1 878.] 
Scientific Notes . 
429 
detail. The scale of these sheets is four miles to an inch. The relief of the 
country is indicated by contour lines, at vertical intervals of 200 feet. The 
area covered by each of these sheets is 11,500 square miles. 6th. Six geolo- 
gical sheets, of which the basis are the six topographical sheets just 
mentioned. On these the detailed geology is expressed by colours. 
The “ Mineralogical Magazine,” which contains the proceedings of the 
Mineralogical Society, in addition toother interesting items about minerals, 
has now attained its second year, and, judging by its contents, seems likely to 
have many years of prosperity before it. Chemists, geologists, and minera- 
logists alike will find valuable matter in its pages. Judging by the balance- 
sheet, the Mineralogical Society appears to be growing in numbers and 
worldly possessions. 
Captain Burton’s expedition to the Land of Midian seems to have done a 
large amount of good work in a shoit time. After four months’ absence, they 
brought back an immense number of entomological and other specimens with 
them, 25 tons of which were illustrative of the geology and mineralogy of the 
districts through which they passed. The country seems a rich one. Several 
gold deposits of an easily workable nature have been discovered in the south of 
Midian, while in the north there are silver and copper deposits of great value. 
Three turquoise mines were found, of which one is being roughly worked, be- 
sides sulphur beds, rock salt, two salt lakes, gypsum mines, and alabaster 
quarries. Part of the ores will be retained in Cairo for analysis, and the rest 
sent to London and Paris. Colonel Gordon’s expedition through the Khedive’s 
newly acquired territory in Southern Egypt- has also come across several 
auriferous and argentiferous deposits, specimens of which have been sent to 
M. Daubree, the diredor of the Paris School of Mines, for analysis. 
The Hygienic Society of Paris has arranged with Captain M. Giffard for the 
performance of a number of scientific experiments on the effeds of diminished 
barometric pressure on respiration and other vital processes by the aid of his 
giant captive balloon. We are glad to hear that this magnificent machine is 
to be put to a scientific use. 
The French Chamber of Deputies has voted a sum of 690,000 francs for the 
construction of a new astronomical observatory at Meudon, near Paris, on the 
site of the old chateau which was destroyed by the Germans in 1871. Of this 
munificent sum, 390,000 francs is to be spent on a refrador, 250,000 francs 
on the building, and the rest in extra salaries and incidental expenses. The 
whole is expeded to be completed within two years. The separation of the 
staff of the astronomical and meteorological departments has been decided 
upon, and, taking advantage of the good example set them, the .Swedish Diet 
has granted the sum necessary for building a separate meteorological obser- 
vatory at Upsala, where so much good work has been done. 
We regret to have to announce the death of the secretary and diredor of 
the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Joseph Henry, LL.D., which 
occurred on Monday, May 13th. Professor Henry was born in Albany, in the 
State of New York, December 17th, 1799. He became Professor of Mathe- 
matics in the Albany Academy in 1826 ; Professor of Natural Philosophy in 
the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, in 1832; and was eleded the first 
Secretary and Diredor of the Smithsonian Institution in 1846. He received 
the honorary degree of Dodor of Laws, from Union College, in 1829 ; and 
from Harvard University in 1851. He was President of the American Asso- 
ciation for the Advancement of Science in 1849 ; was chosen President of the 
United States National Academy of Sciences in 1868; President of the Philo- 
sophical Society of Washington in 1871; and Chairman of the Light-House 
Board of the United States in the same year ; the last three positions he con- 
tinued to fill until his death. Professor Henry made contributions to science 
in eledricity, eledro-magnetism, meteorology, capillarity, acoustics, and in 
other branches of physics ; he published valuable memoirs in the transadions 
of various learned societies of which he was a member; andfdevoted thirty- 
