od. He ventured to say, as a scientific man, that he knew hing in the whole records of scientific research more honour. to this country than those experiments which were being ied on at Rothamsted with such self-denying skill. The lution was then put by the chairman, and carried unanisly. Sir John Evans moved :-" That, in the opinion of this ting, the testimonial might advantageously take the form of 1) a granite memorial, with a suitable inscription, to be ted at the head of the field where the experiments have in place; (2) addresses to Sir John Lawes and Dr. Gilbert, ompanied (if funds permit) by a commemorative piece of e." This was also carried, and it was unanimously resolved the following should be requested to act as a committee for ying the resolutions into effect :-The presidents of the ral, Royal Agricultural, Linnean, and Chemical Societies, Earl of Clarendon, Viscount Emlyn, Sir John Lubbock, John Evans (hon. treasurer), and Mr. Ernest Clarke (hon. etary), with power to add to their number. The Duke of stminster moved a vote of thanks to the chairman, and the nce of Wales said, in response, that nothing had given him ater pleasure and satisfaction than to take the chair on that asion, and to testify, as an agriculturist, his own sense of itude for what Sir John Lawes had done for agriculture. scriptions to the fund may be sent to any member of the mittee, to Sir John Evans, F.R.S., at Nash Mills, Hemel npstead, or to Mr. Ernest Clarke, at 12, Hanover Square, W. ORD SALISBURY presided over a meeting held at Oxford week, in aid of the building fund of the Radcliffe Infirmary. delivered a most vigorous address, in the course of which he that at Oxford the difficulty connected with medical educawas the reverse of that felt in London. In London the tical opportunities of exercising medicine were abundant, the only care, or the main care, which pressed upon se who had charge of education in that respect was the more scientific basis of that practice should be ected or receive inadequate attention. At Oxford, on contrary, they had abundant means of teaching the ap of sciences which were the equipment of the physi. But, necessarily, unless they made a great effort to end, they should not have the means of presenting those rtunities of practical inquiry which were essential to the nation of the professional ideal, and which in large populanecessarily occurred with so much greater frequency. This ement—for so he looked upon it—on the part of the rulers he University; to draw somewhat closer to the science of icine, was only part of a larger movement which had been g on for some time, which, if he might use the scientific uage of the day, was part of the evolution of education in ime. He begged to assure the assembly that he had no rous views with respect to the study of Greek. In fact he inclined to say that in recent controversies the advocates of lassical languages had been unduly frightened, and that e was not the slightest danger that the study of them would pass from the education of youth or the culture of men of ect. The issue was not between science and languages,

ent or modern; the issue rather was between the science se chief food was gathered from observation and the science se chief food was gathered from reflection. This older ce was slowly, very slowly, but still quite evidently, giving to the sciences which relied upon observation. He always ght that the science of medicine had scarcely received among the tribute which it ought to receive among sciences which apon observation. It was a curious fact that the whole ten. y of scientific thought appeared to be rapidly concentrating upon the fields in which medicine reigned supreme. Those tely minute beings which certainly for health or sickness ly affected our existence, and which were so essential to us

that some able scientific men said that we consisted of nothing else, that we were not only a Republic, but were in a permanent state of civil war-these bacilli were attracting more and more the attention of the scientific intellect in Europe. It was dangerous to prophesy, but he did not think that any one who had watched the course of science would doubt that for the generation to come the investigation of these creatures, which had been revealed by new methods of research and by singularly patient labour, and upon which the lives of millions of human beings depended, would figure more largely in the scientific field than any other study. This was the special domain and privilege of medicine. He felt, therefore, that in commending this appeal to their consideration he was doing more than preaching a charity sermon. He was asking them to help that which contained the most brilliant promise for the intellectnal future of science in a University by which science ought to be cultivated and where science ought to reign.

AFTER Lord Salisbury's address various resolutions were adopted, among which was one, moved by Prof. Dicey, to the effect that the Radcliffe Infirmary, being the chief hospital for Oxford and a large surrounding district, should be brought into hospital management. Another resolution, moved by the Master a state of efficiency corresponding with the recent advances in of University, expressed approval of the committee's scheme, consisting of the removal of the sick from the old building into more modern wards and the renovation of the old building.

ON Saturday and Sunday last much damage was done in Sandgate, near, Folkestone, by remarkable disturbances of land. The first disturbance was felt on Saturday at 7.45 P.M., when a rocking motion was noticed. This soon stopped, but later disturbances were so alarming that many people took their furniture into the streets. According to a correspondent of the Times, houses "slipped away from each other, leaving gaping sections," while in other cases the walls bulged out, and great rifts appeared in the ground. In the area affected by the disturbances most, if not all, of the houses are out of line and show cracking. Many of the inhabitants have been brought to great distress by the calamity, and appeals to the public have been issued on their behalf. An inquiry into the cause of the disaster was held at Sandgate on Tuesday by Mr. Walton, Local Government Board Inspector. After hearing evidence the Inspector said that an official report would be sent to the Board. What he had seen led him to conclude that the catastrophe was due to the sudden release of impounded subsoil water, a thing which he believed was remediable by the institution of proper water drains. If that was attended to there was no reason to suppose that such a disaster would ever recur. The strata were full of water, which the recent abnormal rainfall had served to increase. That water being released had formed kinds of caverns. The remedies were proper storm drains and intercepting drains, with free outlets under the road to the sea.

THE death of Ludwig Lindenschmit, the well-known German archæologist, is announced. He died at Mainz on February 14 in his eighty-fourth year. He was the director and one of the founders of the fine Central Romano-German Museum at Mainz, and one of the editors of the "Archiv für Anthropologie." Among his works are "Die vaterländischen Altertümer der fürstlichen Hohenzollernschen Sammlungen his "Altertümer unserer heidnischen Vorzeit." He began a "Handbuch der deutschen Altertumskunde," but completed only the volume relating to the Merovingian period. Linden schmit was an enthusiastic advocate of the theory that the Aryan race is of European origin.

and

THE temperature during the past week has been generally very high for the season, the daily maxima frequently exceeding

55°, and even reaching 59° in the eastern counties on Sunday; whereas the average maxima for the month, deduced from twenty years' observations at the telegraphic reporting stations of the Meteorological Office, range from about 45° in the north to 50° in the south and south-east. During the latter part of last week several depressions skirted our north-west coasts, and rain fell generally every day, although the amounts measured were not great; but on Sunday the type of weather changed, especially over the southern part of the kingdom. An anticyclone advanced over our south-west coasts from the Atlantic, while the air became dryer and conditions more settled, although there was little sunshine in any part of the kingdom. There was a deep depression over Norway on Tuesday, while secondary depressions in connection with it were approaching the north-west of Scotland, and occasioning a return of stormy weather in the northern parts of these islands. From the Weekly Weather Report it appears that for the week ending the 4th instant the rainfall was above the average in all districts except the north of Scotland and the south of Ireland. Over the northern parts of England and the east of Scotland the excess was large, owing chiefly to heavy snowfall at the begin. ning of the period.

AMONG the various marine zoological stations which, on the initiative of that at Naples, have sprung up in recent years, the station at Trieste, on the Adriatic, holds an honourable place. It has been in existence nearly eighteen years. Dr. Claus states (Naturw. Rdsch) that for its double function of instruction and investigation opportunity is afforded both to students and men of science. The students are, primarily, those of the professors of zoology at Vienna University, to whom the management is entrusted; also those of the Graz professor, who has a right to four places out of twelve. Students of other Austrian Universities are also freely admitted to work, and Austrian and foreign investigators. To each worker the ordinary reagents, besides the table, are supplied gratis; also the material, so far as it can be provided without special cost. The station further supplies living and preserved marine animals as specimens to the Zoological Institutes of the Vienna and Graz Universities, sending thither about 120 to 140 specimens annually. Other institutes are supplied on payment as arranged. The number of workers at the station has gone on increasing since it was opened in 1875. Of foreign investigators who have used it may be named Metschnikoff, Kowalevsky, A. Schneider, Selenka, R. and O. Hertwig, Keller, E. van Beneden, Fromann, Braun, and F. Cohn. The results of work carried on there are sometimes published independently, but they chiefly appear in the Arbeiten of the Zoological Institute of Vienna University, and the Zoological Station in Trieste, of which ten volumes have appeared. The Denkschriften and Sitzungsberichte of the Vienna Academy and the German zoological journals also witness to the activity of the station. The Austrian Government has liberally aided this useful institution.

THE new number of the urnal of the Institution of

Electrical Engineers contains a report of some very interesting speeches on a paper by Dr. Fleming on experimental researches on alternate-current transformers. The same number includes Mr. Preece's presidential address, from which we have given some extracts. The vote of thanks to the president for his ad. dress was proposed by Mr. Spagnolletti and seconded by Sir Henry Mance. Sir Henry said there was one point in the address which had struck him with dismay. That was the gradual increase of the teredo in the neighbourhood of our shores. This fact had been brought home to him that day by specimens of cable recently attacked by "the insect, or mollusc"; and it should teach them-what Mr. Preece had told them many years before-that they should not only survey

the bottom of the sea for rocks and shoals, but shoe a examine it near the shores to find whether it was infeste that pest, which had damaged hundreds of thousands of p worth of cable.

THE results of the solar, meteorological, and mag observations made during 1892 at the Stonyhurst College C vatory have just been issued by Father Sidgreaves. They the commendable form of monthly and annual summarie that the most interesting results can be seen at a glance, compared with the mean results of the last forty-five years range of barometer readings was only 1724, or a carre an inch lower than the mean, while the range of the e meter was seven degrees higher than the mean. The ex range of the barometer recorded at this observatory s inches. Sunshine was recorded for 207 hours in June, 201 April, and only 172 in May. From January to Apr them a regular increase, and from June to December a regular des the falling-off in May being very conspicuous. 153 Cra of the sun have been added to the already splendid Steyt series. An appendix contains the results of meteor? observations made at St. Ignatius College, Malta.

WE learn from the Botanical Gazette that there are t many as thirty-two botanical stations in the United States on by the various State Governments. The subjec receives most attention at these stations is that of the ge and bacterial diseases of cultivated crops and of fruit-trees, a their treatment and cure. Some of them give atten systematic botany, while others are investigating the history of certain fungi, or carrying on physiological work laboratory for the study of plant diseases has recently beer up in connection with the agricultural experiment station University of California at Berkeley. It has been an that a botanical survey of Nebraska shall be undertaker the Botanical Seminar of the University of that State almost unknown flora of the north central portions of I recently been investigated, as we have already noted, by mission acting under the auspices of the Botanical Div the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

IN the first part of Dr. Millspaugh's Preliminary Cataling a the Flora of Western Virginia, published in the Ballet: Agricultural Experimental Station of Morgantown, a new ** has been introduced in a list of the rich fossil flora of thes

PROF. ANGELO HEILPRIN, of the Peary Relief Expr. has presented to the Museum of the Academy of N Sciences, Philadelphia, the valuable collection of dredged by him in Greenland waters. They have not ye studied, but the conservator of the conchological section, annual report, says he has ascertained the presence of a : of species not before in the collection of the Academy genera Margarita, Buccinum, Sipho, and other Arcticg The specimens preserved in alcohol are in excellent or for the examination of the soft parts.

College, Aberystwith, says that on January 4 last he of a MR. J. W. SALTER, writing to the Zoologist from Ur polecat about six miles south of Aberystwith. There is to believe, he says, that the species is by no means ei Cardiganshire.

THE Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has iss volume of papers, most of which describe the results of c investigations carried on at its Research Laboratory. editor is Prof. W. R. Dunstan. The papers are r from the Transactions of the societies to which ta communicated, namely, the Royal Society, the Society, the Pharmaceutical Society, and the Physic Other volumes of a like kind are to follow.

THE new number of the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society includes, besides papers on many other subjects, reports of conferences on the begonia and on apricots and plums. There is also a long series of extracts from the Proceedings of the society.

THE second part of the excellent "Canadian Guide Book," by Ernest Ingersoll, has been issued (W. Heinemann). It deals with western Canada, and the author has been at great pains not only to collect full and trustworthy information, but to present it in a clear and attractive style. There are maps and many illustrations.

THE results of an investigation concerning the nature and properties of metallic ruthenium, particularly with respect to the fusing point of this highly refractory rare metal, are contributed by M. Joly to the current number of the Comptes Rendus. M. Joly has accumulated no less than three kilograms of pure metallic ruthenium, and has consequently been enabled to carry out experiments upon it on a comparatively large scale. It will doubtless be remembered that ruthenium and osmium are the two most refractory of the metals of the platinum group. Deville and Debray only succeeded with great difficulty in obtaining a few minute globules of melted ruthenium with the aid of the oxyhydrogen blowpipe. The fusion of this metal is rendered very much more difficult owing to the readiness with which, at these high temperatures, it becomes converted into the volatile tetroxide RuO4. It was apparent therefore

that in order to attain success the temperature must be suddenly raised to a point considerably higher than the melting point of the metal; and in order to effect this a much more powerful source of heat than the oxyhydrogen blowpipe would be required. M. Joly has therefore employed the electric arc, which has recently been shown by M. Moissan to be so admirably adapted for the preparation of refractory metals. At the high temperature of a powerful arc ruthenium is melted in a few seconds, and without sensible loss by volatilisation in the form of tetroxide. Solid ingots of twenty to thirty grams of the metal have been obtained in this manner without difficulty. As the melted metal cools, however, it becomes covered with a coating of the blue sesquioxide Ru,O, and the dioxide RuO2. In order to remove this the ingot is placed first in aqua regia, which, however, has no action upon either the metal or the oxides, and subsequently in hydrofluoric acid; finally the ingot is heated in a stream of hydrogen, when it loses the last traces of oxide and the pure metal remains. Pure ruthenium thus obtained in tolerably large quantities after fusion is a greyishwhite metal, more nearly resembling iron than platinumi in appearance. Its hardness is about the same as that of iridium. It possesses a crystalline structure and is brittle.

The density

of the metal after fusion M. Joly gives as 12'063 at o° compared with water at 4°. Employing the same electric arc and under equal conditions in all respects, the fusion of ruthenium appears to be attended with appreciably greater difficulty than that of rhodium and iridium, whose melting points are somewhat higher than the melting point of platinum. Moreover, under the conditions which suffice for the ready fusion of ruthenium, osmium merely sinters, traces of fusion being just apparent. Osmium therefore is the most infusible of the metals of the platinum group. M. Joly is now conducting experiments with the view of determinining the actual temperatures of these interesting high melting points.

NOTES from the Marine Biological Station, Plymouth :The week's captures include the Lucernarian Depastrum cyathiforme and numbers of the Gephyrean Petalostoma minutum, Kef. Ephyræ of Aurelia have been abundant; Hydroid medusæ scarcer. Polychæte larvæ and Nauplii continue plentiful, and Cyphonautes (larva of the Polyzoan Membranipora

Echinoderm

pilosa) has considerably increased in numbers. larvæ (Auricularia, Pluteus) have made their first appearance in the season's townettings. The Nemertine Nemertes Netsii and a large eyeless mud-dwelling species of the Polychaete genus Polydora (flava, Clap. ?) are now breeding.

THE additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the past week include a Black-faced Spider Monkey (Ateles ater) from Eastern Peru, presented by Miss Gertrude Farmer; a Macaque Monkey (Macacus cynomolgus, ¿) from Java, presented by Mrs. Frank Phillips; a Naked-footed Owlet (Athene noctua) European, presented by Mr. Albert Stevens; a Fourhorned Antelope (Tetraceros quadricornis, d) from India, purchased; six Wild Swine (Sus cristatus), two Badgers (Meles taxus), born in the Gardens.

UNIVERSAL TIME. -On February 6 last the Bill declaring the legal time for Germany to be that of the 15th meridian east of Greenwich, that is, one hour in advance of Greenwich time, passed the third reading. This law will be brought into force on April 1. The Observatory for March informs us that, in a letter addressed to the Astronomer Royal, it is stated by Dr. Schran that a similar Bill has been laid before the Austrian Government, and "it is hoped that the change will be made simultaneously with Germany." The draft of the latter Bill,

which we take from the same number, provides :

(1) That the legal time in Austria is the mean solar time of the meridian 15 east of Greenwich. The same to replace, on April 1, 1893, the present local times for legal, civil, and all other purposes.

(2) The Government is authorised to make the changes in the school and industrial hours which will become necessary in consequence of the adoption of the above.

THE BIELIDS, 1892.-M. Bredichin, in Astronomischen Nachrichten, 3154, has a short note on the Bielids, in which he says that the observations made in America on November 23 last show that the meeting of the densest part of this swarm with the earth has taken place almost four days earlier than in the year 1885, or, in other words, that the descending node of the stream has receded almost 4 to the west during the period be tween the end of 1885 and the end of 1892. The cause of this recession is, he says, due to Jupiter, the perturbations set up by equal to that possessed by Biela's comet. this planet accounting for the mean daily motion which is nearly

An approximate computation of the special perturbations for the whole period during which Jupiter had any influence gave

for the recession of the node a little over 4°, the inclination decreasing about o°'6.

THE WOLSINGHAM OBSERVATORY.-In the Report of this observatory for the year 1892 Mr. T. E. Espin tells us that although the zone work was interrupted by attention being given to Nova Auriga, yet one hundred and sixteen new ThirdType Stars were detected in zones + 55 and 56. In the autumn, as the telescope was going to be devoted to the revision of double stars in connection with the new edition of "Celestial Objects for the Common Telescope," the driving clock was taken out and cleaned, and a new arrangement for letting the clock run for one and a half hours without rewinding was also added. Notwithstanding the pressure of work in this direction, as many as eight hundred and forty-seven measures were made in the autumn, observing being carried on sometimes for twelve hours, and once for thirteen and a half at a stretch." With respect to the new edition of the work mentioned above, Mr. Espin gives a short description of the general scheme. The portions devoted to the planets and the sun (vol. i.) will have several foot-notes added to them, Mr. Denning will write a short chapter on comets and meteors, and chapters on celestial photography and spectroscopic work will also be inserted. The second volume will deal with double stars, &c., and will be entirely rewritten; the objects will be arranged in order of Right Ascension, and all double stars whose primaries are above 6'5 magnitude, and whose distance is less than 20", will be included. The work of bringing the places up to 1900 was at the end of the year completed for the first twelve hours, and considerable progress has already been made in the next eight hours of Right Ascension. Mr. Espin refers to the death of Miss Compton, who took great interest in the work done at the Observatory, and who left a legacy for the purchase of a photographic telescope. This telescope is already in working order, its aperture being eight clear inches, and focal length forty-two inches, and will be devoted to the photography of the zones observed with the spectroscope for detecting variation in light. The Meteorological Department has also been increased by a hygroscope and solar radiation thermometer, the gifts of Miss Brooke.

UNITED STATES NAVAL OBSERVATORY.-From the report of the superintendent (Capt. F. C. McNair) of this observatory for the year ending June 30, 1892, we gather the following few notes. In October, 1891, owing to the retirement of Prof. Asaph Hall, the use of the 26-inch refractor was tendered to Mr. Asaph Hall, junior, the latter observing the satellite of Neptune, satellites of Saturn, and the two outer satellites of Uranus. During the period of opposition of Mars, in August, 1892, the instrument was employed by Prof. Hall for the purpose of securing measures of the satellites, as the superintendent thought that "it seemed fitting that Prof. Hall, the discoverer of these satellites, should have the privilege of observing them once more under such exceptionally favourable circumstances." With the transit circle practically no observations were made, as the instrument was under repairs previous to being set up in the new observing houses; the Meridian transit, on the other hand, was in constant use, chiefly in connection with the time service. The 96 inch equatorial was as usual employed in observing asteroids, occultations, &c., while two nights a week were set apart for the accommodation of visitors. The number of visitors at night is about 2500 per annum, the majority of whom are women. In the estimates of appropriations required for the service for the year ending June 30, 1894, we see that the superintendent asks for an expert elevator conductor, which is essential to prevent accident. Among the estimates for the new observatory is a request for three dwellings for observers, and this is accom panied by a note which we print here, and the truth of which every astronomer will endorse :-"In order that the work of a large observatory may be properly and economically done, it is absolutely necessary that the observers be within prompt call to their instruments throughout day and night. Very important observations can often be secured from the clearing of the sky for a few hours, or even in some cases for a few minutes, if the observer be within easy call by the watchman. This can only be accomplished, in the isolated situation of the new Observatory, by having dwellings upon the grounds for the observers. The Government erects dwellings at all its navy-yards, arsenals, forts, and schools for the officers on duty there. But no service requires such unremitting attention and constant presence at all hours as that of the astronomer, and no observatory can be regarded

as economically managed which does not furnish ¿wel me all its observers close by their instruments. It test matei with the observers living on the grounds of the new Chur not only will two or three times as much work be done a be possible to do otherwise, but the quality of this delica e will be materially improved on account of the observers be a proper physical condition to begin their labours, imtr. with nerves unstrung from hurrying some miles from homes immediately after meals, or at unreasonable i tr the night."

YALE ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY.-Vol. i. Purts 3 a 4 of the publications of the Astronomical Observators of V: University contains (1) "A Triangulation of Stars in the V of the North Pole," by Prof. William L. Elkin: a "Determination of the Orbit of the Comet 1847 VI., ' by M Margaretta Palmer. With regard to the former paper, h. € undertaken to determine the relative positions of wae LOTS polar stars to serve as fundamental points for a phot survey of that region. Twenty-four stars, covering a coROK able area, were selected for this work, and all the draaros measured were large-that is, above 1000". Out of 276 sible combinations of measuring the intermutual dis within the range of the heliometer, Prof. Elkin managi employ 146, each combination undergoing three weara measurements. In the reduction of the measurements he gives full information as to the methods employed, showing the means of eliminating the systematic errors, &c., concluding with tables of the final results in Right Ascension and Declination and precessional tables. Miss Palmer prefaces her determination 4 the orbit of comet 1847 VI. with a short reference to its d covery and history, remarking that it is probably the only corre ever discovered independently by two women. Rumker in 155 found the orbit to be of a distinctly hyperbolic nature, and result of the present determination, by employing modern pls. for the sun and allowing for perturbations, &c., show that 3s observations can be best explained on the hypothesis hyperolic orbit, the new value for the elements differing shghip from the old ones.

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

A COLONY only accessible through foreign territory is natarak y unsatisfactory to its holders, and since the development German South-west Africa, the inconvenience of having Walfal Bay as the only landing place for the interior has gradmy increased. It is now announced that a new harbour has ne found on German territory in the mouth of the Swartkop nreThe stream is so small that it is marked on few general maps of Africa, and it may even turn out to be in the British sphere.

A PAPER for the next German Geographentag has been published in advance, by Prof. W. Koppen, under the tri "Die Schreibung geographischer Namen. It deals in a ven thorough manner with the principles which ought to regulare the orthography of place-names, and treats the whole matter oắ authoritatively published rules in a historical way from the fire formulation of the Royal Geographical Society's Rules in 1885 to the new German rules (see NATURE, p. 89) adopted 12 1892. Prof. Koppen has fully mastered his subject, and, frum a thorough study of the phonetics of language, he has been abe to formulate a scheme by which the Roman alphabet may be employed, with the aid of diacritical signs and groups of con sonants, to represent almost every possible sound. The method. adopted in the official systems of the Royal Geographical Society and the German Colonial Office appear to the anthor of the pamphlet to be incomplete and unsatisfactory. The sulgest is one eminently adapted for full international discussion, and we hope that Prof. Koppen will not fail to bring the matter before the next international Geographical Congress.

POLAR exploration seems to have received a fresh stimulus, and we note with satisfaction the announcement in the Americaa newspapers of Mr. Peary's new programme. He sails for Greenland in June, and will spend the winter not far from the site of his last winter's camp. A novelty in transport on the inland ice is to be the use of ponies shod with snow-shoes of a special pattern, experience in Alaska and Norway appearing to establish the practicability of the idea. The main object of the expedition is to survey the Arctic Archipelago inmediateiv north of Greenland, and to determine the whole north coast o

e mainland. Mr. Peary has no theories, and expects to have modify his plans according to circumstances. He expects to ach higher latitudes than have previously been attained, but s no sentimental views as to reaching the pole. The whole the expense of the expedition he hopes to defray by his ctures and the book describing his last year's experience, hich will be published in June.

STROMBOLI1

ON June 24, 1891, an earthquake and volcanic explosion took place, followed by another shock on June 30. Some ays after, the authors spent three days at Stromboli, and subquently studied at their homes the materials they collected. The paper commences with a description of the island, which ot only adds nothing to what has already been published, but inferior to what has been described by others. Mention is ade of many changes during the last century, but great care taken not to mention several writers who have described and ustrated the changes during the last few years. The writer, who as the first to photograph the crater of Stromboli, and has nce published new photographs, is not even referred to, yet ose photos are the best so far published of the volcano. It is gretable to see the frequency with which Prof. Mercalli quotes mself to the exclusion of several of his own countrymen, and pecially foreigners. Since 1887, the single crater has been reaced by a number of cones which, according to the authors, e the same as those of 1889. I myself visited the crater in 89, and those in the plates of this paper are very different in uation, which I can confirm by photos in my possession. The atter is of little importance, but more care should be shown in ch statements. Those who have a good practical experience active volcanoes know how often, from day to day these ntral conettes change.

The shock of the present eruption was quite local and was observed at Lipari. It was much more violent on the upper rt of the mountain than lower down, and the authors reasonly conclude that the explosion was limited to the actual ter. Several landslips occurred on the crumbling slopes of island. A column of vapour and lumps of incandescent a were ejected to a level with the summit of the island, that for a height of 225 m. Dust and lapilli were spread over island though not to any great amount. Lava immediately gan to flow from a short rift.

On June 30, another shock occurred, sufficiently strong disturb the Milne seismoscopes of Lipari. After the usual ction of lava cakes, lapilli, stones, &c., another lava stream rted from a point near the eastern mouths. By July 6, en the authors visited the crater, the excessive activity so diminished that no more lapilli or dust was being ejected. ree currents of lava flowed down the Sciarra to the sea, and one divided into two branches, four reefs were formed at the er-line which it appears are being rapidly swept away by

waves.

The microscopic and chemical examination of the lava shows be a basalt verging on an andesite with 50 per cent. of SiO, a little more potash than soda. The scoria ejecta resemble lava in composition, except so far as their different rate of coolmodifies them. Besides the essential, some accessory ejecta e thrown out, which were old fumarolised materials from the - crater walls. The dust, or ashes, as the authors call it, partly composed of black vitreous particles and glass fibres ed with a brownish powder from the trituration of older anic materials.

To relation was found to exist between the eruptive spasm Stromboli with several earthquakes that occurred before and A list of known eruptions of Stromboli are given, but it most imperfect one; for example the eruption of 1768, ch was actually figured by Sir William Hamilton in his Eerly work, is not even referred to, although lava not only ed from the crater, but also from a lateral opening on the ern side of the Stromboli, and also was the first recorded = of lava from this volcano. This list is more complete of years, there being no less than fourteen eruptions from to 1888. Prof. Mercalli thinks there is a sympathetic Sopra il perii odo eruttivo dello Stromboli cominciato il 24 Guigno, By A. Ricco and G. Mercalli. Con appendice dell' Ing. S. Ann. d. Ufficio C. Met. e Geodinamico ser. sec., pt. iii. (Paper printed 1892.)

action between the outbursts of Stromboli and Etna, and also the seismic foci of South Italy. He likewise finds a faint relationship between the position of the sun and moon when in opposition and conjunction but not with barometric pressure, but says that the daily variation in activity may so be related, as stated by the inhabitants.

H. J. JOHNSTON-LAVIS.

FORTHCOMING SCIENTIFIC BOOKS.

MR. MURRAY has in preparation :-"The Life of Prof. Owen," based on his correspondence, his diaries, and those of his wife, by his grandson, the Rev. Richard Owen, with portraits and illustrations, 2 vols. ; "Alone with the Hairy Ainu ; or, 3,800 Miles on a Pack Saddle in Yezo and a Cruise to the Kurile Islands, by A. H. Savage Landor, with map and numerous illustrations by the author; "A Manual of Naval Architecture," for the use of officers of the navy, the mercantile marine, ship-owners, ship-builders, and yachtsmen, by W. H. White, F.R.S., third edition, thoroughly revised and in great part re-written, with 150 illustrations; "The Physiology of the Senses," by Prof. John McKendrick and Dr. Snodgrass, with illustrations (1) touch, taste, and smell (2) the sense of sight (3) sound and hearing; Chapters in Modern Botany," by Prof. Patrick Geddes, with illustrations; "The Philosophy of the Beautiful, Pt. II.," by Prof. Knight; Logic, Inductive and Deductive," by Prof. William Minto; "The Metallurgy of Iron and Steel," by the late Dr. John Percy, F.R.S., a new and revised edition, with the author's latest corrections, and brought down to the present time, by H. Bauerman, with illustrations.

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Messrs. Longmans announce :-"Theosophy or Psychological Religion," the Gifford lectures delivered before the University of Glasgow in 1892, by Prof. F. Max Müller; "Telephone Lines and their Properties," by Prof. W. J. Hopkins; "Essays on Rural Hygiene," by Dr. George Vivian Poore; "Ab. dominal Hernia," by John Langton, M. R.C.S.; "A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism," by G. W. De Tunzelmann in 2 vols. ; Papers and Notes on the Glacial Geology of Great Britain and Ireland," by the late Prof. Henry Carvill Lewis, edited from his unpublished MSS., with an introduction by Dr. Henry W. Crosskey; "The Making of the Body, a Reading Book for Children on Anatomy and Physiology," with many illustrations and examples, by Mrs. S. A. Barnett; "A Manual of Machine Drawing and Design," by David Allan Low (Whitworth scholar) and Alfred William Bevis (Whitworth scholar), with over 700 illustrations; "Diseases and Injuries of the Teeth, including Pathology and Treatment," a manual of practical dentistry for students and practitioners, by Morton Smale, M.R.C.S., and J. F. Colyer, L.R.C.P.; Cotton Weaving and Designing," by John J. Taylor; "Clinical Lectures on Abdominal Hernia," chiefly in relation to treatment, including the radical cure, by William H. Bennett, F. R. C. S., with twelve diagrams in the text; "The Elements of Bacteriology," a manual for practitioners and students, by Prof. S. L. Schenk, translated by Dr. W. R. Dawson, with 100 illustrations, some of which are coloured; "Esquimaux Life," by Fridtjof Nansen, translated by William Archer, with illustrations.

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Among Messrs. Macmillan and Co.'s announcements are: William Kitchen Parker, F.R.S," a short memoir by his son, Prof. T. Jeffery Parker, F.R.S.; "Text-book of Pathology: Systematic and Practical," by Prof. D. J. Hamilton, Vol. II.; "A Uniform Edition of Prof. Huxley's Essays," in 6 vols., comprising Lay Sermons, Addresses and Reviews, Critiques and Addresses, Science and Culture, American Addresses, Man's place in Nature, &c.; "Lectures on Sanitary Law," by A. Wynter Blyth, M. R.C.S.; “A Text-book of the Physiological Chemistry of the Animal Body," including an account of the chemical changes occurring in disease, by Prof. Arthur Gamgee, F. R.S., with illustrations, Vol. II.; "Tables for the Determination of the Rock-forming Minerals," compiled by Prof. F. L. Loewinson-Lessing, translated from the Russian by J. W. Gregory, with aglossary added by Prof. G. A. J. Cole; "Text-book of Geology," by Sir Archibald Geikie, F.R.S., with illustrations, third edition, thoroughly revised; "Atlas of Classical Antiquities," by Th. Schreiber, edited for English use by Prof. W. C. F. Anderson; "The Soil in Relation to Health," by Henry A. Miers and Roger Crosskey; "Elementary Treatise on Modern Pure Geometry," by R. Lachlan ;