524 



NATURE 



{April 12, 1877 



corresponding points P and Q are taken, and this is strictly true. 

 But however near to C the corresponding points are taken, the 

 attractions of PC and of CQ are both infinite, but differ by a 

 constant quantity, namely the attraction of ^a on C, where aC 

 is taken equal to CB. — Prof. Clerk Maxwell also made a com- 

 munication on double and triple integration by summation. — Mr. 

 J, W. L. Glaisher gave a preliminary account of the results of 

 an enumeration of the primes in Burckhardt's tables (i to 

 3,000,000). 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, April 2. — M. Peligot in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Isoperimetric tri- 

 angles having one side of constant length and satisfying three 

 other conditions, by M. Chasles. — On a theorem relative to 

 expansion of vapours without external work (continued), by M, 

 Hirn. — Report on a new work of M. Berlin, following his note 

 on rolling. This work gives an account of M. Bertin's double 

 oscillograph, which records each instant the inclinations of the 

 ship in the direction of the rolling and the inclination of the part 

 of the wave which carries the ship ; also observations with it 

 from the war-ship Crocodile. Though the indications are only 

 approximate, they are thought of considerable interest. Admiral 

 Paris called to mind an instrument devised by his son in 1867, 

 for tracing waves. — Experimental researches on natural sul- 

 phides, by M. Meunier. It is a general fact that natural sul- 

 phides brought into the presence of suitable metallic solutions 

 cause reduction in the free state of the dissolved metal. The 

 experimental facts given seem to have a bearing on the minera- 

 logical associations so frequent in metalliferous veins. If a vein 

 of galena receive the infiltrations of sea-water (which always 

 contains silver), all the silver will be he'd and concentrated by 

 the sulphide. Now native silver exists in a certain number of 

 galenas, and we may suppose it has been thus introduced. — New 

 nebulas discovered and observed at the Observatory of Marseilles, 

 by M. Stephan. Thirty in number. — On the approximation of 

 a class of transcendants which comprise, as a particular case, 

 hyperelliptic integrals, by M. Laguerre. — On the paraboloid of 

 eight straight lines, by M. Mannheim. — On the theory of frigo- 

 rific machines, by M. Terquem. Even under the best con- 

 ditions, frigorific air- machines cannot successfully compete with 

 machines having volatile liquid, (i) because of the large size 

 necessary ; (2) the passive resistances due to this, and the use of 

 two pumping bodies ; and (3) the want of adaptability to produce 

 different degrees of refrigeration. Their advantages are the produc- 

 tion of lower temperatures, simplicity, and the use of a safe and 

 cheap agent. — Researches on the metallic reflection of obscure 

 and polarised calorific rays, by M. Mouton. — On the sulphide 

 of manganese, by MM. De Clermont and Guiot. They produce 

 the green sulphide in new cases, and by reactions in which its 

 formation was said never to have been observed. Thus M. 

 Muck says it is impossible to transform manganous carbonate 

 into green sulphide ; but the authors effect this by heating in 

 free air, with ebullition, carbonate of manjanese, precipitated with 

 some sulphydrate of ammonia. They find the rose sulphide 

 dried at 105° contains 9 per cent, of water (green sulphide at 

 105° is anhydrous). The rose sulphide is much more soluble in 

 chlorhydrate of ammonia. These sulphides are thought isomeric 

 modifications of one and the same body, more or less hydrated. 

 — Reply to remarks of M. Chevreul concerning the phosphor- 

 escence of organic bodies, by M. Radziszewski. He adduces 

 some facts showing that in phosphorescence the slowness of the 

 reaction is an essential condition, though to define the maximum 

 and minimum limits would be difficult at present — Two cases of 

 aneurism of the bend of the elbow treated successfully with the anti- 

 septic ligature of catgut, byM. Boeckel. — On some abnormal fe- 

 cundations in star fish, by M. Fol. — On the distribution of carbonic 

 acid of the blood between the red corpuscles and the serum, by M. 

 Fredericq, It is generally said that all orrnearly all the carbonic 

 acid held in the blood is in the serum (or plasma) in the state of 

 combination or solution. Examining venous horae-blood, the 

 author found the red corpuscles capable of absorbing a consider- 

 able quantity of CO.^, though always less than that taken by an 

 equal volume of serum (about a half less). Passing a current of 

 CO2 through the blood, the excess seemed to be distributed 

 equally between the corpuscles and the serum. While blood can 

 be almost directly deprived of its gases by vacuum and heat ; it is 

 quite otherwise with serum, which, after such treatment, will 

 give a fresh liberation of CO^, when treated with phosphoric acid 

 newly boiled. This invalidates some of MM. Mathieu and 

 Urbain's results.— On the rdle of stomates arid cuticular respira- 



tion, by M. Barthelemy. He thinks M. Merget's recent ex- 

 periments overlook the most important factor in the case, viz. , 

 the living being submitted to experiment, the leaves having been 

 detached from the plant and submitted to various vapours. — Ob- 

 servations of globular lightning formed and bursting without 

 sound above a layer of clouds, by M. Blanc. The apparent 

 diameter of the balls at 1 8 k. distance was l° ; they were reddish 

 or yellow, but always white on bursting ; they went horizon- 

 tally, and looked like immense soap bubbles. 



Vienna 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences, March i. — The following 

 among other papers were read : — Main outlines of a theory of 

 the sense of temperature, by M. Herzog. — Researches on the 

 Tunicata of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, by M. Heller. 

 The freely-moving Salpse and Salpse-like Ascidians, which are 

 numerous in the Mediterranean, are almost wholly wanting in 

 the Adriatic. — On normal hexy lie alcohol and normal oenanthylic 

 acid, by M. Janecck. — Researches on the extension of the tonic 

 vascular nerve-centres in the spinal cord of the dog, by M. 

 Strieker. — The development of the antheridium of Anthoceros, 

 by M. Waldner. — OnRanvier's representation of bone-structure, 

 with remarks on the use of a Nicol in microscopic researches, 

 by M, Ebner. —On metanitro- and metamido-benzacetylic acid ; 

 on the action of animal charcoal on salts ; on solution of sulphur 

 in acetic acid ;'and on demonstration of fuchsine in wine, by Dr. 

 Liebermann. Fuchsine solutions give very characteristic absorp- 

 tion bands, in the spectrum, between yellow and green. Fuchsine 

 may be detected even with a dilution of i : 500,000.— Note 

 on molecular transformations, by M. v. Sonstorff. Iodine crys- 

 tals kept eight years in a glass vessel were found to grow by 

 volatilisation and subsequent condensation. Amorphous phos- 

 phorus passed, in part, into the crystalline state. — On the origin 

 of the zodiacal light, byM. Noe. — Behaviour of calcium-phos- 

 phate towards sugar solutions, by M. Krasan. — On new Rudista 

 from the Bohemian chalk formation, by M. Teller. — On the 

 Sarmatian deposits between the Danube and the Timok, by M. 

 Toula. — Researches on the etiology of Pelorian flower-forms, by 

 M. Peyritsch. — On a new method of determining the internal 

 resistance of galvanic batteries, by M. Fleischl. The two like 

 poles of two equal elements (of the kind to be measured) are 

 connected, and the resistance of this currentless combinaation is 

 then compared with a known resistance. — On the geological 

 character of the Isthmus of Suez ; the pliocene formations of 

 Zante and Corfu, the nature of the Sarmatian formation and 

 its analogies in the present and in earlier geological epochs, by 

 M. Fuchs. The fauna of the Red Sea and Mediterranean are 

 very different, but they appear to have been so also before the 

 isthmus arose. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Arctic Blue-Book 505 



Anthracen ... 507 



Our Book Sheuj : — 



Jewitt's " Half-Hours among some English Antiquities "... 508 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



Centralism in Spectroscopy. — Prof. Piazzi Smyth 508 



Parhelia and Paraselenas seen on March 20, 1877, and again on 

 March 21, 1877, at Highfield House Observatory. — E. J. Lowe 



( With Illustrations) 508 



Owens College. — W. Ste.\d.man Aldis 509 



The Suspected Intra-Mercurial Planet ; Occultationof Kappa Gemi- 



norum. — J. Birmingham 509 



a Centauri. — Maxwell Hall , 510 



The Boomerang. — Arthur Nicols 510 



Is Meteorology a Science? — Ralph Abercromby 510 



Atmospheric Currents. — Joseph John Murphy , 510 



The Germ Theory. — Dr. T. Maclagan 511 



Sexuality IN Plants. By W. R McNab 511 



Typical Laws of Heredity, II. By Francis Galton, F.R. S. 



(With Illustrations) 51a 



On the Simplest Continuous Manifoldness of two Dimensions 

 AND OF Finite Extent. By F. W. Fkankland (With Illustra- 

 tions) 515 



Hydrography OF West Central Africa 517 



The London Industrial University ..." 518 



OuK Astronomical Column : — 



The Opposition of Mars in 1892 . 519 



The Comet 1873 II. (Tempel, July 3) 520 



New Comet . 520 



Chemical Notes ; — 



The New Metals Ilmenium and Neptunium 520 



Absorption of Hydrogen by Organic Substances under the Influ- 

 ence of the Silent Discharge 520 



Phosphorus Pentafluoride 521 



Molecular Volumes of Sulphates and Selenates ....>.. sai 



Contributions to the Theory of Luminous Flames 521 



Notes 531 



Societies AND Academies . t t . • ■ • 523 



