504 
Noies. 
Says a contemporary, “ In France, Science is to some extent 
restricted by being confined within certain programmes, and a 
principle in order to be admitted has to be accepted by a clique 
of theorists, who generally show great reluCtance to change old 
erroneous notions, and very often write in order to suppress what 
is not in accordance with their ideas.” This is very true, but 
does it refer to France only ? 
According to Mr. H. Percival, if population goes on increasing 
at its present rate, in 214 years the world will have reached the 
frightful average of 700 inhabitants to the square mile. 
Dr. J. F. Snyder (“ Kansas Review of Science ”) declares that 
no traces of a “ Stone Age ” have been discovered in Africa. 
M. Th. Anger, whilst Demonstrator of Anatomy at Clamart, 
witnessed the death of a female sloth and her six young ones, 
from tetanus. They had lived in a stable in which two horses 
had died of the same disease. 
M. F. Carre (“ Comptes Rendus ”) shows that the cost of re- 
frigerating hams, &c., to the point necessary for the destruction 
of Trichince and other parasites, is rather less than O’Oi franc, or 
about one-tenth of a penny, per kilo. 
Dr. G. Dickie, ex-Professor of Botany at the University of 
Aberdeen, died quite recently. He had occupied his chair 
honourably for seventeen years, but had been compelled to resign 
in 1877 in consequence of failing health. 
J. P. Finley, of the U.S.A. Signal Service, contributes to the 
“ Kansas Review cf Science ” a most valuable paper on torna- 
does, in which he draws distinctions between cyclones, tornadoes, 
hurricanes, and whirlwinds. 
The Albert Medal of the Society of Arts for this year has been 
assigned to M. Pasteur, — certainly not the least meritorious of 
those to whom this honour has been awarded. 
The “Herald of Progress ” speaks thus of scientific specialists : 
■ — “ We have, mingling with men in scientific circles, divisional 
know-nothings beyond the structure of the petal of a flower, or 
of a beetle, or other trumpery auxiliary in the army of animated 
forces ; who strut and aCt big in the high-heeled boot of a fellow- 
ship. Such five-feet-one-inch giants tell us prophecy is a myth, 
only practised by almanack makers and their compeers, because 
to such anti-rationalists and oblivionists hereafter is a myth — the 
one is impossible, because the other is.” 
