64 



NATURE 



{May 1 8, 1876 



thylamine by passing through the corresponding diazo-compound 

 and naphthol. — A. Frank showed zeolith-like crystallisations in 

 slowly-cooled glass. The same chemist showed wrought-iron 

 transformed into silicium-iron by immersion in molten glass. — 



C. Bucking has transformed anisic aldehyde, CgHgp^yj^ into 



OH 



'COH 



paraoxybenzoic aldehyde, QHjpqtt, fusing at ni°, 



April 24. — N. Gerber described an apparatus for closing the 

 fat contained in milk. — P. J. Anster has transformed solid 

 dibromobenzoles into three isomeric dinitro-dibromobenzoles ; 

 one of which he transformed into nitro-dibromo-aniline. — R. 

 Ebert and V, Marz described two isomeric disulphonaphthalic 

 acids, CioHg(S03H)2, formed simultaneously and separated by 

 the unequal solubility of their chlorides in benzol. With cyanide 

 of potassium two bicyanides and the corresponding dinaphthoic 

 acids were obtained ; while fusion with potash transforms one of 

 the sulpho-compounds into C]QHg(S03H)0H, which with water 

 yields ^-naphthol ; while the other sulpho compound yields dioxy- 

 naphthaline with a melting-point 1 86°. — F. Woreden discussed 

 the constitution-formula of naphthaline. — F. Priwoznik finds the 

 crystals formed in Leclanche's battery to correspond to the 

 formula ZnClgtNHa)^, — H. Vogel defended the spectroscopic 

 analysis of blood, sustaining that the spectroscopic reaction of 

 indigo cannot be confounded with that of blood. — A. Oppenheim 

 and H. Emmerling have continued their researches on the oxida- 

 tion of oxyuvitic acid. Nitric acid yields hydro-oxybenzoic acid, 

 while a mixture of sulphuric wilh fuming nitric acid produces 

 trinitrocresol apparently identical with that obtained by Lieber- 

 mann from nitro-coccinic acid. — P. Griess has formed combina- 

 tions of phenol with one molecule and with two molecules of 

 diazobenzol. 



Vienna 



Geological Society, Jan. i8. — The director, M. v. Hauer, 

 presented a paper by M. F. Seeland, intended for the yahrhuch, on 

 the Erzberg, near Hiittenberg, in Carinthia, in which the author 

 gives a detailed description of the geological relations of these 

 mines, so very important to the iron industry in the Alpine dis- 

 tricts. A map on the scale of i "8640, and some sections, show 

 the structure and distribution of the rocks, of which the follow- 

 ing are specified : — Gneiss, mica-sclist. Tourmaline rock, crys- 

 talline limestone, mica-schist containing garnets, amphibolite, 

 argillaceous mica-schist, eclogite, besides the beds containing 

 the ores. — M. E. Doll showed some minerals from Waldenstein, 

 in Carinthia, among them a Pyrrhotite metamorphosed into 

 ochreous red iron ore, which had not been noticed before ; pure 

 antimony, &c. — Dr. Neumayer, on the geological structure of 

 the peninsula Oenalkidike, on the coast of Macedonia, By far 

 the largest area of the whole country is covered with crystalline 

 schists of the most varied lithological composition. In these 

 strata are imbedded in some parts considerable masses of crys- 

 talline marble ; for instance, on Mount Athos. The whole 

 complex of schists and marbles forms a geological unity. Of a 

 more ancient date there is only a small-grained gneiss, compos- 

 ing the peninsula of Zongo. — Dr. R. Homes, a paper contribut- 

 ing to the knowledj^e of the Megolodontes from the Alps. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, May 8. — Vice- Admiral Paris in 

 the chair. — The President announced the presence of the Inter- 

 national Committee of Weights and Measures, meeting in Paris 

 for the first time since the various States represented had 

 given legal sanction to the convention prepared by the diplo- 

 matic conference. The following papers were read : — On 

 osmium, by MM. Sainte-Claire-Deville and Debray. — Note on 

 fermentation, a propos of criticisms by Drs. Brefeld and Traube, 

 by M. Pasteur. In a recent brochure Dr. Brefeld retracts his 

 assertion that life cannot exist in an atmosphere deprived of 

 oxygen. Examples, Mticon-acemosus and beer yeast. — Note on 

 electric transmissions without conducting wires apropos of recent 

 papers by MM. Bouchotte and Bourbouze, by M. Th. Du 

 Moncel. He recounts experiments he made some thirty years 

 ago, and the theoretical deductions drawn. — On a calcareous 

 alabaster from Mexico, by M. Damour. This new import, 

 known as onyx de Tecali, is made into various ornaments, stands, 

 pendulum supports, &c. It has undulating layers of various 

 hues, and takes a fine polish. — On the flooding of the Seine, and 

 the means of preserving Paris from the overflow of the river, by M. 

 Belgrand. With quays insubmersible by floods of a given height 

 Paris might be preserved ( i ) from overflows of these floods, by 

 prolonging the collecting sewers from the quays to the fortifica- 

 tions, isolating them completely from the river, and keeping 



them at their normal level by engines at the Clichy works ; (2) 

 from subterranean inundations, by means of a drainage lower 

 than the submerged caves, and without communication with the 

 river and the sewers, and maintaining the ordinary level with 

 centrifugal pumps and turbines worked by the water of the city. 

 — M. CoUadon was elected correspondent for the section of 

 mechanics, in place of the late M. Seguin. — New solution of the 

 general equation of the fourth degree, by M. Weichold. — New 

 system of marine maps for navigation, by arcs of great circle, by 

 M. Hilleret. — Extraction of gallium from its ores, by M. Lecoq 

 de Boisbaudran. — Action of zinc on solutions of cobalt, by M, 

 Lecoq de Boisbaudran. He has sometimes met with consider- 

 able quantities of cobalt in the metallic sponge resulting from 

 action of zinc on the solution of blende in aqua regia. He notes 

 the conditions of this singularity. — Influence of carbonic acid on 

 the respiration of animals, by M. Raoult. Slow chemical 

 actions are generally limited by the presence of the products 

 formed ; if the latter are not liberated the reactions remain 

 incomplete. M. Raoult verified by experiment on rabbits, 

 that the presence of carbonic acid in inspired air dimi- 

 nishes the quantity of carbonic acid produced, and especially 

 that of tfie oxygen consumed in an hour ; in other terms, the 

 presence of carbonic acid in inspired air is an obstacle to hoema- 

 tosis. — On acetyl-persulphocyanic acid, by M. de Clermont. — 

 On the exchanges of ammonia between the atmosphere end 

 mould, by M. Schlcesing. These preliminary experiments show 

 distinctly that, in general, mould borrows ammonia from the 

 atmosphere. The supposed exhalation of ammonia during 

 drought is, in all probability, an error ; it is the contrary that 

 occurs. — On the oscillation of the half of November, observed at 

 Nijni Novgorod, by M. Bobynine. — On the existence of mercury 

 in the mineral state in the department of I'Herault, by M. 

 Thomas. He has found it flow abundantly from the detritus 

 from a mountain called Bois de Cazilhac, in the canton of 

 Ganges, also elsewhere. A particular lichen is found in those 

 parts. — On the properties of the oysters called Portuguese, by 

 M. Champouillon. These are from the Bay of Lisbon and mouth 

 of the Tagus, where they have great fecundity, occupying an 

 extent of about 50 kilometres. They have a claw-like shell, 

 with small characteristic black point inside and a dark fringe. 

 Analysis of the extracted oyster shows it to contain much more 

 broil ine and iodine than oysters on the English coast (o"039 gr. 

 iodine and o"052 gr. bromine in i kilogramme of the animal 

 substance, which contains, besides, 760 grammes of water, and a 

 slightly violet colouring matter). It is a valuable food, and is 

 theoretically well suited for prevention of scrofula, ganglionic 

 swellings, rickets, and perhaps also phthisis. This oyster cannot 

 thrive on the coasts of Normandy, Belgium, or Britain. — Action 

 of hydiodic acid on quercite, by M. Prunier. — Analysis of native 

 magnetic platinum of Nischne Tagilsk (Oaral), by M. Terreil. 

 The considerable proportion of nickel in the ore is interesting. — 

 Anatomy of the heart of Crustaceans, by M. Dogiel. (This 

 forms part of a series of researches designed to throw light on the 

 cause of rhythmic contractions of the heart in vertebrates.) The 

 ligaments of the heart in these animals do not play the direct 

 physiological role that has been attributed to them ; and the 

 membrane which separates the heart from the liver, the digestive 

 apparatus, and the genital organs of a lobster, is much more 

 complicated and important that has hitherto been supposed, both 

 as to structure and its role in the movement of the heart. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Press ON THK Loan CoLi.ECTioN 41 



The RBMrNCTON Type-writing Machine 43 



The Origin of Life. By Douglas A. Spalding 44 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Frost's "Solid Geometry " 47 



Gscheidlen's " Physiologische Methodik" 47 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Periodicity of the I'resh-vvater Lakes of Australia. — Rev. R. Abbay 47 



The Cruise of the W^f<?. — Rev. HenkyH. Higgins 48 



Recent Discoveries in New Guinea and Papua or Papoo.i. — Rev. 



S. I. Whitmee 48 



The Visible Horizon. — B. G. Jenkins 49 



Lunar Maps — J. P)|rmingham 49 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Star-Lalandc 27095 (Bootes) 49 



The First Comet of 1743 49 



The Minor Planets 50 



The Greenwich Time Signal Syste.m {XVitJt. Illustra'ioiC) .... 50 



The Opening of the Loan Collection 52 



Section Physics. — Opening Address by \V. Spottiswoode, F. R S. . 54 

 Section Mechanics. — Opening Address by Dr. C. W. Siemens, 



F.R.S 55 



Science at the Mansion House 5^ 



Notes 60 



SociBTiBS AND Academies 62 



