876 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 127. 



sodium (transparent) existing in the alloys 

 which otherwise appear to be homogeneous. 

 Interesting results of the application of pho- 

 tography were shown in a somewhat similar 

 line of research by Professor Roberts-Austen, 

 who, by means of a microscope and camera 

 and a highly magnifying apparatus, demon- 

 strated the existence of minute diamonds 

 (carbon crystals) in steel. A series of pho- 

 tographs was shown by Professor Norman 

 Lockyer, the diagrams affording testimony 

 of the value of the spectroscope and pho- 

 tography in enabling a simple classification of 

 the stars to be made based upon their ascer- 

 tained chemical composition. Photographs of 

 the moon were exhibited by the Astronomer 

 Royal. M. Guillaume performed an experi- 

 ment showing J;he practically non-dilatable 

 character of nickel steel on heating ; its appli- 

 cation to pendulums is thus suggested. The 

 diffraction kaleidoscope exhibited by Mr. C. P. 

 Butler used the pure spectrum of white light, 

 the colors being reflected at a great number of 

 angles. The Marine Biological Association's 

 exhibit included marine animals illustrating 

 'commensalism,' a term used to indicate the 

 constant association of animals with one an- 

 other often for mutual advantages. Professor 

 Oliver Lodge gave a demonstration of Zeeman's 

 discovery of the broadening of spectrum lines 

 by the action of a magnetic field on the source 

 of light. A sodium flame was placed between 

 the terminals of a powerful magnet. On turning 

 on the current the normal bands become double, 

 triple, or even quadruple. Some excellently 

 mounted preparations shown by Dr. Kanthack 

 illustrated the mode of action of the Tsetse fly. 

 Mr. E. Edser and Mr. H. Stansfield exhib- 

 ited apparatus showing the phase change of 

 light reflected at a glass-silver surface. The 

 apparatus is a modification of Michelson's 

 differential refractometer, the interfering rays 

 being reflected at the back surfaces of the end 

 mirrors. Mr. C. T. Heycock and Mr. F. H. 

 Neville showed some experiments on the super- 

 ficial color changes of a silver-zinc alloy. In 

 the meeting room Professor W. E. Ayrton 

 gave an experimental demonstration of some 

 electric and mechanical analogues, and Pro- 

 fessor J. B. Farmer showed lantern slides 



from microphotographs illustrating nuclear 

 divisions in animal and vegetable cells. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 



The United States Supreme Court has dis- 

 missed the appeal in the Merritt suit, and the 

 bequests left by Mrs. Catherine M. Garcelon in 

 1891 will now be paid. Bowdoin College, 

 Brunswick, Me., will receive $400,000 and a 

 hospital will be established at Oakland, Cal., at 

 a cost of $600,000. 



An attempt is being made to break the will 

 of the late William Lampson, who bequeathed 

 nearly a million dollars to Yale University. It 

 is to be hoped that the aged aunt and forty-two 

 cousins of Mr. Lampson may be no more suc- 

 cessful than were the contestants of the will of 

 Mrs. Garcelon ! It seems unfortunate that it 

 is possible for distant relatives to delay and often 

 even to annul public bequests, and that Ameri- 

 can courts should be so much more disposed 

 than those of European countries to admit ob- 

 jections to the validity of wills. 



The Teachers' College of New York receives 

 $10,000 by the will of the late Mrs. Julia 

 Augusta Kemp, and is also made her residuary 

 legatee. It is now announced that Mr. Joseph 

 Milbank was the donor who, in March, 1896, 

 gave $250,000 for enlarging the Teachers' Col- 

 lege. The new building, now nearly completed, 

 will be called Milbank Memorial Hall. 



The Building Committee of the University of 

 Montana, at Missoula, has decided to erect a 

 main building at a cost of $47,500 and a science 

 hall at a cost of $12,500. 



Applications for the Savilian professorship 

 of geometry at Oxford University, vacant by the 

 death of Professor Sylvester, must be received 

 not later than June 12th. The salary is about 

 $4,500 and the duties are confined to the deliv- 

 ery of forty-two lectures. 



Dr. E. G. Janeway, President of the New 

 York Academy of Medicine, has been elected 

 professor of medicine, and Dr. S. F. Dennis, 

 professor of surgery in the faculty of the New 

 York University Bellevue Hospital Medical 

 College. 



