i88 5 J 
Notes. 
55 
Professor J. S. Newberry (British Association) maintains that 
the phenomena of the Ice-age, when the climate and physical 
conditions of Greenland reached as far south as New York and 
Cincinnati, make it impossible to accept Lyell’s hypothesis of 
topographical changes as the cause. The elevation of the 
continent was at that time less than at present. 
It will be remembered that Prince Bismarck some time ago 
gave his medical adviser, Dr. Schweinger, the title of professor 
(in partibus, we presume), though not occupying any chair. The 
Chancellor has since, in the teeth of the medical faculty, in- 
ducted his protege into the professorship of Dermatology in the 
University of Berlin. The newly-appointed official has had the 
audacity to challenge Professor Dubois-Raymond for refusing to 
recognise him. If the prince can force such a man upon the 
University Academische Freiheit is at an end. 
Prof. Sir J. W. Dawson (“ Geol. Mag.”) maintains that the 
Nile, like most other great rivers, has been only in part the ex- 
cavator of its own bed. 
According to a writer in “ Science” the lantern of the light- 
house at Cape San Antonio was made to appear of a decided 
red colour by a cloud of insedts which surrounded it during the 
night of August 23, 1884. The offenders were brilliant red 
Hemiptera, Dysdercus sanguinarius . 
J. Starkie Gordon (“ Geol. Mag.”) considers that the Eocenes 
of England are the muds of an sestuary which flowed opening 
eastwards, while an enormous river flowed from the west. 
England seems at that date to have been part of a continent 
stretching across the Atlantic. 
W. F. Stanley, F.G.S. (British Association), rejedts the well- 
known theory of Dr. Croll on the cause of former ice-periods, 
and quotes observations proving that the mean temperature of 
the Southern Hemisphere, i5 , 4° C., is slightly higher than that 
of the Northern, i5’3° C. 
“ Science” considers the common misuse of the term “ scien- 
tific ” as an incurable evil. 
According to the “ Cape Times ” a gigantic earth-worm, from 
South Africa, has been sent to Mr. F. Biddard (Beddard ?), Pro- 
sedtor of the Zoological Society. Its length is 6 feet 5 inches, 
and its upper surface is of a bright green. The name of the 
species is Lumbricus microchceta. 
Dr. Jorissen (Royal Academy of Belgium) finds that hydro- 
cyanic acid, or some substance from which it is derived, is widely 
diffused in the vegetable world, and probably fulfils important 
fundtions. 
Mr. W. H. Preece, speaking at the Philadelphia Eledtrical 
Conference, said that there had been more lying, more swindling, 
