468 



NATURE 



\Scpt. 2 1, 1876 



April 12. — Contribution to anatomy of the meduUated peri- 

 pheral nerve fibres, by M. Kuhnt. 



May 6. — On the conductivity of electrolytes dissolved in 

 water, in connection with the wandering of their constituents, by 

 M. Kohlrausch, The conductivities of electro-chemically equi- 

 valent solutions of two electrolytes which have one constituent 

 in common, are inversely as the transference-numbers of the 

 same equivalent ; or the product of the conductivity of the solu- 

 tion and the transference number of the common constituent on 

 both sides is the same. The hindrances to movement in dense 

 solutions, it is found, generally affect the kation more than the 

 anion. — On the movement of electricity in material conductors, 

 especially in [a conducting ball, by M. Riecke. — Sulphide of 

 carbon as a preserving and disinfecting substance, by M. Zoeller. 

 — On the pressure forces arising from simultaneous motions 

 associated with contractions and dilatations of several spherical 

 bodies in an incompressible liquid, by M. Bjerknes. 



June 17. — Theory of unipolar induction and Pliicker's expe- 

 riments, by M. Riecke. He considers first, the induction of a 

 moved magnetic pole on a linear conductor at rest ; then the 

 induction of a magnetic pole at rest on a rotating conductor ; 

 then applies the principles arrived at to Pliicker's experiments ; 

 a fourth chapter is on Wilhelm Weber's unipolar induction. — 

 Contributions to anatomy of the Crinoideze (second article), by 

 M. Ludwig. — Physiology and histology of the central nerve- 

 system of helix pomatia, by M. v. Ihering. — Sulphide of car- 

 bon as a preserving substance (second paper), by M. Zoeller. 

 Five drops of the liquid to a litre of air space suffices to preserve 

 the most decomposable fruits and vegetables. These tasted quite 

 fresh after short exposure to the air, and meat quite lost the 

 smell of sulphide of carbon after boiling or roasting, but it had 

 a slight flavour like that of game, which, to most people, is not 

 unpleasant. It appears that sulphide of carbon acts in the way 

 of coagulating albuminous substances and lessens the water- 

 contents of the preserved substances. 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, July 6. — On the causes of 

 keratitis after section of the trigeminus, by Dr. Feuer. — Experi- 

 ments on the heat conductivity of nitrogen, binoxide of nitrogen, 

 ammonia, and coal-gas, by M. Plank. These are, respectively 

 (the conductivity of air being made = i), 0*993, o'95i, o'9i7, 

 2 670. — Studies on the more recent tertiary formations of Green- 

 land, by M. Fuchs. Several new fossil species are described. 



July 13. — Action of current electricity on the motion of pro- 

 toplasm, on living and dead cell contents, and on material 

 particles generally. Second part : Influence of the galvanic 

 current on dead cell contents ; by M, Velten. Very strong in- 

 duction currents sent through a cell, or a number of cells, set 

 the contents in rotation, which is very like vital rotation, and 

 follows the same laws. The botanical phenomena of circulation, 

 sliding motion, &c., can be well imitated by this means. M. 

 Velten infers that the cause of protoplasm-motions is to be 

 sought in electric currents produced in the living cell contents. — 

 On the advancement of science by professors and private savans, 

 the doctrine of geognostic land-types, and the method of geolo- 

 gical surmises a priori, by M. Boue. — On some elementary 

 infinite series, by M. Igel. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, Sept. 4. — Vice-Admiral Paris in 

 the chair. — The following papers were read: — New theorems 

 relative to couples of segments making a constant length, 

 by M. Chasles. — Researches on the disappearance of ammonia 

 contained in waters (first part), by M. Houzeau. Water from 

 wells quickly loses its ammoniacal principle in a vessel her- 

 metically sealed. Light favours this disappearance, but is not 

 indispensable to the phenomenon. This suggests the prac- 

 tical process of exposure to the sun, M. Houzeau also found 

 that artificial ammonia added to water (in the form of carbonate 

 of ammonia) quickly disappeared. — Representation of elliptical 

 functions of the first species by means of left biquadratics. 

 Extract from memoir by M. Leaute. — Rectification of a previous 

 communication on determination by the principle of geometrical 

 correspondence, of the order of a geometrical place defined 

 by algebraic conditions, by M. Saltel. — Results obtained by 

 means of new apparatus for extraction of the juices of 

 sugar-cane, by MM. Mignon and Rouart. The plan they 

 have adopted (in Guadaloupe) is ) partly like that in treat- 

 ment of beet. They use a rasp or defibrating machine ; 

 this process reaches the hardest parts forming the envelope of 



the cane, and disorganises the cells which are richest in sugar 

 and which most easily escape in the ordinary treatment. In 

 the hydraulic press used, there are two pistons ; the smaller 

 gives twelve atmospheres, and acts during the whole of the 

 compression ; the action of the larger piston is added^ the two 

 together giving a pressure of 80 atmospheres. The results ob- 

 tained surpass considerably those from ordinary methods. Thus 

 cane simply defibrated and subjected to only one pressure, gave 

 77 per cent, of its weight of very rich saccharine juice. — On a 

 submarine elevation observed in the Gulf of Arta, by M. de 

 Cigalla. In 1847 and 1865, after some shocks of earthquake, a 

 very dense sulphurous vapour rose from the bottom and destroyed 

 many fishes (such emanations still occur, but less in quantity). 

 The hydrographic maps for 1847 gave 8 fathoms as the depth 

 there. Now recent soundings show that the bottom has risen, 

 forming a cone 300 fathoms in circumference, and with its 

 summit of 2 fathoms 4 feet under the surface. The temperature of 

 the water is not sensibly altered. Objects kept in the water a 

 few days are covered with a light coat of sulphur. The raised 

 ground consists of very small shells, while the neighbouring bottom 

 is of oozy nature. — Observation of American vines attacked by 

 phylloxera, in the environs of Stuttgardt, by M. Schnetzler. 

 Three centres of invasion were discovered in July. The vines 

 infested are all of American origin, and were imported twelve 

 or thirteen years ago, either directly from America, or from 

 France. The insect attacks the roots and rootlets. — Observa- 

 tions of the planet 166, by Mr. Peters. — Discovery of planet 167, 

 — dispatch transmitted on Aug. 29, 1876, by Mr. Joseph Henry, 

 of Washington. The planet was discovered by Mr. Peters of 

 Clinton. — On the characteristics of conical systems, by M. 

 Halphen. — New theory of the numbers of Bernoulli and Euler, by 

 M. Lucas. — On the invention of the pneumatic fii-e-syringe, by M. 

 Govi. From the Giornale dei Letterati, published in Rome about 

 the middle of the eighteenth century, it is shown that the jineu- 

 matic fire-syringe, which has been thought to date from 1862 or 

 1 863, was invented and described in 1745 by the Abbe Augustin 

 Ruffo, of Verona, more than half a century before a workman of St. 

 Etiennegave the idea of it to Prof. Mollet, of Lyon, or M. Fletcher 

 experimented with it before Mr. Nicholson. — On the dissociation 

 of bicarbonate of soda at the temperature of 100°, reply to M. 

 Gautier, by M. Urbain. M. Gautier, heating 4 grammes of dry 

 bicarbonate of soda between 100° and 115°, found it completely 

 decomposed in eighteen hours ; he infers that in dried blood- 

 plasma, thus heated, the bicarbonate of soda must also be de- 

 composed. M, UrlDain denies the inference, because in the 

 latter case the salt is empasted in a substance which forms a 

 varnish round each of its fragments, and this corresponds to the 

 case of heating the salt in a closed vessel, when dissociation 

 does not occur. — Note on the phenomena of digestion in the 

 American Cockroa.c\i (Periplaneta americana, L.), byM. Plateau. 

 His examination of this insect confirms his former observations, 

 from which he concluded that the digestive juices of insects are 

 alkaline or neutral, never acid. — Researches on the silicified 

 plants of Autun and Saint Etienne ; Calamodendreae and their 

 probable botanical affinities, by M. Renault. Several resem- 

 blances seem to favour the supposition that Calamodendrere have 

 been the ancestors of the present Gnetaceje. 



CONTENTS Page 



Zittel's Handbook of Paleontology. By H. B. Brady, F.R.S. 44s 

 Our Book Shelf : — 



Handbooks for the Glasgow Meeting of the British Association . 447 



The Tree-lifter 447 



Practical Portrait Photography 448 



Lbtters to the Editor : — 



On the Discovery of Palaeolithic Implements of Inter-glacial Age. 



— Sydney B. J. Skertchlv, F.G.S 448 



The Inverse Rotation of the Radiometer an Effect of E'ectricity — 



Rev. Joseph Dhlsaulx, S.J i . 449 



A RuHimentary Tail. — Dr. Andrew Dunlop 450 



The ^olian Formation on the Lancashire Coast. — William Gee 450 

 Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Total Solar Eclipse of 1885, Sept. 8-9 450 



An Intra-Mercurial Wanet (?) 451 



The British Association 451 



Reports . ' 452 



Section B. — Chemical Science 454 



Section C. — Geology 456 



Section D. — Biology 457 



Force. By Prof Tait, F.R.S 459 



Notes . . 463 



Scientific Serials 467 



Societies and Academies 467 



