March 12, 1897.] 



SCIENCE. 



44c 



Exhibition Building, Sydney, N. S. W., and 

 will continue during the months of July and 

 August. It is intended to embrace engineering 

 in all its branches, and the exhibits will consist 

 of raw material, manufactured articles, ma- 

 chinery and models (in motion and otherwise), 

 drawings and photographs of all kinds relative 

 to scientific, mechanical and educational works, 

 in classified sections. The object of the exhibi- 

 tion is solely for the advancement of engineer- 

 ing science and the promotion of a general and 

 practical education therein. 



It is stated in the daily papers that what ap- 

 pears to be a volcano has burst forth in the 

 Great Salt Lake, a short distance southwest of 

 Promontory Station on the Central Pacific Rail- 

 way. The phenomenon first appeared recently 

 in the form of a small cloud hovering over the 

 water about a mile and a quarter from the 

 shore. It gradually increased in dimensions 

 and shotup so high in the air that it is now 

 visible for a great distance, and the water in 

 the immediate vicinity boils and seethes and 

 the spray is thrown up in the air for hundreds 

 of feet. 



At a recent meeting of the executive com- 

 mittee of the National Trust for Places of His- 

 toric Interest or Natural Beauty, Sir Eobert 

 Hunter in the chair, it was determined to take 

 steps to initiate a regional survey of the country, 

 and, by means of local correspondents, initiate 

 the compilation of a catalogue of buildings, ob- 

 jects and places of historic and archaeological 

 interest, with a view to their proper protection 

 and preservation. A report by the Treasurer 

 showed that the work of repairing and making 

 sound the old clergy-house at Alfriston (which 

 has recently been acquired by the Trust) had 

 had to be suspended on account of lack of funds, 

 a sum of £200 being still needed. It was an- 

 nounced that the transfer of Barras Head, oppo- 

 site Tintagel Castle (which has recently been 

 acquired by the Trust) was complete. The com- 

 mittee were unanimous in agreeing to resist the 

 Hastings Habour District Railway Bill on the 

 ground of its serious interference with features 

 of natural beauty in the district. 



It is stated in Nature the government of the 

 Colony of the Cape of Good Hope has under- 



taken an investigation of the marine fauna of 

 of the South African coast. A small marine 

 station will probably be erected on False Bay, 

 and a suitable steam vessel of about 150 tons is 

 now being built for the station. The services of 

 specialists are invited to work up the material 

 that may be procured, under the following ar- 

 rangements: Specimens will be forwarded as 

 procured, and, on receipt of manuscript and 

 drawings each piece of work will be published 

 without delay in a uniform style, so as to form 

 ultimately a complete record of the Cape marine 

 fauna. Author's copies will be forwarded as soon 

 as published, and a certain circulation will be 

 guaranteed. No money remuneration is ofiered, 

 but duplicate specimens may be retained by the 

 authors. Unique specimens will be handed 

 over to the South African Museum in Cape 

 Town. , Further information will be supplied 

 on application to J. D. F. Gilchrist, Marine 

 Biologist to Cape Government Agricultural De- 

 partment, Cape Town. 



We have already noticed the return of Mr. 

 J. E. S. Moore from his scientific expedition to 

 Tanganyika. In conversation with a represent- 

 ative of Renter's Agency Mr. Moore said that 

 he left England in September, 1895, and pro- 

 ceeded to Chindi, thence going by a British gun- 

 boat to the north of Lake Nyasa. At Karon- 

 gas he got together his caravan consisting of 

 about 50 men, some of whom were armed with 

 rifles. There was, however, no likelihood of 

 difficulty with the natives. He then marched 

 along the Stevenson Road to the south end of 

 Tanganyika, where the Chartered Company 

 placed at his disposal a steel boat. He com- 

 menced his researches in the beginning of April, 

 1896, and concluded in September. He found 

 the fauna of Tanganyika to be unique — unlike 

 anything else anywhere — and as limited as pe- 

 culiar. The jellyfish and shrimps were cer- 

 tainly of a marine type while the geology of the 

 district precluded the possibility of any con- 

 nection with the sea in recent times. The water 

 of this lake, which Livingstone found to be 

 brackish, was now quite drinkable. All this 

 seemed to prove that the Tanganyika part of 

 the great rift valley running through that part 

 of Africa at one time had access to the sea, 

 while it was perfectly clear that Lake Nyasa, 



