Dec. 21, 1876J 



NATURE 



171 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



Memorie della Socitta degli Spettroscopisti Italia ni, for September, 

 1876, contains a paper on the absorption spectrum of the colour- 

 ing matters of several mollviscs, by Antonio and Giovanni De- 

 Negri. The authors show that the colouring matter of the 

 Elysia viridis gives the same absorption spectrum as chlorophyll, 

 and that the colouring matter of other molluscs is identical vege- 

 table colouring matters, or their derivatives. — A table of the 

 Kolar spots and faculse observed at Palermo in August and Sep- 

 tember. On at least half the days there was an absence of spots. 

 The spectroscopic image of the sun's limb as seen at Rome in 

 January and February, 1875, accompanies this number. — Prof. 

 Serpieri continues his paper on the observations of the zodiacal 

 light, by G. Jones. 



October. — This number contains a very quaint drawing of the 

 sun taken from Kircher's " Mundus Subterraneus." It represents 

 a spherical body covered with flames, bright spots of light, and 

 puffs of smoke giving the appearance somewhat of facula, spots, 

 and prominences. — Spectroscopic and direct observations of the 

 sun made at Palermo in August and September last, by Prof. 

 Tacchini. He remarks that the height of the chromosphere, 

 about 12", seems greater than is usual at the minimum sunspot 

 period where hitherto a diminution has been noticed, the eruptions 

 were smaller in number. Prof. Serpieri continues his paper in 

 this number. 



Poggendorff^s Aniialen der Physik und Chemie, No. 10, 

 1876. — On the heat conduction of gases and vapours, and 

 the dependence of their specific heat on temperature, by M. 

 Winkelmann. — On the absolute changes of phase in reflection of 

 light, and on the theory of reflection, by M. Wernicke. — The 

 electric conductivity of chlorhydric, bromhydric, and iodhydric 

 acid, and of sulphuric, phosphoric, oxalic, pyrotartaric, and acetic 

 acid in aqueous solutions, by M . Kohlrausch. — On the transverse 

 vibrations of liquid films, by M. Melde. — On the photography 

 of the less refrangible parts of the solar spectrum, by MM. Vogel 

 and Lohse. — On the number of electric materials, by M. Neumann. 

 -On anhydride sulphuric acid and a new hydrate of sulphuric 

 acid, by M. Weber. — Remarks on M. v. Oettingen's paper on 

 temperature and adiabata, by M. Clausiu";. — On the smallest de- 

 flection in the prism, by M. Lommel. — On the momentary illu- 

 mination in observation of light wave streaks, by M. Mach. — On 

 a radiometer experiment, by M. Ktiiss. — Safety arrangement for 

 hydrogen-making apparatus for avoidance of oxyhydrogen explo- 

 sions on mixture of the gas, by M. Rosenfeld. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



London 



Royal Society, December 14. — " Note on the Photographic 

 Spectra of Stars." By William Muggins, D.C.L., LL.D., 

 F.R.vS. 



In the year 1863 Dr. Miller and myself obtained the photo- 

 graph of the spectrum of Sirius. 



" On January 27, 1863, and on March 3 of the same year, 

 when the spectrum of this star (Sirius) was caused to fall upon 

 a sensitive collodion surface, an intense spectrum of the more 

 refrangible part was obtained. From want of accurate adjust- 

 ment of the focus, or from the motion of the star not being 

 exactly compensated by the clock movement, or from atmo- 

 spheric tremor, the spectrum, though tolerably defined at the 

 edges, presented no indications of lines. Our other investiga- 

 tions have hitherto prevented us from continuing these experi- 

 ments further ; but we have not abandoned our intention of 

 pursuing them," ^ 



I have recently resumed these experiments by the aid of the 

 l8-inch speculum belonging to the Royal Society's telescope in 

 my possession. Considerable delay has arisen from the necessity. 

 For these observations, of a more uniform motion of the driving 

 clock. For this purpose Mr. Howard Grubb has successfully 

 ipplied to the clock the control of a seconds pendulum in electric 

 ajnnection with a sidereal clock. This system works quite satis- 

 actorily. 



The prisms employed are made of Iceland spar, and the lenses 

 >f quartz. After an extensive trial of different photographic 



frocesses, preference has been given to dry plates. 

 The apparatus is so arranged that a solar or electric spectrum 

 m be taken on the same plate, for the purpose of comparison, 

 ' Phil. Trans. 1864, p. 428. 



with the spectrum of the .<;tar. Spectra have'^been obtained of 

 Sirius, Vega, Venus, the moon, &c. 



I do not purpose in this preliminary notice to describe in detail 

 the arrangements of the special apparatus which has been con- 

 structed, nor to offer in their present incomplete state to the 

 Royal Society the results of the experiments. Still I venture 

 to hope that even in this early stage of the inquiry the enlarged 

 copy of the spectrum of Vega '(a Lyrae) which accompanies 

 this note, may not be regarded as altogether unworthy of 

 attention. 



After exposure to the light of Vega the dry plate was allowed 

 to remain in the instrument until the following morning, when a 

 solar spectrum was taken upon it through the half of the slit 

 which had remained closed when the instrument was directed to 

 the star. 



The photograph shows seven strong lines all of them slightly 

 shaded at the sides. The two lines which are least refrangible 

 coincide with two known lines of hydrogen in the solar 

 spectrum. 



It is expected, by means of an apparatus now in the course of 

 construction, to obtain also any finer line which may be present 

 in the spectrum of this star, as well as to extend the photographic 

 method to stars which are less bright. 



I need not now refer to the many important questions in con- 

 nection with which photographic observations of stars may be of 

 value. 



Anthropological Institute, December 11. — Col, Lane-Fox, 

 president, in the chair. — The following new members were 

 announced ; — Rev. A. H. Sayce, G. Tippets, and T. F. Pea- 

 cock. The following paper, by H. H. Howorth, was read : — 

 On the ethnology of the Germans; Part I., The Saxons of 

 Lower Saxony. The author contended that the Saxons north 

 of the Elbe were immigrants, and of the same race as those 

 south of that river, and that the Saxons were not indigenous to 

 Hanover or Westphalia, but colonists or invaders. This he 

 proved by the topography of those districts and by the names 

 of men, things, &c. He pointed out also the strong differences 

 between the old Saxons and the Saxons who invaded England. 

 He referred to Spruner's Historical Atlas for the definition of 

 the ancient limits of the Saxon peoples. — In the discussion 

 which followed Mr. Hyde Clarke opposed the author's views, 

 and considered that in these matters we had no better authorities 

 than those heretofore accepted. — A paper on the Javanese, by 

 M. Kiehl, who had resided there for some time, was also read, 

 and interesting accounts of the religion, customs, agriculture, 

 &c., of the Javanese were given. Mr, Campbell also spoke on 

 the subject. 



Physical Society, December 2, — Prof. G. C. Foster, presi- 

 dent, in the chair. — The following candidate was elected a 

 member of the Society : — G. Waldemar von Tunzelmann. — M. 

 Janssen made a brief communication, in French, with reference 

 to a method which he has proposed to the Academic des 

 Sciences for ascertaining whether planets really exist between 

 Mercury and the Sun. After mentioning the importance of 

 photography from an astronomical point of view he explained 

 his reasons for hoping that a series of solar photographs, taken 

 regularly at intervals of about two hours at a number of places 

 on the earth's surface would enable us to determine this question. 

 As it is necessary that such observations be made at several 

 places and in several countries, M. Janssen hopes that other 

 countries besides France, will ere long arrange to have such a 

 series of observations taken, and he considers that in a few years 

 the circumsolar regions would thus be explored with a certainty 

 which could not possibly be attained by any other method. He 

 exhibited some of the original photographs taken in Japan of 

 the transit of Venus, and explained the advantage of placing! 

 grating in the focus of the camera, in order to eliminate distor- 

 tion. — Mr. Crookes showed the spectrum of a small specimen ot 

 chloride of gallium which he had received from its discoverer, M. 

 Lecoq de Boisbaudran. The discovery of this metal is of peculiar 

 interest, as M. Mendelief had previously, from theoretical consi- 

 derations asserted it to exist, and had also correctly given some of 

 its chemical and physical properties. The most prominent line in 

 the spectrum was a bright line in the blue somewhat more refran- 

 gible than that of indium. — Mr. Lodge briefly described a model 

 which he has designed to illustrate flow of electricity, &c., and 

 he showed how similar considerations can be applied in the case 

 of thermo-electric currents. The model in its simplest form 

 consists of an endless cord passing over four puUies, and on one 

 side of the square thus formed it passes through a series of 



