30 
suggestion of Professor Leuckart, he turned 
his attention to the subject announeed for the 
prize. From the report of the rector, Pro- 
fessor His, which was read at the last Rector- 
wahl, it appears that the prize has been awarded 
to Mr. Iijima. The following remarks, taken 
from the printed report, will certainly be of 
interest to all who are watching the course 
of events in Japan : — 
‘¢ The work receives the highest commenda- 
tion of the faculty. With regard to its actual 
contents, it must be pronounced a highly suc- 
cessful work. It is rich in fine observation 
and thoughtful discussion, and furnishes the 
best evidence of the ability, knowledge, and 
insight of the author. It is a permanent gain 
for zodlogy, inasmuch as it places in clear 
light the organization and development of a 
croup of animals, which, notwithstanding the 
importance of its systematic relations, was 
hitherto very imperfectly understood. Aperta 
scidula repertum est nomen auctoris, Isao 
Tijima.”’ 
In Berlin another Japanese student, whose 
name we have not obtained, has recently been 
appointed, over the heads of able competitors, 
to the post of assistant in anatomy. 
Tue report of the secretary of the navy for 
1883 contains a repetition of his recommenda- 
tions of last year, that all national work con- 
nected with the ocean, carried on by other 
departments, should be transferred to the navy 
department, to be supervised and performed 
by naval officers. Most important among the 
transfers suggested is that of the coast-survey, 
which is now under the -treasury. This he 
would have placed under the naval hydro- 
graphic office, because there are now sixty- 
seven naval officers and two hundred and 
eighty seamen employed in the coast-survey ; 
and he adds, that in view of the facts that 
no part of the hydrographic work of the coast- 
survey has the faintest traceable connection 
with the general purposes of the treasury, that 
its effectual performance is of vital importance 
to the navy, and that an office exists to-day in 
the navy department where similar work is 
SCIENCE. 
[Vou. IIL., No. 49, 
necessarily carried on, it is inconceivable why 
so inconvenient, artificial, and indefensible an 
arrangement should be perpetuated. 
The secretary ignores the fact that the work 
which these officers perform is routine, the 
plans and methods for which have been de- 
vised and developed by civilian experts; and 
he fails to compare the character and quality of 
the work which the hydrographic office and the 
coast-survey have performed, and to show that 
an improvement in the quantity or quality of 
work would be consequent on the transfer. 
Since, then, the present method of employ- 
ing our superfluous navy, under the intelli- 
gent supervision of civilian experts, works no 
injustice to the navy, and since it is and has 
been found essential to employ civilian experts 
to carry on the work of the hydrographic office, 
we see no benefit which can result from the 
transfer, except the aggrandizement of the 
navy; and we doubt if this be a sufficient rea- 
son. Should the efforts of Mr. Chandler to 
absorb all the national work on the ocean prove 
successful, the fish-commission, like the coast- 
survey, must be transferred to the navy de- 
partment. 
Tue red glow in the skies long after sunset 
and before sunrise has attracted the attention 
of every one in all parts of the world during 
the last few months. As showing the hesita- 
tion of physicists to attack the matter, it is 
singular that nothing on the subject had been 
sent to us until within three weeks, since which 
time a number of letters, describing the appear- 
ance as seen by single observers, have been 
received. In this number an article is printed 
in which the facts at the disposal of the sig- 
nal-service are made use of, and the often- 
broached Java earthquake theory, which has 
so many adherents among the best scientifie 
men, is again put forward. The not incon- 
siderable upheaval in Alaska may also have 
played its part. It would be interesting to 
know if the records of earlier times contain — 
any mention of similar red skies following ~ 
large volcanic eruptions. if 
