376 



NATURE 



\August I, 1878 



from the peninsula Chalcidice, by Ilerr Becke. On Berberin, 

 by Dr. Weidel. 



June 6. — The following, among other papers, were read : — 

 Contributions to a Icnowledge of the colour-change of Cepha- 

 lopoda, by Dr. Klemensiewicz. — On some problems of the 

 mechanical theory of heat (continued), by Prof. Boltzmann. 

 — On the cold-mixture of chloride of calcium and snow, 

 by Dr. Hammerl. — On the gases arising from action of 

 barium-oxide hydrate on albuminous substances, by Dr. 

 Liebermann. — On the mica group (second part), by Herr 

 Tschermak. 



June 21. — The protoplasm of the pea (second part), by Prof. 

 Tangl. — On development of hydrogen in the liver, and a method 

 of production of butyric acid of fermentation, by Prof. Pribram. 

 — On the specific viscosity of liquids, by Profs. Pribram and 

 Handl. — Relations between electromotive force and chemical 

 heat-tone, by Prof. Sekulie. — On the best method of showing 

 details of the ethnography of a country with adequate accuracy 

 and completeness in maps, by Prof. Boue. — On motion of 

 electricity in space and Nobili's rings, by Prof. Ditscheiner. 



July 4. — Map of the mountains of the moon, from personal 

 observations in the years 1840-1874, by Dr. Schmidt, of Athens 

 Observatory. — Fourth report from the Adria Commission, 

 giving results of meteorological observations for 1871-73, and 

 maritime observations for 1873. — Yearly periods of the insect 

 fauna of Austria- Hungary, by Herr Fritsch. — Determination of 

 the orbit of Comet V., 1874, by Dr. Gruss. — On the molecular 

 size of indigo, by Prof. Lieben. — On heliotropic phenomena in 

 the plant kingdom, by Prof. Wiesner. — On the friction of 

 vapours, by Dr. Puluj. 



Rome 



R. Accademia dei Lincei, May 5. — The following, among 

 other papers, were read : — On fossil bones in the environs of 

 Rome, by Sig. Ponzi. — On personal errors in observation of the 

 duration of meridian passages of the solar diameter, by Sig. 

 Respighi. — Catalogue of the mean declination of stars of the 

 first to the sixth magnitudes, comprised between the parallels 

 20° and 64° N. lat. (first part), by the same. — Objections to the 

 induction of Messrs. Humphrey and Abbot, and representation 

 by means of a parabolic curve of the subaqueous velocity, by Sig. 

 Fambri. — On the minute structure of the skin of reptiles, by Sig. 

 Todaro. — Histological researches on the pigmental epithelium 

 of the retina, by Dr. Angelucci. — On the serpentine of 

 Verrayes in the Valle d'Aosta, by Sig. Cossa. — On the serpentine 

 formation of the Pavian Apennines ; report on memoir, by 

 Sig. Taramelli. — Theory of the boraciferous soffioni of Tuscany, 

 by Sig. Bechi. — Astronomical and physical observations on the 

 axis of rotation and on the topography of the planet Mars, made 

 at the Royal Observatory of Brera, in Milan, with the equatorial 

 of Merx during the opposition of 1877, by Sig. Schiaparelli. - 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, July 22. — M. Fizeau in the chair. — 

 The following among other papers were read : — On the theory 

 of fermentation, by M. Pasteur. He takes objection to the unau- 

 thorised posthumous publication by M. Berthelot of some 

 laboratory notes of Claude Bernard, written in October last, 

 and which seem to be opposed to M. Pasteur's views. The 

 notes were those of experiments made in order to test to the 

 utmost those views, not a manifesto against them. M. Ber- 

 thelot replied. — On the electro-chemical deposit of cobalt and 

 nickel, by M. Becquerel. He points out the priority of his 

 father's and his own experiments on the subject in 1862. — On 

 the variation of the intensity of currents transmitted through 

 mediocre contacts according to the pressure exerted on them, by 

 M. Du Moncel. He has made various observations on this sub- 

 ject since 1856, and in 1875 noted in metallic filings, &c., pro- 

 perties on which Prof. Hughes' thermoscope microphone is 

 based. — Velocity of propagation of excitations in the motor 

 nerves of muscles of animal life in mammalian animals, by M. 

 Chauveau. The average velocity in frogs was first measured and 

 found about twenty-one metres per second. In the pneumogastric 

 nerve of solipedes great differences were observed both in different 

 parts of the nerve and in different animals. In one ass the velo- 

 city in the recurrent branch of the pneumogastric was <,\ra.., 

 in the pneumogastric 68 m., and in the intermediate section 

 66'5 m. The activity of conduction decreases from the origin to 

 the termination of nerves. In post-mortem experiments this law 



is reversed. If the pneumogastric is cut the conduction is 

 retarded somewhat without reaching the figure for the terminal 

 portion of the recurrent nerve. Operating on the middle por- 

 tion of nerves, the velocity is about the same in animals placed 

 in the same physiological conditions. It is about 65 m. per 

 second, and may rise to 75 m. in strong animals of high breed, 

 or go below 40 m. in common weak animals. — Currents 

 observed in the Suez Canal and consequences resulting from 

 them, by M. de Lesseps. Lake Timsah and the Bitter 

 Lakes act as regulators. The prevalent north and north-west 

 winds from May to October raise the mean level of water at 

 Port Said and depress it at Suez ; hence in summer a current, 

 interi-upted by the tides, from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, 

 and finally driving a good deal of water southwards. In winter 

 the reverse occurs. It is estimated that 400,000,000 cubic 

 metres of water are thus annually driven to and fro. This, with 

 the tides, tends to annihilate the effects of evaporation, and aid 

 the dissolution of the salt banks of the Bitter Lakes. — Note 

 on a new earth of the cerium group, and remarks on a 

 method of analysis of columbates, by Mr. Lawrence Smith 

 (sealed packet deposited September 22, 1877). — On mosandrum, 

 a new element, by the same. The new earth was obtained from 

 samarskite ; and he established that it differed from that of the 

 yttria group, from oxide of cerium, from lanthanum, and from 

 didymium. M. Soret has, with the spectroscope, confirmed the 

 existence of the metal constituting the base of this new earth. — 

 Discovery of the periodic comet Tempel at Florence, by M.Tempel. 

 — On an apparatus for demonstrating simultaneously the law of 

 recoil of a gun and the law of motion of a projectile, by M. 

 Sebert. The instrument is called a velocimeter. — On the ten- 

 sion of vapour and the freezing point of saline solutions, by M. 

 Raoult. With regard to power of diminishing the tension of 

 vapour, or retarding the freezing point, the different anhydrous 

 salts rank in nearly the same order. The power of producing 

 the one or the other effect is generally greater the smaller the 

 atomic weight. — On the presence of lead in sub-nitrate of bis- 

 muth, by MM. Chapuis and Linossier. A method of detection 

 is described. — On a new hexavalent non- saturated hydrocarbon 

 diallylene, CgHg, by M. Henry.— On the presence of lithium in 

 the earths and thermal waters of the Solfatara of Pozzuoli, by 

 M. Luca. It is there found in very small proportion in the state 

 of sulphate. — On the peripheric temperature in febrile maladies, 

 by M. Couty. In febrile affections developed normally the 

 temperature increases in the peripheric parts more than in the 

 central, and there is equalisation, or a tendency to this, in all 

 parts of the body. — Relation between manifestations of ozone 

 and turning movements of the atmosphere; observations in 1877, 

 by M. Gully. The coloration of the paper seems to be always 

 greatest to the north of a centre of depression. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Eclipse of the Sun 353 



Our Natural History Collections 353 



Hull's Geology of Ireland. By Prof. Arch. Geikie, F.R.S. . . 354 

 Our Book Shelf : — 



Proctor's " Treatise on the Cycloid and all Forms o£ Cycloidal 

 Curves, and on the Use of such Curves in dealing with the 

 Motions of Planets, Comets, &c., and of Matter projected from 



the Sun " 355 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Microphone.— Sir William Thomson, F.R.S, ; Prof. W. F. 



Barrett {With IllustratioiC) 355 



The Meteor Shower of Aquarids (July).— W. F. Denning ... 35° 



Physical Science for Artists.— E. H. Pringle 357 



Taunton College School. — Henry Pearce Knapton 357 



Deep-sea Dredgirgs oflf the Gulf of Mexico.— E. P. W 337 



Anthropology in France 357 



Our Astkonomical Column : — 



The Total Solar Eclipse of May 28, 1900 3S8 



Cometary Notes 35° 



The Satellite of Neptune 359 



Geographical Notes 359 



On Prehistoric Re.mains in Brunswick. By M. A. Nehring 



andDr. Tietze , ' v' " * 3f° 



The Tay Bridge. By A. GrothS, C. E. (fTiVA ///«jW/&«0 . . 361 

 The Norwegian North Atlantic Expedition. By Dr. H. 



MoHN 30^ 



ThkTasimktsr {IVit A Itlustrattons) 3^^ 



Kew Gardens Report 37° 



The Movement's of Flying Fish through the Air 373 



University and Educational Intelligence . . . ... . . . 374 



Societies and- Academies 374 



