158 



NATURE 



\yune6, 1878 



strated the absorption spectrum of a new colouring matter, 

 derived from eggshells, the bands being identical with those 

 of cruentin, obtained from the blood. In the library were 

 specimens of artificial corundum and emerald, made by Feil and 

 Fremy ; a large Cape diamond, exhibited by Prof. Tennant ; a 

 collection of precious stones from Hunt and Roskell, including a 

 fine pink topaz, cat's eye, and a large crystal of garnet ; some 

 interesting apparatus of Faraday, amongst which was his 

 rheostat; a collection of alkaloids from opium, aconite, &c., 

 by Dr. Wright ; a splendid case, by W. H. [Perkin, illus- 

 trating the colouring matters from aniline, anthracene, &c. ; a 

 specimen of artificial alizarin and preparations of natural and 

 artificial salicylic acids, the latter of which the exhibitors, Messrs. 

 Hopkin and Williams, have succeeded in obtaining in crystals 

 exactly resembling those of the natural product. ^Minerals con- 

 taining liquid carbonic acid were shown by W. N, Hartley, who 

 also demonstrated the effect of heat on the liquid inclosed in the 

 cavities : crystals from Owens College, including a large, almost 

 perfect octohedron of chrome alum ; various interesting products, 

 &c., were exhibited by Prof. Odling, Prof. Frankland, Dr. Russell, 

 Dr. Armstrong, Dr. Witt, Dr. Schorlemmer, Dr. Hugo Miiller, 

 and M. M. P. Muir. In the room adjoining the lecture-room 

 were some candles which had been acted upon by sea- water for 

 173 years, a large collection of meteoric stones, an interesting 

 series of photographs of invisible fluorescent bodie=, &c., exhi- 

 bited by the President; a splendid photograph of the solar 

 spectrum, shown by Mr. Rutherfurd ; the spectrum of bismuth 

 was shown by Mr. Browning ; dichroic crystals of nickel and 

 cobalt salts, by J. M. Thomson ; photographs illustrating his 

 recent researches in solar chemistry, by J. N. Lcckyer ; an 

 enormous cut cairngorm, weighing 51 oz. ; an opal cameo, and 

 various minerals, by Bryce Wright, &c. In the lecture and 

 preparation rooms were the microphone, exhibited by Prof. 

 Hughes, which attracted considerable interest ; Mr. W. De la 

 Rue showed some phosphorescent tubes which, after a momentary 

 exposure to some burning magnesium, flashed back all the colours 

 of the spectrum ; Byrne's pneumatic battery, and the copper zinc 

 couple were shown in action ; Messrs. Murray and Heath exhi- 

 bited, under the microscope, some pretty crystals of gold, silver, 

 &c. ; Sir Joseph Whitworth and Dr. Siemens showed specimens 

 of steel ; in the same room Dr. Guthrie exhibited the formation 

 of cryohydrates. Many other objects of interest were exhibited^ 

 but it would be impossible to enumerate all. The soiree was 

 most successful, and althou gh the attendance was numerous, 

 the arrangements were so good that at no time were the rooms 

 inconveniently crowded. 



The publication of a work on the algK of North -America, 

 to consist of the plants themselves properly put up and labelled, 

 was commenced a year ago by the three eminent American 

 algologists. Dr. W. G. Farlow, of Cambridge, Prof. D. C. 

 Eaton, of Yale, and Dr. C. L. Anderson, of California. A 

 second fasciculus has lately appeared, and maintains the ihigh 

 character of the first. 



The death is announced of the venerable Baron von Ettings- 

 hausen, in his eighty-second year. We hope to give some notice 

 of his life next week. 



M. Mascart, the new director of the French Central Meteo- 

 rological Bureau, took possession of the Bulletin International 

 on June i, without making any alteration in the nature of its 

 contents or its periodicity. On the preceding day he visited for 

 the first time the meteorological division of the observatory, and 

 warned the officials to prepare for being removed from the 

 establishment at an early date, their rooms being wanted for 

 enlarging the astronomical service. Thus the principle of 

 separation will be carried into effect very shortly. We are 



glad, however, that M. Mascart stated that the services of M. 

 Leverrier's assistants had been quite appreciated by the Govern- 

 ment. None of them will lose their present situations, and an 

 increase of their present salaries is contemplated. The head of 

 the Warning Service for Agriculture and Marine is M. Fron, a 

 former pupil of the Normal School, and the sub-director, M. 

 Moureau, a former teacher in the Mutual Schools, whom M. 

 Leverrier had distinguished for his activity and ingenuity. The 

 present staff is composed of a few subordinates acting merely 

 as computers, an autographist, and a telegraphist, 



W^E notice the death, on May 14, in Dresden, of Prof. 

 Wilhelm Friedrich Georg Behn, an able anatomist and zoologist. 

 He was borji in Kiel in 1S08, and, after the completion of his 

 scientific studies, entered as private docent in the Kiel Uni- 

 versity, where he received the chair of zoology in 1852. After 

 the annexation of Schleswig-Holstein to Prussia he exchanged 

 his professorship for one in Dresden. Here he was elected, in 

 1S69, to the presidency of the Leopoldina-Carolina Akademie 

 der Naturforscher, a position which he occupied up to his death. 

 The academy, although the oldest in Germany — being founded 

 in 1652 — was then nearly on the point of dissolution. Prof. 

 Behn's energetic efforts succeeded, however, in resuscitating it, 

 and rendering it once more the centre of Saxon scientific life. 



At a general meeting of the Royal Irish Academy on Monday 

 last week Cunningham gold medals were awarded to Dr. Aquila 

 Smith for his inquiries into Irish numismatics ; Dr. Allman, 

 F.R.S., for his researches into the natural history of the 

 Hydrozoa ; and Dr. Casey for his important mathematical dis- 

 coveries. 



The Dutch Society of Sciences^held its 126th general meeting 

 on May 18. It \vas at this meeting that the Huygens Medal 

 was awarded to Prof. Newcomb, who, along with Sir George 

 Airy, Dr. Auwers of Berlin, Prof. Du Bois Reymond of Berlin, 

 M. V, Duruy of Paris, and Dr. C. F. W. Ludwig of Leipzig, 

 were elected foreign members. For a paper on the question 

 "What are the meteorological and magnetic phenomena which 

 there are sufficient reasons for believing are connected with 

 solar spots," Prof. Fritz of Zurich Polytechnic, was awarded a 

 prize of 150 florins. The proposer of the question. Dr. Buys 

 Ballot, was awarded a silver medal. A number of subject 

 for prizes were proposed for competition in 1879 and 1880, the 

 most important of which we hope to give next week. 



In the June number of the American Journal of Science and 

 Art Prof. Marsh announces one of the most interesting dis- 

 coveries yet made in the Palteontology of the Rocky Mountains, 

 which have lately produced so many novelties. This is the right 

 lower jaw of a small opossum, of the family Didelphydse, for 

 which he proposes the name Dryolestes priscus, from the Upper 

 Jurassic series, in which no mammalian remains have previously 

 been found in America. 



The first annual meeting of the Midland Union of Natural 

 History Societies on May 27, at Birmingham, was, we are glad 

 to say, a great success. After a luncheon given by the pre- 

 sident, Mr. Tonks, a meeting was held at 3 p.m. in the Midland 

 Institute, which was largely attended, as was also the brilliant 

 conveisazione in the evening in the town-hall. An excursion to 

 Dudley on Tuesday, attended by about 400 members and their 

 friends, brought to a close a pleasant and profitable meeting. 



The annual meeting of the Sanitary Institute was held on 

 Friday last. Dr. B. W. Richardson, president, in the chair. It 

 was shown that the Institute had already done good work, and 

 exercised a decided influence in relation to sanitary matters. T)\\ 

 Richardson A>as reelected president. 



