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June. The decree was supported by the dean_of 
Christ church, Dr. Acland, and the warden of Keble, 
and was opposed by Professor Freeman and Mr. 
Nicholson. After a stormy debate, the vote was car- 
ried by a hundred and eighty-eigbt votes against a 
hundred and forty-seven. The result was received 
with enthusiasm, and Oxford is to be congratulated 
on it. To what shifts Dr. Sanderson’s opponents 
were put may be seen from what the Times calls ‘the 
most astonishing speech’ of Mr. Freeman the his- 
torian, ‘‘who afforded a curious example of the con- 
fusion of thought into which even intelligent men 
may be led by an over-indulgence in sentiment. It 
would be as reasonable, said Mr. Freeman, for the 
historian to illustrate the festivities of Kenilworth 
by an actual bull-baiting, as for the physiologist to 
experiment upon living animals. Mr. Freeman, in 
his zeal to establish the scientific character of the 
historian, forgets the difference between description 
and discovery, and ignores the fact that the physi- 
ologist, at least under the existing law, makes his 
experiments, not for the instruction of pupils, but 
with a view to discover what is as yet unknown. A 
more curious article in the indictment against vivi- 
section we have not met with since the celebrated 
letter in which Sir George Duckett told the royal 
commission that he had no evidence to give, but that 
he considered vivisection ‘an abomination introduced 
from the continent, going hand in hand with athe- 
ism.’’’? The Times, in its leader on the subject, treats 
it sensibly and moderately. ‘‘ All those who are 
open to argument have been long ago convinced that 
Science cannot proceed on her beneficent way with- 
out the aid of experiments, some of which must be 
painful; and those who are not open to argument, 
and those who believe, like some of the wiseacres 
whose opinion is on record, that ‘medical science has 
arrived probably at its extreme limits,’ are not likely 
to be convinced by any thing that can be said or by 
any facts that can be brought against them. Parlia- 
ment, on the recommendation of one of the strongest 
royal commissions ever appointed, has legislated in 
the matter, and physiological experiment is now 
under limitations as severe as it is possible for it to be 
consistently with any kind of progress in discovery. 
Abuses are of the rarest occurrence. Men like Dr. 
Sanderson are not only humane, but they are con- 
scious that public opinion is awake on the matter; 
and their discretion as to what should be done, and 
what should not, is absolutely to be trusted. It is to 
be hoped that the sensible action of convocation will 
not only encourage the Waynflete professor to pro- 
ceed as his scientific conscience may guide him, but 
will convince the well-meaning but irrational oppo- 
nents of scientific freedom ‘that further action on 
their part would be not only vexatious, but unsuce- 
cessful.”’ 
—Professor Nehring has reported to the Berlin 
anthropological society the discovery, in a cave near 
the village of Holzon in Brunswick, of bones which 
show proofs of cannibal practices. It is the first evi- 
dence discovered, that a race of anthropophagi ever ex- 
isted in Germany. The bones were not fully calcined, 
SCIENCE. 
[Vou. III., No. 57. 
and had evidently been chopped to obtain the mar- 
row. As astill greater proof of cannibalism, it was 
shown that the bones were thrown in a heap, as if 
cleared after a meal. Other objects of interest, such 
as rough bronze ornaments, were found in the cave; 
and, on excavating a lower stratum of the floor, bones 
of animals of the glacial period were found, showing 
the existence of the cave at that time. In the sub- 
sequent discussion, Professor Virchow raised some 
objections to the cannibal theory. 
—A society with Dr. C. F. Millspaugh as president 
has been formed at Binghampton, N.Y., under the 
title of the Erosophian microscopical society. It has 
some forty or fifty members. 
— Papilio, on its removal to Philadelphia, no longer 
appears as ‘ the organ of the New York entomological 
club;’ but in other respects it does not differ notice- 
ably, as the new editor, Mr. Aaron, has evidently 
endeavored to preserve the character of the journal, 
even to typographical details. As is fitting, consider- 
ing its name, it is still ‘devoted exclusively to Lepi- 
doptera,’ and renders the lovers of those insects good 
service. 
—A memorial volume of the scientific papers of 
the late W. A. Forbes, at the time of his death pro- 
sector of the Zoological society of London, is to be 
published, through a committee consisting of Profes- 
sors Flower and Bell, and Messrs. Johnston, Mivart, 
and Sclater, at the price of one guinea. Mr. Sclater 
will edit the volume, Mr. Johnston will add a biog- 
raphy, and Mr. F. Jeffrey Bell (5 Radnor Place, 
Gloucester Square, London) will act as secretary and 
treasurer. 
— In his presidential address before the Biological 
society of Washington, on ‘‘Certain phases in the 
geological history of the North-American continent, 
biologically considered,’’ Dr. C. A. White shows how 
important to a knowledge of the evolution of the con- 
tinent is a study of terrestrial and fresh-water faunas 
and floras of geological times. 
— Dr. C. B. Reichert, for many years director of the 
anatomical museum at Berlin, died in that city, Dec. 
21, 1883. 
— Prof. H. Carvill Lewis, A.M.,-recently appointed 
lecturer on geology and paleontology at Haverford 
college, gave his first lecture last week Wednesday, 
upon ‘ The foundation-stones of Pennsylvania.’ This 
week’s subject was ‘The ancient life-history of the 
Chester valley;’ and in following weeks ‘ The origin 
of the Pennsylvania mountains,’ ‘ Volcanic action 
in Chester and Montgomery counties,’ ‘The geology 
of Haverford and its vicinity,’ ‘The glacial epoch in 
Pennsylvania,’ will be treated. ‘The lectures are open 
to the public. 
— The seventh Saturday lecture in the National 
museum was on Feb. 16, by Prof. E. D. Cope, on the 
‘Origin of human physiognomy and character,’ —a 
discourse the main features of which have already 
been published in the American naturalist. On Feb. 
23 Mr. John Murdock, late of the signal-service party 
at the Oglaamie station, North Alaska, gave a very 
vivid account of ‘ Eskimo life at Point Barrow.’ 
Sh 
