SCIENCE- G OS SIP. 



CONTRIBUTED BY THE REV. J. M. COBBETT, 

 B.A. OXON. 



We greatly regret that in consequence of the 

 serious illness of Mr. Carrington, and also of Miss 

 F. Winstone, the Editors, this number of Science- 

 Gossip has been delayed in publication. 



We are pleased to announce that Dr. H. C. 

 Lang is recovering from his indisposition in the 

 genial climate of Andalusia. It is expected that 

 his articles on Palaearctic Butterflies will be con- 

 tinued in the June number. 



SiGNOR Marconi seems to have silenced his critics 

 by his recent performances in transmitting coherent 

 messages over a distance of some 1,500 miles. 



The well-known aeronaut Mr. Bacon is pro- 

 posing to cross Arabia, photographing and mapping 

 en route. A similar scheme was brought forward 

 recently by Major Baden-Powell with regard to 

 the Soudan. Those interested in balloon research, 

 may like to hear that it is proposed that the 

 Aeronautical Society of Great Britain shall this 

 summer arrange a high ascent in England for the 

 purpose of making some definite observations in 

 the atmosphere which are of paramount importance • 

 to aerial navigation. 



On March 11th Professor G. B. Poulton, F.R.S., 

 Hope Professor of Zoology in the University of 

 Oxford, delivered the first of a course of two 

 lectures at the Royal Institution on "Eecent 

 Researches on Protective Resemblance, Warning- 

 Colours, and Mimicry in Insects." Professor 

 Silvanus F. Thompson delivered the Friday even- 

 ing discourse on March 14th, his subject being 

 " Magnetions in Transitu." The succeeding dis- 

 course the following week was given by Geheimrath 

 Professor Otto N. Witt, of Berlin, on " Recent 

 Developments in Colouring Matters." The dis- 

 course was given in English. 



The last month has seen several new arrivals at 

 the Zoological Gardens. Among the most inter- 

 esting is a young female snow-leopard, a graphic 

 account of whose capture was given recently in 

 the " Field" newspaper. It has been placed in the 

 house occupied until recently by the lynx, whose 

 death leaves the Gardens without a representative 

 of its species. Another very striking animal is the 

 panda (Ailurus fulgens), which has found a place 

 in the Small Cat House. It differs materially from 

 the .specimen in the Natural History Museum, 

 being much smaller and more cat-like. The wild 

 horses which, as we noted in these columns, Mr. 

 Hagenback secured some time ago are now on view 

 in the Giraffes' Yard. At the present time the 

 Society is especially rich in lions, and has, in fact, 

 almost more than are required. On the other hand, 

 the cheetah, the only example of its kind in the 

 Gardens, and a great favourite, seems likely to 

 die. It is to be hoped that some exchanges may 

 be effected. The litter of Red River hogs,"born in 

 the Gardens, is very flourishing. 



Harvard College Observatory has been for 

 twenty-five years under the able directorship of 

 Professor E. C. Pickering, and its staff' have marked 

 their appreciation of his labours by presenting him 

 with a silver cup. 



By the death, at the age of sixty-five, of Hofrath 

 Professor Moriz Kaposi dermatological science in 

 general and the University of Vienna in particular 

 have sustained a great loss. Since the death, in 

 1880, of his colleague and father-in-law. Professor 

 Hebra, Dr. Kaposi had been considered the leading 

 exponent of this branch of pathology. 



It is announced that, through the Aero Club, 

 Mr. C. A. Pearson has offered M. Santos-Dumont a 

 prize of £4,000 to make a flight in his airship from 

 London to Birmingham. The offer was made at 

 first directly to the aeronaut ; but in coiupliance 

 with M. Dumont's special wish Mr. Pearson then 

 offered the prize to the Aiiro Club, to be competed 

 for openly, as in the case of the Deutsch Prize, 

 which was of the same amount. The flight will 

 not be subject to the same conditions, and there 

 will be no time limit. This is the longest flight 

 M. Santos-Dumont has yet attempted, the distance 

 being about a hundred miles. The Aero Club have 

 undertaken to find M. Santos-Dumont a suitable 

 building in which to store his belongings. 



The Late Richard Schumacher was born 

 January 19th, 1827, at Altona. His father was 

 Professor H. C. Schumacher, founder and for 

 thirty years the editor of the " Astronomische 

 Nachrichten." He at first acted as assistant to 

 his father at the Altona Observatory, and also took 

 part in the measurement of the Danish degree. 

 In 1859 he became assistant to the late Professor 

 Moesta at the Observatory at Santiago, Chili, help- 

 ing in geodetical operations. Owing to the state 

 of his health he returned to EuroiDe in 1869, and 

 in 1873 was again appointed assistant at the Altona 

 Observatory, which was shortly afterwards removed 

 to Kiel. Here he had the principal charge of the 

 . transit circle until the time of his death on Feb- 

 ruary 24th. From time to time numerous papers 

 from his pen have appeared in the " Astronomische 

 Nachrichten." 



Mr. R. W. H anbury, M.P., President of the 

 Board of Agriculture, has appointed a departmental 

 Committee to inquire into and report as to the 

 present position and future prospects of forestry 

 and the planting and management of woodlands 

 in Great Britain. It is further to consider whether 

 any measures might with advantage be taken, 

 either by the provision of increased educational 

 facilities or otherwise, for their promotion and 

 encouragement. The Committee consists of the 

 following gentlemen — namely, Mr. R. C. Munro- 

 Ferguson, M.P., Chairman ; Sir John F. L. Rolles- 

 ton,'^M.P., Mr. F. Stafford Howard, C.B., a Com- 

 missioner of His Majesty's Woods, Forests, and 

 Land Revenues ; Professor W. Schlich, C.I.E., 

 Ph.D., Professor of Forestry, Royal Indian Engineer- 

 ing College, Coopers Hill ; Colonel F. Bailey, R.E., 

 Lecturer on Forestry, Edinburgh University ; Pro- 

 fessor J. R. Campbell, B.Sc, an Assistant-Secretary 

 to the Department of Agriculture and other In- 

 dustries and Technical Instruction for Ireland ; 

 Mr. J. H. Lewis, M.P., Mr. G. Marshall, and Dr. W. 

 Somerville, an Assistant-Secretar}' to the Board of 

 Agriculture. Mr. Reginald Hooker, of the Board 

 of Agriculture, is the Secretary to the Committee. 



