24 



NATURE 



{May 2, 1889 



compounds of ruthenium with nitric oxide. They comprise a 

 compound of nitric oxide with the trichloride, RuCl3(N0) + 

 H3O, and with the sesquioxide, RuoOsCNO)^ + aH^O, both 

 remarkably stable bodies, resisting the action of water, of 

 bases and acids, and decomposing only at a temperature 

 above 300° C. It is suggested that analogous nitrous com- 

 binations might be formed with rhodium, and with osmium. 

 In a future communication M. Joly proposes to show that 

 the substances described by Fritsche and Struve, under the 

 names of osmanosmic or osmiamic acid and of o«miates, 

 have a constitution similar to that of these compounds 

 of ruthenium. — Researches on the richness of wheat in 

 gluten, by MM. E. Gatellier and L. L'Hote. A series of ex- 

 periments are described by which the same wheat (white Victoria) 

 is made to yield increasing proportions of gluten. The increase 

 largely depends on the rotation of crops and on the proportion of 

 nitrogen to phosphoric acid contained in the manures. — Papers 

 were contributed by M. J. Janssen and Colonel Gouraud on Mr. 

 Edison's improved telephone, full details of which have already 

 appeared in the English scientific journals. The proceedings 

 concluded with the following phonographic message sent by the 

 President to Mr. Edison : " M. le President et les Membres de 

 1' Academic des Sciences adressent leurs fe'licitations a M. Edison 

 pour les nouveaux perfectionnements qu'il a apportes a son 

 phonographe, et esperent le voir bientot a Paris, a I'occasion de 

 I'Exposition Universelle. " 



Berlin. 



Physiological Society, April 12. — Prof, du BoisReymond, 

 President, in the chair. — Prof. Fritsch gave a brief account of 

 the results he has obtained from the examination of the electrical 

 organ of Torpedo which he has been carrying on for several 

 years. Both Wagner and Remak had correctly made out that 

 each plate consists of two layers, one dorsal and one ventral ; 

 that the nerves are attached to the plate from the under side, and 

 are distributed in branches over it ; and that the under surface 

 of the plate is dotted. Very little further infofmation as to the 

 structure of this o'gan has resulted from the many investigations 

 subsequent to those of the above-named observers. Prof Fritsch 

 then explained and set aside the views of the best-known ob- 

 servers, and summed up his own conclusions as follows. The 

 lowest or marginal layer is composed of a layer, which is here 

 and there discontinuous, of globules, which refract light very 

 strongly ; between these the terminal fibres of the nerves make 

 their way into the plate. The pallisade-layer, which some pre- 

 vious observers had described, has an existence in the form of a 

 number of extremely fine filaments, which stand at right angles 

 to the plate, but inasmuch as they are so fine as to be scarcely 

 visible, nothing can for certain be made out as to their nature. 

 Passing further in a ventral direction, globular structures are 

 found in the lower plate, seated upon fibres which branch 

 dichotomously ; these may perhaps be bulbous nerve-endings. 

 Large nuclei lie between the ventral and dorsal layers. The 

 dorsal or muscular layer contains extremely fine granules, ar- 

 ranged in rows at right angles to the surface. The above results 

 were obtained by the application of the modified treatment with 

 nitric acid. A series of photographs and drawings was ex- 

 hibited in explanation of that which was described, and several 

 preparations were shown under the microscope.— Prof. Preyer 

 spoke on reflexes in the embryo. His researches extended over 

 many classes of animals. As representing Mammals, guinea- 

 pigs were chiefly u=ed ; and for reptiles, snakes ; while in addition 

 the embrj'os of fishes, frogs, mollusks, and other lower animals 

 were also employed. But of all animals birds are most suitable 

 for embryological observations, inasmuch as, with due precau- 

 tions, the development of one and the same individual can be 

 followed for a considerable time. Birds' eggs can be incubated 

 in a warm chamber, and by removing a portion of the shell 

 and replacing it by an unbroken piece from another egg, it 

 becomes possible to follow the daily development of the chick 

 and to experiment upon it. As early as the ninetieth hour of 

 incubation, spontaneous "impulsive" movements may be ob- 

 served, taking place apparently without any external stimulus as 

 a cause, and at a time when no muscles or nerves have as yet 

 been developed. After the occurrence of these spontaneous 

 movements, and at the earliest on the fifth day of incubation, 

 movements are observed to result from the application of 

 mechanical, chemical, and electrical stimuli. In order to 

 observe these the eggs must be allowed to cool down until all 

 spontaneous movements have ceased. From the tenth to the 



thirteenth day more complicated and reflex actions occur on the 

 application of stimuli, as, for instance, movements of the eye- 

 lids, beak, and limbs : and if the stimuli are strong, reflex respira- 

 tory movemenf:. These reflexes make their aopearance before 

 any ganglia have become differentiated. Prof. Preyer considered 

 himself justified in concluding from this that ganglia are not 

 essential for the liberation of reflex actions. He intends, on 

 some future occasion, to give a more detailed account of these 

 experiments, and of the conclusions which may be drawn from 

 them. In the discussion which ensued the conclusions of the 

 speaker were contested from many sides. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Year Book of the Scientific and Learned Societies of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, sixth annual issue (Griffin) — Subjects of Sjcial Welfare : Sir Lyon 

 Playfair (Cassell). — Eiologie der Pflanzen, init Einem Anhang ; Die 

 Historische Entwickhing der Botanik : Dr. J. Wiesni^r (Wien, Holder). — 

 The Theory of the Continuous Girder : M'. A. Howe (New York). — A Verte- 

 brate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides : J. A. Harvie-Brown and T. E. Buckley 

 (Edinburgh, Douglas). — Challenger Report, vol. xxx. Zoology, Text and 

 Plates (Eyre and Spottiswoode). — Animal Locomotion, 1872-S5, Plates ; E. 

 Muybridge (Philadelphia). — The Metallurgy of Gold, 2nd edition : M. Eissler 

 (I^ockwood). — Himmel und Erde. Heft 8 (Berlin). — Journal of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England, April (Murray). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The New Code and Science Teaching. By Dr. J. 



H. Gladstone, F.R.S i 



The National Science Museum 3 



Reptilian Orders 5 



The History of Ancient Civilization 7 



Our Book Shelf: — 



Macdonald : "Board S,;hool Laryn jiti-:. " — Dr. E. 



Clifford Beale 8 



Ray: "A Treatise on Elementary Algebra and Alge- 

 braical Artifices " 9 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Sailing Flight of the Albatross.— A. C. Baines . 9 



Note on Ra^^adia crisia. — Sydney B. J. Skertchly . 10 



Spherical Eggs.— Prof. A. G. Greenhill, F.R.S. . . 10 

 Name for Unit of Self-induction. — Prof. Oliver J. 



Lodge, F.R.S 11 



Hertz's Equations.— Rev. H. W. Watson, F.R.S. . 11 



A New Pest of Farm Crops. By Allen Harker . . . ir 

 Rain Clouds on Lake Titicaca. {Illustrated.) By Hon. 



Ralph Abercromby 12 



A Flat Fish Nursery 13 



Notes 13 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The April Meteors 15 



The White Spot on Saturn's Ring 15 



The Variable X Cygni 15 



Photographic Determination of the Brightness of the 



Stars ■ • IS 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1889 



May 5-1 1 16 



Geographical Notes . 16 



The Henry Draper Memorial 17 



Griinwald's Mathematical Spectrum Analysis. By 



Joseph S. Ames 19 



On the Formation of Marine Boiler Incrustations. 



By Prof. Vivian B. Lewes 19 



University and Educational Intelligence 20 



Scientific Serials 21 



Societies and Academies 21 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 24 



