37° 



SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



5CIENCE GOSSIR 





AN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY FOE THE MIDLANDS. 

 with Birmingham a? its centre, seems likely to be 

 formed as a branch of the British Astronomical 

 Association. 



As we go to press we observe newspaper reports 

 that a large comet has appeared visible in South 

 Africa and Australia. It is said to be seen shortly 

 before sunrise, and to have a trifurcate tail, reaching 

 over ten degrees. 



It has been found necessary to change the name 

 of the '• Streatham Science Society." which is now 

 entitled the Norwood Natural Science Society. 

 The hon. secretary is Mr. Ben. H. Winslow, of 31 

 South Croxted Boad, West Dulwich, S.E. 



Messes. Sandhurst & Crowhtrst. of 71 

 Shaftesbury Avenue, W-, are making an important 

 feature of the testing of eyesight, and for this 

 purpose have designed and fitted up a special 

 room for this purpose. 



We have received a cotjv of ' ; The Student's 

 Friend." an educational journal published in 

 Bombay, which appears to be the only monthly 

 magazine of this kind issued in India. It contains 

 amongst other interesting matter two illustrated 

 articles on astronomical subjects. 



The vessel which has been built for the German 

 Antarctic Expedition and recently launched at 

 Kiel, has by order of the Emperor been christened 

 ■• Gauss," in memory of the late Brofessor Karl 

 Friedrich Gauss, who did so much to stimulate 

 Antarctic research. 



Mr. T. E. Freshwater, a well-known amateur 

 microscopist and photographer, who has spent the 

 whole of his business life in the service of Newton 

 & Co., scientific instrument makers, at Temple 

 Bar, London, has been offered, and accepted, a 

 partnership in that firm. 



The ' : Bubble School Magazine," now in its 

 seventh volume, has been acquired by Messrs. 

 A. k. C. Black, under whose auspices it will in 

 future be published. The magazine retains its 

 present position as the only publication devoted 

 exclusively to matters concerning the Bublic 

 Schools and those who are, or have been, connected 

 with them. 



Mr. Edward Eichard Henry. C.S.I.. the 

 new Chief of the Criminal Investigation Depart- 

 ment, Scotland Yard, was for many years In- 

 spector-General of Bolice in Bengal. It will be 

 remembered that it was he who introduced into 

 India the Bertillon-Galton anthropometric system for 

 the identification and scientific study of criminals. 



Dr. J. B. Lotsy Wageningen, Holland, has 

 issued a circular to botanists, inviting them to join 

 an International Association of Botanists. He has 

 already secured several of the leaders of the science 

 towards the foundation. A first general meeting 

 will take place at Geneva on the 7th August next, 

 at 10 a.m., in the botanical laboratory of the Uni- 

 versity. 



The great success attending the meetings of the 

 International Association of Academics, held in 

 Paris last month, is largely to be attributed to the 

 friendly reception accorded to each other by the 

 various delegates. 



Dr. E. vox Oppolzer. MM. F. Bossard and 

 Ch. Andre have independently sent the announce- 

 ment that Eros is variable. M. Bossard, of Toulouse, 

 says from 93 to 11-0 magnitude, with a period of 

 2h. 22m. It has been suggested that there are 

 really two tiny planets revolving round each other, 

 having diameters as 3 : 2, the orbital plane passing 

 through the Earth. 



Acetylene burners with incandescence mantles 

 were exhibited in the Baris Exhibition, but these 

 were liable to " strike back " and to smoke. The 

 Carbide and Acetylene Company of Berlin announce 

 that it has overcome these drawbacks, due to the ex- 

 plosive nature of a mixture of acetylene and air. and 

 to the richness of the acetylene in carbon. That 

 firm is now[manufacturing serviceable burners. 



Dr. J. A. Yoelcker, the new Bresident of the 

 Society of Public Analysts, is well known as 

 an authority on agricultural chemistry. Some 

 two or three years ago the University of Oxford 

 conferred upon him the honorary degree of 

 M.A. for his scientific work in this direction. The 

 retiring president is Mr. W. W. Fisher, M.A.. 

 F.I.C., Aldrichian Demonstrator of Chemistry at 

 Oxford. 



The mussel is beginning to be recognised as an 

 equal source of danger with the oyster in dis- 

 seminating epidemics of typhoid fever, and an 

 agitation is on foot to place the beds from which 

 they are obtained under the direction of the sanitary 

 authorities, giving them power to register various 

 beds as wholesome and condemn others. To these 

 molluscs should also be added cockles and peri- 

 winkles, which are equally sources of danger. 



The well-known collector of Lepidoptera, Mr" 

 H. McArthur, is arranging to work for that order 

 of insects during the coming season in either the 

 Outer Hebrides, or Orkneys and Shetlands, as may 

 be desired by the majority of those for whom he 

 will collect. His terms are eight subscriptions of 

 £10 each, and among the subscribers the proceeds 

 of his season's work will be divided. His address is 

 35 Aveil Street, Fulham Palace Boad, London, W. 



The London Geological Field Class have now 

 commenced their Saturday afternoon excursions. 

 Visits have been arranged to places of geological" 

 interest both north and south of London, and 

 students will have an excellent opportunity of 

 investigating the geology and physical geography 

 of the Thames basin. Farticulars may be obtained 

 from Mr. H. B. Bentley, hon. sec, 43 Gloucester 

 Boad, Brownswood Bark, N. 



We hear that Mr. Thomas Southwell, F.Z.S.. 

 M.B.O.U.. is engaged upon the preparation for 

 publication of " Letters and Notes on the Natural 

 History of Norfolk," being from the MSS. of Sir 

 Thomas Browne, M.D. These MSS., which are in 

 the Sloane Collection in the Library of the British 

 Museum, cover observations made during a large 

 proportion of the seventeenth century, and have 

 already been published in Bond's Antiquarian 

 Library ; but Mr. Southwell's edition will be ac- 

 companied by critical notes of value to naturalists. 

 The work will be issued by Jarrold & Sons, of 

 London. 



