July 19, 1901.] 



SCIENCE, 



119 



August 20 for the position of chief taxidermist 

 in the U. S. National Museum at a salary of 

 $125 a month. The subjects and weights are : 



Practical questions 25 



Practical tests 50 



Experience 25 



The practical tests will comprise the submis- 

 sion of photographs or other illustrations of 

 large animals or groups of animals which have 

 been prepared by the competitor. Applicants 

 should submit as complete and perfect repre- 

 sentations of their work as they can secure. 

 Applicants will be required to make sworn 

 statements that the photographs or other illus- 

 trations submitted by them are taken from 

 work which they executed. The position to be 

 filled is an unusually responsible one and in- 

 volves on the part of the appointee a rare com- 

 bination of qualifications. He should not only 

 have mechanical ability to execute first-class 

 taxidermic work, but should possess the qualifi- 

 cations of an artist and some knowledge of the 

 life history of animals. Applicants should have 

 considerable experience in the preparation of 

 large mammals, animals of the size of the 

 grizzly bear or larger. 



The University of California has established 

 a marine laboratory at San Pedro, as part of 

 its proposed biological survey of the waters 

 along the California coast. 



The new pathological institute of the Lon- 

 don Hospital was opened by Sir Henry Roscoe, 

 F.R.S., vice-chancellor of the University of 

 London, July 10. 



Mr. John Lewis Childs, of New York, has 

 purchased a large collection of birds' eggs and 

 nests made by Mr. H. C. Parker, of Ridley 

 Park. The collection is said to be very com- 

 plete, including a specimen of the great auk's 

 egg and other rare sorts, 



Mr. Abraham E. Smith, consul at Victoria, 

 writes to the Department of State that a sur- 

 veying party has located the landing site of the 

 British Pacific telegraph cable (which is to con- 

 nect the Dominion of Canada with the Austra- 

 lian Confederation) on Kelp Bay, near Banfield 

 Creek, 7 miles from the entrance to Barclay 

 Sound, and something over 100 miles from 



Victoria. The location is described as admira- 

 bly adapted for the purpose — a good harbor, 12 

 fathoms of water close to the shore, so that 

 vessels of 10,000 tons can find safe anchorage. 

 The harbor is landlocked, and has a bottom of 

 ooze that it Is said will furnish good protec- 

 tion for the wire. Work has already begun 

 in England on the cable. It is to be 5,834.5 

 miles in length, the longest yet constructed, 

 and will be transported and laid in one 

 ship, which is now being specially built for 

 the purpose. The cable will run from Van- 

 couver Island to Fanning Island, a distance of 

 3,337 miles, before a landing is effected ; thence 

 to the Fiji Islands thence to Norfolk Island, 

 and thence to Queensland. The first instal- 

 ment of cable, including the sections from 

 Queensland to Norfolk, Fiji and Fanning Is- 

 lands, is expected to leave England in January, 

 1902. The second and longest portion is to 

 leave in August, 1902, come direct to Vancou- 

 ver Island, and be laid from Barclay Sound to 

 Fanning Island. According to the contract, 

 the whole cable is to be laid and working 

 by January 1, 1903. Unforeseen disaster ex- 

 cepted, those engaged in the work believe this 

 great enterprise, which will cost $10,000,000, 

 will be completed at the date promised. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 



General A. C. Barnes, of Brooklyn, has 

 undertaken to build and equip an astronomical 

 observatory for Cornell University. 



The will of the late Signor Villeneuve of 

 Montreal, leaves $25,000 to Laval University, 



The sum of about £100,000 has been sub- 

 scribed toward converting University College, 

 Liverpool, into Liverpool University. 



Mr. Chamberlain has asked the city of 

 Birmingham for a contribution towards the 

 maintenance of the new engineering buildings 

 of the University. It appears that Nottingham 

 contributes £7,380 a year to Nottingham Col- 

 lege, that Sheffield gives nearly £6,000 a year 

 to Firth College, that Leeds gives £1,500 a year 

 to the Yorkshire College, that Manchester gives 

 £1,100 a year, and that Liverpool gives £1,800 

 a year to University College, and has in addi- 

 tion given land worth £30,000. 



