i6o 



NATURE 



{Dec. 23, 1875 



but raised, figures on the outside of nodides. Siliceous sinter, 

 both stalagmitic and granular, resulting from hot siliciferous 

 springs, as in Iceland, New Zealand, Colorado, &c., was next 

 noticed ; and it was suggested that some of the flint in the Pur- 

 beck " cap " at Portland may have been siliceous sinter. Hyalite 

 and opal and its varieties were alluded to. The orbicular silex 

 of "beekite" was exhibited, and referred to the deposition of 

 silica around angular fragments of limestone, which at the same 

 time it has replaced to some thickness. The origin of the 

 "potato-stones," or siliceous geodes, in the Triassic beds of 

 Somersetshire is similarly pseudomorphic. In some honestones 

 we have extremely fine compact sand cemented by silica ; thus 

 approaching one of the two very different kinds of "chert;" 

 other kinds belong to siliceous schists and altered argillaceous 

 rocks. Jaspers the author was disposed to view, for the most 

 part as altered argillaceous rocks ; though some are opaque 

 chalcedonies. Beds of shell and clay may be traced into iron- 

 flint (Eisenkiesel) and other jaspery rocks. In Griqualand-west, 

 South Africa, there are miles of bedded jaspers, highly con- 

 torted, varying in colour and character according to the nature 

 of the original clays and sand-rocks, which were crushed and 

 folded by lateral pressure, and altered by the accompanying 

 hydrothermal agency (See G. W. Stow's sections). Such 

 jaspers, lydites, and jaspery schists have great geological im- 

 portance in many parts of the world, inasmuch they hold up the 

 surface of the country by resisting denudation. 



Cambridge 

 Philosophical Society, Nov. 15. — Mr. Trotter said that 

 since reading his paper " On some Waterholes in the Gomer 

 Glacier," his attention had been called to a passage in Agassiz 

 (Nouvelles Etudes sur les Glaciers, Paris, 1847, p. loi), in 

 which a similar phenomenon was described as having been first 

 observed by Dr. F. Keller. There could be no doubt that the 

 description in Agassiz referred to the same phenomenon as had 

 been described by Mr. Trotter, and that therefore these holes had 

 been first noticed by Dr. Keller, and described in 1847. Mr. 

 Trotter however thought Dr. Keller's explanation of the pheno- 

 menon unsatisfactory, and adhered to his own as contained in 

 the paper in question. — The following communications were 

 made : — (l) By Mr. F. M, Balfour on the behaviour of Nucleus 

 during Segmentation. The following observations were made 

 upon the eggs of Scyllium and Pristiurus. At a late stage of 

 the segmentation of these eggs most of the segments contain 

 nuclei, but in some of them there is to be seen in the place of 

 the nucleus a peculiar body. This has the ^hape of two cones 

 with their bases in apposition. In each cone a series of striae 

 radiate from the apex to the base ; and between the two is an ir- 

 regular row of granules. From the apex of the cone there further 

 diverge into the protoplasm of the cell a series of lines. The 

 author regards these peculiar bodies as metamorphosed nuclei in 

 the act of dividing. He points out that the simple division of 

 the nucleus, as well as its complete disappearance, accompanied 

 by the formation of two fresh nuclei, are well authenticated modes 

 of behaviour of the nucleus during cell division. These two 

 processes can only be connected on the supposition that in the 

 second case the two fresh nuclei are formed from the matter of 

 the old nucleus. The author considers that there exist in Sela- 

 chians modes of behaviour of the nucleus intermediate be- 

 tween the two extremes mentioned above, and points out that in 

 the peculiar striation of the body he described there are indica- 

 cations of the streaming out of its matter into the surrounding 

 protoplasm ; while on the other hand it never completely vanishes. 

 It therefore affords an instance where part of the matter of the 

 nucleus divides and part streams out into the protoplasm of the 

 cell to be again collected to assist in the formation of two fresh 

 nuclei. The author further states that he has found other bodies 

 intermediate between the cone-like bodies mentioned above and 

 true nuclei ; and regards these also as nuclei in the act of division, 

 where a still larger bulk of the protoplasm of the nucleus be- 

 comes divided and a smaller part rises with the surroimding pro- 

 toplasm. — (2) By Mr. Foster, On the effects of Upas Antiar on 

 the Heart . A summary of this paper will be found in the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Society. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, Dec. 13. — M. Fremy in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — On the laws of mag- 

 netic induction, by M. Jamin. — On the theory of refining of 

 glass, by M. Fremy. — On the heat of dissolution of precipitates, 

 and other little soluble substances, by.M. Berthelot. — Researches 

 on sulphines, by ^M. Cahours. — Atm.ospheric perturbations of 



the hot season of 1875 ; inundations in the south of France, by 

 M. Belgrand. — Note accompanying the presentation of micro- 

 metric plates, for measurement of solar images, by M. Janssen. 

 — Report on reclamations with reference to the decree given on 

 request of the Governor of Algeria, concerning importation into 

 Algeria of fruit and forest trees from France, by MM. Dumas, 

 Blanchard, and others. The Commission think a line should be 

 drawn through the points Phylloxera has reached in a northward 

 direction, and that the exportation should be authorised of all 

 plants accompanied with an authentic certificate stating they are 

 from territory at least 40 to 50 kilometres north of this line. — 

 On the temperature of elevated layers of the atmosphere, by 

 M. Mendeleeff. — Exposition of a new method for the resolution 

 of numerical equations of all degrees (first part), by M. Lalanne. 

 — On destruction of the vegetable matter mixed with wool, by 

 MM. Barral and Salvetat. They give lists of substances 

 which destroy and those which do not destroy the vegetable 

 fibre. The first action of the former is to remove part of 

 the water from the fibre and carbonise it. — Researches on 

 the constitution of fibroin and of silk, by MM. Schutzenberger 

 and Bourgeois. — Comparative study of instantaneous and con- 

 tinuous electric currents in the case of uni-polar excitation, 

 by M. Chauveau. — On a fish of the Lake of Tiberias, the 

 Chromis paterfa7mlias, which incubates its eggs in the buccal 

 cavity, by M. Lortet. The male fish sucks in the eggs from a 

 sandy hollow (where the female has deposited them) and passes 

 them in among the folds of his branchiae, where they go through 

 the usual stages. — Researches on the respiratory apparatus and 

 mode of respiration of certain Brachyouran Crustaceans (land 

 crabs), by M. Jobert. — Lithological examination of green chalk 

 sand, by M. Meunier. — On the discussion of a system of simul- 

 taneous linear equations, by M. Meray. — On the calorific in- 

 tensity of solar radiation and its absorption by the terrestrial 

 atmosphere, by M. Crova. — On the action of flames in presence 

 of electrified bodies, byM. Douliot. — Note on the sulphocyanates 

 of the radicals of acids, by M. Miquel. — On the saccharification 

 of amylaceous matters, by M. Bondonneau. — Influence of strip- 

 ping off the leaves, on the weight and saccharine richness of beet, 

 by MM. Champion and Pellet. — On the embryogeny of Tunicata 

 of the group of Lucias, by M. Giard. — Meteorological observa- 

 tions in a balloon, by M. Tissandier. This voyage was made 

 on Nov. 29. At 1,500 m. a remarkable bank of ice-crystals (in 

 whirling motion) was passed through. The balloon rose to 

 1,776 m., and from about 1,100 m. upwards, ajrise of tempera- 

 ture was observed. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



British. — A Brief Account of Bushman Folk Lore : W. H.J. Bleek, Ph.D. 

 (Trubner). -Euclid Simplified : J. R. Morell (H. S. King).— Map of India. 

 To illustrate the Travels of H.R.H. the Prince cf Wales (W. and A. K. 

 Johnston). — Botany for Schools and Science Classes : W. J.Browne, JNI.A. 

 (Belfast, MuUan). — Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo : Capt. K. F. 

 Burton (Sampson Low). — Explorations in Australia : John Forrest (Sampson 

 Low). — List of Works on the Geology, &c., of Cornwall : W. Whitaker 

 (Truro, J. R. Netherton). — The Geological Story briefly told : J. D. Dana 

 (Triibner). — The History of Creation : Ernst Haeckel (H. S. King). — A 

 Physician's Notes on Ophthalmology, and series : J. Hughlings Jackson, 

 M.D. — The Natural History of Eugenia Viridis : E. Partitt. — Tissandier's 

 History and Handbook of Photography. Edited by J. Thompson, F.R.G.S. 

 (Sampson Low). 



CONTENTS Page 



Lord Derby on the Endowment of Scientific Research ... 141 



African Handiwork .... 142 



Recent French Experimental Phvsiologv (Wj//4///«j^ra/?i»«j) . 144 



The Arctic World {With Illustrations) 146 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Andersson's " Notes of Travel in South Africa " 148 



Letters to the Editor : — 



A New Cetacean from New Zealand.. — Prof. W. H. Flower. F R. S. 149 

 Evidences of Ancient Glaciers in Central France. — G. Poulett 



Scrope, F.R.S 149 



Science Classes and Penny Lectures in Birmingham. — W. Mattieu 



Williams 149 



Proposed Optical Barometer. — Thomas Stevenson. C.E. . . . 150 



Seasonal Colour im Flowers. — R. A. Pryor 150 



Glands of the Cherry Laurel. — E. H 150 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Variable Stars 150 



The Minor Planets 151 



Coggia's Comet, 1874 151 



Human Anatomy as a Part of the Biological Curriculum . . 151 



The Birds of the Pelew Islands . . . 152 



The Voyage of the " Chevert " to New Guinea ... . 153 



Notes 154 



Scientific Serials 156 



Societies and Academies i . , . . 158 



Books and Pamphlets Received 160 



