very brilliant; 24, visible from shortly before 9h P.M.; the finest display took place 11h P.M.; 25, traces visible during evening in S.S.E.; 30, traces visible during evening, S.E.

October 21.-Visible during the evening, at 10h 30m P.M., some fine streamers 30° and 40° high; 25, visible at times during the evening, though completely overcast, as a luminous sheet, extending from S.W. to S.E.; 26, shortly after midnight a beautiful display, though cloudy.

November 9.-Visible shortly after midnight until early morning, again during the whole evening; fine red streamers visible through bright moonlight; 15, auroral light visible during the evening, but no streamers; 17, visible at 9h 30 PM., for a short time; 18, visible all through the evening; 19, visible all through the evening; at 9h 20m P.M. very fine streamers; 20, visible from 11h P.M.; at 10 minutes past midnight, a fine display, with streamers extending from S.E. to S.W. At 4 A.M. on the 21st the whole extent of the southern sky, from the horizon upwards, was illuminated by a reddish light, terminating in something resembling a corona, but no streamers at all were visible; a thunderstorm occurred towards daylight, and the whole appearance vanished instantaneously at 4h 40m A.M, when a terrific thunderclap occurred; 23, visible between 11h P.M. and midnight; 24, traces visible all through the evening; 25, traces visible all through the evening; 29, visible from 8h 30 to 10h P.M., but not brilliant.

December 10— Faint streamers visible all through the evening; 16, visible all through the evening, at 10h P.M. very fine streamers, and at intervals, up to 2h A.M. on the 17th, a very fine display; 17, visible during the evening, some fine streamers at 9h P.M.

1871, January 3.-Visible during the evening; 13, visible after 11 P.M, no streamers, but strong reddish light in S.S.W.; 15, at midnight, faintly visible; 20, visible during evening, but only faint; 21, visible during evening, but only faint.

February 12, visible for a short time at 9h P.M.

List of dates when great disturbances in the magnetic elements took place, of the same nature as during auroral displays, but when no auroras were visible,

or at least observed:

1870 January 3, 4; February 10, 11; March 20, 21; April 22, 23, 28; May 16; June 13, 14, 16, 17; July 5, 28; August 3, 7, 19, 20, 21, 23; September 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 18, 26, 27; October 1, 15, 24; November 10, 22, 27; December 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 15, 22, 23, 25, 27. 1871: January 5, 6, 10, 27, 28, 30; February 4, 5, 9, 13, 14, 15.

We add to the above-mentioned aurora australes and magnetical disturbances observed in Melbourne the following ones observed in our own hemisphere:

1870, January.-To the aurora on January 8, at Melbourne, corresponds the aurora borealis on 8th at Oxford, Liverpool, Cockermouth, and North Shields. To the magnetic disturbances on January 3 and 4 correspond the disturbances observed on the same days at Rome; on January 3 aurora boreales were observed in Piedmont and in France; also in England at Guernsey, Worthing, Royston, Norwich, Boston, Eccles, and Culloden. Aurora borealis visible on the 4th in England at Wisbech.

February. To the aurora australis visible on February I, from 8 to 101, at Melbourne, correspond the aurora borealis seen at many places of the Europe on the same day, at Münster, Munich, Ruhrort, Nevtomysl, Peckeloh, Lennep, at Upsala (5 50 to 13), also at Coeslin, Petersburg, Königsberg, Paris, London, Calais, Cracow, Stockholm, and in England at Eastbourne, Royston, Little Wratting, Norwich, Wisbech, Boston, North Shields, and Culloden. To the magnetic disturbances on 11th at Melbourne correspond the aurora borealis observed on the same day at Upsala, and in England at Taunton, Wilton, Streatley, Cardington, York, Hawsker, North Shields. March. To the magnetic disturbances at Melbourne

on the 21st correspond the magnetic disturbances at Rome on the 22nd and the aurora borealis in England at Little Wratting, Stonyhurst, and York.

April. To the aurora australis on April 5, at Melbourne, correspond the aurora australis observed at many places of Europe on the same day, at Münster, Peckeloh, Lennep, Bonn, Linzig, Dülken, Brunswick, Niederorschel, Stettin, Kurnik, Munich, Feldkirch, Wolgast, Berlin, France and Italy, Paris, Austria, Athens, at Upsala, Petersburg, Riga, Pulbus, and Stockholm. To the magnetic disturbance on April 23 correspond the magnetic disturbances at Rome, and the aurora borealis at Papenburg on the same day.

May. To the aurora australis on the 20th at Melbourne corresponds the very fine aurora borealis at Münster, which also was seen on the same day at Mannheim, Paris, and London, and the great magnetic disturbances visible in Rome and Munich.

June. To the magnetic disturbances in Melbourne on the 13, 14, 16, 17 correspond the magnetic disturbances at Rome on the same days. (Bulletino Meteorologico dell' Osservatorio del Collegio Romano, No. 7, vol x.)

July. To the magnetic disturbances on July 8 and 28 at Melbourne correspond the disturbances at Rome on the same days.

August. To the aurora australis on the 22nd at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis on the 21st at Volpeglino near Tortona in Italy. To the magnetic disturbances in Melbourne on the 3, 7, 19, 20, 21, 23 correspond the contemporary disturbances of the magnetic instruments at Rome. With the magnetic disturbances on the 7th the aurora borealis at Upsala coincides. With the disturbance on the 19th the aurora borealis at Münster and at Carthaus near Dülmen. With the disturbances on the 20th the aurora borealis at Münster, Groeningen, Peckeloh, Oesel, Leipzig, and Upsala. To the magnetic disturbance on the 23rd corresponds the aurora borealis at Glasgow.

corresponds the aurora borealis at Carthaus, Danzig, September. To the aurora on the 25th in Melbourne Peckeloh, Weisenheim, also at Arnsburg, Oesel in Schleswig, Lichtenberg, Hamburg, Upsala. To the aurora australis on the 26th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis at Lichtenberg, Weisenheim, Upsala, Glasgow. To the aurora on the 30th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis on the same day at Upsala and Lichtenberg. To the aurora australis on the 21st at Melbourne correspond the contemporary aurora borealis at Upsala, Schleswig, Arnsburg, Lichtenberg, Hamburg, Norburg, Alsen, and the magnetic disturbance at Rome. To the aurora on the 24th at Melbourne corresponds the contemporary aurora borealis at Carthaus near Dülmen, Niederorschel, Groeningen, Danzig, Wolgast, Peckeloh, Weisenheim, Norburg, Alsen, Eger, Prague, Oderberg by the Inn, Kremsmünster, Moncalieri, Vienna, Stockholm, Hawkhurst, London. On the same day great disturbances of the magnetic instruments were observed at Rome and at Kremsmünster.

October.-To the aurora australis on the 21st at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis on the same day in England, and on the former day in Westphalia and England. To the aurora australis on the 25th at Melbourne corresponds the brilliant aurora borealis which was seen at many places in Germany, England, Russia, Sweden, Italy,* Greece, and Turkey on the same day. To the aurora on the 26th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis on the same day in Hamburg, Lichtenberg, Keitum, Athens, and in England. To the magnetic disturbances on the 1st at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis at Peckeloh, Upsala, and in England, and the magnetic disturbances on the same day. To the magnetic disturbances on the 15that Melbourne correspond the contemporary magBulletino Meteorologico dell' Osservatorio del Collegio Carlo Alberto in Moncalieri.

netic disturbances in Rome, and the aurora borealis at Upsala. To the magnetic disturbance on the 24th at Melbourne correspond the great magnetic disturbances at Rome, and the very fine aurora boreales on the same day in Germany, Russia, England, Turkey, Greece, and Sicily.

November. The aurora australis of November 9 at Melbourne, lasting from midnight till the morning twilight, corresponds to an hour to the aurora borealis which was seen at clear full moon on the evening of the 8th in Schleswig, and to the magnetic disturbances at Rome on the 8th and 9th. To the aurora australes on the 15th, 17th, and 18th at Melbourne correspond the aurora boreales on the 14th, 17th, and 18th in England. To the great aurora australis on the 19th at Melbourne corresponds the contemporary aurora borealis at Münster, Niederorschel, Peckeloh, Schleswig, also at Upsala and in England. To the aurora on the 23rd in Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis in England of the 22nd and 23rd. To the aurora australis of the 24th corresponds the aurora borealis at Upsala of the 24th and in England. The magnetic disturbances at Rome on the 19th, 20th, 23rd 24th, 25th, and 29th coincide with the aurora australis, on the same days, and the magnetic disturbances at Rome on the 10th, 22nd, and 27th, with the disturbances at Melbourne on the same days. Besides the aurora borealis on the 22nd in England, and on the 27th in Brünn coincide with the contemporary magnetic disturbances at Melbourne.

*

December. To the aurora australis on the 6th and 17th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis at Peckeloh, Keitum, and in England. To the aurora on the 17th at Melbourne corresponds the contemporary aurora borealis at Münster, Schleswig, Breslau, Keitum, and in England. The magnetic disturbance on the 22nd at Melbourne coincides with the aurora borealis on the 22nd in Schleswig.

January 1871.-To the aurora australis on the 3rd and 13th at Melbourne correspond the magnetic disturbances at Rome on the same day, and to the aurora australis of the 13th corresponds the aurora borealis on the same day at Münster, Breslau, Cologne, Schleswig. To the aurora on the 15th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis at Breslau and Schleswig on the 15th. To the aurora on the 20th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis on the 19th at Thurso.

February.-To the aurora australis on the 12th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis on the 12th at Münster and Niederorschel, Peckeloh, Wolgart, Moncalieri, Coeslin, Breslau, the pharos of the Weser, on the west coast of England, Eger, Datschitz, Florence, Rome, Volpeglino, and the aurora borealis on the 13th at 3 A.M. at Rome. The magnetic disturbances on the 4th at Melbourne correspond to the magnetic disturbances at Rome on the same day. To the magnetic disturbances on the 5th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis at Breslau. To the magnetic disturbances on the 9th at Melbourne corresponds the aurora borealis at Cleve and Thurso.

Münster, Westphalia, June 30

EDWARD HEIS

Coleoptera recently made in Ireland, the most interesting species being Chlamius holosericeus from near Killaloe. Mr. Champion exhibited an example of Emus hirtus recently captured by him in the New Forest; also rare British Hemiptera. Mr. Blackmore exhibited a collection of insects of all orders from Tangiers; locusts were extremely destructive there, and on the shore the pedestrian is often up to his ankles in the dead and dying accumulations of these insects.-Mr. Dunning read a letter from the Rev. Mr. Wayne, of Much Wenlock, calling attention to the damage done to his strawberries in consequence of a Myriopod effecting an entrance into the interior of the ripe fruit; also complaining that his young carrots were destroyed by a dipterous larva, probably that of Psila rose, which bored into the root.-Mr. Druce exhibited a collection of rare Diurnal Lepidoptera, including species of Papilio, Euryades, Heliconia, Eresia, Catagramma, Agrias. Paphia, &c. Mr. Stainton exhibited an example of Botys fuscalis captured by the Rev. R. P. Murray in the Isle of Man, to the head of which a portion of the puparium still adhered; the insect was flying briskly when taken, notwithstanding that it must have been nearly blind. Mr. Albert Müller exhibited a leaf from a vine growing Riley, State Entomologist for Missouri, exhibited a collection of at Basle showing the damage done by Phytoptus vitis.-Mr. American insects with their transformations.-Prof. Westwood read a paper on new species of exotic Papilionida. Mr. S. S. Saunders read a monograph of the Strepsiptera, describing twenty-one species; he considered the group as undoubtedly pertaining to the Coleoptera, in the vicinity of Rhipiphorus. Mr. C. O. Waterhouse read a memoir on some species of Cantharis. The Baron de Selys Longchamps communicated a statistical sketch of the Odonata; the number of species of dragon flies now known he estimated at 1,344.

Society of Biblical Archæology, July 4.-Samuel Birch, LL.D., F.S.A., in the chair. The Rev. F. K. Cheyne, M. A., was duly elected a member of the society. The Rev. B. T. Lowne, M. R.C.S., read a paper "On the Flora of Palestine." He considered that it comprised eight distinct elements, four of the dominant existing floras of Southern Europe, Russian Asia, North Africa, and that of Arabia and North Western India. Each of these floras was stated to occupy a distinct region of the country. Interspersed with these are found numerous examples of plants belonging to palæarctic Europe, constituting its fifth element. The Arctic flora of Hermon and Lebanon constitutes the sixth. Mr. Lowne thought further that the cedars of the Lebanon, and the papyrus of the Jordan lakes were the remnants of two ancient and almost extinct floras belonging to two distinct geological periods.-James Collins read a paper "On the Gums, Perfumes, and Resins mentioned in the Bible," particularly pointing out the fact that few of them were indigenous to Palestine, and that many have been wrongly named by the Greek and later botanists. In the course of his observations Mr. Collins detailed the characteristic differences between

the true and false Balm of Gilead, ladanum, sandal wood, &c., and the greater or less efficacy of their medicinal properties. Mr. Lowne and Mr. Collins brought for exhibition a large number of mounted specimens, and a complete collection of gums, perfumes, &c., to illustrate their respective papers. PARIS

Académie des Sciences, June 28.-M. Claude Bernard in the chair. M. Robin presented a new edition of his great work on the Microscope.-M. Elie de Beaumont presented a most valuable book by M. Rivat, who died recently, and who was one of the chief engineers in the mining service, containing a new method of extracting silver from sulphuric ores, with the assistance of super-heated steam. The quantity of steam required was originally very great, and is now reduced to th of what it was when the first experiments were tried. This process of quantitative analysis is largely used in the Laboratory of the Ecole des Mines, at Paris.-Father Secchi sent a memoir on a sup posed relation between protuberances, sun-spots, and "faculæ," as discovered by him.-M. Struve and others sent a letter on behalf of the German astronomers, who will meet at Vienna, and asking for the presence of French astronomers. Some instruments destroyed by the Communists were intended for that meeting.-M. Delaunay has circulated amongst the members a small notice relating to an intended meteorological atlas of France, and presented the volume of meteorological observations made at the National Observatory, which he calls the "Observatory of Paris." M. Charles Sainte-Claire Deville rose immediately in order to present the French Academy with the

observations made at the observatory of Montsouris. The two observatories are at a distance of something less than a mile, and a deadly feud appears to exist between them.-M. Ch. SainteClaire Deville then read a paper relating to the part taken by him in the projecting of the meteorological atlas of France in 1847.-M. de Falen and Fisher described bathymetrical obser vations and researches executed on the coasts of France, in 1847, in depths varying up to 250 fathoms. The submarine fauna has no peculiarity worth mentioning. M. Gustave Tissandier, one of the postal aeronauts, presented a résumé of the results obtained by the sixty-four postal aeronautical expeditions during the siege of Paris. He merely gives however the number of letters and pigeons sent, but not the number of pigeons returned to Paris, and of letters duly posted in the post-offices of the French postal service delegated in the provinces.

July 3.-M. Claude Bernard in the chair.-M. Delaunay read a letter from M. Marie Davy, in answer to M. Ch. Sainte-Claire Deville's communication on the l'hysical Atlas of France. The learned astronomer, supporting M. Marie Davy, admits that the idea of constructing a physical atlas belongs to M. Ch. Sainte Claire Deville, who originated it in 1847; but he contends that in 1868 he tried to start it, since nothing had been done during twenty-one years. M. Delaunay contends moreover that it is a duty for the National Observatory to undertake such a publication. It is to be hoped that M. Delaunay's exertions will not interfere with M. Sainte-Claire Deville's own publications, and at all events, that we shall have at least an atlas worthy of the French reputation in meteorological matters. But the safer way for both contending parties should be to agree in a common work. Such a resolution would diminish the expenses to the Republic, and enlarge the chances of common success. M. Sainte-Claire Deville's brother, the chemist, was not returned a member for Paris, although he received more than 50,000 votes.-M. Delaunay presented for M. Latterade a most extraordinary memoir on "The Theory of two Suns." M. Latterade contends that the warm period which is demonstrated by the presence of tropical fossils in Sweden and Norway was produced by the proximity of a very powerful star which had given to the earth an immense quantity of heat, and which from that time has receded into the abysses of celestial space. M. Latterade contends that the supplementary sun has not disturbed the elements of the planets, because its attractive power was smaller than its warming power. He states, moreover, that the warming power does not vary according to the mass, like the attractive power. This communication was referred gravely to a committee composed of three members.-M. Champion sent a new memoir on nitro-glycerine, which he has studied with so much care during the investment of Paris. It is not only a very dangerous study, but also a very painful labour, as violent headaches are experienced by persons engaged in such operations. The whole of the memoir is worthy of being read attentively by working chemists. We will not try to analyse it, but merely mention two facts. Electricity is without action on glycerine as proved by Ruhmkorff, and explosion does not take place at 360° Fah. as supposed, but at 540° only.-M. Quatrefages presented an interesting memoir from M. Dareste, who is pursuing with constant success his studies on artificial monstrosities, produced by different operations on eggs during incubation. The learned physiologist examines the alterations produced in the blood, and finds the number of corpuscles is very small indeed under special circumstances.--Father Denza sent from Italy an account of the aurora borealis observed in Italy on the evenings of April 9, 10, 18, and 23. Father Denza mentions other aurora boreales on the 7th, 12th, and 18th of June. This last display was very brilliant, and was accompanied with very great magnetical disturbances. It coincided, moreover, with great storms ob served in England and other countries.-Baron Larey announced that Dr. Castano is just leaving France for a climatological and medical inspection of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and perhaps Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands. In its secret sitting the Academy is discussing the titles of several candidates to fill the room of M. Lamé, who was mostly engaged in abstruse researches on the application of high mathematics to molecular physics during his whole lifetime." M. Puiteux was chosen as candidate in the first line. He will be certainly returned on the 10th. Lamé cannot have any fitter or more qualified successor.-M. Delaunay has published the result of observations for the month of June. The greatest excess of black bulb thermometer in vacuo exposed to the sun over the ordinary thermometer in the shade was 35° Fah. on June 1, and the smallest on the 5th, when it was only 4°.

VIENNA

Imperial Academy of Sciences, May 11.-Dr. Neilreich communicated a critical revision of the species, forms, and hybrid forms of the genus Hieracium hitherto observed in Austria and Hungary. The author remarked upon the peculiar difficulty of deciding what constitutes a species among the Hawkweeds, and pointed that by one course, the number of species is inordinately increased, whilst the other diminishes it to an unnatural minimum. In his treatment of the Hawkweeds of Austria and Hungary he has adopted a middle course, namely, the establishment of what he calls "artificial species.". Prof. E. Linnemann transmitted a memoir on the simultaneous formation of propylic aldehyde, acetone, and allylic alcohol with acroleïne, by the desiccating action of chloride of calcium upon glycerine.-Prof. F. Simony presented the conclusion of his memoir upon the glaciers of the Dachsteingebirge.-Prof. V. von Lang communicated a paper on the dioptrics of a system of centred spherical surfaces.-Prof. C. Jelinek communicated a note by Prof. Handl containing corections of errors in Kunzek's meteorological obser vations made at Lemberg. Dr. von Monckhoven exhibited a blowpipe constructed by him for the production of the Drummond light, which permits the use of hydrogen, common gas, or alcohol as the combustible material. He also discussed some of the incandescent materials which may be employed, of which he seems to prefer white marble. Prof. Brühl transmitted three plates of the anatomy of the lice, intended for early publication, for the purpose of claiming priority in case of his results being hit upon by Dr. v. Graber, in his memoir on the same subject lately communicated to the Academy of Sciences. May 16. The following memoirs were cornmunicated:"Graphical determination of the stereographic and allied projec tions of the lines of the geographical sphere," by Prof. J.O. Streissler; "The pressure of water as a motor," by M. F. Schindler.-Director C. von Littrow presented a report upou the determination of the latitude and azimuth effected by Prof. E. Weiss at Dablitz.-M. F. Unferdinger communicated two mathematical papers, one upon four integrals, the other upon the theory of that spherical triangle in which one angle is equal to the sum of the other two.

BOOKS RECEIVED

ENGLISH.-Mycological Illustrations: W. W. Saunders, W. G Smith, A.W. Bennett, part 1 (Van Voorst).-Darwinism Refuted: S. H. Laing (E. Stock).A Treatise on Asiatic Cholera: C. Macnamara (Churchill).-A History of British Birds: W. Yarrell, edited by A. Newton, part 1 (Van Voorst).-The Census of England and Wales for 1871, Preliminary Report.

AMERICANA Treatise on Disease; of the Nervous System: W. A. Hammond (New York, Appleton).

FOREIGN. Das Leben der Erde: N. Humnel (Leipzig, Fleischer).-Die Grundsätze graphischen Rechnens, part 1: K. Von Oit (Prag, Calve).

CONTENTS

THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE . . . .

TYNDALL'S "HOURS OF EXERCISE IN THE ALPS." By the Rev. T. G.
BONNEY, F.G.S.

OUR BOOK SHELF. (With Illustration.)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:-

A New View of Darwinism.-H. HOWORTH; LAWSON TAIT
Recent Neologisms.-Dr. C. M. INGLEBY
Affinities of the Sponges -E. PARFITT
Cramming for Examinations

PAGE

.

197

198

199

200

201

201

202

202

202

202

Great Heat in Iceland during the present Summer.-A. BUCHAN
The Late Thunderstorm.-R. L. JACK.
Saturn's Rings.- Lieut. A. M. DAVIES, R.N.

On an Error in Regnault's Calculation of the Heat Converted into
Work in the Steam Engine.-A. W. BICKERTON, F.C S.

THE CAUSES OF THE COLOURS OF THE SEA. By Lieut.-Col. W. M'MASTER
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SUN. By J. ERICSSON.
GREYTOWN AND ADJACENT COUNTRY. By Lieut. S. P. OLIVER, R A.
(With Illustration.)

203 203

204

206

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1871

third are to vacate their seats every two years, but are to be eligible for re-election.

2. The Council, which is proposed to "consist of fifteen

WE

PHYSICAL SCIENCE

E have apprised our readers from time to time of the progress of the arrangements for the proposed College of Physical Science in Newcastle. In our report of the meeting held on the 25th of March; at which the scheme was first publicly broached, we expressed an estimate of the administrative ability of the committee appointed to carry into effect the resolutions then adopted, which events have amply justified. A second public meeting was held in Newcastle on Saturday last to receive at the hands of the executive an account of their labours, and the Report now before us shows the energy which has been brought to bear upon a complicated and laborious task. Few who read the announcement of the first meeting-probably few even of those who were there present supposed that the ship, of which the lines were then but talked of, could be ready at the expiration of little more than three months to launch and make her trial voyage.

We need not reprint the whole Report, as portions of it are merely the official announcement of arrangements already made public; but its contents may be briefly summarised. The Committee state that

"At their first meeting it was found that the scheme had so far interested the general body of the inhabitants of the district, that very much more support would be forthcoming than was sufficient to provide for the six years' experiment; and as the University of Durham intimated that the promised aid (1,000l. per annum) would be made permanent if a capital sum could be obtained sufficient to secure the continuance of the support from the district, it was considered advisable to appeal to the public for 30,000l. This sum was mentioned not as being completely adequate to meet the expenses of a collegiate institution, but as providing sufficient funds for the commencement of such an undertaking."

Towards this fund 21,460%. has been obtained, together with three subscriptions each of 100l. a year, and a hope is expressed that within the next few months between 30,000l. and 40,000l. may be raised.

The election of Professors in Mathematics, Geology, Chemistry, and Experimental Physics, and the determination of the Committee to open the College in October are announced. It is recommended that the lecture fees should be such as may secure a large attendance of students and it is suggested that five guineas yearly for each course, and one guinea entrance, would be suitable to this end.

bers of the Chapter, Senate, or Convocation of the University of Durham; and of these one shall be the Warden, and of the other four at least two shall be members of the Senate; but all members of the Council shall be elected out of and by the Governors themselves. They shall be elected for five years, one-third of the number resigning their places every three years, but being re-eligible. They shall in all cases retain their appointment for two years."

This Council is to meet monthly, and to transact all the ordinary business of the College, arranging the periods of study and fees of the students, and to assume the general direction of affairs.

To a committee of this body. with which all the Professors shall be combined, is entrusted the more strictly academical administration and discipline, including the number and direction of the Professors' Lectures, subject to the general control of the Council.

In conclusion, it is proposed "that while steps are being taken to draw up the necessary documents and to proceed with the election of the Council in the terms of the Constitution, the government of the College shall remain in the hands of the Executive Committee, who sha] act as the Council for the period of one year.

"At the invitation of the North of England Institute o Mining and Mechanical Engineers, the Literary and Philosophical Society, the Medical College, and the Natural History Society, occupying a group of buildings in a good situation already dedicated to scientific purposes, a suitable suite of rooms for the lectures, private rooms for the professors, laboratories, and offices, has been secured, which will be sufficient for the accommodation of the College for some years, when it is hoped the success of the Institution will be so secured that a sum of money sufficient to build separate and suitable accommodation will be easily procured."

It is almost needless to say that this report was well received and unanimously adopted, and that the meeting willingly accorded to the Executive Committee the proposed continuation of their powers for a year. In the discussion some remarks were made by gentlemen taking an active part in the labours of the Committee, which are worthy of note.

Mr. Lowthian Bell alluded to the present available accommodation for the College as insufficient, except for temporary purposes, and suggested the probable necessity for building at any rate new laboratories. He also bade the meeting to regard the four professorships already established as but a commencement, there being many other departments of Physical Science which must ere long be provided for, and made special allusion to the claims of Biology to representation.

It is true that another member of the committee with very pronounced political views, suggested that a chair of Political Economy should be the next subject adopted, but as he did not attempt to show the position of Political Economy in his scheme of physical science, it was scarcely thought necessary to argue the point.

In far wider spirit were the remarks of a subsequent

VOL. IV.

N

success in teaching physical science should enable them to enlarge the basis of the Institution, so as to include all the higher branches of a liberal education.

We have, on more than one occasion, advocated the addition of a Biological chair to the four already agreed upon, for it has seemed to us an anomaly that a School of Physical, or, to use the correlative term, Natural Science, should be without teaching in general Natural History, especially in a locality in which excellent facilities exist. But there is another view which has been prominently in our mind. If the College were intended to be a mere mining and engineering school, established to enable engineers and coal-viewers to educate their pupils with less labour and cost, its claim upon the general public would be small. It is due to the public that Science for its own sake,-Science with less direct reference to considerations of pounds, shillings, and pence, should be recognised; and in no way could this be so readily done, under existing circumstances, as by the establishment of a Chair in Biology.

We readily admit the pre-eminent importance of the subjects selected to commence with, and as willingly record our confidence that the Executive Committee will approach this as all other subjects with the single desire to do what is right.

Finally, we would make one comment on the attitude of Durham University. For many years past it has been regarded as almost hopeless to expect any active assistance in educational matters from that hitherto somewhat sleepy body. But with the new Dean seems to commence a new régime, and facts appear to bear out the testimony of many of the speakers at Saturday's meeting, that in all arrangements in connection with the new College, the University authorities have shown the widest liberality and unselfishness.

The vast importance of schools of this sort, and the prospect of a movement with a similar object in the West Riding of Yorkshire, renders needless any apology for reviewing with some detail this last addition to our scientific institutions.

PERCY'S METALLURGY OF LEAD The Metallurgy of Lead, including Desilverisation and Cupellation. By John Percy, M.D., F.R.S. (London : J. Murray, 1870.)

TH

HE preparation of metallic lead from its several ores, amongst which galena stands foremost, presents to us processes and circumstances which, though generally simple, are amongst the most interesting and delicate in the whole range of productive metallurgy. It is therefore with even more expectation than attached to his former volumes on Copper, Zinc, and Iron that we opened Dr. Percy's present volume; and, in finding a copious and well-arranged compilation, we have not been disappointed, although we might have anticipated something more of original research.

It would, indeed, be improbable, with the great power of obtaining information directly from manufacturers necessarily belonging to the influence and position of a Professor at the Government School of Mines, that the result should be any other. Accordingly, the reader who desires to obtain a distinct and tolerably detailed though

"bird's-eye" view of all the various forms of commercial metallurgy of lead (in humbler phrase of lead smelting) will here find a classified survey of it as practised in Great Britain, all over Europe, and in North America, with some notices of attempts made in South America. Of the very ancient lead-smelting processes of Asia, probably the earliest practised on a large scale in the world, and still believed to be in use in China and Japan, we do not find a word. Of recent methods in use in Japan there is a brief notice from Mr. Pumpelly at p. 384, and in China at p. 479.

The first one hundred pages are occupied with the physical and chemical properties of lead viewed from the metallurgical stand-point, one which we cannot but think is always essentially misty and unsatisfactory. The physics and chemistry of any metal ought to be the same to everybody, and it seems to us ought to be fully and accurately known before ever the student opens a metallurgical book. If that be admissible, then metallurgy proper has its limits advantageously defined and narrowed, and its treatises ought to be then divided into two distinct classes-the one like the small octavo volume of Rammelsberg (that most elegant and classic work, now several years published, but yet as true and valuable in almost every page as when it was wet from the press), which teaches the principles of metallurgy, that is to say, the principles of those reactions which occur in the established and fully-adopted processes of commercial metallurgy, without going into any details as to apparatus, furnaces, or criticism, as to whether his or that method or construction of plant be better or worse. The other, consisting not of any attempt to aggregate in one volume the details of manufacturing apparatus, of trying to tell all about the minutiæ, of all the diversities of all the commercial metallurgies in the world

which, we are compelled to say, is impossible within even the very diffuse limits taken by Dr. Percy-will best consist, we think, of monographs, such as those of M. Grüner, in the Annales des Mines of a year or two back, on this subject of lead. Each one of these monographs, with the necessary plates of illustration, should really, and in a genuinely practical way, exhaust one single national or special system of smelting of lead, or of some one other metal.

Such has been the plan almost universally adopted in Germany and France, and with results at once far more comprehensive, clear, and exact, than are practicable from the hand of any one man, however able, or in any volume though bulky, illustrated only by woodcuts however excellent, and those of Dr. Percy's present volume are remarkably clear and good.

For the practical and exhaustive description, in fact, of any single smelting process largely in commercial use, an atlas of folio copper plates, forming a volume in itself, is indispensable. The result of the contrary view of the metallurgist's descriptive task, is inevitably that want of balance, and yet incompleteness here and there, which characterise all these metallurgic volumes of Dr. Percy. Thus, for we feel bound to give an example to sustain our criticism, in his volume on Iron, Dr. Percy goes into the question of blowing machines, blast cylinders, and the like-a thing really as foreign to the metallurgy of iron as the theory and practice of building chimney stalks would be to that of lead;