404 



NATURE 



[Feb. 27, 1879 



the urine of a dog poisoned with carbolic acid. This remarkable 

 conversion, in the system, of a mono-phenol into a di-phenol, 

 was less remarkable than the statement of the speaker that he 

 had also found a compound of paracressol in the urine of a horse, 

 where it had been produced from the ordinary food. 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, December 19, 1878. — 

 The following, among other papers, were read : — Explanations of 

 some orographic and topographic details of European Turkey, 

 not rightly understood by geographers hitherto, by Dr. Boue, — 

 Preliminary remarks on the formation of rational plane curves 

 on one another, by Dr. Weyr. — Researches on the relations of 

 nutritive uiatters to the transpiration of plants (second series), by 

 Dr. Burgerstein.— On some chemical constants, by Prof. Peschka. 

 — The theory of electrotonus, by Dr. Fleischl. — On the orbit of 

 the planet (153) Hilda, by Herr Kiihnert. 



Janmry 9.— Critical researches on the species of the natural 

 family of Cervi (concluded), by Dr. Fitzinger. — On direct muscle- 

 excitation with the muscle-current, by Prof. Hering.— On the mag- 

 netic behaviour of pulverised iron, by Prof. Waltenhofen. — Spec- 

 troscopic researches, by Herr Ciamician. — Determination of 

 coefficients of elasticity from bending of a bar, by Prof. Pscheidl. 

 — On a new water-wheel, by Herr Kersuvini. — (3n a new problem 

 of ballistics, by Dr. Simony. — The daily period of the velocity 

 and direction of the wind, by Dr. Hann. — On the action of 

 nitrous acid anhydride on protocatechuic acid, by Dr. Gruber. 



January 16. — Natural history of the Flagellata (the third part 

 of a work on Infusoria), by Prof. Ritter v. Stein. — On Dr. 

 Rosicky's experiments with Geissler tubes, by Prof. Mach. — On 

 the summation of stimuli by the heart, by Prof. Ritter v. Basch. 

 — On condensation-products of gallus acid, by Prof. Oser and 

 Herr Bocker. — Report on the results of investigations and exca- 

 vations by the prehistoric commission during the past year. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, February 17. — M. Daubree in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Meridian observations 

 of small planets at the Greenwich and Paris Observatories during 

 the fourth quarter of 1878, communicated by M. Mouchez. — 

 Determination of the coefficient of elasticity of different sub- 

 stances and of their limit of elasticity, by M. Phillips. The 

 method suggested is based, like a previous one, on the theory of 

 a regulator spring, but the influence due to inertia of the spring 

 is suppressed. The coefficient of M. Deville's new alloy of 

 iridium is given. — New researches on electric fish ; characters of 

 the discharge of the gymnotus % effects of a torpedo's discharge 

 sent through a telephone, by M. Marey. He finds the discharge 

 of the gymnotus pretty similar to that of the torpedo, and it is 

 similarly affected by temperature. Using the telephone, a gentle 

 excitation of a torpedo produces a short croaking sound, each of 

 the small discharges consisting of only a dozen fluxes, and lasting 

 hardly y\thof a second. But the sound from a prolonged discharge, 

 caused by pricking the electric lobe of the brain, lasts three or four 

 seconds, and is a kind of moan, the tonality being near mi, (165 

 vibrations). — On the project of the interior sea in Algeria, by 

 M. Fave. The topographic levellings at Suez, on land, com- 

 parable to that of Sahara, were proved (M. Fave urges) to have 

 sufficient exactness. — Does the didymium of samarskite differ 

 from that of cerite ? by M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Both, he 

 finds, give the same three blue lines. — New spectral lines ob- 

 served in substances extracted from samarskite, by the same. 

 He finds new lines or bands (not described by MM. Delafon- 

 taine, &c.), both of emission and absorption, which correspond 

 together (at least the principal), and belong apparently to some 

 new body. He expresses high admiration of Prof. L. Smith's 

 generosity in distributing to chemists in France and America, 

 rare and arduously elaborated products which he had not com- 

 pleted the examination of. — On the measures taken by the Sani- 

 tary Intendance of Marseilles, in the fear of invasion by the 

 plague, by M. de Lesseps. He argues that it is foolish and 

 useless to hamper the commerce of Marseilles with quaran- 

 tine, &c., as the disease is not contagious but infectious, 

 spreading by emanations carried by the air ; and it would 

 not be likely to attack such a town. He points out that the 

 plague in Lower Egypt in 1834-5 did not spread to Upper 

 Egypt, though the communications were not interrupted. M. 

 Bjuley contended that where the plague had appeared in 

 Western Europe, it had come by di-eased persons or objects in 

 contact with them. M. D'Abbadie thought M. Bjuley too 



absolute in asserting that the Orie ital plague always spread by 

 contagion. — On the Foucault's top transformed into a gyroscopic 

 pendulum, by M. Gruey. — On the determination of the number 

 of double points of a space defined by algebraic conditions, by 

 M. Saltel. — Application of the direct potentials of Lame to 

 calculation of the equilibrium of elasticity of an isotropic and 

 indefinite homogeneous solid, solicited in a finite extent by any 

 exterior forces, by M. Boussinesq. — On unequal propagation of 

 light polarised circularly in bodies submitted to the action of 

 niagneti>m, according to the nature of the magnetisation and the 

 direction of the luminous vibrations, by M. Becquerel. The 

 fact here stated he demonstrated experimentally. The displace- 

 ment of interference fringes under the magnetic influence, v\ as 

 the criterion employed. — Researches on the compressibility of 

 gases at high pressures, by M. Amagat, The method (in which 

 a deep pit is resorted to has been already described. Under a 

 pressure of 430 atmospheres (the greatest reached), the volume 

 of nitrogen is nearly a fourth greater than that deduced from 

 Mariotte's law ; this corresponds to a difference of nearly 100 

 ctm. in the pressure necessary to get the reduction of volume 

 deduced from this law. — Note on the phenomenon observed 

 by M. Duter, by M. Korteweg. — Improvements in Harrison's 

 electric lamp, by M. Ducretet. Apparatus inclosed in the 

 supporting case regulates automatically the consumption of 

 the carbons and keeps the luminous arc constant, — On the 

 relations which unite tetric and oxytetric acids and their 

 homologues to succinyle, malyle, and other radicals of 

 bibasic acids, by M. Demar9ay. — Bromocitraconic acid, by M. 

 Bourgoin. — On the respiratory innervation in the poulpe, by M. 

 Fredericq. The integrity of visceral nerves, the suboesopha^rean 

 masses, and the palleate nerves, seem alone indispensable to 

 normal production of respiratory movements. — On the functions 

 of the ganglionic chain in decapod crustaceans, by M. Yung. — 

 On the existence of Saigas in France in the age of the reindeer, 

 by M. Gaudry. M. Lartet, several years ago, announced the 

 discovery of horns of the animal, but thought these had been 

 brought as arms by a strange people. Jaw-bones and bones of 

 the limbs have now been found. — Geological study of strata tra- 

 versed by a tunnel of 14,400 metres, for directly connecting the 

 Fuveau basin of lignite with the sea, by M. Dieulafait. 



CONTENTS 



Pagb 



The Growth OF THE Steam-Engine 381 



Kixahan's GEou)Gy of Ireland . 382 



Our Book Shelf: — 



" Studies in Comparative Aatomy " 383 



Pavesi's " Seconda Contribuzione morfologia e sistematica dei 



Selachi " 384 



Splller's " Das Leben " 384. 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Leibnitz's Mathematics. — Prof. P. G. Tait , . 384 



Guthrie's "Physics." — Prof. Frkdk. Guthrie, F.R.S., . . . 384 j 



Unscientific Art. — A. B. M 384] 



Intellect in Brutes. — Rev. George Henslow; James J. Furniss 383' 



Bees' Stings. — J. P. Jackson 385 



P. Le Neve Foster 385 



Dr. Appleton 386] 



Prison Bread. By Prof. A. H. Church • . 387! 



Isomorphism. By Prof. Hermann Kopp 387J 



Her Majesty's Astronomer at the Cape 388 



OUK Astronomical Column : — 



The Naval Observatory, Washington 38 



Tempel's Comet, 1867, II 389 



Biological Notes : — 



New Fishes from Central Asia 389 



Dredging Operations, Gulf of Mexico 389 



United States Fish Commission 390 



American CEdogoniaceae 390 



Chemico-Agricultural Stations in Italy 390 



Asparagin in Plants 390 



The Pic du Midi Observatory {IVith Illustrations) 390 



Geographical Notes 394 



Notes 395 



On a New Chemical Industry Esiablished by M. Camillk 



Vincent. By Prof. Roscoe, LL.D., F R.S.(»'/VA lUusttations) . 398 



Illumination in Spectroscopy 400 



University and Educational Intelligence 406 



Scientific Serials ... 400 



Societies and Academies ,,..., 400 



