144 



JVA TURE 



\yune 6, 1889 



and quivering of excised hearts of fish, frogs, reptiles, birds, and 

 mammals.— Dr. John Murray read a paper by Mr. W. S. 

 Anderson, on the solubility of carbonate of lime in fresh and 

 sea water. 



Paris, 



Academy of Sciences, May 27. — M. Des Cloizeaux, Presi- 

 dent, in the chair. — On the radicular nature of the stolons of 

 Nephrolcpis, by M. A. Trecul. In reply to M. Van Tieghem, 

 the author argues that the so-called stolons of this fossil plant 

 were not shoots or runners, but had the constitution of true 

 roots ; hence he was fully justified in describing them as " radi- 

 cular stolons." — On the representation of the continuous fractions 

 ■expressing the two roots of a quadratic equation, by Prof. Syl- 

 vester. In continuation of his previous paper (May 20), the 

 author shows how the twin formulas there worked out for the 

 two roots X and x' may be considerably simplified and general- 

 ized.— On the Calamaria;, Arthropilus and Calainodendron, by 

 M. Grand'Eury. In this paper the author sums up his reasons 

 for believing that these Carboniferous plants were highly organ- 

 ized Cryptogams. Their representatives or descendants in the 

 Secondary formations were of smaller size, less varied, and more 

 nearly related to Equisetum, the last degenerate survivor of the 

 family. — Exact determination of the quantity of water contained 

 in the blood, by MM. Grehant and Quinquaud. Experiments 

 made on the dog and rabbit show generally that the quantity of 

 water is less in the venous than in the arterial blood. For the dog, 

 the respective proportions were found to be : water, 77"09 ; dry 

 residuum, 22'9i ; and 78 "Oi and 21 '99 percent. — Quantitative 

 analysis of the urea contained in the blood and in the muscles, 

 by the same physiologists. From these experiments, made with 

 the rabbit and the skate, it would appear that the muscles of this 

 fish contain fifty times more urea than those of mammals, and 

 that the urea is formed in the muscles, in which it is present in 

 larger quantity than in the blood. — Distribution in latitude of 

 the solar phenomena during the year 1888, and solar observa- 

 tions for the first quarter of 1889, by M. Tacchini. The results 

 of the observations here tabulated show that in 1888 the solar 

 phenomena were much more frequent in the southern than in 

 the northern hemisphere. The maximum zone for the spots, 

 faculoe, and metallic eruptions lay between 0° and - 10°, as in 

 1886 and 1887. But the maximum for protuberances does not 

 correspond with that for the other phenomena, as it lay in higher 

 latitudes (-F30 to -f40 and -40 to -50). The observations 

 for the first three months of 1889 show a perceptible 

 diminution of the spots and faculse as compared with 

 the last quarter of 1888, while the protuberances were 

 somewhat more frequent in the former than in the lat- 

 ter period. — On the expansion of the metals at high tem- 

 peratures, by M. H. Le Chatelier. In continuation of his 

 previous communication the author here tabulates the results 

 •obtained for iron, steel, copper, aluminium, silver, nickel, 

 platinum, and sundry alloys, concluding generally that for all 

 metals the coefficient of expansion increases with the tempera- 

 ture. The law of increase is generally regular except for certain 

 ■alloys of silver and for all varieties of iron. — Researches on the 

 phenomenon of magnetic rotatory polarization in Iceland spar, 

 by M. Chauvin. In a previous note (April 27, 18S6) the author 

 showed, against the opinion of Wertheim, that this substance 

 possesses magnetic rotatory power not only in the direction of 

 the axis but also in the neighbouring directions. His further 

 researches here summarized generally confirm this conclusion, 

 the phenomena observed being identical with those presented by 

 natural quartz. — On the electric conductivity of saline solutions : 

 reciprocal displacements of the acids, by M. P. Chroutschoff. A 

 tabulation of the chief results already obtained of the reac- 

 tions between salts in solution and acids other than those 

 entering into the composition of the salt under examina- 

 tion. — Researches on the electric resistance of bismuth, by 

 M. Edmond van Aubel. The author here studies the in- 

 fluence of temperature on the electric resistance of bars of 

 bismuth, and examines this metal under two molecalar states : 

 melted and slowly cooled ; melted and very rapidly cooled or 

 tempered. — On the heat of combustion of some organic bodies, 

 by M. J. Ossipoff. Continuing his determinations of the heat of 

 combustion of organic bodies, the author here deals with racemic 

 acid and its anhydride, and with methyl racemate and tartrate. 

 — On some metallic sulphides, by MM. Armand Gautier 

 and L. Hallopeau. Continuing their last memoir (April 

 J5), the authors here describe the action of carbon di- 

 sulphide on nickol, chromium, and lead. — Papers were con- 



tributed by M. F. Parmentier, on the presence of sulphate 

 of soda in the atmosphere ; by M. A. Haller, on a general 

 method of synthesis for the ;3-acetonic acids of the aromatic 

 series ; and by M. E. Sorel, on the rectification of alcohol. — The 

 President announced the death of M. Halphen at Versailles ; 

 and M. Hermite paid an eloquent tribute to the memory of the 

 illustrious geometrician at his obsequies on May 23. — The death 

 was also announced of the distinguished physicist and electrician, 

 M. Gaston Plants. 



Vienna. 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, March 21. — The following 

 papers were read : — On Van Deen's blood-test and Vitali's pus- 

 test, by E. Bruecke. —On some problems of the theory of the 

 conduction of heat, by T. Stefan. — On the alterations of the 

 pigment in the insect's eye, caused by the influence of light and 

 its physiological meaning, by S. Exner. — New observations on 

 the change of combinations in phenols (third communication), 

 by T. Herzig and S. Zeisel. — On ortho-dicarbonic acids of 

 pyridine, by G. Goldschmidt and H. Strache. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED 



Petrograpliical Tables: H. Rosenbusch, translated by F. H. Hatol 

 (S jnnenschein). — An elementary Treatise on Mechanics : I. Warren 

 (Longmans). — The Metallurgy of Silver: M. Eissler (Lockwood). — A 

 Treatise on Geometrical Conies : A. Cockshott and F. B. Walters (Mac- 

 m'llan). — An Elementary 'J'extbook of Chemistry : W. G. Mixter, 2nd 

 edition (Macmillan) —A Practical Guide to the Climates and Weather of 

 India, Ceylon and Burmah, &c. : H. F. Blanford (Macmillan). — Papers on 

 Altirnating Currents of Electricity : T. H. Blakesley, 2nd edition (Whit- 

 taker). — A Graduated Course of Natural Science, Part i, ist Year's Course ; 

 B. Loewy (Macmillan). — International Armual of Anthony's Photographic 

 Bulletin, vol. ii., 1889-90 (lUiffe).— British JJogs, No. 31: H. Dalziel (U. 

 Gill). — La P^riode Glaciaire: A Falsan (Paris, Alcan). — Indian Meteoro- 

 logical Memoirs, vol. iii. Parts 3 and 4, and vol iv. Part 5 (Calcutta). — 

 Report on the Meteorology of India in 1887 (Calcutta). — An Elementary 

 Treatise on Dynamics: B. Williamson and F. A. Tarleton, 2nd edition 

 (Longmans). — Questions on Stewart's Lessons in Elementary Physics : T. 

 H. Core (Macmillan). — The Middle Lias of Northamptonshire : B. Thomp- 

 son : (Simpkin). — Essays upon Heredity and Kindred Bi ilogical Problems: 

 A. Weismann ; authorized Translation by Poulton, Schonland, and Shipley 

 (Clarendon Press). — Hiramel und Erde, Heft 9 (Berlin, Paetel).— Aus dein 

 Archiv der Deutschen Seewarte, viii. Jahrgang, 1885 (Hamburg). — Obser- 

 vaciones Magneticas y Meteorologicas del Real Colegio de Belen, i^"^ 

 Semestre, 1887 (Habana). — Veroffentlichiingen aus dem Koniglichen Museum 

 fiir Volkerkunde, i. Band, i Heft (Berlin, Spemann). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Report of the Royal Commission on a University for 



London 121 



Tasmanian Geology. By Prof. John W. Judd, 



F.R.S. 122 



Cactus Culture for Amateurs 123 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Lang: " Lehrbuch der Vergleichenden Anatomic" . 124 

 Ross: "A Manual of Practical Solid Geometry" . . 125 

 Carr : " Key to Lock's Elementary Trigonometry" . 125 

 Letters to the Editor: — 



Abnormality in Tropseolum. {liluslrated.) — Prof. 



Alfred Denny 125 



The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs. — 



Prof. T. G. Bonney, F.R.S 125 



Atmospheric Electricity. — Marshall Hall . . . . 125 

 Unusually Large Hail. — Prof. W. A. Herdman . 126 

 The Muybridge Photographs. — Prof. E. Ray Lan- 



kester, F.R.S . . . 126 



The Vices of our Scientific Education. By Prof. 



Minchin . . . 126 



The Life-History of a Marine Food-Fish. I. {Illus- 

 trated.) By Prof. W. C. Mcintosh, F.R.S. ... 130 



Notes 133 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



New Minor Planet 135 



The Spectrum of % Cygni 135 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week i88g 



June 9-15 135 



Notes on Meteorites. IX. By J. Norman Lockyer, 



F.R.S 136 



The Annual Visitation of the Greenwich Observa- 

 tory 139 



The Earthquake 140 



University and Educational Intelligence . . . 142 



Scientific Serials 142 



Societies and Academies 143 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 144 



