300 



NATURE 



[Fed. lo, 1876 



Other instances among insects were adduced to show the im- 

 portant influence of the surroundings of a species in producing 

 functional changes in its economy, and it was sought to be esta- 

 blished that defective nutrition has been a principal cause of 

 cocoons being dispensed with by certain Bombycidae. From these 

 preliminary considerations the author proceeds to consider the 

 evolution of the various families of Lepidoptera. He believes 

 that the butterflies have as a whole been developed from the 

 Bombycidae, ^though that development has probably been accom- 

 plished through several roads. He claims the support of palaeon- 

 tological evidence for his views. The earliest moths yet recorded 

 are the Tineids, the lowest family of Lepidoptera ; these may be 

 regarded as constituting a persistent type like that of Terebra- 

 tulas. The Spliinges are supposed to have descended from a 

 Phryganea with Bombycid characters, and many ingenious sug- 

 gestions and considerations are advanced in support of this view. 

 A hypothetical genealogical tree is given at the close of the 

 paper. — A monographic account of Nisus {Accipiter) cooperi and 

 N. gundlachi, by Mr. R. Ridgway, gives the results of carefvd 

 examination of many specimens. With regard to the former it 

 is found impossible to establish the existence of two geographical 

 races. The distinctness of the latter species is strongly main- 

 tained. Mr. Ridgway's account of the Buteonine sub-genus, 

 Craxirex, which is peculiar to America, gives a synopsis of the 

 species. The very variable Buteo swainsoni is particularly fully 

 described. — A very interesting paper is contributed by Dr. 

 Elliott Coues, devoted to a vindication of William Bartram as a 

 scientific ornithologist Dr. Coues seeks to prove that, according 

 to the admitted rules of nomenclature and the rules of the British 

 Association, Bartram has not received his due. He maintains that 

 Bartram's Catalogue of United States Birds is not a mere value- 

 less list, but all the more valuable in consequence of the terseness 

 and simplicity of his descriptions, many of which are unmistak- 

 able. — One of the most important papers of the year is by 

 Dr. Lautenbach, on the physiological action of hemlock and its 

 alkaloid. His conclusions, from careful experiments, are as 

 follows : — I. Conia, instead of being poisonous to plants, really 

 acts as a preservative ; the alcoholic extract of hemlock, however, 

 acts poisonously on plants, 2. When locally applied, conia pro- 

 duces a progressive loss of functional power in every highly 

 organised tissue with which it comes into contact. 3. In inducing 

 complete repose of the muscular system, conia powerfully pre- 

 disposes to sleep, but it is not a hypnotic in the sense that opium 

 is. 4. The convulsions produced by a poisonous dose of hemlock 

 are cerebral, and not spinal, as has heretofore been imagined. 



5. Conia produces a double effect on the motor-nervous system, 

 a paralysing effect on the periphery of the efferent or motor 

 nerves, and a depression of the motor tracts of the spinal cord. 



6. The increase in the number of heart' beats which occurs early 

 in conia poisoning is due to paresis of the pneumogastrics. 7. 

 The primary acceleration in the respiratory movements is also 

 due to pneumogastric paresis. 8. The salivary secretion is the 

 only secretion markedly increased by a poisonous dose of conia. 



9. The voluntary muscles escape unscathed in conia-poisoning. 



10. Contraction of the pupil oiily occurs when the drug is directly 

 applied to the eyeball. 11. Conia causes a decided increase in 

 temperature. 12. Conia is absorbed and is eliminated unchanged 

 by the kidneys. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, Jan. 31. — Vice- Admiral Paris in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Thermal researches on 

 the formation of alcohols and on etherification, by M. Berthelot. — 

 Account of experiments made to determine the work expended 

 by Gramme's magneto-electric machines, used for producing light 

 in the works of MM. Sautter and Lemonnier, by M. Tresca. A 

 direct-illumination photometer was used for comparing an electric 

 lamp with a Carcel lamp, and when equality was had in the two 

 contiguous zones, a dynamometer trace was taken, and the 

 number of turns ascertained. The author gives data of machines, 

 the light from which was equal to 1,830 and 300 Carcel burners 

 respectively. The cost of fuel for the former was only 

 about a hundredth of that of the oil and a fiftieth that of 

 the coal gas. — M. Du Moncel presented the fourth volume 

 of. his "Expose des Applications de I'Electricite " (3rd edi- 

 tion), relating to electric clockwork, electric registers, and 

 applications of electricity to safety appliances in railway 

 service. — Researches on magnetic rotatory polarisation (2nd 

 part), by M. Becquerel. The rotation in diamagnetic bodies 

 increases with the index of refraction. In solutions of a dia- 

 magnetic salt of varying concentration, the ratio of the rotation 



to the weight of the anhydrous salt is a number nearly constant. 

 With salts of iron the magnetic rotation increases much more 

 quickly than the number of active molecules. — Calorific vibra- 

 tions of a homogeneous solid of uniform temperature, by M. 

 Lucas. — On the formation of hail (second note), by M. Plants. 

 The electrodes of the secondary couples are introduced into salt 

 water, the positive being covered with moistened blotting-paper, 

 A multitude of ovoid globules are scattered out and up from this 

 latter in all directions. M. Plante thinks the electricity in clouds 

 may sometimes act thus, and the globules, rising to a region of 

 lower temperat«re, become hailstones. Electricity may produce 

 hail through mechanical, calorific, or magneto-dynamic effects. — 

 Letter to the President of the Commission on Phylloxera, by M. 

 Mouillefert. — On the boring operations in the tunnel of .Saint 

 Gothard, by M. CoUadon. Notwithstanding much greater hard- 

 ness of rock, &c., than in the boring of Frejus. M. Favre 

 has, in the third year, realised an advance of 484 per cent, 

 above the maximum obtained in Frejus during the thirteen years. 

 — Discovery of the planet (159), by M. Paul Henry. — Note on 

 left curves of the fourth order, by M. Serret. — On the principle 

 of correspondence, and the means it affords of removing some 

 difficulties in analytical solutions, by M. Saltel. — On topographic 

 maps, by M. Hermite. — On the congelation of mercury by use 

 of a mixture of snow and hydrochloric acid, by M. Witz. A 

 mixture, in equal parts, of snow and hydrochloric acid having a 

 temperature of —1°, will give a temperature of — 37°'S C. — On 

 electrolytic aniline black, by M. Goppelsroeder. — On the fer- 

 ment of urea, by M. Musculus. It has none of the properties of 

 organic ferments, but is rather like soluble ferments, as diastase, 

 saliva, and pancreatic juice. — On the elements of inverted sugar, 

 and their presence in commercial sugar, by M. Maumene. — On 

 digestion in insects ; remarks apropos of a recent work of 

 M. Jousset, by M. Plateau. M. Plateau claims priority of 

 observation. — Note on the method to be employed for testing 

 the conductivity of lightning conductors, by M. Michel.— Obser- 

 vations relative to the undulations and fractures of the Cretaceous 

 system, apropos of the project of making a tunnel under the 

 Channel, by M. Robert. —On spontaneous periodic movements 

 in the stems of Saxifraga sarmentosa, umbrosa, Geum, Acanthi- 

 folia, and in Parnassia palustris ; relations of this phenomenon 

 with the disposition, of tlie foliar cycle, by M. Heckel. 



BOOKS RECEIVED 



British. — Three Months in the Mediterranean : Walter Coote (Stanford). 

 — Lardner's Handbook of Astronomy. 4th edition. Edited by E. Dunkin, 

 F.R.A.S. (Lockwood). — British Manufacturing Industries. Edited by G. 

 Phillips Bevan, F.G.S. 3 vols. (Stanford).— The Races of Mankind. Vol. III.: 

 Dr. Robert Brown (Cassell).— ISIorocco and the Moors : Dr. Arthur Leared, 

 (Sampson Low and Co.) — Memoir of Commodore Goodenough : C. R. Mark- 

 ham (G. GriflSn and Co.) — Animal Parasites and Mes>mates : P. J. Van 

 Beneden (H. S. King and Co.)— First Book of Zoology : E. S. Morse, Ph.D. 

 (H. S. King and Co.) — Livingstone's First and Second Expeditions to Africa. 

 2 vols. (John Murray) — Reboisement in France : J. Croumbie Brown, LL.D. 

 (H. S. King and Co.)— Telegraphy : W. H. Preece, C.E., and J Sivewright, 

 M.A. (Longmans). — Tyrol and the Tyrolese : W. A. Baillie Grohman (Long- 

 mans). — Fcod ; its Adulterations and the Methods for their Detection : Dr. 

 A. Hill Hassall (Longmans). — Physical Geography : W. D. Cooley (Dulau 

 and Co.) — Short History of Natural Science : A. B. Buckley (John Murray). 



CONTENTS Pagb 



Old and New World Spiders. By O. P. C 281 



Dyeing and Calico Printing. By R. Meldola 283 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Scientific Culture 284 



Letters to the Editor :— 



On the most Northerly Latitude at which Land and Freshwater 



Molluscs have hitherto been found. — Prof. A. E. NoRDENbKjQLD 284 



Prof. Tyndallon Germs. — Dr. H. Charlton Bastian ; Inquirer 284 

 The University of London and School Examinations. — Philip 



Magnus ; H. A. Nesbitt 286 



Public Analysts. — ^Arthur Angell 287 



Large Meteors. — William F. Denning 287 



The Flame of Common Salt.— E. G 287 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Binary Star r\ Cassiopea; 287 



The Rugby (Temple Observatory) Catalogue of Double Stars . . 287 



Jupiter's Satellites 288 



The Drainage of the Zuvder Zee 288 



The Birds of North-Eastern Africa By P. L. S 289 



Fertilisation of Flowers by Insects, XIII. By Dr. Hermann 



MuLLER {Wtth Illustrations) 2Sy 



Scholarships and Exhibitions for Natural Science at C.^.m- 



bridge, 1876 2, 



The Industrial Applications of Oxvgkn. By Dr. A. W. Hof- 



mann 293 



Notes 295 



Societiks and Acadbmiks » . • 29S 



Books Received sv 



