204 



NATURE 



\yune 29, 1876 



believing that it differed genetically from all other known forms 

 of Chimseroid jaws ; and the author therefore proposed to call 

 it, in allusion to the form of the tooth, Upsilodus Hedori. — On 

 a bone-bed in the Lower Coal-measures, with an enumeration of 

 the fish-remains of which it is principally composed, by J. W. 

 Davis, F.L.S. In this paper the author described a thin bed 

 composed chiefly of remains of fishes, which rests immediately 

 upon the " Better-bed coal " of the Lower Coal-measures in 

 Yorkshire. — Note on a species of Foraminifera from the Car- 

 boniferous formation of Sumatra, by M. Jules Huguenin. Com- 

 municated by Prof Ramsay, F.R.S., V.P.G.S. The author 

 described some globular Foraminifera, belonging or allied to 

 Fusulina, from a carboniferous deposit containing Producii and 

 PhillipsicE, which occurs north-east of Padang and south of the 

 lake of Singkarak in Sumatra. The author described the struc- 

 ture of these fossils, which he compared with Fusulina cylin- 

 dnca and F. depressa, and arrived at the conclusion that they 

 belong to a new genus, to which perhaps the North American 

 Fusulina robusta also belongs. — On the Triassic rocks of Somer- 

 set and Devon, by W, A. E. Usher, F.G.S. The author stated 

 that the Trias of Devon and Somerset was divisible into three 

 groups, occujjying distinct areas. The first lies north of the 

 Mendip Hills, where the Trias is thinnest and assumes its 

 simplest characters, consisting of marls and Dolomitic conglo- 

 merate. The second area embraces the country south of the 

 Polden Hills as far as a north and south line through Taunton. 

 The chief portion of the Trias in this area, as in the northern, 

 consists of marls. The third area, bounded on the north by the 

 Bristol Channel, on the south by the English Channel, on the 

 east by the Blackdown range, and on the west by the Culm and 

 Devonian highlands, presents the most complex relations of the 

 Trias in the south-western counties. 



Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, June 19.— A paper by 

 Prof. Morris, M.D., of Michigan University, on the theory of 

 unconscious intelligence as opposed to theism, was read. The 

 paper discussed the theories which have been put forward on 

 the subject. The professor laid down the proposition that con- 

 sciousness and intelligence imply one another, and that, there- 

 fore, " unconscious intelligence " is a self-contradictory phrase. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, June 12. — Vice- Admiral Paris in the 

 chair. — ^The following papers were read :— Experimental critique 

 on Glycemia (continued). Physico-chemical and physiological 

 conditions to be observed in searching for sugar in the blood, by M. 

 CI. Bernard. The sugar found normally in blood of animals ranks 

 among glycoses. M. Bernard shows how its properties may be 

 demonstrated after coagulation of the blood, by superheated 

 steam, by alcohol, or by sulphate of soda. He then details his 

 mode of finding the amount of sugar. — On the absorption of free 

 and pure nitrogen and hydrogen by organic matters, by M. Ber- 

 thelot. White filter paper, slightly moist, placed in pure nitro- 

 gen, under influence of the effluve or silent discharge, absorbs a 

 considerable quantity in eight or ten hours. Oxygen does not 

 hinder this (in 1 00 vols, air, 2 '9 hundredths of nitrogen and 7*0 

 of oxygen were absorbed in about eight hours). Hydrogen is 

 absorbed even more rapidly than nitrogen by benzene, tereben- 

 thene, acetylene, &c. — On the formation and the decomposition 

 «f binary compounds by the electric effluve, by M. Berthelot. 

 In principle the reactions are the same as those with the spark, 

 but the longer duration of the spark and the heating it produces 

 are adverse to the formation of condensed products, such as 

 arise under the effluve. — Presentation of solar photographs of 

 large dimensions, by M. Janssen. In these the disc is 22 centi- 

 metres in diameter, yet there is great distinctness. M. Comu 

 hopes shortly to have photographs from the focus of a telescope 

 of 36 centimetres aperture. — On electric transmissions through 

 the ground, by M. du Moncel. From experiments he shows 

 how unequal moisture about the electrodes, unequal heating of 

 these, and unequal size, are physical causes which intervene, 

 more or less, causing variations in intensity of currents trans- 

 mitted through the ground. A general conclusion is, that it is 

 not advantageous to interpose earth in a circuit unless when 

 its resistance exceeds 10 or 15 kilometres of telegraph wire. 

 — On some new experiments made with Crookes's radiometer, 

 by M. Ledieu. In the first experiment rotation was obtained 

 from a beam of luminous rays falling parallel to the axis (though 

 less rapid than when it falls at right angles). In the second, the 

 two sides of the vanes were kept bright ; and here the vanes moved 

 as if repelled by the luminous ray meeting them. (The ray should 



be made to strike the vane next the light at a small angle, and 

 the two opposite vanes, with reference to the plane of the ray 

 and the axis, be shaded by a screen. The place should be quite 

 dark. )— On amber, by M. Reboux. — On the law of Dulong and 

 Petit, by M. Terrell. The product of specific heat by chemical 

 equivalent is a constant, provided all the bodies are taken with 

 the same gaseous volume, and before any condensation. The 

 specific heat of simple bodies, taken with the same volume and 

 gaseous state, is inversely proportional to their chemical equi- 

 valents ; so is that of compound bodies, and it is pro- 

 portional to the condensation of the gaseous volumes of 

 the constituent simple bodies in combining. Simple or com- 

 pound bodies which have lost the gaseous state have a 

 specific heat d»uble that which they have in this state. — 

 Letter to M. Dumis on Phylloxera, by M. Fatis. The cycle of 

 metamorphoses may, in certain circumstances, occur entirely 

 under ground without intervention of the perfect winged form. 

 — On the employment of sulphide of carbon against Phylloxera, 

 by M. Allies. — Another on the same subject, by M. Marion. — 

 On the pantanemone, an apparatus acting in all winds, without 

 orientation and without reduction of surfaces, by M. Sanderson. — 

 Ephemerides of the planet (103) Hera, for the opposition of 

 1877, by M. Leveau. — On the presence of magnesium in the 

 sun's limb, by M. Tacchini. The magnesium gains in iatensity 

 and elevation where the flames of the chromosphere present 

 most vivacity. While there is at present a minimum of spots, 

 protuberances, hydrogenic clouds, and metallic eruptions, the 

 circulation of magnesium still retains a certain energy capable of 

 rising to a maximum as in previous years. — Phenomena of electric 

 oscillation, by M. Mouton. — On the propylenic chlorhydrines 

 and the law of addition of hypochlorous acid, by M. Henry, — 

 Elementary analysis of electrolytic aniUne black, by M. Goppeh- 

 roeder. — On anthraflavone and an accessory product of the manu- 

 facture of artificial alizarine, byM. Rosenstiehl. — On the internal 

 membrane of a chicken's gizzard as an osmotic partition, by RL 

 Carlet. Interposed between water and alcohol in the normal 

 conditions of osmose, this membrane is always traversed by a 

 dominating current from the water to the alcohol ; it is there- 

 fore not (as generally supposed) an exception among animal 

 membranes. • 



Vienna 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences, Feb. 17. — The following 

 (among other) papers were read : — Further observations on the 

 formation of a rational space curve of the fourth order, on a 

 conical section, by M. Weyr. — On the distribution of the colour, 

 ing matter in ovules during the process of division, by M. Schenk. 

 The ovaries and testicles ol Echinus saxatilis are commonly yel« 

 lowish, but some species have reddish violet ovaries ; M. Schenk 

 studies the changes wrought by artificial fecundation of the 

 ovules in these latter with sperma from the yellow testicles. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



GovHRNMBNT Aid TO Scientific Research 185 



Wallace's Geographical Distribution of Animals (With Illus- 



traiions) 186 



Twining's "Science Made Easy." By W. T 189 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Myers's " Life with the Hamran Arabs " 199 



Lbttkrs to ths Editor : — 



The Decrease of the Polynesians. — Rev. S. J. Wmitmee . . . 190 



Wind Diiftase. — G. Henry Kinahan 191 



Freezing Phenomenon. — Wilmot H. T. Power 191 



Sagacity in Cats. — M. M. Pattison Muir 193 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



Le Verrier's Tables of Saturn igj 



36 Ophiuchi xg2 



Nova Ophiuchi, 1848 192 



Stephan's Comet, 1867 (I) 192 



The Comet of 1698 19a 



The Satellite of Venus. — Rev. T. W. Wbbb 193 



The Missing Link between the Vertebrates and Inverte- 

 brates. By G. T. Bettany 195 



Magnetic Observations in Chin.a.. By Rev. S. J. Perry . . . 196 



The " Challenger" Expedition 197 



Abstract Report to "Nature" on Experimentation on Ani- 

 mals for the Advance of Practical Medicine, IIL By Dr. 



Benjamin W. Richardson, F.R.S 197 



Notes 199 



Scientific Seriai.s 702 



Socibtibs and Acadbmibs s«t 



