356 



l\fA T'URE 



IFeb. 28, 187^ 



to be due to a variation in the total and relative amounts of these 

 two substances as shown by a series of comparative analyses. 

 The paper concluded with some remarks on the bearing -of these 

 facts on ethnology, and with a consideration of the probable 

 explanation of certain changes in the colour of hair occasionally 

 met with, but not yet fully understood. — The Director then read 

 a paper by the Hon. Chas. C. Jones, jun,, on bird-shaped mounds 

 in Putnam County, Georgia. 



Meteorological Society, February 20. — Mr. C. Greaves, 

 F.G. S., president, in the chair. — Dr. Tripe read a paper on 

 the winter climate of some English sea-side health resorts. The 

 places selected were Scilly, Torquay, Penzance, Guernsey, 

 Barnstaple, Ventnor, Llandudno, Ramsgate, and Hastings, and 

 the climatic features of each were compared with those of 

 London. The results of this discussion may be briefly summed 

 up as follows, viz. : — The mean daily winter temperature of these 

 seaside places, and especially of those situated on the coast of 

 Devon and Scilly, is higher than at London ; the mean daily 

 maxima and minima are also higher, and especially the latter ; 

 so that the daily and monthly ranges of temperature are smaller ; 

 the mean humidity is less, the general direction [of the wind 

 about the same, bat the number of rainy days and the rainfall 

 are greater at the sea-side. As regards the wind, therefore, the 

 chief point to be especially noticed is the amount of shelter 

 afforded by high land, as at Ventnor, and especially of protec- 

 tion against the stormy and cold winds which ordinarily prevail 

 at the end of February and in March. The soil also should be 

 considered, as heavy rains at gravelly and chalky places are not 

 £0 objectionable as on clayey ground, — The discussion on this 

 paper was adjourned until the next meeting, which will be held 

 on MarcH 20. — The following were elected Fellows of the 

 Society :— W. C. Baker, W. Berridge, W. M. Burke, Rev. 

 J. A. L. Campbell, Prof. J. Eliot, Lieut. C. S. F. Fagan, C. 

 H. Holden, Prof. H. J. S. Smith, Capt. W. Watson, C. 

 WooUett, and Miss E. A. Ormerod. ■ 



Institution of Civil Engineers, February 12. — Mr. Bate- 

 man, president, in the chair. — The paper read was on the eva- 

 porative power of locomotive boilers, by Mr, J. A. Longridge, 

 M. Inst. C.E. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, February 18. — M. Fizeau in the 

 chair. — The President gave an account of the funeral of M. 

 Claude Bernard on the i6th inst., and the discourses pronounced 

 by MM. Dumas, Mezieres, and others. (These are published in 

 the Cotnptes Rendus) — Meridian observations of small planets at 

 the Greenwich and Paris Observatories during the fourth quarter 

 of 1877, by M. Villarceau. — On some applications of elliptic 

 functions (continued), by M. Hermite.— Experimental researches 

 on the fractures traversing the earth's crust, especially those 

 known as joints and faults (continued), by M. Daubree. His 

 object is to show that torsion may account for many of those 

 effects. — Tibio-calcanean resection, by M. Sedillot. — Refutation 

 of M. Pasteur's criticism of his opinion as to the origin of alco- 

 holic yeast and lactic yeast, by M. Trecul.— The vibrations of 

 matter and the waves of the ether in vision, by M. Fave. 

 — Remarks on the satellites of Mars, by M. Roche. He con- 

 siders the first satellite comparable to the inner ring of Saturn 

 in its origin ; it owes its existence (as satellite) to being 

 a little more separated from its planet. — On the law of reciprocity 

 for invariants and covariants of binary quantics, by Prof. Sylvester. 

 — On MM. Clebsch and Gordon's theory of associated forms, by 

 the same. —Presence of magnetic spherules similar to those of 

 atmospheric dust, in rocks belonging to ancient geological 

 periods, by MM. Meunier and Tissandier. If the identity be 

 admitted, we must infer that the layers of the earth's crust 

 contain materials of cosmic origin which fell in a very distant 

 epoch (such particles are found in the Devonian series). It is 

 important to determine where they first appear. — On the 

 vibratory forms of solid and liquid bodies, h propoi of a note by 

 M. Dubois, by M. Decharme. A claim of priority. — Separation of 

 the non-ferruginous elements of rocks, based on their difference of 

 specific gravity, by M. Thoulet. The specific gravity of most of the 

 essential minerals of rocks varying between 2'2 and 3 : these maybe 

 separated from each other by immersion in solutions which are with- 

 out chemical action on them, but whose specific gravity is comprised 

 between the same limits. Such are solutions of iodide of mercury in 

 iodide of potassium. (Details of the method are given. ) — On the 

 state of phylloxerised vines in the commune of Mezel (Puy-de- 

 Dome),'by M.Truchot. — Theory of Vesta : perturbations dependent 

 on the first power of the perturbing masses, by M. Leveau. — On the 



special conditions in the contour of plates, by M. Boussinesq. — 

 On the conditions for a quadratic form of n differentials to be 

 transformed so that its coefficients lose a part or the whole of 

 the variables they contain, by M. Levy. — On the summatory 

 formula of Maclaurin and interpolar functions, by M. Genocchi. 

 — On"; Bell telephones and string telephones, by M. Breguet. 

 By attaching a string telephone (with parchment membrane) to 

 any point of a Bell telephone, one may hear through it a person 

 using a Bell telephone. Several string telephones may thus be 

 connected. A mode of making the string telephone more prac- 

 ticable is described. — On telephony, by M. Salet. A telephone 

 is described in which the movements of the two membranes are 

 absolutely correspondent, the great electric resistance of liquids 

 being utilised for the purpose. — On the ebullition of superposed 

 liquids, by M. Gernez. — Extraction of gallium, by MM. Lecoq de 

 Boisbaudran and Jungfleisch. The authors had obtained 62 

 grammes of metallic gallium by treating 4,300 kilogrammes of 

 Bensberg blende (the method is described). — Method of volumetric 

 determination of potash, by M. Carnot. — Dissociation of hydrate 

 of chlorine, by M. Isambert. With regard to solubility of chlorine 

 in water, he says that under 9° it is only the hydrate that is formed 

 and dissolved in the water ; above this temperature, at ordinary 

 pressure, there is merely a solution of a gas in the water. Air 

 passed through a solution of chlorine under 9° gradually carries off 

 all the chlorine, as if there was solution and not combination. — 

 Action of chloride of benzoyle on leucine, by M. Destrem. — 

 On the identity of muscular inosite and vegetable sugars of the 

 same composition, by MM. Tanret and Villiers. — On the pre- 

 paration of amylene, by M. Etard. — Experimental reseaiches on 

 the maturation of the grape, by MM. Saint Pierre and Magnien. 

 — On some volatile products of coal-pits set on fire, by M. 

 Mayen^on. He examined efflorescences round the fumeroles 

 (the pits were in the Loire valley). The most abundant sub- 

 stances are ammoniacal compjunds, arsenic, aluminium, iron, 

 chlorine, and sulphur. — On the conditions of development 

 of liguia, by M. Duchamp. — Sensations of light and colour 

 in direct and indirect vision, by MM. Landolt and Char- 

 pentier. — On the geological constitution of the Island of 

 Reunion (first part), by M. Velain. The succession of vol- 

 canic [[phenomena seems to be similar to that at Santorini. — 

 Origin and distribution of limestone in maritime sands, by M. 

 Contejean. — Barometric differences between neighbouringstadons 

 according to the direction of the wind (continued) by M. Renou. 

 — On the flash 'of lightning which caused the burning of the 

 belfry of Toucy (Yonne), on January 25, by M. Roche. 



CONTENTS Page 



Snake Poison 337 



The Beetles of St. Helena. By E. C. RyK 33S 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR :— 



Oxygen in the Sun.— Dr. Henry Draper 339 



Brain of a Fossil Mammal.— Prof. O. C Marsh 340 



Origin of Tracheas in Arthropoda. — H. N. Moselky, F.R.S. . . 340 



The "Phantom" Force, III. — Prof. A. S. Hkrschel .... 340 



Faraday's " Experimental Researches." — Bernard Quaritch . 342 



Singing in the Ear». — Xenos Clark 342 



Meteor. — H. Hatfield 342 



Eucalyptus — Arthur Nicols 342 



Telephone Experiments. — W. Carpmael 342 



Elias Magnus Fries 343 



The Telephone, an Instrument of Precision. By Prof GeoKGE 



Forbes 343 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Lohrmann's Lunar Charts 343 



The Periodical Comet, 1873 II , . . . . 344 



Minor Planets 344 



Biological Notes : — 



The Origin of the Carbon of Plants 344 



Ferns and Mosses 344 



Prof. Grimm on the Fauna of the Caspian 345 



Transformation of Cartilage into Bone 345 



Owls 345 



Algse of the White Sea 345 



Geographical Notes :— 



Lapland 345 



China 346 



Mount Tongariro . , 346 



African Exploration 34^ 



Paris Geographical Society 34^ 



American Geographical Society 34^ 



Maps of the Seat of War 346 



Arctic Exploration 34^ 



Social Electrical Nerves (^r«VA///«i^>-«^2c«) 346 



The Rain-Tree of Moyobamba. By Prof. W. T. Thiselton Dyer 349 



Notes 35° 



On Compass Adjustment in Iron Ships, II. By Sir Wm. Thomson, 



hUD., F-BS. (IVii/i/ausiraiions) 352 



University and Educational Intelligenck ' 354 



Societies and Academies 354 



