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SCIENTIFIC NEAVS. 



[July 1st, 1887. 



exercise; muscle is not alone acting, nerve centres and 

 paths come in for the training. Blood and blood-vessel 

 enjoy the education. Every action is attended by physio- 

 logical nerve discharge and muscular contraction; each 

 careful and neatly performed contraction means a definite 

 co-ordinated nerve discharge. This is accompanied by an 

 equally harmonious chemico-physical change in nerve and 

 muscle. So the whole body benefits, for nerve, muscle, 

 and circulation are actually, and excretion with assimilation 

 indirectly, involved. The influence of habit is of immense 

 importance ; this applies everywhere in physiology and 

 pathology. One disorderly movement is as bad as one 

 orderly movement is good. A neatly and harmoniously 

 performed mental or muscular act is a power for good ; and 

 conversely, clumsiness perpetuates itself.'' 



The Locomotive considered as a Hygrometer. — The 

 correspondent oi a contemporary makes a useful suggestion 

 in connection with the steam given off from a railway loco- 

 motive. He points out that when the steam hovers about 

 in the air as though uncertain whether to disappear or not, 

 the air has nearly reached its point of saturation. If, on the 

 other hand, the steam disappears rapidly, as though swal- 

 lowed up in some way, it may be assumed that the air is 

 dry, and that rain is improbable. His observations have 

 extended over a considerable period of time, and he men- 

 tions that on a hot summer day he has seen a heavy pas- 

 senger train going up an incline at full steam pressure, 

 without any of the exhaust steam being visible. At other 

 times the steam cloud is three or four yards long, sometimes 

 as long as the train itself, and in very damp weather it 

 extends far beyond the tail end of the train. He shows, in 

 fact, that there is a direct relation between the visible length 

 of the steam-cloud and the amount of moisture in the air, 

 and he suggests that so simple and inexpensive a hygrome- 

 ter should be used by farmers who live near railways. 



Technical Education in New South Wales. — We are 

 very glad to see from the report of the Board of Technical 

 Education of New South Wales that technical education in 

 that important colony is not only receiving much attention, 

 but that the actual progress made is most satisfactory. In 

 1878 Parliament voted ^2,000 towards the estabhshment 

 of a technical or working-men's college, in connection with 

 the Sydney School of Arts, and during the next five years 

 many students attended the classes opened for them. In 

 1883 the Government decided to establish a State system of 

 technical education, and the above-named Board were ap- 

 pointed to give effect to the scheme. The course of instruc- 

 tion followed is similar to that adopted by the City and 

 Guilds of London Institute, with the outlines of which our 

 readers are already familiar. There are now fifty classes in 

 active operation, and more still will doubtless be estabhshed, 

 as endeavours are made to found a new class whenever 

 there are twelve applicants for it, who are ready to pay the 

 necessary fees. During the past year there were as many 

 as 2,364 students. 



Some of the work done by the students in the art sections 

 has been sent to the Science and Art Department in London, 

 for classification at the annual examination recently held, and 

 we are pleased to know that prizes and certificates have 

 been awarded to several of the Colonial competitors. It is 

 also satisfactory to know that arrangements have been made 

 with the City and Guilds of London Institute for the exten- 

 sion to New South Wales of their system of technological 

 examinations. In this way Colonial students will undergo 

 precisely the same examinations as the students in London, 

 and all will be examined and classified by the examiners in 

 London. One great benefit of this will be that all prizes 

 and certificates will be awarded on a uniform basis ; and it 

 is also pleasant to think that this wholesome striving for 

 awards of equal value in the two countries will be another 

 bond of union between them. On principle we are not 

 enamoured of State-managed departments, and prefer the 

 independent action and adaptability of individual members 

 of a community. At the same time, it is far better for the 

 State to come forward with its material aid and active co- 

 operation, rather than let time be wasted in seeking doubt- 

 ful support from individuals. We therefore congratulate 

 our colonial cousins on the steps which have been taken, 

 and on the rapid and substantial progress which has been 

 made in this very important movement. 



Life on the Ocean Wave. — The Biological Society recently 

 gave a successful soiree at University College, Gower Street. 

 In the Zoological Museum there was a really fine exhibition of 

 preparations by Dr. Penrose of typical bacteria, and besides 

 these there were many other objects of biological interest. 

 The chief attraction, however, was Professor Moseley's lecture 

 on " Life on the Ocean Surface." There was a fine display 

 of excellent coloured diagrams, and although it was not 

 possible on such an occasion for the lecturer to make more 

 than superficial references to the many varieties of pelagic 

 animals illustrated, no one present could have failed to be 

 impressed with the structural beauty, and fitness for their 

 special modes of life, of some of the specimens. In order 

 to escape their enemies, some of these varieties are almost 

 entirely transparent, and have the same blue tint as the 

 sea water. On the other hand, one variety of fish carries 

 above its head a little tail with a bunch of processes, which 

 are phosphorescent. This head-light acts as a lure to the 

 animals on which the fish preys, and as soon as they are 

 within reach of his capacious mouth their doom is sealed. 



In his opening remarks, Professor Moseley mentioned that 

 the term pelagic fauna is given to those animals who live on, 

 or near the surface of the ocean. A few of them like to bask 

 in the sunlight, and remain on the surface during the day ; 

 but most of them go lower down during the day, and only 

 return to the surface at night. It is, however, supposed that 

 they never go lower than twenty-five fathoms (150 feet), as 

 sunlight does not penetrate to a greater depth. Not that 

 light is essential to all the animals, as some of them have not 

 even the means of seeing, but it is necessary for the growth 



