188 



SCIENCE, 



[Vol. IV., No. 82. 



possible to the permanent secretary, Prof. F. W. 

 Putnam, Hotel Lafayette. Space has been provided 

 for models and apparatus, and attention is directed 

 to the reduced rates of transportation to and from 

 Philadelphia. 



— From the report of Lieut. W. P. Pay, U.S.N"., in 

 charge of branch hydrographic office, New Orleans, 

 La., Aug. 9, we learn that Capt. C. W. Reed, of the 

 City of Dallas, reports that all the captains cruising 

 along the eastern edge of the bank of Yucatan and 

 north-eastern part of Yucatan have been very much 

 surprised at the absence of the usual northerly cur- 

 rent during April, May, June, and July. There has 

 been no perceptible current until the last three days. 

 The sailing directions give one and a half to two and 

 a half knots per hour for these months. 



— The Navy department has ordered Commander 

 W. T. Sampson and Lieut. Commander T. F. Jewell 

 to Montreal, in attendance on the British association 

 for the advancement of science, and Lieut. Com- 

 mander Jewell to Philadelphia during the meeting 

 of the American association. 



— The U.S. geological survey has recently pub- 

 lished two topographical sheets of north-eastern 

 Arizona, and one of north-western New Mexico, 

 crossed by the line of the Atlantic and Pacific rail- 

 road, —the work of surveys in 1881, 1882, and 1883, 

 by Messrs. Gilbert Thompson, A. H. Thompson, and 

 their subordinates. The scale is 1 : 250,000, with con- 

 tours every two hundred feet. The region included 

 is of relatively simple plateau structure, complicated 

 by volcanic action that has built cones and spread out 

 lava-beds, and by the erosion of irregularly branch- 

 ing caiions which in several places have a remarkable 

 resemblance to the veins of a maple-leaf. Most of 

 the stream-courses are now dry, and serve as well- 

 enclosed trails between the scattered settlements. 

 Shallow lakes and pools are not uncommon, and 

 springs are marked at the heads of small ravines; but 

 their waters soon disappear in the sand below. Many 

 Indian villages and ruins are mapped, including the 

 Zuni towns on the Mesas, and the cliff dwellings of 

 the Canons de Chelly and del Muerto. The lettering 

 is not so good as it should be, that of the legend of 

 the plates being about as bad as possible, and the 

 spelling of some of the Spanish names is certainly un- 

 Spanish. The artistic execution reflects no credit 

 upon the survey, being far below the standard gained 

 in recent years. 



— The thirty-ninth volume of the Memoires of the 

 topographic section of the Russian general staff has 

 recently appeared in St. Petersburg. Its contents 

 comprise, among other important papers, a report by 

 Lebedeff on the Bessarabian triangulation. As the 

 author's work is connected with the general triangu- 

 lation of the empire, it has been taken in hand with 

 the view, among other things, of calculating the dif- 

 ference of level between the Black and Baltic Seas. 

 The result, however, is subject to too large a probable 

 error to have more than an experimental interest ; but 

 a levelling recently executed has proved that there is 



no sensible difference of level between the Black Sea 

 at Odessa and the Baltic at Libava. 



A topographical exploration of northern Khorassan 

 and southern Turcomania, with the astronomical 

 data furnished by Gladysheff, has permitted the con- 

 struction of an excellent map of this region on a scale 

 of 1: 210,000. Farther to the east, Arkhipoff has 

 established the course of the routes leading from 

 Karchi and Bukhara to Kilif and Charjui, along the 

 Amu Daria. 



The topography of the country between the Altai 

 Mountains and the valley of the Upper Irtish, along 

 the Russo-Chinese frontier, has been recently the 

 subject of extensive exploration, a sound basis being 

 afforded for the work by the astronomical observa- 

 tions of Miroshnichenko. 



Triangulation has recently been carried on between 

 Vladivostok and the Amur on a line between the 

 Ussuri River and the west flanks of the Sikhota 

 Mountains. In the same province, by surveys along 

 the Russo-Chinese frontier, a termination has Keen 

 put to the uncertainty in regard to the boundary 

 which has so long interfered with the proper admin- 

 istration of justice and collection of taxes. 



— Great preparations are being made for the exhi- 

 bition of goldsmiths' work, to be held next year in 

 the ancient town of Nuremberg. Exhibits are to be 

 duty free; and a lottery, of which the prizes will 

 be exhibits, will be held, and a guaranty fund of 

 fifty thousand pounds has been subscribed. Indian 

 and Persian work is expected; Japanese, promised. 

 America, Spain, and Portugal have shown their sym- 

 pathy with the undertaking; and France, Italy, Bel- 

 gium, and Austria are already represented. The 

 historical department is expected to be of consider- 

 able scientific interest. 



— Letters received from Prjevalski announce his 

 arrival at Alashan in January, 1884, after having 

 crossed Mongolia without accident. No one was ill, 

 though the mercury had frozen several times during 

 the journey. At present the explorers should be in 

 Thibet, or at least in Tzai'dam. 



— The principal results of the meteorological sta- 

 tion in Novaia Zemlia have been made public. The 

 coldest monthly mean was that of January, 1883 

 (about —2° F. ); but the thermometer indicated 

 — 61° F. on several occasions. The north-east 

 and north-west winds were extremely violent, and 

 being always accompanied by drifting snow, and 

 sudden in springing up, were dangerous for any of 

 the party who might be away from the station. 



— The fall of a meteor near Odessa was recently 

 reported to the French academy. It seems, that as 

 the track of the meteor, as seen from the city, made 

 it probable that it must have fallen near by, a reward 

 was offered by one of the local papers for its dis- 

 covery, which was responded to by a peasant who 

 had seen it fall in the field where he was at work. 

 It proved to be a shapeless mass of about eighteen 

 pounds. 



