442 Geological Society :— 



spheres in a piezometer, I made use of a press which enabled me to 

 produce compressions superior to four hundred atmospheres, conse- 

 quently superior to that which is suifered by an electric conductor 

 immersed m the ocean, at a depth of 12,420 English feet. The 

 wire, besides its coating, was preserved agaiust permanent defor- 

 mation by two sheets of thick gutta percha, placed between the 

 steel plates which took hold of it. 



The experiments have sho^ni — 



1°. That a pressure of thirty atmospheres (a number relative to 

 the sensibility of the galvanometer) diminishes the conducting power 

 of a copper wire for electricity. 



2°. That the effect increases with the pressure. 



3°. That the diminution remains the same for each compression, 

 as long as the latter does not vary. 



4°. That the primitive conducting power is exactly restored when 

 the pressure vanishes altogether. 



Manjr interesting results flow from these conclusions, which I pro- 

 pose to examine in a future letter. For the present, permit me to 

 add, that the fact which I have discovered establishes a new con- 

 nexion between electricity, heat, and light : for it has been demon- 

 strated by M. de Senarmout — 



a. That any artificial increase of density in a non-crystallized solid 

 body diminishes, in the direction ui which it is exerted, the con- 

 ducting power of that body for heat, 



b. That in homogeneous media which are in a state of artificial 

 molecular equilibrium, the conformation of the thermic ellipsoid, 

 either oblate or prolate, is always corresponding to that of the 

 optic one. 



I shall feel much gratified if you deem this communication worthy 

 to be laid before the Royal Society. * * 



I remain, &c., 



Elie Wartmann. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



[Continued from p. 382.J 



May 4, 1859.— Prof. J. Phillips, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " On the Ossiferous Cave, called ' Grotta di Maccagnone,' near 

 Palermo." By Dr. H. Falconer, F.R.S., F.G.S. 



In a letter, dated Palermo, March 21, 1859, and addressed to Sir 

 C. Lyell, V.P.G.S., Dr. Falconer first states, that from the Caves 

 along the coast between Palermo and Trapani he has lately obtained 

 remains of Elephas antiquus, Hippopotamus Pentlandi, H. siculus, 

 Sus prisons (?), Equus, Bos, Cervus intermedius and another species, 

 Felis, Ursus, and Canis, and coprolites of Hycena ; but no remains 

 of Rhinoceros, nor of Elephas primigenius. These additions to the 



