SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
Ill 
The Voyage of the Challenger. — Government has just fitted out a ship for 
exploration, and attached to her distinguished naturalist and other observers, 
some of whom are from Munich and other parts of Germany. She will 
cruise nearly around the world, and is to be out for nearly three and a half 
vears. Doubtless her discoveries will be vast and proportional to the extent 
of preparation which has been made. She left Portsmouth in charge of 
Captain Nares at 11*30 on Saturday morning, December 21, 1872. As the 
weather was bad, she was expected to remain for a few days in Yarmoutli 
Roads. 
Dr. DohrrHs Aquarium at Naples. — A writer, signing himself E. R. L,, 
whom we believe to be Mr. E. Ray Lankester, has sent an account of this 
splendid Aquarium to “ Science Gossip ” (October). He says, after giving a 
most interesting description of the whole institution, that it is more than 
doubtful whether all these rich and expensive conveniences can be furnished 
to zoological visitors without any pecuniary compensation ; but he hears 
that Dr. Dohrn has drawn up a plan which will enable even naturalists of 
limited means to enjoy the advantages of the station. He proposes to offer 
one or more tables to various Governments and scientific societies for a fixed 
annual sum. These tables, and all the scientific resources of the station, 
will at once be placed at the disposal of any naturalist who brings a certifi- 
cate from the Government, university, or scientific body to which the table 
has been let. This plan, among its many other advantages, seems to be a 
successful attempt to solve the difficult question as to how it is possible to 
unite a complete self-administration on the part of scientific bodies with the 
j reception of pecuniary assistance from their Governments. Dr. Dohrn 
speaks in the most grateful manner of the assistance rendered him by the 
' German authorities in Italy, especially by Mr. Stolte, the consul-general at 
' Naples, while at the same time he warmly acknowledges the interest in his 
undertaking displayed by the Government of Italy, more particularly Signor 
j Correnti and Signor Sella, the late and the present Ministers of Public 
' Instruction. 
Can the Arms of Ithynchonella he protruded . — Mr. Edward Morse states 
(“Silliman’s American Journal,” October), that he has lately had the 
opportunity of studying Nhynchonella alive., to note the ciliary action in the 
. oviducts driving currents outward, and to establish the correctness of Owen’s 
! supposition that the arms of Rhynchonella can be protruded. A jar of 
I specimens dredged by Dr. P. P. Carpenter, who had accompanied him from 
' Montreal, was left standing undisturbed for twenty-four hours when one of 
' the specimens protruded its arms their entire length from the partially 
i opened shells. He poured the sea water carefully out, and suddenly poured 
' in the strongest alcohol, and the specimen is now preserved in this exerted 
I position. In the forthcoming memoir of the Boston Society of Natural 
History all the details of these examinations will be given. 
: The Thysometer Applied to the Swim-bladder of Fishes. — M. P. Harting 
■’ gives an elaborate paper in the Archives Neerlandaises des Sciences 
. Exactes et Naturelles,” Nov. 4, 1872, illustrated by several engravings 
i which not only detail the description of the physometer invented by the 
I, author, but also the history of the various opinions held by scientific men 
f on the functions of the swimming-bladder of the fishes, and further, a series 
