272 



NATURE 



\7iily ^, 1878 



zoyl derivatives of several of the bases have been formed. The 

 authors draw an important practical conclusion from their work, 

 that it is quite possible to obtain crystallised alkaloids of constant 

 composition irom.A.ferox and A. napellu, instead of the amor- 

 phous preparations which are now sold, and which often contain 

 forty or even ninety per cent, of bases more or less inert. — On 

 the alkaloids of the Veratrums ; Part i, Alkaloids of Veratrum 

 sabadilla, by Dr. Wright and Mr. Luff. After discussing the 

 conflicting statements which have been made by previous obser- 

 vers, the authors give details of the process of extraction, which 

 consisted in percolating the crushed seeds with alcoholic tartaric 

 acid, evaporation and extraction by numerous and prolonged 

 shakings with ether. Three alkaloids were obtained : veratrine, 

 C37H53NO11, which, on saponification, splits up into veratric 

 acid, and a new base, verin ; cevadin, CgjH^gNOg, splitting up, 

 on saponification, into cevadic acid {methylcrotonic acid) and 

 cevinj cevadillin, C34H53NO8, which does not crystallise or 

 form crystalline salts. — On the action of hydrochloric acid upon 

 chemical compounds, by J. W. Thomas. The author has ex- 

 amined the action in several ways of hydrochloric acid on many 

 salts, nitrates, sulphates, tartrates, citrates, chromates, oxalates, 

 &c. — On the action of oxides on salts. Part I, by Dr. Mills and 

 Mr. Wilson. The object of the authors was to determine the law 

 in consequence of which the action of oxides on salts leads in 

 general to the formation of other oxides derived from the salts 

 in question. They have studied the action of tungstic, silicic, 

 and titanic oxides on potassic carbonate at a high temperature. 

 — On a new test for glycerin, by Dr. Senier and Mr. Lowe. 

 This test is founded on an observation of lies, that borax, when 

 treated with glycerin, gives to a Bunsen flame the green colour 

 characteristic of boracic acid. By means of the test, one-tenth 

 per cent, of glycerin, was detected in beer after concentration, 

 &c. — On ammonium triiodide, by G. S. Johnson. The author 

 has prepared this substance by dissolving iodine to saturation in 

 a strong aqueous solution of ammonium iodide, and by stirring 

 crystals of ammonium iodide and iodine with a small quantity of 

 water, till the resulting black liquid refused to dissolve more of 

 either ingredient. The liquid, on evaporation over sulphuric 

 acid, gave dark blue prisms of the substance in question slightly 

 deliquescent; specific gravity, 3749' 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, June 24. — M. Fizeau in the chair. — 

 TTie following among other papers were read : — On the dis- 

 placement of the bubble in spirit-levels, by M. Plantamour. 

 Movements were observed (both from day to day and in the 

 course of single days) in levels placed on the massive table of 

 the author's limnograph, at Geneva, on the beton covered 

 ground beside it, on the ground in a tent, and also in the 

 author's cellar, some distance from the lake. In certain periods 

 there is a gradual rising in the east without notable return tb the 

 west ; in others there is a certain horizontal immobility, and in 

 others, lastly, of longer or shorter time, the ground undergoes 

 oscillations both from east to west and firom north to south, 

 more or less pronounced and regular, the limits being, 

 however, always narrow (the greatest movements did not 

 reach twenty seconds). M. Plantamour does not at present 

 try to explain these movements ; (they are indicated gra- 

 phically). — M. D'Abbadie recalled similar observations he 

 had formerly made, and thought this phenomenon might be 

 an important source of error in astronomical calculations (e.g., in 

 determining latitudes and the declination of stars).— M. de 

 Lesseps presented a stone from Chalouf, lom. above the sea, 

 believed to belong to the tertiary epoch, and having incrusted on 

 it a large shark's tooth, three times the size of teeth of sharks 

 now caught in the Red Sea, and probably belonging to a species 

 now gone. — The death of M. Ehrman, correspondent at Stras- 

 burg, was announced. — Results of application of sulphocar- 

 bonate of potassium to phylloxerised vines, by M. De la Vergne. 

 He considers it indispensable for very young plants with small 

 root system, and for all vines grown in a very thin layer of 

 moidd. — Oil the depolarisation of electrodes by solutions, by M. 

 Lippmann. The property of depolarising a metal belongs ex 

 clusively to salts of that metal. Hence a method of detecting 

 the presence of a particular metal in a solution. Thus, for 

 copper ; put a copper wire as negative electrode of a weak 

 current in the liquid ; it will be polarised if there is no 

 copper dissolved in the latter, and it will not be polarised 

 if the liquid contain -5-^ of sulphate of copper. For 

 silver the sensibility seems to be greater. — On a new dielec- 



tric constant, by M, Neyreneuf. In comparing different 

 dielectrics in a condenser, he finds that for glass of the 



e 

 same nature the ratio -, of the thickness to the number of 



sparks corresponding to a given quantity of electricity, is con- 

 stant. For more insulating substances, as ebonite, caoutchouc, 

 &c., this ratio or condensing constant increases considerably 

 with the thickness; the condensing constant of air is much 

 greater. There is no similarity between the condensing con- 

 stant and the ordinary dielectric constant. — On an experiment 

 in magnetism relative to the telephone, by M. Luvini. He filled 

 a hollow electromagnet with water which he inclosed, a capillary 

 tube being connected to show any variations in the capacity ; 

 but no such variations appeared with any kind of current. (The 

 arangement would have indicated a change of volume of ^ cub. 

 mm.) He infers that the changes caused by magnetising action 

 in a magnetic mass are wholly molecular. The sounds in 

 resonant electro -magnetic rods discovered by Page are due 

 to reactions of the two magnetic movements, and the 

 current. — On the telepone, by M. Des Portes. This relates 

 to experiments on board the Desaix ; a telephone being 

 at one end of the circuit and a telephone magnet, with coil 

 uppermost, suspended vertically by silk thread. The latter 

 magnet was struck with various substances, wood, soft iron, &c., 

 and the sounds were heard. Peculiar effects were got on striking 

 with a magnet or speaking. M. du Moncel added an account 

 of similar experiments. — On electro -magnets, by M. Bisson. 

 He winds in a new way : after each row he brings the wire in a 

 straight line to the starting-point and recommences. He thus 

 obtains a third more power. — On the efficacy of a vibratory 

 movement for causing decomposition of explosive liquids and 

 ebullition of superheated liquids, by M. Gernez. He rubs the 

 tubes with a wet cloth, producing vibration and sound. — On 

 organic dust in suspension in the air, by M. Miquel. The 

 average number of microbes of the air, small in winter, increases 

 rapidly in spring, remains nearly stationary in summer, and 

 diminishes in autumn. Rain always causes their recrudescence. 

 — On the pressure of the cephalo-rachidian liquid, by M. 

 Bochefontaine. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Epoch of the Mammoth . 245 



Recent Mathematical Works 247 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Krukenberg's " Mikrographle der Glasbasalte von Hawaii: Petro- 



graphische Untersuchung." — J. W. J ._, . 248 



Carpenter's "Preventive Medicine in Relation to the Public 



Health" 248 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Phonograph.— W. H. Preece ; Clarence J. Blake 



{With Itlustration) 249 



Physical Science for Artists. — F. Pollock . . . .• 349 



Cyclones and Anticyclones. — Eustace Barham (With Illustra- 



tions\ 249 



WhirWind. — TnouKs'DohSOti {With Illustrations) 250 



Zoological Geography — ^Didus and Didunculus. — Prof. Alfred 



Newton, F.R.S 251 



A Subject-Index to Scientific Periodical Literature. — Jas. B. 



Bailey 251 



A New Triumph of Chemical Synthesis 251 



Biological Notes : — 



The Comet-Forms of Star-Fishes ....... .... 252 



The Transformations of Blister-Beetles 252 



Curious Social Relations 252 



Cleistogamous Flowers in Grasses 253 



On the View of the Propagation of Sound Demanded by the 

 Acceptance of the Kinetic Theory of Gases. By S. Tolver 



Preston 253 



What is Morphology? By Prof. W. K. Parker, F.R.S. . . 255 



Floating Magnets. By A. M. Msysr (With /llitstrations) . . 258 

 On a Remarkable Flash of Lightning. By B. St. J. B. Joule 



{With Illustration) 260 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Cacciatore's Supposed Planet of 1835 261 



The Total Solar Eclipse of 1883, May 6 261 



Notes 261 



A New Galvanometer for Lecture Purposes. By Prof. Sil- 



VAiivs P. Thompson {With Illustration') 264 



Earthquakes on the Philippines in the Year 1876, According 

 to the Publication of the " Ateneo Municipal" in Manila. 



Communicated by Dr. A. B. Meyer .... 265 



Some Results of the Supposition of the Viscosity of the 



Earth. By G. H. Darwin 2^5 



Physical Geology. By the Rev. Prof. Haughton, F.R.S. ... 266 

 Action of Drugs on the Liver. By Prof. Wm. Rutherford, 



F.R.S ... • • • ■ !^l 



Societies and Academies 208 



Errata.— Vol. xviii. p. 215, ist col., 33rd line from bottom, for ' sea read 

 " Lea." P. 216, and col., isth line from top, for " 489 mm read " 4min. 

 square." 



