264 



NATURE 



{July 20, 1876 



magnet on the position of the poles is also still under investiga- 

 tion. — Prof. Barrett then made a brief communication on the 

 magnetisation of cobalt and nickel. He has recently made some 

 experiments on these matals with a view to ascertain whether 

 they undergo any elongation or coatraction similar to that expe- 

 rienced by iron during magnetisation. From this first experi- 

 ment he concluded that cobalt elongates slightly, but that there 

 is no effect on nickel, but this latter result may have been due to 

 the fact that the metal was not absolutely pure. He has, however, 

 obtained through Mr. Gore a fine bar of pure nickel about two feet 

 in length, and now finds that it contracts, and that the amount of 

 this contraction is about the same as the expansion of a like iron 

 bar when similarly treated. — Prof. Guthrie then described sjme 

 experiments on the freezing of aqueous solutions of colloid sub- 

 stances, which he has been studying in connection with his recent 

 investigations on cryohydrates, &c. If a solution of sugar be gra- 

 dually cooled the temperature at which ice separates out is always 

 below 0° C, and the extent below increases with the amount of 

 sugar in solution ; but he finds that in a solution of gum having 

 exactly the same chemical formula, the ice always separates at 

 0° C, whatever be the amount of gum present. Thus while 

 every crystalline substance forms a freezing mixture when mixed 

 with ice or snow, colloids are incapable of doing so. The gum 

 and the water do not recognise each other : and similar results 

 were obtained in the case of gelatine and albumen. These facts 

 are strictly in accordance with the results of Prof. Graham's 

 classical researches. It almost follows that, when heated, similar 

 effects are observed, and Prof. Guthrie has found that solutions 

 of gum in varying proportions always boil at 100° C Mr. W. 

 Chandler Roberts said that this important discovery was one that 

 his late distinguished master would have welcomed, and he 

 expressed a hope that Dr. Gathrie would continue his experi- 

 ments with the series of colloids actually prepared by Graham. 

 — Prof. Guthrie then showed the experiment by which Dr. Kerr 

 has recently proved that glass, resin, and certain other sub- 

 stances exhibit a depolarising effect when under the inflaence of 

 a powerful electrical tension. With the help of Mr. LoJge, 

 Dr. Guthrie has succeeded in repeating these exceedingly deli- 

 cate observations, but the effect is very slight and ill-suited for 

 the lecture-room. A beam of polarised light traverses a thick 

 plate of glass in which two holes have been drilled nearly meet- 

 ing in the centre, and two wires are fixed in these and connected 

 with the terminals of a powerful coil. The light after passing 

 through the analyser falls on the screen. If now the analyser be 

 so turned that the illumination is least before the current is 

 turned on, the brightness of the field will be seen to increase as 

 soon as the circuit is closed, and this brightness will increase up 

 to a certain limit. The effect is greatest when the light is pola- 

 lised at an angle of 45° to the line joining the termmals. — The 

 President then adjourned the meetings of the Society until 

 November, 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, July 3.— Vice- Admiral Paris in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — On the fermentation 

 of urine, by MM. Pasteur and Joubert. The ferment of urea, 

 M. Musculus considers of the class of soluble (and not organic) 

 ferments. The authors affirm that his soluble ferment is pro- 

 duced by the small organic ferment of urea. — Observations on 

 M. Pasteur's communication, and on the theory of fermentations, 

 by M. Berthelot. — Reply by M. Pasteur. — Note on M. Cros' 

 paper regarding photographic reproduction of the colour of 

 bodies, by M. Becquerel. — On the carpellary theory according 

 to the Amaryllidese (third part : Galanthus, Leucoium), by M. 

 Trecul. — Third note on electric transmissions through the 

 ground, by M. du Moncel. The currents due to difference of 

 humidity in the ground about the plates arise through difference 

 in facility of oxidation. Those due to unequal extent of surface 

 of the plates arise because the electric action from physical con- 

 tact of two heterogeneous bodies varies with their surface of 

 contact, and b.cause oxidable bodies are more attacked when 

 they present a small surface to oxidation, than when they 

 present a largi. — Examination of new methods proposed 

 for finding the position of a ship on the sea (continued), 

 by M. Ledieu. — Isew series of observations on the protuberances 

 ani solar spots. — Letter from R. Secchi (June 28). A table 

 is given for the first six months of 1876. Few protuberances ; 

 hardly any eruption ; threads of gas rising straight and vertically, 

 and of short duration. The issuing hydrogen seems to push 

 aside the darker layer of absorbing metals, and thus produce very 

 small faculse. Since March almost no spots with nucleus and 



penumbra. Maxima of activity in latitudes 10° to 20°, and 50* 

 to 60°. — On a luminous phenomenon at Port Said and Suez, on 

 June 15, by M. de Lesseps. This was a luminous globe which 

 burst like a rocket, with loud detonations. — On the metallic 

 nickel extracted from ores of New Caledonia, by MM. Christofle 

 and Bouilhet. — On the mode of employment of sulpho-carbon- 

 ates, by M. Jaubert. — Present state of vines subjected to treat- 

 ment with sulpho-carbonate of potassiuna since last year, by M. 

 Mouillefert. — Experiments on the destruction of Phylloxera, by 

 M. Marion. — Automatic discharges for electro-atmospheric rods, 

 by M. Serra-Carpi. — On Glaucoma and the climate of Algeria 

 by M. Tavignot. — Studies of astronomical photography, by M. 

 Cornu. Any telescope may be immediately adapted for it by 

 separating the two lenses of the object-glass, by a distance 

 depending on the glass, but rarely more than i j per cent, of 

 the focal distance. The original achromatism of the visible rays 

 is transformed into achromatism of the chemical rays neces- 

 sary for photographic images, and there is no aberration in 

 the images. — On linear differential equations of the second order, 

 by M. Fuchs. — On the isochronism of the cylindrical regulating 

 spiral, by M. Caspari. — On Mr. Crookes's radiometer, by M. 

 Govi. — On the explanation of the motion of the radiometer by 

 means of the theory of emission, by M. de Fonvielle. — On the 

 radiometer, by M. Ducretet. — New peroxide of manganese 

 battery, by M. Leclanche. He compresses strongly a mixture 

 of 40 per cent, of the peroxide, 55 per cent, of retort carbon, 

 and 5 per cent, of gum lac resin. The depolarising mass is 

 thus made to yie'd more electricity. — Action of hydracids on 

 selenious acid, by M. Ditte. — On the decomposition of insoluble 

 carbonates by sulphuretted hydrogen, by MM. Naudin and de 

 Montholon.— ^On a new method of substitution of chlorin: and 

 bromine in organic compounds, by M. Damoiseau. This is by 

 bringing them together in presence of animal charcoal. — On the 

 synthesis of allantoin, by M. Grimaux. — On a newbutylic glycol, 

 by M. Nevole. — New method of alcjometry by distillation of 

 alcalinised spirits, by M. Maumene. — Researches on fuchsine in 

 wines, by M. Ja;quemin. — On nitralizarine, by M. Rosenstiehl. 

 — New mineral contained in a meteorite (daubrilite), by Mr. 

 Lawrence Smith. — On the presence of nickel in ferruginous 

 atmospheric dusts, by M. Tissandier. This favours the idea of 

 their cosmic origin. — Comparative micrographic analysis of 

 atmospheric ferruginous corpuscles, and fragments detached 

 from the surface of meteorites, by M. Tissandier. — On the 

 physiology of the musical apparatus of the grasshopper, by M. 

 Carlet. A special muscle distends the plaited membrane, which 

 thus reinforces the sound. There is no tensor muscle of the 

 timbal, and the two timbals producing the sound vibrate syn- 

 chronously. — On the toxical action of methylic, cuprylic, oenan- 

 thylic, a.id cetylic alcohols, by MM. Dujardin, Beaumetz, and 

 Audige. — Anatomical characters of the blood in the anaemic, by 

 M. Hayem. In chronic ansemia the globules are smaller, de- 

 formed, and less coloured. — Anaesthesia by the method of intra- 

 venous injections of chloral, by M. Linharc— Lichens brought 

 from Campbell Island, by M. Filhol, determined by M. Nylander. 

 — On a hippopotamus with six lower incisors found in Algeria, 

 by M. Gaudry. — On the morphology of the dental system in 

 human races and its comparison with that of apes, by M. 

 Lambert. 



CONTENTS Page 



The University of Manchsster, II 24s 



The Dutch IN THE Arctic Skas 246 



Our Book Shelf : — 



" Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society " 247 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Government "Vivisection" Bill.— P. H. P. S 248 



The Boomerang. — Alfred W. Howitt {With Illustraiio?is) . . 248 



Fercilisation of Flowers— The Cuckoo. — Ch AS. Fred. White . . 250 



The Cuckoo. — Llewellynn Jewitt 250 



Abstract Report to "Nature" on Experimentation on Ani- 

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



Benjamin W. Richardson, F.R.S 250 



Science in Germany {IVith Illustration) 253 



On Modes of Demonstrating the Action of the Membrana 



Tympani. By Prof. John G. McKendrick, F.R.S 253 



The Geological Surve/ of Newfoundland 254 



The Ancient British Pig 254 



Photographic Processes, IL By Capt. Abney, R.E., F.R.S. . . 235 

 Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Comet of 1686 257 



New Minor Planet 257 



A Physical Science Museum 257 



Notes 259 



Scientific Serials 261 



Societies and Academies .......•• •••••. 363 



