JUNE 6, 1884. ] 
latest edition consists of sixty-one sheets, dated 1884, 
with manuscript corrections to April 1, published 
by order of postmaster-general W. Q. Gresham, un- 
der the direction of C. Roeser, jun., topographer, 
post-office department. They are printed in black 
outline, on a scale varying from six to fifteen miles 
to an inch, with state and county boundaries tinted 
red, and show all cities, towns, and villages having 
post-offices, with many more besides; all post-routes, 
whether by rail, boat, or stage, with the distance be- 
tween offices ; and a conventional coloring to desig- 
nate the frequency of the mail-service. Rivers and 
the larger streams and lakes are represented, but 
often without name; mountains are not shown, ex- 
cept on a few of the newer western sheets. Apart 
from their original use, these maps, therefore, serve 
simply as a basis for additional work, and are best 
adapted to studies of a statistical character. 
— The new journal of astronomy, Bulletin astrono- 
mique, lately reviewed in Science, begins, in its third 
number (March, 1884), an interesting series of articles 
relating to the observatories of France. Stephan, 
director of the observatory at Marseilles, gives a brief 
_description of the astronomical establishment at that 
place, with statements as to the nature of the work 
done since he was appointed director, in 1866. The 
construction of the observatory was begun in 1862, 
and terminated in 1878. The personnel includes, 
in addition to the director, Borelly and Coggia, 
adjunct astronomers; Herse, student in astronomy; 
and Lubrano and Maitre, computers. Eighteen small 
planets have been discovered (one by Stephan, one by 
Cottenot, four by Coggia, and twelve by Borelly), and 
eleven comets (six by Borelly, and five by Coggia). 
Magnetic and meteorological observations form a part 
of the regular work. About seven hundred nebulae 
have been discovered by Stephan. 
— The physicist, as well as the astronomer, will find 
points of interest in a popular article on the theory of 
heliostats, by Radau, in the Bulletin astronomique for 
March. The paper is illustrated with engravings of 
the siderostat and heliostat of Foucault, as well as 
the modified forms of Silbermann and Littrow. A 
tolerably full bibliography of the subject concludes 
the article. 
— Small planet (236), discovered by Dr. J. Palisa at 
Vienna, April 26, has been named ‘ Honoria’ by the 
discoverer. It is a faint object, being of about the 
thirteenth magnitude. 
— The opening of the new archeological museum 
in connection with the Fitzwilliam museum took place 
May 6. The new museum will be an institution for 
the study of archeology, and the exhibition of objects 
of antiquity. By its opening, Cambridge is the first 
in the field of universities in the United Kingdom 
to provide the necessary facilities for archeological 
study. The classical section will be second only to 
the famous institution at Berlin, whose collection of 
antiques is the finest in the world. Cambridge will 
thus enjoy a unique position in the United King- 
dom; for though Oxford has resolved upon following 
the example of its sister university, and establishing 
SCIENCE. 
697 
a similar school, it must — as the project has only 
recently been decided upon — be some time before it 
can be brought to maturity. The general direction 
will be in the hands of Dr. Waldstein, whilst the 
curatorship of the South-Sea Island department will 
be undertaken by Baron von Higel, who, together 
with Sir Arthur Gordon and Mr. Maudsley, has con- 
tributed largely to the magnificent collection of South- 
Sea Island antiquities. 
— The Kentucky pharmaceutical association held 
its annual meeting at Louisville on the 21st, 22d, and 
23d of May. The attendance was an unusually large 
one, and much interest was shown in the progress 
of pharmacy and the collateral sciences. Various 
papers were read, bearing, however, mostly on phar- 
macy proper; but one of more general scientific 
interest was reported. It was a paper devoted to the 
elaboration of a method for the determination of 
iron by the decoloration of the ferric sulphocyanide 
by the aid of a definite solution of either mercuric 
or stannous chloride. The method gave, apparently, 
very satisfactory results, and has the great advantage 
of easy application. This paper was by Mr. J. A. 
Flexuer. 
— The programme of the Antwerp exhibition for 
1885 is published. It will be under the patronage of 
the king of the Belgians, and will be opened in May. 
All industrial products will be included, all goods that 
are the subject of trade, all materials and tools that in 
any way concern shipping. The exhibition building 
will be on the site of the old citadel, near the Scheldt 
and the new quays, on which space will be allotted 
for the unloading and shipping of exhibits; the south- 
ern railway-station being arranged as a gallery for 
machinery. There will also be an art-exhibition, a 
special department for electricity, and one for gar- 
dening. 
— The Belgian government has sent to the German 
fisheries department for two hundred and fifty thou- 
sand young trout, and fifty thousand young salmon, 
for the Belgian rivers, and intends to continue their 
cultivation. Arrangements are being made to allow 
the salmon to pass through the lochs of the River 
Maas. 
— At arecent meeting of the Electro-chemical so- 
ciety of Berlin there were exhibited specimens of a 
vegetable carbon, made conductive and incombusti- 
ble by being strongly heated, either in vacuo orina 
neutral atmosphere. This artificial graphite does not 
assume the crystalline structure of the native min- 
eral. We have long known that graphite could be 
formed by the influence of high temperature, under 
special conditions, It is now shown by Dr. Aron, 
that, by the same influence, soot can be rendered as 
good a conductor as graphite. 
— A report on the progress of the devastations 
caused by Phylloxera in Hungary has been issued by 
the Ministry of agriculture and commerce. The 
report states, that, at the end of 1882, there were 
eighty-two districts found to have been invaded by 
the pest, irrespective of the smitten districts in Croa- 
tia. In May, last year, the examination of all the 
