56 



NATURE 



{^May % 1878 



mandibles, to other ants of all sizes with mandibles having 

 rounded teeth, and other specimens in which the teeth were 

 obsolete. It was not, however, made clear whether intermediate 

 forms of teeth were found in nests, or v/hcther three distinct 

 races existed. The species appeared to be identical with Myr- 

 mica barbata from Texas. — Mr. A. A, Berens exhibited two 

 examples of Thestor mauritanicus taken on the Atlas Mountains, 

 — Mr. McLachlan exhibited a coleopterous larva sent from Zan- 

 zibar by Dr. Kirk, He also exhibited a portion of the stem of 

 a coffee-tree which had been bored into by this larva, and which 

 was especially remarkable on account of the presence of a series 

 of conical holes which opened a communicator between the 

 inner gallery and the atmosphere, — Mr, W. C. Boyd exhibited 

 and made some remarks on a specimen of Pterophorus latus 

 taken at Deal. — The Secretary read a paper communicated by 

 the Rev. T. A, Marshall, entitled " Notes on the Entomology 

 of the "Windward Islands." — The Rev. H, S. Gorham conmiu- 

 nicated descriptions of new species of Cleridse, with notes on 

 the genera and corrections of synonymy. — Dr. D. Sharp com- 

 municated a paper on some Nitidulidse from the Hawaiian 

 Islands. — The Secretary read a paper by Mr. J. P. M. Weale, 

 entitled " Notes on South African Insects," and exhibited draw- 

 ings made by the author in illustration. — Mr. Wood Mason ex- 

 hibited and made remarks on the insects referred to in the fore- 

 going paper, and was followed by Mr. Meldola on the same 

 subject. — The following papers were also communicated : — On 

 display and dances by insects, by Mr. A. H, Swinton ; and On 

 the secondary sexual characters of insects, by Mr, J, W. Slater. 

 — Part V. of the Transactions for 1877 was on the table. 



Geological Society, March 20. — Henry Clifton Sorby, 

 F.R.S., president, in the chair. — John William Head was 

 elected a Fellow of the Society. — The following communications 

 were read : — On the chronological value of the triassic strata of 

 the south-western counties, by W. A. E, Ussher, F.G.S. — Note 

 on an Os artkulare, presumably that of Iguanodoti tnantdli, by 

 J. W. Hulke, F.R.S., F.G.S. —Description of a new fish from 

 the lower chalk of Dover, by E. Tulley Newton, F.G.S. — 

 Further remarks on adherent carboniferous productidoe, by R. 

 Etheridge, jun,, F.G.S. — The submarine forest at the Alt 

 Mouth, by T. Mellard Reade, F.G.S. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, April 20. — Mr. Bateman, 

 president, in the chair. — The papers read were descriptive of 

 three bridges on the Punjab Northern State Railway, viz., " The 

 Ravi Bridge," by Mr. R. T. Mallet, M. Inst. C.E. ; "The 

 Alexandra Bridge, over the Chenab," by Mr. H. Lambert ; and 

 "The Jhelum Bridge, by Mr. F. M. Avern, M. Inst. C.E. 



Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, May 6. — A paper on 

 the physical geography of the East, by Prof. J. L. Porter, 

 LL.D., was read. A discussion ensued, in which many Eastern 

 explorers and others took part. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, April 29. — M, Fizeau in the chair, — 

 The following among other papers were read : — The theory of 

 germs and its applications to medicine and surgery, by MM. 

 Pasteur, Joubert, and Chamberland. It is shown to be possible 

 to produce at will purulent affections either putrid or without 

 any putrid element, or anthracic, or variable combinations of 

 these kinds of disorder, according to the specific microbes that 

 are caused to act on the living organism. — Experiments relating 

 to the heat which may have been developed by mechanical 

 actions in rocks, especially in clays ; consequences for certain 

 geological phenomena, notably for metamorphism, by M. 

 Daubree. He measured the rise of temperature produced in 

 hard clay passed between rotating cylinders and between fluted 

 cones ; also the effect of pug-mills. In one case of pug-mill 

 action for an hour the rise was more than 30°. For the same 

 times, however, the heating effect is greater with cylin- 

 drical rollers. — Experiments with a view to determine the 

 true origin of the chorda tympani, by M. Vulpian. These 

 favour the conclusion that the nerve proceeds not from the 

 facial nerve nor the intermediate nerve of Wrisberg, but from 

 ^ the trigeminus. — On magnetic rotation of the plane of polarisa- 

 tion of light under the influence of the earth, by M, Becquerel. 

 Between a Jellet polariser and an analyser, with telescope and 

 divided circle, is placed a tube (0*5 m. long) with parallel glass 

 ends and containing sulphide of carbon. By means of terminal 



plane mirrors the luminous ray is successively reflected, the 

 rotation being thus increased. The luminous ray comes to the 

 eye after traversing the tube five times. Now, if the system be 

 placed in the plane of the magnetic meridian, the plane of 

 polarisation is not the same in looking north and in looking 

 south ; there was an angular differece of about 6'*5 between 

 these positions. On the other hand, when the system is placed 

 at right angles to the magnetic meridian, the same direction of 

 the plane of polarisation is got, whether one looks east or west, 

 and it is the bisecting position of the former two. The angular 

 difference is considered due to the action of the earth. — Suppres- 

 sion of the return wire in use of the telephone, by M. Bourbouze. 

 Connecting to earth by means of plates of gilt copper about I m. by 

 2 ctm., placed at 40 to 50 ctm. depth in garden soil, he got more 

 distinct transmission. — On the transparency of coloured flames 

 for their own radiations, by M, Gouy. Two layers of incan- 

 descent vapour, of the same density and temperature, but of 

 very unequal thickness, give very different spectra. One cannot, 

 from an examination of the lines of any spectrum, draw any 

 conclusion as to the physical state of the vapours producing it, 

 unless their thickness be known and taken into account. — On 

 the solution of platinum in sulphuric acid, by M. Scheurer- 

 Kestner. In apparatus of ordinary concentration the solution 

 varies from I gramme to 8 grammes per ton of concentrated 

 acid, according as the product obtained contains 94 or 99 per 

 cent, of monohydrated acid ; with fuming acid the quantity 

 of metal may amount to 1,000 grammes. But by lowering 

 of the boiling point and diminution of the platinum, as in 

 Kesler's apparatus, the loss of metal may be greatly lessened. 

 — On the vapour density of sulphide of ammonium, by M. 

 Salet. He experimented by mixing at 80° known volumes of sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen and of ammonia ; in no case was any con- 

 traction observed. — Experiments on the effects of lateral compres- 

 sion or crushing in geology, by M. Favre. In these experi- 

 ments a layer of clay was made between two blocks of wood fixed 

 on a piece of caoutchouc, which was first stretched and, after 

 receiving the clay, was allowed to contract. Various pheno- 

 mena of mountain chains were thus reproduced. — On the daily 

 oscillation of the barometer, by M. Couste. He considers it 

 due to variations (i) in the quantity of atmospheric vapour of 

 water, (2) in vertical ascending currents formed partly by the 

 dilated air, but more by the water vapour developed by the sun 

 in the low and middle layers, condensed anew in the upper 

 layers. — Remarks on a letter of M. Wolf, on the period of daily 

 variations of the inclination needle, by M. Faye. He gives a 

 table of sun-spot minima covering 267 years, and showing I I'll 

 years as the period. — On the uUra-violet alssorption spectra of 

 earths of gasolinite, by M. Soret. The lines of a new base were 

 observed. 



CONTENTS Page 



Physical Science FOR Artists. By J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S. . 29 



The American Storm Warnings. By Jerome J. Collins .... 31 



Gas as Fuel. By M. M. Pattison Muir 34 



Fossil Flora of Great Britain. By Prof. W. C. Williamson, 



F.RS 35 



Taxidermy 37 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Burton's " Gold-Mines of Midian and the Ruined Midianite Cities. 



A Fortnight's Tour in North-Western Arabia "....... 38 



Kennedy's " To the Arctic Regions and Back in Six Weeks, being 

 a Summer Tour to Lapland and Norway, with Notes on Sport and 



Natural History " 38 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Eastward Progress of Terrestrial Magnetism. — Prof. B. Stewart, 



F.R.S 38 



The Phonograph. — Alexander J. Ellis, F.R.S. , Prof. Silvanus 



P. Tho.mpson 38 



On the Use of the Virlal in Thermodynamics. — A. S. H 39 



Time and Longitude.— Latimer Clark 40 



Cumulative Temperature.— Wm. F. Stanley (IVii/i Illustration) . 41 

 The Interior of the Earth. By Sir G. B. Airy, K.C.B., F.R.S., 



&c., Astronomer-Royal . 41 



A New Insulating Stand. By Prof. M. E. Mascart {With Illus- 

 tration) 44 



Rheostatic Machine. By Gaston Plants (JVith Illnstraiion) . . 45 



Geographical Notes 45 



The Transit of Mercury 46 



De Cailletet's Apparatus {With Illustration) 46 



Notes 47 



Academic Liberty in German Universities. By Prof. Helmholtz,, 



F.R.S 50 



Stridulating Crustaceans .... 53 



University and Educational Intelligence 53 



Scientific Serials x 53 



Societies and Academies 54 



