802 
— The principal question to be discussed in Gene- 
va, at the summer congress of the Red cross society, 
is the neutrality of hospital ships. 
— John A. Ryder has reprinted, from the annual 
report of the U.S. fish-commission for 1882, a long 
essay with several plates on the embryology of teleosts. 
The author brings forward many interesting obser- 
vations, and shows evident familiarity with the litera- 
ture of the subject, although he does not appear 
to always judge the value of previous publications 
correctly; for instance, when he quotes Hoffmann’s 
observations on segmentation. He has a little eccen- 
tricity of nomenclature, writing of ‘embryography,’ 
‘yelk,’ etc., and applying the term ‘ germ-layer,’ not 
to any part of the germ, but to the ectoplasm of the 
ovum! The essay contains a certainly unnecessary 
number of lengthy extracts and abstracts from earlier 
writers. Why must there be so much padding in our 
government publications? We must condole with 
Mr. Ryder on his plates, for the care and skill he dis- 
plays in drawing are sadly obliterated by the photo- 
engravings. We can only protest against the blind 
infatuation with which the fish-commission rejects 
all good means of illustration, and insists upon the 
exclusive use of process cuts, which represent very 
few things well, and are the worst possible means of 
representing delicate and transparent embryos. 
The essay itself contains many valuable observa- 
tions. By an amusing inadvertence, New-York har- 
bor is said to be filled with a unique fluid; for its 
waters ‘‘ were found to have less than half the normal 
average specific gravity of those of the open sea’’! 
The italics are ours. Ryder has studied principally 
the ovarian ova, the formation of the germinal disk, 
segmentation, the formation of the neurula, and as 
much of the organogeny as can be followed out upon 
the transparent embryo. The work has been done 
with evident care and patience, and is to be supple- 
mented by further researches, partly by the aid of 
sections. ‘The observations made as to the formation 
of the germinal disk, the relations of the vitelline 
sac, the development of the ribs, muscle-plates, and 
fins, may be signalized as being of especial interest and 
importance. It must be doubted, however, whether 
Ryder’s view as to the significance of what he 
strangely calls the ‘ yelk hypoblast’ can be accepted. 
— The report of the entomologist, published in 
the last report of the U.S. commissioner of agricul- 
ture, contains an account of the lepidopterous insects 
which infest cabbage in this country ; a report on the 
causes of destruction of evergreen forests in northern 
New England, and New York, by Professor Packard ; 
a report of progress in experiments in the destruction 
of scale insects, by H. G. Hubbard ; and accounts of 
the imported elm-beetle, and the lesser migratory 
locust. The report is illustrated by thirteen full-page 
plates, about one-half of which are original. 
— At the meeting of the Royal geographical society, 
held in London on May 12, it was announced that 
gold medals had been awarded to Mr. A. Colquhoun 
and Dr. Julius Haast. That given to Mr. Colquhoun 
as for his journey from Canton to the Trawadi at 
SCIENCE. 
‘ 
lat ‘ 
[Von IIL, No. 73, 
Rhamo in 1882, during which he executed surveys 
of the whole route from Wa-Chan (a hundred and 
fifty miles west of Canton) to Talifu, thirteen hun- 
dred miles of which had never before been surveyed. 
The medal to Dr. Haast was in consideration of his 
systematic explorations of the southern islands of 
New Zealand, — in the course of which he ascertained 
the altitudes of a hundred and thirty stations, and 
collected material for a map, the manuscript of which 
he presented to the society, —and for his numerous 
contributions to our knowledge of New Zealand. 
— The Albert medal of the Society of arts has been 
awarded by the council of the society, with the ap- 
proval of the Prince of Wales (the president), to 
Capt. James Buchanan Eads, ‘‘ the American engi- 
neer, whose works have been of great service in . 
improving the water communications of North Amer- 
ica, and have thereby rendered valuable aid to the 
commerce of the world.”’ 
— Herr Ernst von Hesse Wartegg is starting on an 
exploring expedition in Mexico and Central America 
to collect material for his new work on the archeology 
of those regions. 
— Reports from Cape Colony state that Dr. Holub’s 
plans are approaching success, in spite of his early 
difficulties with the colonial customs-house, which 
demanded duty on his explorer’s outfit and scientific 
instruments. The aid sent from Europe has enabled 
him to cross the Transvaal, and enter the interior of 
Africa from there. During his involuntary stay in 
Cape Town, he explored the Somerset Mountains, 
where he made some interesting ornithological studies, 
and despatched specimens to Europe. The collec- 
tions of the fauna and flora of South Africa, which 
he intends to make on his wanderings, he has promised 
to divide among the societies which have contributed 
to the expenses of the expedition. 
— The twelfth annual session of the American 
public health association will be held Oct. 14-17, 1884, 
at St. Louis, Mo., and the following topics are pro- 
posed for consideration: Hygiene of the habitations 
of the poor, Hygiene of occupations, School hygiene, 
Adulteration of food, Water-pollution, Disposal of 
sewage by irrigation or chemical action, The observ- 
able effect upon the public health of official sanitary 
supervision, The work of municipal and state boards 
of health. Extensive preparations are now under 
way for making this the largest meeting that the 
association has ever held; and the committee urge 
the attendance and co-operation of persons in all 
trades and professions, interested in the advance- 
ment of public health and general sanitary science. 
— Mr. G. F. Kunz, at the meeting of the New-York 
academy of sciences, May 19, exhibited a yellowish- 
green cut gem of fluorite chlorophane, from Hunter 
county, Va., and remarked, that, although too soft 
for gem purposes, this stone was possibly the first 
gem cut that phosphoresced without any great heat- 
ing. The gem was passed around in a vial of warm ~ 
water, and in the dark showed a very plain pale- 
green light. 
