428 



NATURE 



{August 15, 1878 



volvuli, L. This is a dusk -loving hawk-moth, which also visits 

 the honeysuckle. The daisy is visited by nine hymenoptera, 

 thirteen diptera, three coleoptera, and two lepidoptera, viz., 

 the least meadow brown and the common blue butterflies. Many 

 flowers, like Lychnis vespertina, remain open without exhaling 

 their perfume, and I think Mr. Gardner will find that most of the 

 subduedly-coloured flowers which are open at night give off most 

 perfume, and are visited and fertilised by moths rather at dus^k 

 than in the dark, whilst the white ones remain fragrant still 

 later. The clearly-cut discs of white of Lychnis vespertina are 

 the last objects our eyes can often discern on a midsummer 

 night's ramble. Of course variegation on the moths themselves 

 would be as useless, from the point of view of sexual selection, 

 as on the flowers from that of insect-fertilisation. Though it is 

 to a certain extent trae that like causes produce like effects, in 

 investigations into phenomena so complex in their etiology as 

 those of biology we must, I think, be more mindful that the 

 converse that like effects are the result of like causes by no 

 means necessarily follows. G. S. Boulger 



II, Burlington Road, Westbourne Park, W. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



Rendiconto delle Sessioni deW Accademia delle Scienze deW 

 Istituto di Bologna. — The more important papers read at tlie 

 Academy during the academical year 1877-8 were the follow- 

 ing : — On the metamorphosis of plants, by Prof. G. B. Ercolani. 

 The author specially refers to the transformation of a crypto- 

 gamous plant of the genus Uromyces into a phanerogamous 

 dicotyledon, Cuscuta europcea L., and the return to the primitive 

 cryptogamous form apparent in the seeds and branches of the 

 Cuscuta. — On the velocity of light in transparent magnetised 

 bodies, by Prof. A. Righi. — On the concentration of a mag- 

 netic solution near the pole of a magnet, by the same. — On 

 the curves with equal normal principals, by Prof. A. Fais. — 

 On some researches to ascertain whether from cadaverous 

 matter, from albumen, or yolk of egg, volatile phosphoretted 

 products are evolved, and on an excellent means of discover- 

 ing free phosphorus in minute quantities, by Prof. Francesco 

 Selmi. — Ci7stallographical researches, by Prof. Carlo Mara- 

 goni. The author describes some theoretical and experimental 

 researches, and their application to the natural history of 

 crystallised minerals. — Contributions to the flora of the 

 Bolognese province, by Prof. Girolamo Cocconi. — Researches 

 on the varying nature of the caloric emitted by various 

 bodies heated to 100° C, by Prof. E. Villari. — On four 

 species of noxious insects, inhabiting pines and birches, by 

 G. Bertoloni. — On the calcareo-siliceous conglomerates of 

 Sasso Cardo and of the Rio Fonti, and on the origin of p3Tites, 

 by Prof. Domenico Santagata. — Critical observations regarding 

 some recent Itahan crystallographical publications, by Prof. 

 Luigi Bombicci. — On' comparative psychogeny and the attempts 

 to establish a zoopsychological classification, by Prof. Siciliani. 

 — Note on a theorem in the theory of binary forms, by Prof. 

 Francesco d'Arcais. — Observations regarding the existence of 

 rudiments of upper canine teeth and incisors in the embryos of 

 oxen and sheep, by Dr. G. P. Plana. — Anatomy and physiology 

 of Surilla Neapolitana, by Prof. Salvatore Trinchese. — On a 

 problem in undetermined analysis occurring in the geometrical 

 theory of the transformation of plane figxu-es, by Prof. F. P. 

 Ruffini. — Geometrical studies on the molecular equilibrium, by 

 S. Canevazzi. — On some gigantic bird-remains, probably be- 

 longing to Aepyornis or Rtick, by Prof. G. Bianconi. — On the 

 internal texture of the eye of Sphinx, by Prof. G. V. Ciaccio. — 

 On the origin and structure of the humor vitreous, particularly in 

 the embryos of the two first classes of vertebrates, by the 

 same. — On the whale of Taranto and the Macleayius of the 

 Paris Museum, by Prof. G. Cappellini. — On the emery from 

 S. Lucca and Paderno, and its fossils, by Dr. Lodovico Foresti. 

 — On the reticular structure of the red corpuscles in the blood of 

 Torpedo, and of the nerve substance of frogs, by Prof. Salvatore 

 Trinchese. — Researches on the central nervous system of Squilla 

 Mentis,hy Dr. G. Bellonci. — Results of experiments made at the 

 Royal Botanical Gardens of Bologna upon some species of 

 Eucalyptus, and upon a new grass recently introduced in Italy, 

 by A. Bertoloni. — On the nerve ends in the skin of bat's wings, 

 by Dr. Agostino Rossi. — On the formation of protoxide of 

 iron in the metallic state in the wet way, by Prof. Francesco 

 Selmi. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



Manchester 



Literary and Philosophical Society, April 2. — E. W. 

 Binney, F. R.S., F.G.S., president, in the chair. — On aurin, by 

 R. S. Dale, B.A., and C. Schorlemmer, F.R.S. — The origin 

 of some ores of copper. Part IL, by Charles A. Burghardt, 

 Ph.D. 



April 16. — Note on the occurrence of dioptase ion Chryso- 

 colla, from Peru, by Charles A. Burghardt, Ph.D; — On the 

 internal cohesion of liquids and the suspension of a column of 

 mercury to a height more than double that of the barometer, by 

 Prof. Osborne Reynolds, F.R.S. The object of this communi-' 

 cation is in the first place to show that certain facts already fully 

 established afford gi-ounds for believing that almost all liquids, 

 and particularly mercury and water, are capable of offering 

 resistance to rupture commensurate with the resistance offered 

 by solid materials ; in the second place to describe certain ex- 

 perimental results which, as far as they go, completely verify 

 these conclusions and subvert the general ideas previously men- 

 tioned as to the limits to the height to which mercury can be 

 ssupended in a tube or water raised by suction ; and, in conclu- 

 sion to explain the nature of the circumstances which have 

 resulted in the practical limits to these phenomena. — On the 

 estimation of hyposulphites and sulphites, by J. Grossmann, 

 Ph.D.— Note on the action of iodine trichloride upon carbon 

 bisulphide, by J. B. Hannay, F.R.S. E., F.C.S. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, August 5. — M. Peligot in the 

 chair. — Probable new observation of the planet Vulcan by 

 Prof. Watson, by M. E. Mouchez. — On the orbito-ocular 

 phenomena produced in mammals by excitement of the central 

 end of the sciatic nerve, after excision of the superior cervical 

 ganglion and the superior thoracic ganglion, by M. A. Vulpian. 

 — New note on the progress of phylloxera in the two depart- 

 ments of Charente, in connection with the last communication 

 of M. de la Vergne, by M. Bouillaud. — Rate of propagation of 

 excitations in the motor nerves of the red muscles, abstracted 

 from the power of the will, by M. A. Chauveau. — On 

 the fundamental covariants of a cubo-quadratic binary system, 

 by Prof. Sylvester. — On the baking of plaster, and on the 

 manufacture of plasters by slow coagulation, by M. Ed. 

 Landrin. — No mycelium intervenes in the formation and in the 

 normal destruction of swellings developed under the influence 

 of phylloxera, by M. Maxime Cornu. — On the abnormal solu- 

 bility of certain bodies in soaps and alcaline resinates, by M. 

 Ach. Livache.— On the vibratory forms of solid bodies and of 

 liquids, by M. C. Decharme. — Note on the intra-Mercurial 

 planet, by M. Gaillot. — Results of solar observations during 

 the second quarter of 1878, by M. Tacchini. — Action of chloride 

 of zinc on methylic alcohol; hexamethylbenzine, by MM. Le 

 Bel and Greene. — Researches on the connections which exist 

 between the weight of various bones of the Biscayan whale 

 {BalccTta biscayensis), by M. S. de Luca. — On Prosopistoma 

 punctifrons, Latr., by MM. E. Joly and A. Vayssiere. — On the 

 influence of atmospheric electricity on vegetation, by M. L. 

 Grandeau. — Age of the Mont-Dol bed; constitution and for- 

 mation of the low plain called Marais de Dol, by M. Sirodot. 



CONTENTS . Page 



The Coming Eclipse. By J. Norman Lockver, F.R.S 401 



Our Natural History Collections 403 



The British Association .■ 4°3 



Inaugural Address of William Spottiswoode, M.A., F.R.S., LL.D., 



D.C.L., President :, ' " t' u " ■*°'* 



Section C — Geology.— Opening Address by the President, John 



Evans, D.C.L., F.R.S.,F.G.S.,&c 415 



Section D.— Biology.— Opening Address in the Department of 

 Zoology! and Botany, by Prof. VV. H. Flower, F.R.S., 



President of the Section 419 



Notes . .- -^ ' t< 'xj' ^^^ 



The Norwegian North Atlantic Expedition. By \ix. H. 



MOHN ^-^ 



The Eclipse of the Sun 425 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Saturnian Satellite Hyperion 420 



Olbers' Star near r Pegasi 4^0 



Letters to the Editor : — . 



A New Mineral.— Prof. N. S. Maskelyne, F.R.S 420 



The Colouring of Birds' Eggs.— H. C. Sorby, F.R.S 420 



The Limbs.— Prof. G. M. Humphry 427 



The Darkness of Caverns.-Prof. Salvador Caldeeon .... 427 



Scent and Colour in Flowers.-G. S. Boulger 427 



Scientific Serials ^^g 



Societies and Academies ^^ 



