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SCIEXCE- G OS SIP. 



Professor G. H. Bryan. F.R.S.. has been 

 awarded a gold medal for his paper, read last year 

 before the Institution of Naval Architects, upon 

 " Bilge Keels." 



The extensive museum of curiosities and natural 

 science exhibits, with the building containing them 

 and surrounding ground, near Forest Hill, in the 

 southern suburbs of London, formed by Mr. 

 Frederick John Horniman, II. P., has been pre- 

 sented by him to the London County Council, with 

 other property as an endowment. 



Ox January 21st there died Elisha Gray, the 

 eminent American electrician, who succumbed to 

 heart disease. He was inventor of the telephone, 

 electro-harmonic telegraphy and telautography. 

 also lately renowned for researches on submarine 

 signalling by sound. Elisha Gray was a self- 

 educated man. and originally a working engineer. 



At a meeting of the Royal Meteorological 

 Society, held on February 20th, Mr. E. Mawley 

 presented his report on the phenological observa- 

 tions for 1900. During the greater part of the 

 winter and spring the weather proved cold and 

 sunless, but in the summer and antumn the 

 temperature was as a rule high, and there was an 

 unusually good record of bright sunshine. As 

 affecting vegetation, the two most noteworthy fea- 

 tures of the phenological year ending November 

 1900 were the cold, dry, and gloomy character of 

 the spring months and the great heat and drought 

 in July. Throughout the whole of the flowering 

 season wild plants came into blossom much behind 

 theh average dates ; indeed, later than in any 

 year since 1891. Spring migrants, such as swallows, 

 cuckoos, and nightingales, were also later than 

 usual in visiting these shores. 



The Fifth International Congress of Zoo- 

 logy will be held in Berlin in August of this 

 year, the opening meeting being on the 12th of 

 that month. Professor Dr. K. Mobius will be 

 President, and Professor Dr. F. E. Schulze repre- 

 sentative of the President. The following are the 

 names of some of those who have undertaken to 

 <nve addresses at the general meetings : — Professor 

 Dr. W. Branco, of Berlin ; Professor Dr. O. Butschli, 

 of Heidelberg : and Professor Dr. A. Forel. of 

 Morges : Professor Dr. Yves Delage, of Paris, who 

 will read a paper on " The Theories of Fertilisa- 

 tion "' ; Professor Dr. G. B. Grassi will contribute 

 one on " The Malaria Problem from the Zoological 

 Standpoint " ; and Professor Dr. E. Poulton, of 

 Oxford, on " Observations in Mimicry and Natural 

 Selection." Those interested in zoology may be- 

 come members of the Congress by paying twenty 

 l.^arks, or one pound sterling, which will also in- 

 clude a report of the Session. Ladies visiting in the 

 company of a member may become Associates on the 

 payment of ten marks, which will entitle them to 

 attend all the meetings and receptions. Applications 

 for tickets should be addressed to Praesidium des Y. 

 International Zoologen-Congresses, 43 Invaliden- 

 strasse, Berlin N. 4. The programme as at present 

 arranged includes visits to many places of interest 

 in Berlin and elsewhere, among others to the 

 Zoological Museums and Institute, the Geological- 

 Palaeontological Mining and Metallurgy, Patho- 

 logical, Botanical and Ethnographical Museums, 

 the two Anatomical Institutes, the Botanical and 

 Zoological Gardens, and the Treptow Observatory. 

 Excursions will also be made to Potsdam, Ham- 

 burg. Heligoland etc. 



The astronomical observatory of Seeberg, near 

 Gotha. was destroyed by fire on February 19th. 

 This institution was known for the work done 

 there by the astronomers Encke, Zach, and Lin- 

 denau. 



The study of the rotifera appears to be ex- 

 tending. We notice that Mr. Abraham Flatter-. 

 of Longsight, Manchester, is issuing, by request of 

 students of the group, a series of photographs 

 of species that have been described since the 

 publication of the great work by Hudson and Gos> 

 on these interesting animals. The price appears 

 to be exceedingly low. 



Aboet twenty leading Australian ornithologists 

 dined in Melbourne a short time ago under the appro- 

 priate chairmanship of Dr. Charles Ryan, " Consml 

 for Turkey." After disposing of the main business 

 of the evening, which was an appreciation of Mr. 

 D. le Souef, assistant director of the Zoological 

 Gardens of that city, it was proposed to form an 

 Australian Union of Ornithologists, with the hope 

 of possessing its own organ, to be entitled " The 

 Emu." A committee was formed for carrying out 

 the proposal. 



For some time past mo-t sensational paragraphs 

 have appeared in American and some European 

 newspapers with regard to the effect of the use in 

 large quantities of common salt by human beings 

 for the sake of health and longevity. These theories 

 were attributed to some extent to Professor Jaques 

 Lobb, of Chicago University Laboratories. It is 

 needless to say he has denied the story, which was 

 hardly necessary ; for, as he himself says, no one 

 there takes any notice of '• science " in American 

 newspapers. We fear, in some instances, the same 

 may be said of some of those in this country. 



We have received intimation that a proposed 

 scientific expedition will leave Boston, U.S.A., on 

 June 26th and return in September. It is under 

 the auspices of the Harvard U/niversity, but par- 

 takes of a public character, as any person with 

 slight scientific knowledge may join on payment of 

 $500 ; half on application before March 15th, and 

 the rest by June 1st next. The steamer will visit 

 Labrador, Greenland, and Iceland, and opportunity 

 will occur for about three weeks' hunting on shore 

 in Labrador and Greenland. Explanatory lectures 

 will be given by the leader of the expedition. 

 Applications for membership are to be made to 

 Mr. R. A. Daly, Department of Geology, Harvard 

 University, U.S.A. 



We may mention that we have received a 

 copy of the 4i British Weather Chart, 1901," by 

 B. G. Jenkins, F.R.A.S., being the fifteenth year of 

 publication. By this chart we are to understand 

 approximately the kind of weather to be expected 

 during the coming twelve months. The author 

 claims that his forecasts are based on some 

 " important features resulting from a lengthy 

 investigation as to the variation of actual baro- 

 metric and thermometric readings from those 

 predicted by calculation." Also, that " as the 

 weight of evidence appears to indicate that the 

 barometric movements of the atmosphere are, as a 

 rule, about four days later than the corresponding 

 thermometric." Mr. Jenkins' forecasts have been 

 revised accordingly. We would suggest that, as 

 the chart only costs G^d., post free, our readers 

 interested in meteorology should obtain a copy and 

 study it for themselves. It may be had from 

 R. Morgan. 65 Westow Street, Upper Norwood, S.E. 



