JUNE 27, 1884.] 
instruction at the Summer school of languages is based 
on what is popularly called the natural or inductive 
method, only modified according to the genius and 
individuality of each teacher. Only the language 
to be learned is used as the medium of communi- 
cation; and the aim is to so interest the learner in 
the study, that his work becomes, instead of a task, 
a pleasure and an inspiration. If results may be re- 
garded as a sufficient indication, the method appears to 
be the best by which the pupil is taught, not only 
to read, but also to write and speak the language, and 
to understand it when spoken by others. These ends 
were quite impossible to attain within a brief period 
by the old systems; but very rapid acquirements of 
the learner, according to the new method, become pos- 
sible from the opportunities offered of hearing and 
speaking the language several hours each day with a 
native teacher; thus conducing to a great familiarity 
with the new tongue, approaching as nearly as may 
be the advantages actually derivable from sojourn on 
foreign soil. 
—A meeting of the trustees of the Peabody mu- 
seum of archeology of Harvard university was held 
at the museum in Cambridge on the 20th inst. After 
an inspection of the several rooms, and the method 
of arrangement of the collections illustrating the 
development of mankind in early times in various 
parts of the world, and the arts and customs of ex- 
isting races, the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop called the 
meeting to order, and, in very complimentary terms 
to the curator, expressed the satisfaction of the trus- 
teés with the methods adopted and results secured. 
Other members of the board also expressed their 
satisfaction with the appearance of the museum, and 
the work of the curator and his assistants; and, on 
motion of the Hon. Stephen Salisbury, Dr. Wheatland 
was requested to enter upon the records of the board 
an expression of the appreciation of the trustees of 
the work of the curator, and their perfect satisfaction 
with his arrangement of the collections. 
Mr. S. H. Scudder called attention to the explora- 
tions which had been made under the auspices of the 
museum, of which the curator, Mr. F. W. Putnam, 
then gave a brief account, dwelling particularly on 
those by Dr. Metz and himself in the great mound of 
the Turner group, in the Little Miami valley, Ohio. 
On motion of Professor Asa Gray, the curator was re- 
quested to prepare a full account of the Ohio group, 
as soon as the exploration shall be completed, for pub- 
lication by the museum, and also to present a paper 
on the same topic’at the approaching meeting of the 
American association for the advancement of science, 
that these important explorations by the museum may 
be more widely known. In accepting this very pleas- 
ant duty, the curator stated that it would be neces- 
sary to obtain a thousand dollars at once, for the 
further promotion of the Ohio explorations, which 
were being conducted in the most thorough and scien- 
tific manner. John C. Phillips, Esq., the treasurer 
of the board, stated that there were no funds avail- 
able for the purpose; but he thought the importance 
of the work warranted a call for subscriptions to aid 
the museum in this exploration, and said that he 
SCIENCE. noo 
would most willingly give a further contribution of 
two hundred dollars for the purpose. Mr. Salisbury 
offered another hundred dollars, and the curator was 
authorized to obtain additional subscriptions with the 
assistance of the trustees. Subscriptions can be made 
to J. C. Phillips, treasurer, State Street, Boston, to 
any of the trustees, or to the curator at the museum. 
Due credit for all contributions will be given in the 
annual reports of the trustees. 
— The London health exhibition was very far from 
complete on the opening day. The dairy department, 
however, was in full work; many varieties of churn 
being in use, and butter at one shilling and ninepence 
per pound made before the visitors’ eyes, if they had 
patience to wait forit. One dairy company had a cow 
in the stall to prove the genuine nature of the origi- 
nal material. Among the most interesting exhibits 
were some specimens of ensilage, —one from Lord 
Walsingham’s, being in very good condition; and 
another from Lord Tollemache’s, having been in the 
silo since June 13. 
—A cable despatch from Dun Echt, June 21, an- 
nounces an ephemeris of Tuttle’s comet; but as yet it 
is not known whether the comet has been seen since 
the chance observation at Vienna, May 26. The 
ephemeris, as cabled, is as follows: — 
Date. fia Declination. | Light. 
h.™. 8. deg. min. 
June 21 17 23 04 +28 51 1.16 
June 25 17 21 00 +27 01 - 
June 29 17 19 20 +25 09 - 
July 3 . 17 18 36 +23 14 0.80 
On neither of the probable returns of this comet, 
since its discovery by Mr. H. P. Tuttle at the Harvard 
observatory in 1858, has it been seen. 
— At the meeting of the Society of arts, held on May 
14, a new word was brought into currency by Profes- 
sor Fleming Jenkins, who read a paper on ‘ Telepher- 
age,’ which he defined as a designation of all modes 
of transport effected automatically by the aid of 
electricity. The particular scheme under considera- 
tion was the forwarding vehicles by means of elec- 
tricity along a single suspended wire or rod. Herea 
model was shown consisting of two concentric octa- 
gons of wire, round which two trains steadily ran. 
The lecturer denied that the plan was intended to 
compete with steam or ordinary electric railways: 
it was merely intended as a mode of transporting 
heavy goods. The cost, he calculated, after allowing 
for maintenance and outlay, would be twopence per 
ton -per mile. Where railways did not exist, and 
might not promise to pay the cost of construction, he 
thought he might with confidence predict that this 
invention would prove of value. 
— A bronze equestrian statue of Gen. Dufour was 
erected on the Place Neuve at Geneva, Switzerland, 
on the 2d of June. The president and other nota- 
bilities of the confederation were present, together 
with an immense concourse of people. The success 
