512 



NATURE 



{Sept. 20, 1888 



Rendiconti del Reale Istituto Lombardo, July. — Contribution 

 to the study of unilateral hallucinations, by Prof. A. Raggi. 

 Reference is made to two cases of what may be called "one- 

 sided" hallucination, in one of which the left ear, in the other 

 the left eye, was affected, the corresponding organs on the 

 opposite side remaining perfectly sound. The complex character 

 of the phenomena described, as well as their distinctly psycho- 

 logical nature, left no doubt that these were cases of true 

 hallucination, although a subordinate influence in their production 

 might possibly be attributed to the state of the organs themselves. 

 On the other hand, mention was made of a somewhat doubtful 

 case of double hallucination as connected with the same order of 

 mental phenomena. 



Bulletin de V Academie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Pkersbourg, 

 tome xxxii., No. 2. — On the regularity of the structure of conti- 

 nents, by A. Karpinsky (in German).— On a journey to the 

 Karaites of the western provinces of Russia, by W. Radloff (in 

 German). Those of Troki in Lithuania, Lntsk, and Kovno, are 

 speaking a Turkish dialect with a considerable admixture of 

 Polish, Lithuanian, and White-Russian words. — Supplementary 

 notes with regard to the catalogue of stars published by the 

 Pulkova Observatory, by O. Backlund. — Researches into the 

 energy of chemical combination, by N. Beketoff (in French), 

 being a continuation of former researches, now extended to 

 potassium and lithium oxides. — On the polarization-photometer 

 and its application to technical purposes, by H. Wild. — On the 

 influence of iodoform and iodine on the isobutylate of natrium, 

 by A. Gorboflf and A. Kessler. — Notes on the new edition of the 

 " Mi'jar i Jamali," published at Kazan in 1887, byC. Salemann, 

 with a plate showing the kinship of various Persian dialects (all 

 in German). 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, September 10. — M. Des Cloizeaux 

 in the chair. — Remark on a point in the theory of secular 

 irregularities, by M. F. Tisserand. The reference is to Le 

 Verrier's statement regarding the stability of the planetary 

 system, in connection with a certain position between Jupiter 

 and the sun, determined at about double the distance of the 

 earth from the sun. An attempt is made to ascertain whether 

 there exists an analogous position, in which the originally slight 

 eccentricity of the orbit of a small mass might gradually assume 

 proportions calculated to disturb the general equilibrium of the 

 system. — The French vines, by M. A. Chatin. The treatment 

 is described, by which a vineyard at Meyzieux, Isere, has been 

 preserved, like a green oasis, in the midst of the wilderness 

 created round about by the combined attacks of Phylloxera, 

 mildew, and black rot. The treatment consists partly in a 

 systematic process of nippings (eborgnements), partly in the ap- 

 plication of a strong manure, including granulated phosphorus 

 and products, with a base of nitrogen, potassa, and lime. — 

 Degrees of oxidation in the fluorescent compounds of chromium 

 and manganese (continued), by M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. 

 Several experiments are described tending to show that the 

 pink compound is the real cause of the fluorescence. — Observa- 

 tions of Barnard's new comet, made at the Paris Observatory 

 (equatorial of the West Tower), by M. G. Bigourdan. This 

 comet, discovered on September 2 at the Lick Observatory, 

 showed on September 5 a round nebulosity from 1' to i''5 in 

 diameter, with somewhat stellar nucleus of 1 1 '5-12 magnitude, 

 not occupying the centre of the nebulosity. — Positions of Brooks's 

 comet (August 7, 1888), measured at the Observatory of Be- 

 sancon, by M. Gruey. The observations are for August 9-12, 

 when the magnitude varied from 7 to 9. — On the planet Mars, 

 by M. Perrotin. These remarks are made in connection with 

 four new designs of Mars, forming a sequel to those published 

 in the Comptes rendus of July 16. They still show the two 

 canals — one simple, one double — running from the equatorial 

 region nearly along the meridian towards the North Pole. A 

 new canal is also revealed which presents the appearance of a 

 straight dark band traversing the white Polar ice-cap. — On the 

 chlorides of indium, by MM. L. F. Nilson and Otto Pettersson. 

 To the previously-determined trichloride, InCl 3 the authors here 

 add three distinct and stable chlorides. These are a trichloride, 

 InCl 3 , a dichloride, InCl 2 , and a monochloride, InCl, showing 

 that a metal of the third group in the natural system of the 

 elements may act as a mono-, a di-, and a tri-valent in clearly- 

 defined combinations. — On the part played by symbiosis in 



certain luminous marine animals, by M. Raphael Dubois. In 

 previous communications the authors showed that the funda- 

 mental reaction necessary to produce animal luminosity was of 

 the same order as those effected under the action of the ferments. 

 Their further studies of Bacillus pholas and Bacterium pelagia, 

 the respective parasites of Pholas dactylus and Pelagia noctiluca, 

 enable them to reconcile their theory of photogenous fermenta- 

 tion with the hypothesis of the oxidation of a phosphorated sub- 

 stance, as proposed by some biologists. These researches also 

 help to explain how marine phosphorescence may be caused by 

 the disintegration of marine animals, and how this phenomenon 

 may cease or reappear, and assume various degrees of intensity, 

 according to circumstances. — On the myelocytes of the Inverte- 

 brates, by M. Joannes Chatin. Hitherto spoken of as present 

 in the organism of the Vertebrates alone, the author here shows 

 that the myelocyte formation occurs also in the Invertebrates. 

 He makes it evident that they cannot be assimilated to free 

 nuclei, but represent true cellules normally constructed, with all 

 their essential parts. He further points out that the intimate 

 structure and real nature of the myelocytes may be studied 

 much more conveniently in the lower than in the higher 

 organisms. — On Heterodera schachtii, by M. Willot. In con- 

 nection with his recent communication (Comptes rendus, 

 August 3), on the destruction of this micro-organism by sea- 

 water, the author points out that Dr. Strubell, of the University 

 of Erlangen, has independently, but subsequently, made the 

 same discovery. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Chambers's Encyclopaedia, vol. ii., new edition (Chambers). — British Dogs, 

 No. 23 : H. Dalziel (Upcott Gill) — The Constants of Nature, Part 1, A 

 Table of Specific Gravity for Solids and Liquids : F. W. Clarke (Washirg- 

 ton). — Index to the Literature of the Spectroscope : A. Tuckerman (Washing- 

 ton). — Biologia Centrali-Americana : Insecta — Coleoptera, vol. i. Part 2 : D..j 

 Sharp. — The Electrical Engineer, vol. i. — Examples and Examination 

 Papers in Elementary Physics: W. Gallatly (Geo. Bell). — Massage and 

 Allied Methods of Treatment, 2nd edition : H. Tibbits (Churchill).— British 

 Mosses. 2 vols., new edition : F. E. Tripp (Geo. Bell). — Memorial of Asa 

 Gray (Cambridge. Mass.) — Index to the Literature of Columbium, 1801 t<H 

 1887: F. W. Traphagen (Washington). — Annals of Botany, August (Frowde). 



CONTENTS. pack 



A Text-book of Physiology. By Dr. L. C. 



Wooldridge 489 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Preyer : " The Mind of the Child" 490 



Hall and Knight : " Arithmetical Exercises " . . . . 490 

 Henchie : " An Elementary Treatise on Mensuration " 490 

 Letters to the Editor: — 



Lamarckism versus Darwinism. — Prof. George J. 



Romanes, F. R.S 490 



Mr. Gulick on Divergent Evolution. — Dr. Alfred R. 



Wallace 490 



The Death of Clausius.— Prof. Geo. Fras. Fitz- 

 gerald, F.R.S 491 



The March Storms.— H. C. Russell, F.R.S. . . . 491 

 International Meteorology. By Robt. H. Scott, 



F.R.S 491 



The Norwegian Greenland Expedition 492 



The Centenary of the Calcutta Botanic Garden . 493 

 The British Association ■ — 



Section G — Mechanical Science. — Opening Address 

 by William Henry Preece, F.R.S., M.Inst. 



C. E. , President of the Section 494 



Notes 499 1 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet 1888 c (Brooks) 503 



Discovery of a New Comet, 1888 e 503 



Comet 1888 d (Faye) | 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1888 



September 23-29 



The International Geological Congress. By Prof. 



J. Prestwich, F.R.S 



On the Constitution and Structure of the Crystal- 

 line Schists of the Western Alps. By Prof. Ch. 



Lory 



The Electric Transmission of Power. By Prof. 



Ayrton, F.R.S 



Scientific Serials 



Societies and Academies 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 



