20 



NATURE 



[Nov. 2, 187 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 

 Thk Bulletin deV Academic Inipinale des Sciences de St. Piter s- 

 hoursr, t. xxii., No. I, contains the following papers of scientific 

 interest : — On the absorption of carbonic acid by sulphuric acid 

 and its mixtures with water, by J. Setschenow. — On tartronamic 

 acid, by N. Menschutkin. — On ethyl- and methylsuccinimid, 

 by the same. — On the geologicil age of the North-Caucasian 

 Jura coal sandstones, and on natural saltpetre occurring in the 

 same in the valley of Kuban, by H. Abich. — On diethyl-methyl- 

 acetic acid, a new isomeric variety of oenanthylic acid, by M. 

 E. Idanow. — On the formation of budi in Equisetum, by Prof. 

 A. Famintzin. — Observations made at the astronomical observa- 

 tory of the Academie des Sciences de St. Petersbourg, by A. 

 Sawitch. 



Jotirnal de Physique, September. — M. Andre here investigates 

 the subject of diffraction in optical instruments and its influence 

 on astronomical observations. He shows that the diameter of 

 Venus and Mercury during transit must always be less than in 

 ordinary conditions of observation, and less by day than by night, 

 with an instrument of the same aperture ; also that it is less, the 

 smaller the aperture of the instrument, the variation being equal 

 to the difference of constants of instrumental diffraction of the 

 instruments employed. — It is known that sulphur affects two 

 incompatible crystalline forms, the right octahedron with rectan- 

 gular base, and the symmetrical oblique prism. M. Gernez 

 specifies the circumstances in which they are produced without 

 intervention of any solvent. — M. Egoroff gives a description, with 

 figure, of his differential electro-actinometer, an instrument for 

 determining the co-efficients of absorption of ultra-violet rays by 

 different substances. — M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran describes the 

 physical properties of gallium. Inter alia, even a few degrees 

 under its point of fusion + 29°'5, it is hard and remarkably tena- 

 cious for a metal so fusible ; it can be cut, however, with a knife. 

 It crystallises with great facility. The spectrum got by passing 

 the spark in a saline solution, has two violet lines, the brighter with 

 wave length 417-0, the other 403"i. In gas flame the former 

 is hardly observable. The density is 47 ; the equivalent, not yet 

 quite fixed, seems to be near the number deduced from the posi- 

 tion of gallium between iodium and aluminium. 



Sitzungsberichte der naturwissensch. Gesellsch, Isis in Dresden, 

 July to December, 1875. — In this number will be found an 

 interesting account of the Auckland Islands, by M. Hermann 

 Krone, of the German Transit Expedition. The copper-bearing 

 strata of Lake Superior, a potato exhibition at Altenburg, in 

 October, Dr. Dohrn's zoological station at Naples, and an in- 

 stance of lightning with a clear sky, are among other subjects 

 treated ; there are also a few archaeological papers. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, October 23. — Vice- Admiral Paris in 

 the chair. — The following papers were read : — Theorems relating 

 to systems of three segments forming a constant length, by M. 

 Chasles. — Remarks on a critique of Dr. Boue on the theory of 

 trombes, by M. Faye. The gyration of the base of a trorabe is 

 generally too rapid to be perceived ; but on reaching the ground 

 or the sea, a quantity of dust or of water-droplets is raised by 

 the escaping air, and passes obliquely before the trombe, with a 

 perceptible slow movement. The spectator may by mistake 

 attribute this motion to the trombe itself, and conclude that the 

 tronibe pumps the water {e.g.) up to the clouds. The trombe's 

 motion is really a descending gyratory one. — On the order of 

 appearance of the first vessels in the aerial organs of Anagallis 

 arvensis, by M. Trecul. — Report to the Academy on the works 

 of M. Francis Gamier, naval lieutenant. M. Gamier died 

 about three years ago. His travels in China have had 

 important results. The Minister of Public Instruction, on the 

 recommendation of the Academy, has appointed an annual 

 pension of 1,200 francs to be given to his widow.— Note on 

 electric effluves, by M. Boillot. To obtain the dark effliives 

 the conducting tubes for the electricity should be sufficiently 

 apart to prevent any phosphorescent glow in the darkness. M. 

 Boillot describes some modifications of his apparatus. — On 

 determination of the depth of the sea by means of the batho- 

 meter, and without use of a sounding line, by Dr. C. W. 

 Siemens. — On the industrial applications of phosphuret of 

 copper and phosphorised bronze, by MM. de Ruolz, Montchal, 

 and De Fontenay. Of two bells presented to the Academy, 

 one made with phosphuret of copper in proportion of ^^ gave 

 sounds much superior in acuteness, intensity, and timbre, to those 



of the other bell, which was of an ordinary bronze (78 copper, 2 

 tin). Its composition was also more homogeneous. By reducin 

 the proportion of phosphorus to a few thousandths, red coppi 

 may be cast in sand without its physical properties being sei 

 sibly altered as regards industrial use. A bronze alloy wit 

 the proportion of xxrVij- of phosphorus, sustains friction wel 

 and can be indefinitely recast without appreciable loss indu 

 trially. — On .the cure of hypertrophic elongation of the neck ( 

 the uterus by igneous utero- vaginal myotomy, by M. Abeille.- 

 On the industrial preparation of nitro-glycerine, by MM. Boutn 

 and Faucher. (This note was in a sealed packet, deposited : 

 August, 1872. ) In the ordinary manufacture the reaction liberati 

 much heat, which tends to decompose the nitro-glycerine formei 

 The authors first make sulpho-glyceric acid treating glycerine j 

 30° with three times its weight of sulphuric acid at 66°; an 

 sulpho-nitric acid by mixing equal weights of sulphuric acid ; 

 66° and nitric acid at 48°. Then these two acids are unitec 

 giving a mixture like this : glycerine, lOO ; nitric acid, 280 ; su 

 phuric acid, 600. The rise of temperature is then limited to ic 

 or 15°. iThe reaction is finished in about twenty- four hour 

 The nitro-glycerine forms in a distinct layer above the acid 

 from which it can be separated by decantation. — Report on e; 

 periments made, in several communes of Charente, with a vie 

 to destruction of phylloxera, by M. Boutin. To succeed we 

 with sulpho-carbonate of potassium, alone or with water, or wit 

 coal-tarred sulphur carbonate, the operations should be done i 

 October, November, or even December (if not too cold), the 

 again from March till the end of May. — On a general propos 

 tion of the theory of conies, by M. Halphen. — On the effects < 

 eddies observed in water-courses, by M. Bouquet de la Gry( 

 If there be poured into a glass vessel first a dense liquid lil 

 aniline, then water, then oil, and the upper liquids be pi 

 in rotation with paddles, a central depression forms at th 

 surface of the oil ; a cone of the liquid descends in the centr 

 while a protuberance of niline rises from the bottom, 

 similar action of the eddies in rivers accounts for the raising an 

 removal of sand, and the form assumed by the river's bee 

 And the movement of liquid threads in a river-bend may be con 

 pared to that in the vessel, taking as centre the successive poin 

 of the convex bank, and as border the concave part. There ai 

 vortices with horizontal axes also. The author thinks that b 

 suitable dams, &c. , the vis viva of the water might be utilise 

 for deepening the channel. — On the laws of vibratory motion ( 

 tuning-forks, byM. Mercadier. The duration of the period of vibn 

 tory motion increases or diminishes with the amplitude. This vari; 

 tion, even for considerable amplitudes of i cm., is very small, an 

 extends only to the fourth figure. If a certain limit, which ma 

 be fixed at 4 mm., be not excised ed, the duration of the perio 

 may be regarded as constant. — On the electrical apparatus of th 

 torpedo, by M. Rouget. A histological description 



CONTENTS pac 

 The Arctic Expedition 



Schimper's " Mo sks of Europe ' ...... .... 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Rutherford's 'Outlines of Practical Histology " .... . . 



Dale's " Study of the Rhastic Strata of the Val di Ledro in the 

 Southern Tyrol " 



Letters to the Eoitoe : — 



" Geographical Distribution of Animals." — V. Ball 



European Polygalas. — Alfred W. Ben.vett, F.L.S 



The Solidity of the Earth.— W. Mattieu Williams 



Are We Drying Up ? — Joseph John Murphy 



Antedon rosaceus (Comatula rosacea) — W. K. Hughes, F.L.S. 



Caterpillars. — |. A. Osborne 



Electro-Capillary Phenomena — Dr. P. Higgs 



The Capercailzie in Northumberland. By W. Topley .... 



Newton on Force. By P. T. Main 



Principles of Time-Measuring Apparatus, IV. By H. Dent 

 Gardner (With Illustrations) 



The Results OF the Arctic Expedition (fFzV/i ;7f a/) ..... 1 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



/i Doradus .., j 



Southern Double-Stars . . i 



The Intra-Mercurial Planet Question i 



The Fourth Comet of 1857 i 



Biological Notes : — 



Pock-Lymph , j 



Algoid jwarm Spores j 



Diseases Germinated in Hospitals i 



Marine Mosses . . . . i 



Notes from St. Petersburg 1 



Colours of Animals i 



Notes 1 



Sexual Selection in Relation to Monkeys. By Charles 

 Darwin, F.R.S 1 



Scientific Serials 2 



Societies and Academies 2 



