| i. | 
344 
forward papers which will give a comprehen- 
sive survey of the various important economical 
questions which are just now exciting so much 
discussion with reference to the future growth 
and prosperity of the colony. Among these, 
agriculture necessarily occupies a prominent 
position ; but it is gratifying to see that gen- 
eral and technical education is also to receive 
important consideration. 
Our leading article mentions at its close the 
brief life and sudden death of a society formed 
for home study for young men, modelled upon 
the older society, still vigorously flourishing, re- 
stricted to young women. Why there need be 
distinct organizations of that sort for the two 
sexes, it is a little difficult to sce; but it is a 
little curious to find, that, hard upon the death 
of the ‘ Young men’s society for home study,’ a 
new organization has sprung up for the same 
purpose, but without limitation as to sex, bear- 
ing the somewhat pompous title of the ‘ Corre- 
spondence university.’ It announces forty-one 
instructors (two of whom are women), resident 
in eight states of the Union, besides one each 
in Germany and Scotland. Sixteen of these 
are assigned to different departments of sci- 
ence, eleven to mathematics, and six to modern 
languages ; so that the scientific leaning of our 
new ‘university’ is very marked. We shall 
look with much interest at the result of this 
experiment ; for the promoters of the enterprise 
have certainly secured the services of many 
most excellent teachers, and they aim at a 
higher grade of instruction than has been at- 
tempted by the earlier organizations. A large 
proportion of the teachers are connected with 
Cornell university, which may be considered 
the headquarters. Unfortunately, as far as 
published, the plan appears to lack that unity 
and proper co-ordination which would at once 
command respect and confidence; and its 
higher grade of charges, though still very 
small, may prove an obstacle to its popularity. 
WE are glad to see a change in the wording 
of the ‘indications’ issued by the signal-ser- 
vice. 
been indicated by ‘ rising’ or ‘ falling barom- 
SCIENCE. 
Heretofore, variations of pressure have . 
eter ;’ although change in the warmth of the 
air has always properly been mentioned as 
‘higher’ or ‘lower temperature,’ and not 
‘thermometer.’ Now the wording is made 
uniform, and observations of the barometer 
are recorded as implying ‘increasing’ or 
‘ diminishing pressure.’ 
Tue late issue of Copernicus (a double num- 
ber, 33-34) will be received with no little 
regret by many astronomers, as it contains the 
unwelcome announcement that this periodical 
will be discontinued after the publication of 
No. 36. We understand that this action on 
the part of the editors is due chiefly to the 
insufficient list of subscribers ; and it is much 
to be regretted, as Copernicus is the only astro- 
nomical magazine, printed in quarto form, in 
which excellence of typography and general at- 
tractiveness in appearance seem to be thought 
desirable. Its style has been rather that of 
book than of magazine printing, and its papers 
on mathematical astronomy have had as fine a 
setting as the average article in the purely 
mathematical quartos. 
The periodical began in January, 1881, under 
the editorship and management of Dr. Ralph 
Copeland, astronomer to the Earl of Crawford 
and Balcarres, and Dr. J. L. E. Dreyer, then 
of the Royal observatory, Dublin, and now 
director of the observatory at Armagh. The 
first six numbers were issued under the name 
Urania, for which Copernicus was then sub- 
stituted, the editors having become aware of 
the previous existence of an astrological journal 
called Urania. Its many pages, devoted to 
the reviews of current astronomical literature, 
have formed a very valuable feature; and ar- 
rangements were, from the beginning, conclud- 
ed with the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres 
whereby all the subscribers to this journal have 
received at the earliest moment the ‘ DunEcht 
circulars,’ forwarded directly from Aberdeen. 
The new magazine has fairly established its 
claim to be ‘an international journal of as- 
tronomy ;’ the chief astronomers abroad who 
have contributed to its support being the Earl 
