in the manufacturing districts of the north of England. Should this method prove capable of general adoption as in the case of meteorological registration, we may expect very interesting information as to the relative distribution of chemical rays over the earth. As the light of burning magnesium-wire is rich in chemical rays, the professor gave a novel and striking illustration of the chemical action of light, by employing it to take a photograph of Sir Charles Lyell (who was in the chair as president), and a negative was taken from which a print was obtained in time to exhibit an excellent likeness, magnified on the screen, before-the audience dispersed. In 1859, the chemically-active power possessed by this light as compared with that of the sun was determined, and its employment in photography was proposed. Some people appear to believe that it may be used for illuminating streets. It is curious to contrast the spectrum of burning magnesium-wire, in which the violet and ultra-violet rays are so rich, with the spectrum of that new metal, thallium, which exhibits its distinctive and magnificent line of green, but which contains no chemical rays whatever. This outline of a most interesting discourse must not be closed without a word of praise for the brilliancy of the experiments by which it was illustrated.

It would hardly be within the scope of such an article as the present to give an intelligible outline of any of the subjects discussed in the Mathematical and Physical Science Section, but it may be stated that Professor Phillips, in his paper "On the Physical Aspect of the Sun," described his observations of the luminous bands, or faculæ, which he saw as distinctly as the clouds in our sky, and some of which he describes as ranges forty thousand miles long and forty miles high. He mentioned in particular a spot of elliptical shape which he had observed entering the sun, and which was surrounded by a clear and bright area, resembling a luminous body shaded as clouds are in our sky.

There were fewer communications than usual on astronomical subjects. A curious phenomenon connected with the planet Mars was brought before the meeting-viz. the existence near one of the poles of this planet of a considerable mass of brilliant matter excentric to the pole of rotation and analogous to a mass of terrestrial snow. Probably, the snowy regions around either pole of the earth would present a similar appearance if viewed from Mars. As regards the elliptic form of the planet, the attention of observers may be well directed to the question whether, compared with our earth, a greater preponderance of dry land exists at the equatorial parts of Mars than at its polar regions-in other words, whether the dry land forms an equatorial belt and the circumpolar regions are seas.

There were many points of general interest in the address which Dr. Gray, as president, gave to the Zoological and Botanical Section. He first adverted to the subject of public museums of natural history, and stated his opinion that the plan hitherto pursued, which has attempted to combine the affording of all due facilities to the scientific student with the diffusion of instruction and rational amusement amongst the people, has rendered our museums less useful to science and less interesting to the public. The accumulation of specimens may have aided scientific study, but has overwhelmed the general visitor with a mass of objects unintelligible to him, so that a modern museum may be compared to a city warehouse, and its effect upon the mind is little less than that of a

nightmare. Dr. Gray urges that the most complete collection possible should be arranged in rooms devoted to the purpose of its scientific study, and separate from a collection of the specimens most instructive to general visitors, and best calculated to afford valuable information upon even a hasty visit. He thinks the multiplicity, apparent sameness, and infinite variety of the objects which crowd the shelves of our museums, speedily bewilder the unhappy visitors. A good suggestion was made by the Rev. L. Jenyns to those who have the arrangement of provincial museums, that they should chiefly collect such objects as illustrate the history and productions of their own district; and he referred to the museum of Professor Henslow at Ipswich, in which every class of the animal and mineral kingdom is sought to be illustrated by the selection of those specimens which are the best representatives of their different groups, the objects exhibited being intelligibly labelled with their history and peculiarities.

The acclimatisation of animals was adverted to by the President of the Zoological Section. All animals which are now truly domesticated in any part of the world were, he thinks, in a state of domestication in the earliest historic times, and it appears to have taken many ages to bring the domesticated animals into their present condition. The domestic turkey, for instance, is not descended from the wild turkey of America, but comes of a race domesticated by the Mexicans before the historic period. The foreign deer which have been bred in this country cannot be regarded as really acclimatised. All our domestic or semi-domestic animals have their proper home in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, and bear great cold better than great heat. In the arctic and subarctic regions the reindeer has been partially domesticated-the Esquimaux dog has probably passed over from the continent of Europe. Asiatics have drawn largely on the wild animals around them for additions to the domestic or semi-domestic races, but they would be little suited to our northern climate. Africa, in the time of the Romans, gave the elephant to Europe, but in our time has sent only the guinea-fowl. Five different kinds of domestic cattle exist in Africa. America has only three domestic animals (besides the dog) which belonged to the country before it was discovered by Europeans. The llama and alpaca were early domesticated by the native Peruvians, but have not been successfully introduced into Europe. Referring to the introduction of the domestic races of one country into another, Dr. Gray remarked that the introduction to Australia of animals long domesticated in Europe is more easy than to introduce semi-domesticated animals from countries in a ruder state of civilisation. The domestic pig has not only become naturalised in New Zealand, but has multiplied so as to become absolutely mischievous to the farmer.

It is rather a wide step from a plethora of animal food to a diet of oatmeal. In the Physiology Section, a paper " On the Food of the Labouring Classes" led to a kind of Social Science discussion, in the course of which it was stated by Professor Bennet that, in Edinburgh, students from the agricultural classes sometimes came to the university, bringing with them at the beginning of each academical session a large sack of oatmeal, on which they contrive to live, and get through an immense amount of mental labour. He controverted the statement of Dr. Rolleston that a man can work better on tea than on anything else, and contended that

very little real nourishment is afforded by tea, which is, in fact, a stimulant. It was stated, however, that nothing except the quantities of tea they drink would enable the poorer classes in the manufacturing districts to support themselves on the kind of food they get. It was remarked by the President of the Section, with great truth, that the effect of tea is very different in the case of people who possess ample means, and are perhaps in the habit of taking more food than is good for them, and to whom tea is a useful stimulant, from what it is in the case of people who are condemned to live on almost one kind of food alone, on whom it has little more effect than to substitute a stimulant for nourishment. Touching the food of the people :-it is much to be desired that what is done at the Isle of Re, near Bordeaux, in the breeding of oysters, should be done on the British shores. The oyster fisheries of the west of England occupy at this time at Falmouth nearly four hundred people. The oyster, as was stated by Mr. Buckland in a paper "On the Natural History and Cultivation of the Oyster," which contrasted well with the many discussions that took place on useless things, is not migrant, but becomes permanently settled for life on the spot it first selects for its abode.

None of the subjects of discussion, either in the Economic Science and Statistical Section or the engineering (Mechanical Science) department, afforded matter that falls within the scope of the present article. Many of the papers read, especially in the Economic Science Section, only showed how eagerly some theorists avail themselves of an opportunity to ventilate their speculations. One of the worst specimens was a paper on "Brief Writing," or "Phonetic Spelling," which was presented à propos to a recommendation by Sir William Armstrong, in his address at the Newcastle meeting, that some simple signs should be adopted in writing certain syllables. Of course such projects have nothing to do with the province of the British Association, nor will the ex-president find orthographical reform so profitable as he has found the improvement of ordnance, but we must denounce all insidious attempts to debase and barbarise the English tongue, and sever the vital nerve which connects its present with the past. But, upon the whole, if the Bath meeting has not resulted in the announcement of much new discovery, it has at least afforded some valuable contributions to knowledge, and shown in all departments an earnest and spreading devotion to the pursuit of science.

The lighter business of the meeting consisted of pleasant soirées and excursions. In each of the conversazione meetings, beauty was as well represented as science; and never, under the sceptre of Beau Nash himself, did a more distinguished, eager, and brilliant assemblage throng the noble Assembly-rooms; the only disadvantages were compression and a more than tropical heat. There were excursions to Frome, and to Stanton Drew and Radstock, which gratified every variety of taste; at Salisbury the visitors saw a monument of early English architecture, which is unrivalled for its symmetry, and at Stonehenge, the lonely and solemn temple of an earlier worship; and the visit to Clifton and Bristol, on which five hundred visitors were hospitably entertained by the mayor, brought this successful meeting to a brilliant close.

W. S. G.

CATHARINE CORNARO.

FROM THE GERMAN.

PART THE FIRST.

I.

Ox the Sunday before Ascension-day, in 1472, there stood upon the Rialto, the largest bridge of Venice, and totally built of splendid marble, three youths, amusing themselves by lively conversation and satirical remarks upon all who were passing by, and upon the persons in the numerous gondolas which crowded the grand canal. Their tasteful and costly attire, consisting of silk and velvet, the waving ostrich feathers in their hats fastened by sparkling jewelled clasps, the golden chains to which highly-tempered daggers, with diamond-studded handles, were attached, but, more than all, their proud bearing, caused them to be recognised as nobles, whose fathers could not only command immense wealth, but who also, as members of the Serenissima Signoria, could influence the weal and woe of the republic. They sprang from three of the first families of the golden book, and many of their forefathers, as at the time was the case with the father of one of them, had on Ascension-day wedded the Adriatic Sea, and borne the ducal crown. Marco Falieri, the son of the Doge, was one, Lucio Cornaro another, and Giovanni Anafesto the third of the haughty, scoffing trio. Judging by their intimacy, they appeared to be friends; but if the expression of their countenances were watched more narrowly, in the eyes of one at least there lurked something which by no means evinced cordiality or good fellowship.

Marco Falieri was a youth of nineteen years of age, so handsome that on seeing him, even though he could not boast of the stature of a hero, one was involuntarily reminded of what those must have been who were the originals of the admired sculptures of Grecian antiquity. He was of the middle height, and slightly built, but not delicate looking; on the contrary, the fresh tints of health glowed upon his cheek. His countenance, notwithstanding a dash of frivolity, which was the fashionable failing amongst the young noblemen of the day, nevertheless bespoke so much good nature and honesty, that all who knew him intimately could not fail to love him.

Lucio Cornaro possessed the form of a Hercules, and that vast amount of aspiring ambition, like the daring valour of his forefathers, which had rendered the republic such signal services. He also was handsome, but his features were less finely moulded than those of Marco.

The third of this group, Giovanni Anafesto, was not one of nature's favourites. His features indicated the blackness of his heart. Vice had early placed its odious stamp upon his wan and wrinkled cheek. In his eye flashed the wild glare of sensual desires, and the never-quenching fire of revenge. Those whom he hated, he hated terribly, and for ever.

Cornaro and Falieri were friends, for the latter clung to the former, and was beloved by him in return, although their fathers cherished in

their hearts a secret animosity. Falieri's father was Doge, therefore Anafesto sought his society, and forced himself upon him.

The young men found rich materials for their amusement until the arrival of Cornaro's galley, for which they were waiting, and on which they expected a very different occupation. The soft wind wafted from the sea had cooled the air of the unusually hot May day, and as divine service had long since ended, and the canals were swarming with gondolas, and the song of the gondoliers, and the sweet tones of the guitars were already audible, a countless mass of human beings streamed backwards and forwards across the high Rialto, some merely hurrying homewards, while others were intent on business or pleasure. The eyes of the young men rambled now over the canal, now over the crowd sweeping past them, and in all directions objects to call forth their wit, and butts for their bitter satire, presented themselves. If Giovanni Anafesto became too ill natured, Cornaro, who was older than he, enjoined peace and quiet, but to no purpose. Common people and nobles, men and women, all received their by no means flattering epithets. And just when there was arising among the people murmurs of dissatisfaction against the three scoffers, and they overheard words of menace, and beheld flashing eyes around them, a loud cannon-shot came booming from the roads that made the very air tremble again.

"Hark!" cried Cornaro; "that is our galley which brings my sister!"

A second report immediately followed; the young men hastened from the bridge, sprang into Cornaro's richly-ornamented gondola, and glided merrily down the canal towards the lagoons. And as they thus glided along between the rows of houses, and palaces, and ornamented gondolas, Cornaro became serious and sad. His sister was all that was left to him; in giving her existence, his beloved mother had lost her life; therefore his deeply-afflicted father had sent the child of sorrow to a sister in Corfu, where she was brought up. Lucio had not seen his sister since her earliest childhood. But he possessed a portrait of her, which he always carried about with him, because his father told him that it was the most perfect image of his departed mother.

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"Lucio," at length began Marco Falieri, "tell me, what is your sister like, that I may not be confused when I present myself to her!" They say this picture is a striking resemblance," replied he, as he offered the miniature to him. "It was painted by one named Calopulo, a Greek from Cyprus, who is doctor and artist, and the gods know what not!"

Marco seized it eagerly, and exclaimed, after gazing on it with eyes in which his whole soul lay:

"By my patron saint! this is a more lovely, angelic face than I have ever seen in Rome or Florence! And -" with an inward shudder he added, murmuring to himself, "I forgive my father for loving that Jessica so madly, if she resembled this miniature."

With eyes eager and longing, such as those with which Satan may be supposed to gaze up at paradise, Giovanni Anafesto looked over Marco's shoulder at Catharine's picture, while he said to Lucio, with a strange, malicious side glance at Marco:

"Your mother was a beautiful—a very beautiful woman!"