1884.] 
Notes. 
55 
According to “ Science,” at the November meeting of the 
American Academy of Science, Dr. Graham Bell took up much 
time by a paper on the alleged increase of deaf-mutism, due to 
the existence of separate schools for those suffering from con- 
genital deafness. 
Prof. Newcome (“ Science ”) urges that photometric deter- 
minations are comparatively valueless, because they give only a 
part of the radiant energy of the sun. 
Dr. McCook, at the recent meeting of the Academy of Natural 
Science of Philadelphia, gave an interesting account of the 
moulting of spiders ( Tarantula ) and of the restoration of lost 
limbs. 
“ L. B.” writes in “ Science ” on teaching language to brutes, 
which he thinks feasible ( see “Journal of Science,” 1883, PP- 1 
and 176). 
There is war, not indeed in heaven, but among the Anti-Vivi- 
seCtionists ! Mr. Adams, editor or late editor of the “ Zoophilist,” 
has brought an aCtion against Miss F. P. Cobbe, and has reco- 
vered damages ! 
We are happy to learn that the Bestiarians have been totally 
defeated at Bournemouth, in spite of the Bishop of Winchester, 
his attending vicars and curates, and of one Mr. Vaudry, a dele- 
gate sent down from head-quarters. 
M. Girard, of Lyon, has bequeathed 100,000 francs to the 
French Association for the Advancement of Science, for the 
purpose of founding a quinquennial prize for researches on the 
antiquity of man with reference to geological times. 
From a careful study of the “ red spot ” on the disc of Jupiter, 
Dr. Lohse, of the Potsdam Observatory, concludes that this 
planet must still be enormously hot, occupying an intermediate 
position in the scale of development between the cooled and 
solidified planets, such as our Earth and self-luminous bodies 
like the Sun. 
Strange to say “ doCtors differ ” on the cause of the glow 
which has lately been observed in the western sky after sunset. 
Mr. Norman Lockyer ascribes the phenomenon to volcanic dust, 
whilst Mr. ProCtor has no doubt of its cosmic character. 
Mr. W. H. Preece argues that the mass of matter projected 
into the air during the recent eruptions was negatively electrified 
and then became subjeCt to the repulsive force of the electrified 
earth, whilst the particles repelling each other caused the dust 
to spread over a vast area. 
Sir F. Abel, F.R.S., has been eleCted Chairman of the Council 
of the Society of Arts, vice Sir W. Siemens, deceased. 
