212 



NATURE 



[Jan. 4, 1877 



mann published researches on the tension of dissociation, proving 

 that the presence of one of the constituents of a substance liable 

 to dissociation diminishes this tension. — V. Meyer described a 

 simple apparatus to show the increase in weight by the combus- 

 tion of a candle.— Friedrich Miiller described simple apparatus 

 for the lecture-room to determine the density of gases and the 

 quantity of water formed by the combustion of hydrogen. The 

 same chemist has determined the temperatures to which solutions 

 of different salts are raised by a current of steam. — C. Hensgen 

 has treated the sulphates of potassium, sodium, and lithium with 

 hydrochloric acid gas at high temperatures, transforming them 

 into chlorides. Sulphate of copper absorbs under similar circum- 

 stances 2HCI ; heated in a current of air, this (molecular?) com- 

 pound yields chlorine and water, and reproduces sulphate of 

 copper. These experiments are interesting with regard to 

 Deacon's piocess. — H. lobst has found in coto-bark a new base, 

 called by him para-cotoin. — C. Bottinger has treated racemic 

 acid, C3H4O3 with hydrocyanic and hydrochloric acids, trans- 

 forming it into lactic acid as well as into a new acid of the 

 formula Q,^W^^O,j, or CyHgO^. — C. Vogel showed absorption- 

 bands produced by magnesia and alumina in solutions of pur- 

 purine ; by their means traces of these substances can be 

 recognised in the presence of large quantities of organic sub- 

 stances, as in milk, urine, tartaric acid, &c. — C. A, Martius 

 reported on the Chemical Exhibition at Philadelphia. 



November 27, 1876. — A. W. Hofmann, president, in the 

 chair. — E. Baumann described phenylsulphate of potassium, 

 obtained by the reaction 



CelljOK + K2S2O7 = CrHsSOJC + K2SO4, 

 Potassic Potassic Potassic Potassic 



phenate. pyrosulphate. phenylsulphate. sulphate. 



a well-defined crystalline salt easily decomposed into phenol and 

 sulphuric acid. Conjointly with E. Herter Mr. Baumann proved 

 the transformation of phenoles into phenolsulphates by the diges- 

 tion in warm-blooded animals. — A. Atterburg described chlorides 

 obtained from o. and j9 dinitronaphthalenes, and expounded the 

 probable reasons of their isomerism. — W. Thorner reported 

 on some derivatives of phenyl-toluyl-ketone. — T. Ilunats de- 

 scribed citrate of methyl C3H4(OH)(C02CH3)3, acetyl- citrate 

 of methyl C3H4(OC2H30)(C02CH3)3, the product of the 

 action of PCI5 on the former, viz., C3H4C1(C02CH3)3, mono- 

 chloro-tricarballylate of methyl ; and experiments trying in vain 

 to produce ethyl-citrate of ethyl.— H.Willgerodt stated that o — 

 dinitrochlorobenzol yields with acetamide (and alcohol) ortho- 

 para-nitraniline (and acetic ether). With urea it yields another 

 dinitraniline. — L. F. Nilson described double nitrites of plati- 

 num with K, Na, Li, Rb, Ag, Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb, Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, 

 Fe, Zn, Hg, Be, Al, Cr, In, Y, Er, Ce, La, and Di.— C. Lieber- 

 mann proved frangulic acid to be identical with emodine 

 Ci4H'804 -}- l^HgO. The same chemist showed glass tubes 

 profoundly attacked and rendered non-transparent by water at 

 200°.— A. Michael and Th. Norton, by treating resorcine vyith 

 terchloride of iodine, have obtained teriodo-resorcine. 



December 11, 1876. — A. W. Hofmann, president, in the 

 chair. — E. Berglund, who obtained imido-sulphonate of am- 

 monium, NH.(S0.2.0NH4)2, by treating chlorosulphuric acid, 

 ClSOg.OH, with ammonia, has found that by boiling the 

 same with baryta, it yields the barium salt of amido- 

 sulphonic acid, NH2.SO2OH. — S. Stein described [levers, 

 thermometers, and circular measures of rock crystal. — W. 

 Thorner described an apparatus for distilling in vacuo, permitting 

 the change of the receiver without taking the apparatus to 

 pieces. — H. Landolt published interesting details of a projecting 

 apparatus used by him for lecture-purposes. — F. v. Lepcl com- 

 municated his observations on spectroscopic reactions of mag- 

 nesium salts. — E. Glatzel described titanic sulphates derived from 

 TiOj and Ti203.— E. Erlenmeyer has observed that an acid 

 phosphate of"" lime, CaH4(P04).2H20, when treated with less 

 water than is necessary for its solution, is decomposed into in- 

 soluble dicalcium phosphate, CaHPO^ + (PlaO)^, and free phos- 

 phoric acid. The same chemist recommends the following easy 

 method for preparing cyanides, viz., to fuse ferrocyanide of potas- 

 sium with sodium — 



CiaNiaFe^Kg -h Na^ = (CyK), + (CyNa)4 + Fcj. 

 The same chemist, by oxidising normal oxycapronic acid, 

 CgH^jO^, obtained normal valerianic acid.-*-E. Fischer has 

 transformed diphenylamine into diphenyl-nitrosamine, and the 

 latter into (C8H5)jN — NH2, diphenyl-hydrazine, isomeiic with 

 hydrazobenzol, but not transformable into benzidine. — C. Bot- 

 tinger confirmed former observations that citraconic acid and its 



isomers treated with nascent hydrogen yield the same pyruvic 

 acid. — A. Laubenheimer reported on orthodinitrochlorobenzol ; 

 one of theNOj groups having been replaced by NHj, it yielded, 

 by treatment with nitrite of ethyl, paranitrochlorobenzol. — H. Lim- 

 prlcht published detailed researches on various bromobenzolsul- 

 phonic acids. — G. Kramer to purify methylic alcohol transforms 

 it into formiate. The impurity found in the pure alcohol of 

 commerce is dimethyl-acetal. Conjointly with Grotzky he has 

 found in impure methylic alcohol : aceton, dimethyl acetal, 

 allylic alcohol, methyl-ethyl-ketone, higher ketones and oils 

 which with chloride of zinc yielded cymol and xylol. — 

 H. Bulk published simple contrivances to replace the ordinary 

 suction-pump and separating funnel. — C. Liebermann and O, 

 Burg have made researches on braziline, to which they give the 

 formula Cic,Hj405-f-H20 ; the formula of haematoxyline being 

 C^gIIj40Q. Brasiline, when oxidised, yields the colouring matter 

 brasileine, CjgHjoOj. — A. Frank gave a warning against the use 

 of glass for sealed tubes, that yield more than i per cent, of 

 soluble matter to water. He also mentioned that wine bottles 

 are now in use that yield alkali to the wine, thereby spoiling 

 their taste. 



Vienna 



L R. Geological Institution, November 26, 1876. — The 

 Director, M. F. v. Hauer, referred briefly to M. F. Fotterle, 

 vice-director of the institution, who died last summer ; he then 

 welcomed M. R. Drasche, who has recently returned from his 

 travels in the Philippine Islands, Japan, and North America. 

 The following papers were read : — Dr. Stache on ' the old erup- 

 tive rocks from the region of the Ortler Mountains ; these bear a 

 strong resemblance to modern andesites, and he showed their dis- 

 tribution on a large-scale map. The name of Ortlerite was proposed 

 for one sort of these rocks, with a dioritic dark- coloured cement, a 

 more basic nature, and of an older geological period ; for the newer 

 one, with a light-coloured trachytic and more acidic cement, the 

 name of Guldenite was adopted. Many specimens which he pre- 

 sented contain various enclosures of other crystalline rocks. — Dr. 

 E. Majsisovics presented the detailed geological map of South- 

 Eastern Tyrol and the province of Belluno. The mappiiig was 

 performed in the years 1 874- 1876, under the direction of the re- 

 porter, assisted by Dr. Homes and Dr. Dolter, since appointed 

 professors at the University of Graz. — Dr. Tieze, on the country 

 of Krasnowodsk, on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, which 

 he had visited on his return from Persia. He stated that the 

 supposition of a reappearance of the Persian- Armenic salt-beds 

 in these parts, was erroneous. The large gypsum beds in Kuba- 

 dagh belong to the mesozoic formations, and might l^e contem- 

 poraneous with the Jurassic gypsum-beds of Daghestan. The 

 hills of Krasnowodsk may be regarded as a continuation of the 

 Caucasian Mountains, and form the northern part of an anti- 

 clinal, whose southern part is partly formed by the Turcomanic 

 Balkan. —Dr. Koch, on the occurrence of ice-crystals in loose 

 gravel which he had observed at the Arlberg. — Dr. Drasche 

 mentioned a similar occurrence that he had noticed during his 

 travels in high mountainous regions of the tropical zone. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



The Faraday Lecture for 1875. By John M. Thomson .... 193 



Hunting-grounds OF THE Great West 194 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Eltoft's "Combined Note-book and Lecture Notes for the Use of 



Chemical S;udents" 195 



LSTTERS TO THE EDITOR I— 



Solar Physics atthe Present Time.— Sir G. B.AiRY, K.C.B.,F.R.S. 196 



Just Intonation, &c. — Wm. Chappell, F.S A. . 196 



On "Comatula(Antedon) Rosacea," and the Family " C^matulidse." 



— P. Herbert Carpenter ; Francis P. Pascoe 197 



Sea Fisheries. — E. W. H. Holdsworth 198 



The " Sidereal Messenger." — Ormond Stone ...... 198 



South Polar Depression of the Barometer. — Joseph John 



Murphy i9S| 



"Towering" of Birds.— Dr. Arthur Sutherland ; A.N. . . . 



The Socihty of Telegraph Engineers 19^ 



The Phylloxera and Insecticides . 20 



Cambridge (U.S.) Observatory (fl^/V/i ////«/?-rt.'?W«) 2o| 



Museum Specimens for Teaching Purposes, III. By Prof. W. H. 



Flower, F.R.S 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The New Star in Cygnus 208 



New Variable Star in Cetus • 206 



De Vico's Comet of Short Period 206 



The Total Solar Eclipse of Stiklastad, 1030, August 31 ... . 206 



Meteors of December n . . . 207 



Notes 207 



Scientific Serials 210 



Societies AND Academies 210 



