April 18, 1878] 



NATURE 



499 



discernible. Lastly, there is only t) lines absorption. The blue 

 and the streak of green light at first observed seem to the authors 

 due to luminosity of the vapour itself, where it is somewhat 

 cooled, the la'er stages being mixed phenomena of ;absorption 

 and emission. 



As the absorption line, with wave-length about 5,510, has not 

 been distinctly recorded by other observers, they have endea- 

 voured to trace it under somewhat different conditions from that 

 of the vapour volatilised in white hot-iron tubes. This absorp- 

 tion-line is easily seen when a gas-flame is observed through a 

 horizontal glass tube, about three inches long, containing sodium 

 volatilised in the middle of the tube by the heat of a Hunsen's 

 burner, and equally well whether the tube contains hydrogen or 

 nitrogen, besides sodium. They have also observed the same 

 absorption- line when a piece of commercial magnesium ribbon 

 (which always contains sodium) is ignited in a horizontal posi- 

 tion, so that the metal melts and produces an elongated flame. 

 It is of some interest to note that absorption-lines of about this 

 wave-length, in the solar spectrum, are given by Kirchhoff and 

 Angstrom not corresponding with emission lines of known 

 elementary bodies. 



When potassium vapour is observed, whether in the iron tube 

 or in a glass tube, an absorption-line is seen, with a wave-length 

 of about 5,730, which is more refrangible than the yellow double 

 emission line of potassium, and does not correspond to any 

 known bright line of that metal. 



They reserve, for a future communication, the discussion of 

 the identity or non-identity of these absorption-lines with lines in 

 the solar spectrum and the inferences which may be drawn from 

 such determination. 



The method of observation described may be used to observe 

 emission- spectra as well as absorption-spectra, for if the closed 

 end of the tube be placed against the bars of the furnace so as to 

 be relatively cooler than the middle of the tube, the light 

 emitted by the vapours in the hottest part is more intense than 

 that emitted by the bottom of the tube. This succeeds admir- 

 ably with sodium, but they have not specially observed it with 

 other vapours. 



Chemical Society, March 22. — Dr. Gladstone, president, in 

 the chair. — The following papers were read : — On aromatic 

 nitrosamines, by Dr. O. N. Witt. The author gives an account 

 of his study of some complicated reactions of diphenylnitrosa- 

 mine. He has found that ordinary ethylic nitrite contains nitric 

 acic, and has therefore used mixtures of pure amylic nitrite and 

 nitric acid for acting on diphenylamlne, and has obtained mono- 

 nitrodiphenylnitrosamine in light yellow plates melting at 133 '5" 

 C. , and two bodies which, on the removal of their nitroso groups, 

 yielded dinitrodiphenyamine and an isomeric substance. The final 

 product of the action of strong nitric acid is hexanitrodiphenyl- 

 amine. — Thenext paper was on a new process for the volumetric 

 estimation of cyanides, by J. B. Hannay. The cyanide is dis- 

 solved in water, and the solution rendered alkaline by ammonia. 

 A standard solution of mercuric chloride is run in with constant 

 stirring until the liquid is distinctly opalescent. The end reac- 

 tion is sharply marked and very delicate. The presence of silver 

 does not interfere, so that the process can be used for estimating 

 the cyanides present in a plating bath. — The last paper was on 

 certain bismuth compounds, Part 7, by M. M. P. Muir. The 

 author has compared the behaviour of bismuthous and phos- 

 phorous chlorides in certain reactions ; the latter substance acts 

 as a reducing agent in some cases in which the former does not 

 exert any such action. The author has also studied two oxalates of 

 bismuth, the production of the so-called bismuthates, and some 

 experiments with bismuthous iodide. — Mr. Williams exhibited a 

 fine sample 24 oz. of natural salicylic acid, also about one gallon 

 of pure methylic alcohol. 



Linnean Society, March 21.— W. Carruthers, F.R.S., vice- 

 president, in the chair. — Mr. G. T. Saul exhibited an example 

 of the enormous development of adventitious roots from a species 

 of Baberis.—On behalf of Mr. J. Willis Clark of Cambridge, 

 there was exhibited mounted specimens of the male, female, and 

 young of the fur-bearing seal of the North Pacific. Mention 

 was made of the "rookeries" of these creatures, containing over 

 3,000,000 seals in a compact area. Like old Turks, a male 

 dominates over a harem of a dozen or fifteen females, which he 

 guards with jealous care, for two months or more, never stirring 

 from the spot, and meantime fights terrific battles for its main- 

 tenance. A neutral zone exists to the rear of the breeding- 

 grounds, where the enforced bachelors and adolescent yoving 

 of both sexes repair. These come and go continuously, passing 



to and fro through free lanes of ]>assage. Others of thes« 

 animals delight in dashing among the breakers on the surf, or in 

 droves frolic and play on the sand and grassy dunes adjoining 

 the more rocky ground of the "rookery." The method of 

 shaving the fleshy side of the skin, thus cutting loose the roots of 

 the long coarse hairs, and retaining the .superficial fine fur of 

 commerce was explained, as also other interesting points in the 

 economy and natural history of the Otaries. — The Secretary read 

 the gist of a paper on the venation of the leaf of hemlock 

 [Conium maculatum), by Mr. J. Gorham. The latter's observa- 

 tions show that in a piece \ inch long, by \ inch wide, by regis- 

 tration of the veinlets in a tabular form, and constructing these in 

 figure, an exact counterpart of the venation of the entire leaf 

 results. Comparisons of leaves of different umbelliferous 

 genera prove that each can be detected and recognised from 

 the merest fragment. — A communication was made by Mr. B. 

 Clarke on a new arrangement of the classes of zoology, founded 

 on the position of the oviducts, or when these are absent on the 

 position of the ovaries, including a new mode of arranging the 

 mammalia. — A notice in abstract was given on some genera of the 

 01acace£E, by Mr. J. Miers. lie describes a new genus, Rhaptarr- 

 hena, from Brazil, allied to Aptandra ; also three other genera, My- 

 oschilos, Arjona, and Quinchamalium, which possess a distinct 

 though small calyx and separate calycle. — The Rev. M. J, Berkeley 

 and Mr. C. E. Broome gave a list of fungi from Brisbane, Queens- 

 land. Among these Agarics, Clavarei, and fleshy fungi are 

 scarce ; interesting forms of Polyporei obtain while leaf-parasites 

 are poorly represented. Some species are identical with Ceylon 

 and South American kinds, and several are common to Europe. 

 — The following gentlemen were elected Fellows of the 

 Society :— John Evans, F.R.S., C. P. Ogilvie, Arthur Veitch, 

 and Sydney II. Vines, B.A. 



Zoological Society, March 19. — Mr. Arthur Grotc, vice- 

 president, in the chair. — The Secretary exhibited the type speci- 

 men of Dicrurus tnarginattis of Blyth, and pointed out its 

 identity with Muscipipra vettda (fam. Tyrannidas). — Mr. J. W. 

 Clark, F.Z.S., exhibited and made remarks on some stuffed 

 specimens of the Sea Lion (Otaria ursina) of the Prybylov 

 Islands, which had been presented to the Museum of the Uni- 

 versity of Cambridge by the Alaska Commercial Company. — A 

 communication was read from the Marquis of Tweeddale, 

 F.R.S., containing the sixth of his contributions to the ornitho- 

 logy of the Philippines. The present memoir gave an account 

 of the collections made by Mr. A. II. Everett in the Island of 

 Leyte.— Mr. P. L. Sclater, F.R.S., read a report on the collec- 

 tion of birds made during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger, in 

 the Sandwich Islands, and pointed out the characters of a new 

 species of duck, of which it contained specimens, and which he 

 proposed to call Anas wyvUliana.—K communication was read 

 from Mr. W. A. Forbes, F.Z.S., containing notes on a snail 

 collection of birds from the Samoan Islands and the Island of 

 Rotumah, Central Pacific. — A communication was read from 

 Mr. F. Nicholson, F.Z.S., containing a list of the birds collected 

 by Mr. E. C. Buxton, at Darra Salam, on the Coast of 

 Zanzibar. — Messrs. F. Du Cane Godman and Osbert Salvin 

 gave descriptions of new species of Central American butterflies 

 of the family Erycinidae.— Prof. A. II. Garrod, P\R.S., read 

 some notes on the visceral anatomy of Lycaon ptctus and Nyc- 

 tereutes procyonides. — A communication was read from Mr. 

 Andrew Anderson, F.Z.S., containing the description of a new 

 Indian Prinia, obtained in the Bagesur Valley, North-Western 

 Himalayahs, which he proposed to name Prinia poliocephala. 



Meteorological Society, March '20.— Mr. C Greaves, 

 president, in the chair.— Mr. B. L. Smith was elected a Fellow. 

 —The discussion on Dr. Tripe's paper on the winter climate of 

 some English sea-side health resorts was resumed and concluded, 

 after which the following papers were read :— Notes on a water- 

 spout, by Capt. W. Watson, F.M.S.— Notes on the occurrence 

 of globular lightning and of waterspouts in Co. Donegal, Ireland, 

 by M. Fitzgerald.— Observations of rainfall at sea, by W. T. 

 Black.— The discussion on the subject of waterspouts and 

 globular lightning was adjourned till the next meeting, on 

 April 17. 



Anthropological Institute, March 26.— Mr. John Evans, 

 D.C.L., F.R.S., president, in the chair.— The followmg new 

 members were announced :— Dr. Sebastian Evans anl Dr. 

 Allen Thomson, F.R.S.— A paper was read by Mr. Francis A. 

 Allen on the O' iginal range of the Papuan r.ice. This paper was 

 a brief rhumc of the opinions hell by ma-^y airh'o,.ologtst» 



