284 



NA TURE 



\July 27, 1876 



M. Trecul. — Note on the "Study of the Hurricanes of the 

 Southern Hemisphere " of Commandant Bridet (third edition), 

 by M. Faye. The work contains many curious observations on 

 cyclones, but its advocacy of centripetal aspiration is condemned. 

 — New remarks on the question of displacement of spectral lines 

 due to proper motion of the stars, by P. Secchi. — Objections to 

 the last communication of M. Him, on the maximum of possible 

 repulsive pressure of the solar rays, by M. Ledieu. — Examination 

 of nev? methods proposed for finding the position of a ship at 

 sea (continued), by M. Ledieu. — Pliocene man, by M. de 

 Quatrefages, This refers to an Italian work on " Pliocene Man 

 in Tuscany," by M. Capellini. — M. de Lesseps presented a 

 summary report from M. Roudaire on the results of his mission 

 to the isthmus of Gabes and the Tunisian Chotts. These labours 

 have been quite successful, and prove the possibility (M. de 

 Lesseps thinks) of forming an internal lake of 25 to 40 

 metres in depth, and 400 kilometres in length from east to 

 west, having its entrance at the Gulf of Gabes, and cover- 

 ing a space of about 16,000 square kilometres. — M. Tisse- 

 rand reported on observations made at Kompira-Yama (near 

 Nagasaki, Japan), during his transit-mission. — M. Fave was 

 elected free member in place of the late M. Seguier. — Experi- 

 mental researches on magnetic rotatory polarisition (third part). 

 Dispersion of the planes of polarisation of luminous rays of 

 different wave-length, by M. Henri Becquerel. The positive 

 rotations of diamagnetic bodies in:rea5e approximately in inverse 

 ratio of the squares of the wave lengths, the negative rotations of 

 magnetic bodies in iaverse ratio of the fourth power of the wave- 

 lengths. — On cellulosic fermentation of cane-sugar, by M. Durin. 

 Cane-sugar is decomposed into equivalent weights of cellulose and 

 coulose, under the influence of a special ferment, which is of dias- 

 tosic nature. — On the aerial Phylloxera, by M. Boiteau. — On the 

 development of elliptic functions and their powers, by M. Andre. — 

 Experiments of measurement of velocity (of water in canals) 

 made at Roorke, in British India, by Mr. Allan Cunning- 

 ham, by M. Bazin. — On the difference of potential in the insu- 

 lated extremities of an open induction bobbin after rupture of 

 the inducing current, by M. Mouton. He seeks to measure the 

 successive values of these differences of tension, and establish 

 some laws of their variations. — On the reactions of chlorine 

 under the influence of porous carbon, by M. Melseas. A re- 

 clamation of priority. — On a new butylic glycol (continued), by 

 M. Milan-Nevalo. — Explanation of the impression ability of the 

 black faces of a radiometer by means of the theory of emission, by 

 M. Biot ; note by M. de Fonvielle. — On the crystallisation of 

 sugar, by M. Flourens. — Anatomical characters of the blood in 

 the anaemic (continued), by M. Hayem. — Influence of fatigue 

 on the variations of the electric state of muscles during artificial 

 tetanus, by MM. Morat and Toussaint. — On a remarkable case 

 of reduction of nitric acid and oxidation of acetic acid, with pro- 

 duction of alcohol, under the influence of certain microzymes, 

 by M. Bechamp. — Influence of physico-chemical forces on the 

 phenomena of fermentation, by Dr. Bastian. — On a new meteorite 

 that fell on March 25, 1865, at Wisconsin, ani whose character 

 is identical with that of the meteorite of Meno, by Mr. Smith. — 

 History of natural wells, by M. Meunier.— Mineralogical notices, 

 by M. Pisani. 



July 17. — Vice- Admiral Paris in the chair. — The following 

 papers were read : — On the fermentation of fruits, and on the dif- 

 fusion of germs of alcoholic yeast, by M. Pasteur. — On M. Durin's 

 note concerning cellulosic fermentation of cane-sugar, by M. Pas- 

 teur.— On the alteration of urine, apropos of a note by Dr. Bastian, 

 by M. Pastear. The facts do not prove spontaneous generation, 

 but only that certain germs resist a temperature of 100 in neutral 

 or slightly alkaline media, their envelopes, doubtless, not being 

 penetrated in this case by the water, — On the intercellular gene- 

 ration of alcoholic ferment, by M. Fremy. Fruits placed in an 

 atanosphere of CO2 or H undergo alcoholic fermentation, and an 

 organic ferment is generated which may cause ferment ition of 

 sugar. — Fourth note on electric transmissions through the ground, 

 by M. du Moncel. He compares the currents got from couples 

 made with silex of Heronville and electrodes of zinc, platina, 

 &c, with those of a Daniell. — Examination of new methods for 

 finding the position of a ship at sea (continued), by M. Ledieu. — 

 On the measurement of the electric resistance of liquids by means 

 of the capillary electrometer, by M. Lippmann. One special 

 advantage of this method is that the sensibility does not diminish 

 even when the resistance increases indefinitely. The method is 

 independent of polarisation of electrodes. — Oa a rock of vege- 

 table origin, by MM. Bureau and Poisson. This was found by 

 M. de risle on the bottom of a grotto in the Island of Reunion ; 



it seemed entirely made up of spores or grains ot pollen, probably 

 spores of Polypodese. — On the transformation of saccharose into 

 reducing sugar, in the operations of refining, by M. Girard. — 

 Detection and determination of fuchsine and arsenic in wines 

 artificially coloured with fuchsine, by M. Husson. — On a new 

 compensator pendulum, by Mr. Smith. He utilises the dilata- 

 bility of vulcanite. — On three sand boxes on the savane of Fort- 

 de-France, Martinique, by M. Berenger-Feraud. — On the par- 

 thenogenesis of Phylloxera compared with that of other pucerons, 

 by M. Balbiani. — Results obtained at Cognac with sulphocar- 

 bonates of sodium and of barium applied to phylloxerised vines, 

 by M. Mouillefert. — Results obtained in using iron pyrites against 

 oidium,by M. Franfois.— Discovery and observation of Planeti64 

 at Paris observatory, by MM. Henry. — Observations of the same 

 planet at Marseilles, by M. Stephan. — On the circumstances of pro- 

 duction of two varieties of sulphur, prismatic and octahedric, by M. 

 Gernez — Critical researches on certain methods employed for 

 determination of the densities of vapour, and consequences that 

 are drawn from them ; by MM. Troost and Hautefeuille. — 

 Action of hydracids on selenious acid, by M. Ditte. — Observa- 

 tions on iodine as reagent for starch, by M. Puchot. Its sensi- 

 bility is at fault in presence of certain azotised organic matter, 

 such as albumen. — On rhoiine, a new reaction of aniline, by M. 

 Jacquemin. — Study of the action of water on glycols, by M. 

 Milan-Nevalo. — On the existence, in Spain, of a bed of nickel 

 ores similar to those of New Caledonia, by M. Meissonnier. 

 This is in Malaga. The first works of exploration recently com. 

 menced, have furnished several hundreds of tons. — Anato- 

 mical characters of blood in the anaemic ; third note by M. 

 Hayem. The weakening of colour and the failure of agreement 

 between this colouring power and the number of coloured 

 elements are the two essential characters of anaemia. — On 

 some phenomena produced by faradisatio.i of the grey 

 matter of the brain, by M. Bochsfontaine. If it be admitted 

 that there are motor centres of the Hubs in the grey substance, 

 yet the same stimulation (which causes limb-motion) puts in 

 action the muscles of organic life and the glands. But the facts 

 do not prove the cortical substance excitable by faradic currents ; 

 the stimulation probably affects the subjacent white matter. — 

 Cutaneous respiration of frogs with regard to the influence of 

 light, by M. Tubini. Frogs deprived of their lungs excrete CO3 

 in darkness and in light, in quantities having the proportion 

 100:134.— On disease of the ox through the inermous taenia of 

 man, by MM. Masse and Pourquier. The rabbit, dog, and 

 sheep are not a favourable soil for development of this taenia, 

 but the ox is. — On vesical microzymes as cause of the ammo- 

 niacal fermentation of urine, by M. Bechamp. — Oa meteoric 

 iron, by M. Yung. — On a vertical column seen abo/e the sun, 

 by M. Penou. — On traces of the presen:e of man in grottoss in 

 various parts of Provence, by M. Jaubert. 



CONTENTS Pack 



The Univer;itv OF Manchsster, III 265 



Agricultural Weather- Warnings in France 266 



Radcliffe's "Vital Motion " 267 



FEisrM/vNTEL ON THE Bohemian Coal Beds 26S 



Our Book Shelf : — 



White's "Holidays in Tyrol — Kufstein, Klobenstein, and Pan- 



veggio " 270 



Davies' "Angling Idylls" 270 



Letters to the Editor:— 



ExtremeTcmperatureof Summer.— William Ellis 270 



Earthquakes in Samoa.— Re ;r. S.J. Whitmee 270 



Fauna and Flora of NewGuiieaand the Pacific Islands. — Rev. 



S. J. Whitmee 271 



Opticil Phenomenon.— R. V. D 271 



Freezing Phenomenon— H. M. Adair 271 



Habits of Parasitic Crab.— W. S. G 272 



The Rowton SiDERiTE. By Prof. N. S Maskelyne, F.R S. . . 272 



A Modern Organ 273 



Paleontology and the Do:trine of Descent. By J W. Judd , 27s 



Prizes OFFERED BY THE Dutch Society OF Sciences 276 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



De Vico's Comet of Short Period 277 



MiraCeti 277 



Resources of Shrvia and Bosnia 277 



Notes =7^ 



Scientific Serials '^^ 



Socihtibs and Academies 282 



