3o8 



NATURE 



[Fed. I, 1877 



the mercurial column. In the instrument exhibited, the hori- 

 zontal tube was formed into a spiral, in order that the vertical 

 tubes might be in close proximity. He then exhibited a number 

 of thin india-rubber balloons, filled with water, which he has 

 arranged with a view to illustrate the nature of jellies. When a 

 jelly sets, it is assumed that the solid matter collects in the form 

 of cells containing liquid, which burst on the application of heat. 

 By weighing at intervals one of these india-rubber bags, he has 

 found that evaporation takes place from its surface, thus with a 

 bag weighing initially 749*4 grms,, there was a loss of 0*95 

 grms. in the course of twenty-four hours. He is also examining a 

 bag filled with salt water and immersed in water, in order to 

 ascertain whether salt as well as water is capable of traversing 

 the septum. Lastly Prof. Guthrie exhibited a large series of 

 Chladni's rings, rendered permanent on cardboard by pressure, 

 in contact with' the plate which had been caused to vibrate, in a 

 copying press. The sand and lycopodium were caused to adhere 

 firmly by dilute gum. 



GOTTINGEN 



Royal Academy of Sciences, December 2, 1876. — Re- 

 marks on some surfaces of a constant degree of curvature, by 

 M. Enneper. — On the anatomy of Rhizocrinus lofotensis, by M. 

 Ludwig. — On phenoxylic acid, by MM. Hiibner and Buchka. 



Rome 



R. Accademia dei Lincei, December 3, 1876. — The follow- 

 ing, among other papers, were read : — Mechanical experiments 

 on the resistance of the principal metals used for fire-arms, 

 by M. Rosset, — On the graduation of the Palmieri electro- 

 meter modified by Cantoni. — On Crookes's radiometer, by M. 

 Marco. — Researches on picrotoxine, on cumosphenol, on action 

 of chloride of acetile on santonic acid, on santonic chloride, on 

 the chloride and the bromide corresponding to santonic acid, by 

 M, Paterno, Cannizzaro, and others. — Petrographic studies on 

 Latium, by M. Striiver. — Studies on the minerals of Latium, by 

 the same. — On the muscular structure of the ventricle of the 

 human heart, by M. Todaro. — The theoretic velocity of sound 

 and the molecular velocity of gas, by M. Betti. — On fluoride of 

 magnesium, by M. Cossa. — On the distribution of subterranean 

 water in the district of Iglesias. — On the small motions of an 

 entirely free rigid body, by M. Cerruti. — On the anatomy and 

 physiology of the retina, by M. Boll. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, January 22. — M. Peligot in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Craniology of the 

 Negrito and Negrito-Papuan races, by MM. De Quatrefages and 

 Hamy. The authors presented the fifth number of their Crania 

 Ethnica, In this note they point out the differences between 

 the two races named, and sketch their distribution. They are 

 beginning the study of the Tasmanian type. — Memoir on electro- 

 capillary actions ; in which are treated : — (i) The depolarisation 

 of the electrode and the electric effects produced on contact of 

 the skin and various liquids ; (2) Relations between electro- 

 motive forces, quantities of heat liberated during their produc- 

 tion, and diffusive power, by M. Becquerel. Acids in contact 

 with the skin take positive electricity, while alkalies take nega- 

 tive. With an alkaline liquid and the finger, e.g. the pores in 

 the interior of the finger play the part of negative poles, those in 

 the exterior of positive ; the liquids within the finger tend to be 

 deoxidised, those without to be oxidised. Soup and wine in the 

 stomach being in contact with venous blood through the vessels, 

 the exterior surface of the latter is the negative pole of electro- 

 capillary couples, the positive poles being within. Thus the 

 liquids of the stomach are reduced and the blood oxidised. M. 

 Becquerel finds the greater hydration of acids has always a less 

 influence on the electromotive force than on the amount of heat 

 liberated. There does not seem to be any relation between 

 diffusion and the production of electromotive force. — Researches 

 on substituted eugenols, by M. Cahours. — Contemporaneous 

 formation of zeoliths (chabasie, christianite) under the influence 

 of thermal springs in the environs of Oran (Algeria), by M. 

 Daubree. — On the structure of the calcareous shells of eggs and 

 the characters which may be inferred from it, by M. Gervais. 

 This inquiry was suggested by the discovery of a few egg-like 

 fragments in some beds of detritus at Rognac in Provence, by 

 M. Matheron. From comparison the author thinks these fossil 

 eggs did not belong to a bird but to a reptile ; the structure of 

 the shell closely resembles that of certain iCmydosaurions. And 

 this reptile, if really M. Matheron's Hypselosaurus, as seems 



likely, had more resemblance to Chelonians than the few frag- 

 ments of its skeleton found there would indicate. — Observations 

 of eclipses of Jupiter's satellites at the Observatory of Toulouse, 

 by M. Tisserand. — On the advantage there would be in replacing 

 quinine by cinchonidine in treatment of intermittent fevers, by 

 Mr. Weddell. Cinchonidine can be obtained at a third (or less) 

 of the cost of quinine ; its effect is as good, and some patients 

 can take it more easily than quinine.— On the transmission of 

 excitations in nerves of sensibility, by M. Bert. The end of the 

 tail of a young rat was skinned, turned over and inserted in the 

 back, and held there by sutures till union occurred. Eight 

 months after, this " handle " was cut. On the dorsal stump being 

 pinched the rat evidently felt pain. In this fragment, then (says 

 M. Bert), the excitation of the sensitive nerves is propagated 

 from the thick end to the thin, or the inverse direction to the 

 normal. But this sensibility of the dorsal stump diminished 

 from the second day and soon disappeared. The nerves, sepa- 

 rated from their trophic centres, had degenerated. Perhaps after 

 a longer interval the influence of new trophic centres might be suffi- 

 cient, and sensibility would persist after section.— On the commu- 

 nication which must have existed, in historic epochs, between the 

 chotts of Tunis and the Mediterranean, by M. Roudaire. — On the 

 capacity of saturation of manganous acid, by M. Gorgeu. — On 

 the normals which may be drawn to a given point in a conic, by 

 M. Laguerre. — Note on a manometric appara us, h propos of a 

 recent communication of M. Cailletet, by MM. Mignon and 

 Rouart. It consists of a metal reservoir containing a liquid, and 

 a glass tube indicating movements of the liquid ; the two parts 

 are connected by a suitable joint. — Action of heat on quercite, 

 by M. Prunier. — On the fermentation of urine — reply to M. 

 Pasteur — by Dr. Bastian. — On the characters of the electric dis- 

 charges of the torpedo, by M. Marey. He shows that the volun- 

 tary discharge of the fish is formed of the addition of a series of 

 successive currents, and resembles, in complexity, muscular con- 

 traction, which consists of a series of shocks, the effects of which 

 combine to produce the contraction. — On the return of contrac- 

 tility in a muscle, where this property has disappeared in conse- 

 quence of strong induction currents, by M. Carlet. The con- 

 tractility returns while the muscle is subjected to weaker currents. 

 — On the physiological and therapeutical properties of glycerine, 

 by M. Catillon. — On the nidificalion of the Aye Aye, by MM. 

 Milne-Edwards and Grandidier. In this it approaches the 

 lowest order of Lemurians. The higher carry their young 

 attached to their back or to their breast. — On the modification of 

 the floral envelopes of Gramineae, according to the sex of their 

 flowers, by M. Fournier. — On the theory of ventilation, by M. 

 Chaumont. A change of i per cent, in the moisture produces 

 as much effect on sensation as 2"32° C. — On seven favourable 

 cases of transfusion of defibrinated blood, by Dr. Ladislas de 

 Bellina. 



CONTENTS Page 



Darwin's " Geological Observations " By Prof. John \V. Judd 289 



Two "Challenger" Books 290 



OuK Book bHELp : — 



Mason's " Year Book of Facts in Science and Arts for 1875" . . 291 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Just Intonation. — Wm. Chappell 291 



Nebula of Orion. — Rev. T. R. Robinson, F.R. S 292 



Basking Shark. — Dr. E. Percival Wright 292 



Sense of Hearing in Insects and Birds " Towering" of Birds. — 

 George J. Romanes ; Dr. F. Buchanan White ; Robert O. 



Cunningham ; Dr. Henry Muirhead 292 



Galton's Whistles. — Dr. Lawson Tait 294 



Atmospheric Currents. — Capt Digbv Murr.'^^y 294 



Mind and Matter.— W. S. Duncan 295 



Pre-Glacial Man in America. —Thomas Belt 295 



Holly Berries.— Rev. D. Edvvardes 295 



The Meteor of January 7. — W. H. Woon 295 



Spectrum of New Star. — T. W. Backhouse 295 



KtHNE's Researches on Photo-Chemical Processes in the 



Retina. By Prof. Arthur Gamgee 296 



On the Prkcessional Motion of a Liquid {With Illustrations) . 297 



Remarkable Plants. I.— The Compass-Plant (JVz'tk Ilbistra- 



tion) 298 



Experiments with the Radiometer, II. By William Crookbs, 



F.R. S * 299 



The Spontaneous Generation Question. By Dr. W. Roberts 



and Prof. Tyndall, F.R.S 302 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The New Star in Cygnus 303 



Variable Component of Double Stars 303 



The Binary Star 7 Centauri 303 



The Minor Planets , 30 " 



Notes 30 



Societies and Academies 30 



