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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



*m&i 



SCIENCE GOSSIP 



M. Albert Gaddry has been appointed joint 

 Director of the Natural History Museum in Paris. 

 The museum has lately received some interesting 

 specimens from the region of the Niger, presented 

 by Lieutenant Hourst. 



We have received from Dulau and Co., 37, Soho 

 Square, London, their catalogue of zoological 

 works in the classes Crustacea, Arachnida, 

 Parasita and Myriapoda. Readers interested in 

 these subjects will find this catalogue useful. 



Longmans and Co. are publishing a volume by 

 Dr. Henry J. Curtis, on the " Essentials of 

 Practical Bacteriology," with illustrations. It will 

 be useful to many who take an interest in bacteria 

 and the work accomplished by these important 

 living atoms in nature. 



Two eminent fathers of philosophy are to have 

 their portraits taken in oils — Lord Kelvin for the 

 portrait gallery of the Royal Society, and Herbert 

 Spencer for the National Portrait Gallery. The 

 latter is by Professor Herkomer, whose beautiful 

 etchings of Darwin and Tennyson are so well 

 known. 



Professor Rapheal Blanchakd, Professor of 

 the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, is engaged on 

 editing and publishing a new serial, under the title of 

 J ' Archives de Parasitologic," which is to be devoted 

 to the study of living agents which provoke 

 maladies in men and other animals. It will 

 contain original and general articles upon these 

 subjects. This important publication may be 

 obtained from the Administrator, 15, Rue de 

 l'Ecole de Medicine de Paris, the annual sub- 

 scription being thirty-two francs. 



South London is about to have another public 

 museum. Mr. Frederick J. Horniman, M.P., has 

 purchased a site of about fifteen acres of land 

 between Lordship Lane and Forest Hill railway 

 stations. On this, he will erect a suitable 

 building, where, when finished, will be transferred 

 Mr. Horniman's collections that have already 

 been exhibited from time to time to the public at 

 Forest Hill. On the ground is a large villa, which 

 is to be fitted as a free library and club house, 

 where the donor proposes to invite local scientific 

 clubs to hold their meetings free of rental. The 

 unoccupied ground is to serve as a park. 



A remarkable meteor is reported by Mr. Steer, 

 second officer of the P. and O. steamer " Peninsu- 

 lar," on February 8th. The time is given as 

 2.52 a.m., mean time, and the place of observation 

 as east longtitude 4s :S', and north latitude 

 13° 22'. The object is described as a dull red ball, 

 about one-eighth the size of the sun, falling slowly, 

 but without a trail. When at an altitude of about 

 3° it burst with extraordinary brilliancy, throwing 

 out what seemed to be flames in all directions, 

 lighting up the whole southern horizon. The 

 object was said to be bearing south half west. 

 Mr. Steer says it did not appear like a falling star, 

 and he has never previously seen anything like it. 



Attention has latterly been drawn to the 

 association of science and the Society of Friends. 

 It is remarkable that the members of that society 

 have produced more eminent men of science than 

 any other body of equal numbers. 



The United States Geological Survey has 

 issued, free of charge, a map of Alaska, accom- 

 panied by forty-four pages of descriptive text, 

 explaining the geography, geology and gold deposits 

 of the territory. 



Professor W. A. Rogers, Assistant Professor 

 of Astronomy at Harvard University from 1S75 to 

 3886, died on March 1st, at the age of sixty-one 

 years. He was a Past-President of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science. 



The Government has included in its Bill for 

 appropriation of money for public buildings, the 

 large sum of ^800,000 for the completion of the 

 South Kensington Science and Art Museums. This 

 work has been already too long delayed, so it is 

 satisfactory to think it will be soon commenced. 



A weeping-willow (Salix babylonica) is now 

 being specially grown by some of the Indian forest 

 officers, on account of the demand for its wood for 

 cricket bats. Hitherto the supply of this wood 

 has been limited, and latterly eagerly sought for 

 making bats. 



Visitors to Paris from June 13th to July 3rd 

 will have an opportunity of seeing how far behind 

 is England with regard to motor-cars. During 

 that period the French Automobile Club will hold 

 an exhibition of all relating to mechanical traction 

 for road vehicles. 



A Universal and International Exhibition will 

 be opened at Dijon on June 1st, 189S. The exhibi- 

 tion will remain open until October 31st. There 

 will be fourteen sections, including Fine Arts, 

 Hygiene, Salvage, Science, Social Economy, Heat- 

 ing and Ventilation, Electric Traction, Education 

 and Work of Women, Commerce, etc. 



Mr. P. M. C. Kermond, Hon. Sec. of the Isle of 

 Man Natural History Society, gives, in the 

 " Geological Magazine " for March, an entertaining 

 account of the discovery of nearly perfect remains 

 of an Irish elk in the Isle of Man. It is a large 

 adult specimen, standing about six feet tall at the 

 shoulder. 



The specific weight of hens' eggs has been used 

 to prove their fresh condition. ' This may be 

 accomplished by making a solution of 4-23 ozs. 

 (= 120 grammes) of common salt to 1 76 imperial 

 pint of water (= one litre). If the eggs sink in this 

 they are quite fresh, but if they float therein they 

 are stale according to the degree of flotation. 

 Some recent experiments in the preservation of 

 eggs have shown, after being kept eight months, 

 the following percentage results. Eggs kept in 

 salt water, all uneatable ; in a wrapper of paper, 

 So bad ; in glycerine solution of salicylic acid, 

 So bad ; rubbed with salt, 70 bad ; covered with 

 paraffin, 70 bad ; varnished with glycerine and 

 salicylic acid, 70 bad ; plunged in boiling water 

 for twelve to fifteen seconds. 50 bad ; in a solution 

 of alum, 50 bad ; solution of salicylic acid, 50 bad ; 

 varnished with waterglass, 40 bad ; varnished with 

 collodion, 40 bad ; covered with lac, 40 bad ; 

 preserved in wood ashes, 20 bad ; in mixture of 

 boric acid and waterglass, 20 bad ; potassium 

 manganate, 20 bad ; varnished with vaseline, all 

 good ; in limewater, all good ; in a solution of 

 waterglass, all good. 



