly put, the commerce of Australia (July 

 1, 1903) ; (2) the pastoral industry of Aus- 

 tralia, past, present, and probable future (July 

 1, 1904) ; (3) the geographical distribution of 

 Australian minerals (July 1, 1905) ; (4) the 

 agricultural industry of Australia (July 1, 

 1906). 



We learn from the Botanical Gazette that 

 Pearson's collections of Hepaticae have been 

 secured by the National Herbarium at the 

 British Museum. It contains about 9,000 

 specimens, among which are many types and 

 the material used in preparing several well- 

 known papers. 



A CIVIL service examination will be held 

 on January 27 for the position of assistant 

 biologist in the Department of Agriculture, 

 at a salary of $1,200. The subjects and 

 weights are as follows: 



Geographic distribution of animals 20 



Mammals 20 



Birds 15 



Geography of North America 10 



Taxidermy 10 



Field experience in biological investigation. ... 15 

 General education and training 10 



On the same day there will be held an ex- 

 amination for the position of botanical clerk 

 in the National Museum at a salary of $600. 

 The scientific part of the examination is on 

 systematic botany. On January 29 and 30 

 there will be held an examination to secure 

 an eligible list of physicians in the United 

 States and Philippine services. The scope 

 of the examination is as follows: 

 Thesis (500 words to be written on one of two 



topics given) 4 



Correction of rough-draft manuscript (250 



words ) 3 



Mathematics (arithmetic, algebra, including 



quadratics, and plane geometry) 3 



History and civil government of the United 



States 3 



General history and geography 2 



Colonial government and administration (gen- 

 eral questions) 2 



Political economy (general principles) 1 



Education and experience 2 



Optional examinations may at the same time 

 be taken in most of the sciences. Candidates 

 are particularly desired for positions in chem- 

 istry, engineering and agriculture in the Phil- 

 ippine service at salaries from $1,200 to 

 $1,400. 



Eeutee's Agency is informed that the sug- 

 gestion that the British Association should 

 hold its annual meeting for 1905 in South 

 Africa emanated from the new South African 

 Association of Science, of which Sir D. Gill, 

 Astronomer Royal for the Cape, is president. 

 Before the last meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation at Belfast invitations were sent from 

 the municipalities of Cape Town, Kimberley, 

 Bulawayo and other centers in South Africa, 

 and it is understood that these have been ac- 

 cepted, and that the session of 1905 will be 

 held in South Africa. Scientific papers wiU 

 be read at various centers in the South Afri- 

 can colonies, and visits will be paid to nu- 

 merous places of interest. A sum of £Y,000 

 has been collected in South Africa for the 

 entertainment of the Association. While in 

 Rhodesia the visitors will be the guests of 



