356 



NATURE 



\_Feb. 13, 1879 



(formerly Ophiogon) and (3) Gilliesiere ; genera among the two 

 latter receding widely from the liliaceous type and others bridging 

 over the interval between the extreme form and ordinary lilies. 

 The author then enters into lengthened descriptions with ample 

 diagnosis, &c., forming in fact a valuable continuation of his 

 former series of monographs of the natural order of Liliaceoe. 

 —Messrs. G. Brook, A. P. Luff, J. E. Griffiths, C. Sharp, and 

 J. Woodland, were balloted for and elected Fellows of the 

 Society. 



Anthropological Institute, January 28. — Anniversary 

 Meeting. — Mr. John Evans, D.C.L., F.R.S., president, in the 

 chair. — The election of Mr. A. H. Keane, B.A., as a Member 

 v/as announced. — The following gentlemen were elected to 

 serve as officers and council for the year 1879. President — 



E. B. Tylor, F.R.S. Vice-Presidents — Hyde Clarke, 

 J. Evans, F.R.S,, Prof. Flower, F.R.S., Maj-Gen. A. 

 Lane Fox, F.R.S., Francis Galton, F.R.S., Prof. Rolleston, 

 F.R-S. Directors and Hon. Secretaries. -r-E. W. Brabrook, 

 F.S.A., W. L. Distant, J. E. Price, F.S.A. Treasurer— F. G. 

 H. Price, Esq., F.R.G.S. Council — Lt. -Col, Goodwin Austen, 

 J. Beddoe, F.R.S., Prof. George Busk, F.R.S., C. H. E. 

 Carmichael, M.A., J. Barnard Davis, Esq., F.R.S., W. Boyd 

 Dawkins, F.R.S., Capt. Harold Dillon, F.S.A., A. W.Franks, 

 Esq., F.R.S., J. Park Harrison, M.A., Prof. Huxley, F.R.S., 

 A. L. Lewis, Sir J. Lubbock, Bart., M.P., R. Biddulph Martin, 



F. W. Rudler, F.G.S., C. R. Des Ruffi^res, F.R.S.L., Lord 

 Arthur Russell, M.P., Rev. Prof. Sayce, M.R.A.S., Dr. Allen 

 Thomson, F.R.S., C. Staniland Wake, M. J. Walhouse, 

 F.R. A.S. The retiring president delivered his annual address, in 

 the course of which he alluded to the researches now being carried 

 on in the caves of Borneo by Mr. Everett (see p. 352). 



Geological Society, January 22. — Henry Clifton Sorby, 

 F.R.S., president, in the chair. — John Edward Marr and Lieut. 

 Henry Try on Wing were elected Fellows of the Society. — The 

 following communications were read : — On community of struc- 

 ture in rocks of dissimilar origin, by Frank Rutley. — Distribu- 

 tion of the serpentine and associated rocks, with their metallic 

 ores, in Newfoundland, by Alexander Murray. -,„ „^ 



Institution of Civil Engineers, February 11. — ^Mr. W. H. 

 Barlow, F.R.S., vice-president, in the chair. — The following 

 papers were read : — On the Geelong water supply, Victoria, 

 Australia, by Mr. Edward Dobson, Assoc. Inst, C.E. — On the 

 Sandhurst Water Supply, Victoria, Australia, by Mr. Joseph 

 Brady, M. Inst. C.E. 



Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, Februarys. — A paper 

 on the Torquay caves was read by Mr. J. E. Howard, 

 F.R.S., in which he reviewed the reports given by geologists 

 who had excavated and examined the various deposits in these 

 caves. Mr. Howard examined into the nature of these deposits 

 and the conditions under which they must have taken place, and 

 pointed out the peculiar nature of the evidence by which it was 

 possible to arrive at some conclusion as to the age of those 

 deposits. Prof. Challis, F.R.S., and others took part in the 

 discussion, either by sending communications to be read or by 

 attending to do so. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, February 3. — M. Daubree in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Remarks on the 

 third reply of M. Pasteur, by M. Berthelot. — On the develop- 

 ment of the perturbative function, &c. (continued), by M. 

 Tisserand. — On the fermentation of cellulose, by M. van 

 Tieghem. The author gives observations on amylobacter, the 

 figured ferment of celliSose. It affects different plant tissues 

 differently ; only in the young state have aU the cells of all plants 

 their membranes equally dissolved by it. The results have a 

 physiological bearing (digestibility of cellulose from different 

 plants), and a palseontological (unequal chances of fossilisation 

 of different plants). The amylobacter first transforms soluble 

 starch into dextrine, then into glucose, and it is really the glucose 

 that ferments. It seems to be by direct contact of amylobacter 

 with cellulose that the latter is dissolved, not through a diastase 

 of cellulose acting without at a distance. — On the construction of 

 the international geodetic scale, by MM. Sainte-Claire Deville 

 and Mascart. — An account of the physical and chemical proper- 

 ties of the scale (of iridised platinum) prepared by Johnston and 

 Matthey, and of experiments to determine the coefficient of dila- 

 tation of a thermometric tube made of the material. — On the in- 

 vention of several arrangements of the heliometer, by M. De la 

 Gourmerie. He attributes the half objectives not to Dollond but 



to Bouguer, considered the original inventor of the heliometer. — 

 M. Cosson called attention to a case of fire in the laboratory of 

 his herbarium, arising from carbonisation of boards of flooring 

 exposed to hot air from an air-hole fed from a stove 4 m. off on 

 the floor below. — M. de Lesseps presented a fourth volume of his 

 "Letters, Journal, and Documents to serve for the History of the 

 Suez Canal." He quoted a long letter he had addressed to Mr. 

 Layard, vindicating the ent rprise against opposition then 

 offered. — M. Lalanne was elected Free Member in room of the 

 late M. Bienayme. — On the conditions of existence of a deter- 

 minate number of roots common to two given equations, by M. 

 Simonnet. — On some invariants of linear differential equations, 

 by M. Laguerre. — On the motion of a body which is displaced 

 and deformed while remaining homothetic with itself, by M. 

 Fouret. — Integration, in finite form, of three species of linear 

 differential equations with any coefficients, by M. Andre. — Ex- 

 tension of the metric system of weights and measures ; develop- 

 ment of concordant monetary systems in the various states of the 

 civilised world, by M. de Malarce. The metric system of weights 

 and measures is now established obligatorily in eighteen states, 

 with 236 '6 millions of inhabitants; it is legally optional in three 

 states with 75*5 millions ; and it is admitted in principle, or 

 partially for customs, in five states, with 343 '6 millions. — Lique 

 faction of siliciated hydrogen, by M. Ogier. It is liquid at 

 - 11° under 50 atm. ; at - 1° under 100 atm. At zero it 

 remains gaseous up to 150 and 200 atm. — Memoir on the deter- 

 mination of methylic alcohol in commercial methylenes, by MM. 

 Bardy and Bordet. — Influence of duration and intensity ou 

 luminous perception, by MM. Richet and Breguet. A weak 

 light, perceived distinctly when it impresses the retina some time, 

 becomes invisible when its duration diminishes. It may be 

 rendered visible anew by making it more intense, or increasing 

 its duration, or repeating it rapidly. Coloured lights are subject 

 to the same laws, and are always seen with their proper colora- 

 tion, whether strong or weak, long or short. — On the minute 

 structure of the central nervous system of decapod crustaceans, 

 by M. Yung. — On the Wagnerite of Bamle in Norway, and on 

 a retinite of Russia, by M. Pisani. — The glazed frost of January, 

 1879, by M. Godefroy. — On the eflfects of the same at Fontaine- 

 bleau, by M, Piebourg, This (somewhat rare) phenomenon did 

 great mischief to trees, the greatly increased weight breaking 

 down their branches, &c. 



GoTTINGEN 



Royal Academy of Sciences, November 2, 1878. — The 

 following, among other papers, were read : — On a propagation 

 of the growth-stimulus produced by fertilisation on vegetative 

 organs, by Herr Reinke. — Observations on the value of a 

 ligature of the great brain-arteries, for experimental pharmaco- 

 logical researches, by Herr Marme. 



CONTENTS Page 



The "Thunderer" Explosion 333 



Captain Cook 334 



The Samoan Language. By A. H. Keane 335 



Coal and Iron. By J. Marshall ^36 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Lockwood's " Natural History, Sport, and Travel " 337 



Letters TO THE Editok: — 



Weather, Past and to Come. — Prof. Piazzi Smyth 338 



Sun-Spots and the. Plague. — Prof. W. Stanley Jevons, F.R.S. . 338 



On the Combustion of Different Kinds of Fuel. — John A. Church 339 

 Internal Resistance. — Lieut. -Commander C. F. Goodrich i^With 



Illustration) 339 



The Formation of Mountains. — Rev. O. Fisher 339 



Concerning the Colour of Eyes. — J. M. H 340 



Intellect in Brutes. — Henry T. Finck 340 



Ear Affection. — Ur, G. L. Wallich 340 



Bees' Stings. — W. Radford 340 



Electric Lighting. — H. J. Nicoll 340 



Rel.\tion of Meteorites to Comets, II. By Prof. H. A. Newton 340 



Meteorological Station on Ben Nevis 342 



Research under Difficulties. By Prof. E. Ray Lankester, 



F.R.S 342 



On the Recent Eruption and Present Condition of Vesuvius. 



By G. F. Rodwell {,With Illustration) 343 



Popular Natural History (WiVA ///»M/rvTft'o«i) • . " " . . 345 



The Keith Medal of the Royal Society of Edinburgh . . . 346 

 Our Astkonomical Column :— 



Tempel's Comet, 1867, II 347 



The Intra-Mercurial Planet Question 347 



Geographical Notes 34° 



Notes 349 



Oxygen in the Sun , 35» 



University AND Education.^l Intelligence 353 



Scientific Serials 354 



Societies and Academies • 35^ 



