560 



NATURE 



[Oct. 4, 1888 



formation of deposits of manganese ore. — Maxwell's theory of 

 the viscosity of solids and certain features of its physical veri- 

 fication, by Carl Barus. These researches tend to show that 

 Maxwell's theory is a version of Williamson's theoiy of 

 etherification and of Clausius's theory of electrolysis. The 

 transition made is from unstable groupings of atoms to unstable 

 groupings of molecules. But while preserving minutely all the 

 essentials of Maxwell's argument, the experiments here described 

 go one step further, showing that viscosity is a phenomenon 

 evoked by certain changes of molecular structure, the inherent 

 nature of which is ultimately chemical. — On the origin of 

 primary quartz in basalt, by Joseph P. Iddings. Here are 

 described certain specimens of basalt occurring in the vicinity of 

 the Rio Grande Canon, which exhibit a remarkable number of 

 porphyritic grains of quartz. A theory is proposed to account 

 for the possible origin of this porphyritic quartz. — Mineralogical 

 notes, by Geo. F. Kunz. Here are studied some specimens 

 of phenacite and quartz pseudomorphs from Maine, a variety of 

 transparent oligoclase and a cyanite from North Carolina, an 

 apatite from New York, and an aragonite pseudomorph from 

 Arizona. — An appendix of 42 pages contains a complete list of 

 the late Asa Gray's writings, chronologically arranged and dis- 

 posed in three categories: (1) scientific works and articles, 

 1834-83 ; (2) botanical notices and book reviews, 1841-87 ; 

 (3) biographical sketches, obituaries, &c, 1842-88. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



London. 



Entomological Society, September 5. — Dr. D. Sharp, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. Sharp mentioned that he had 

 received, through Prof. Newton, a collection of Coleoptera from 

 St. Kilda, consisting of Caralms catenulatus (1), Nebria brevi- 

 collis (12), N. gyllenhalii (3), Calathus cisteloides (20), Pristony- 

 chus terricola (1), Plerostichus nigrita (71), Pt. niger (31), 

 Amara aulica (4), Ocypus olens (1). The species being nearly 

 all large Geodephaga, he thought probably that many other 

 Coleoptera inhabited the island. He remarked that these 

 specimens showed no signs of depauperation, but were scarcely 

 distinguishable from ordinary English specimens. — Mr. South 

 exhibited a melanic Aplecta nelndosa from Rotherham, bred with 

 five others of ordinary form, and an albino of the same species 

 from Devonshire ; a very curious dark variety of Pi 'ttsia gamma ; 

 two dark varieties of Eubolia limitata from Durham ; Dicro- 

 rhampha consortana from North Devon. — Mr. Champion exhib- 

 ited Harpalus citpreus, Leptusa testacea, and Cathormiocerus 

 maritimus from Sandown, Isle of Wight. — Mr. Elisha exhibited 

 the following Microlepidoptera : CEneana atricapitana, turio- 

 nana, Juliana, derasana, capreana, pomonana, taken off Sorbits 

 aucuparia ; sodaliana, zephyrana, trigeminana ; also Schiffer- 

 mulleriella horridella, alpella, fuscoaurella, therinella, and 

 semidecandrella, on Cerastium tctrandrum. — Mr. Jacoby ex- 

 hibited three boxes of Coleoptera, collected partly by Mr. 

 Fruhstroffer, containing some rare Cetoniadce, Faussida, &c. — 

 Mr. E. Saunders exhibited Amblytylus delicatus, Perr., a new 

 British bug, taken at Woking. — Mr. Jacoby mentioned that he 

 had taken the larva of Vanessa cardui on a narrow white-leaved 

 plant in his garden. — Mr. Enock mentioned that out of a batch 

 of two males and six females of the Hessian Fly kept together, 

 all six females had laid fertile eggs, so that each male must have 

 impregnated more than one female. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, September 24. — M. Des Cloizeaux 

 in the chair. — Generalization of a theorem of Gauss, by M. J. 

 Bertrand. This theorem is thus expressed : Whatever be the 

 attracting body, the mean value of the potential at the different 

 points of a sphere is equal to the relative potential at the centre 

 of the sphere. The demonstration supposes the sphere to be 

 exterior to the attracting body, and the present paper deals with 

 the theorem when this condition is not fulfilled, and it is shown 

 that by substituting for the full sphere a spherical surface the 

 theorem still holds good. — Complement to the theory of over- 

 falls, by M. J. Boussinesq. Various applications are given to 

 the theory established in the previous paper (Comptes rendus, 

 September 17, p. 513) regarding the influence exercised on the 

 discharge by the velocity of the current at the overfall. — Obser- 

 vations of Brooks's comet (August 7), and of Barnard's comet 

 (September 2), made with the C38 m. equatorial at the Obser- 

 vatory of Bordeaux, by MM. G. Rayet and Courty. The 



observations for Brooks's comet are for the period from September 

 5-17, those for Barnard's comet from September 11-17. — 

 On the physiological action of Ilcdwigia balsamifera, by MM. 

 E. Gaucher, Combemale, and Marestang. This plant, which 

 has been classified and described by Descourtilz ("Flore des 

 Antilles," iii. p. 263), belongs to the family of the Terebinth- 

 acese, and grows in the West Indies. The experiments on 

 guinea-pigs and rabbits here described show that the alcoholic 

 extract from the bark of stem and root is highly toxic, a dose of 

 o - i6r gramme proving fatal. The aqueous extract is less toxic 

 than the alcoholic, but both produce rapid and considerable 

 lowering of the temperature, paralysis, and convulsions, spread- 

 ing progressively from the lower part of the marrow to the 

 rachidian bulb. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Lessons in Elementary Physic?, new edition : Balfour Stewart (Macmillan). 

 — Ungdomsskrifter, Forsta Seritn, Korsta Haftet : Carl von Linnes (Stock- 

 holm). — The Frog. 3rd edition : A Milnes Marshall (Cornish, Manchester). 

 — Primer of Micro-Petr >logy : W. Mawer (London). — Memory: F. W. 

 Edridge-Green (Bailliere). — Mathematischen Theorien der Planeten-Beweg- 

 ungen : Dr. O. Dziobek (Barth, Leipzig). — Examples in Physics : D. E. 

 Jones (Macmillan). — A Text-bosk of Physiology, 5th edition. Part 1 : M. 

 Foster (Macmillan). — The Centre of the Central Sea : J. N. Emra (Regan 

 Paul). — Johannes Kepler und der Tellurisch-Kosmische Magnetismus : Dr. 

 S. Giinther (Wien) — Synopsis of the Vertebrate Fauna of the Puerco Series: 

 E. J). Cope (Philadelphia). — Morphologisches Jahrbuch, 14 Band, 2 Heft : 

 C. Gegenbanr (Leipzig). — Zeitschrift fur Wissenschaftliche Zoologie, xlvii. 

 Band, 1 Heft (Leipzig). — Geological Record for 1S80-84 : Topley and Sher- 

 born (Taylor and Francis). — The Calendar of the University College of 

 Wales, Aberystwyth, 1888-S9 (Cornish, Manchester). — The Analyst's Labora- 

 tory Companion: A. E. Johnson (Churchill). — Memoirs and Proceedings of 

 the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. 4th series, vol. 1 (Man- 

 chester). — Photography for All : W. J. Harrison (Iliffe). — Ornamental Water- 

 fowl : Hon. Rose Hubbard (Simpkin) — Jahrbuch der Meteorologischen 

 Beobachtungen der Wetterwartt der Magdeburgischen Zeitung, Jarhgang 

 vi. 1887 (Magdeburg). — Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society 

 of Canada for the Year 1887, vol. v. (Dawson, Montreal). — Catalogue of 

 Variable Stars : S. C. Chandler (Lynn, Mass.) — Report on the Condition of 

 Growing Crops, &c, August (Washington). — La Zoologia de Colon : J. I. de 

 Armas (Habana). — Vierteljahrs-Wetter-Rundschau, Band i. Heft 3 and 4 

 (Mittler. Berlin). — Journal of Morphology, vol. ii. No. 1 (Ginn, Boston). — 

 Mind, October (Williams and Norgate). — -Journal of Anatomy and Physio- 

 logy, October (Williams and Norgate). — The Geological Magazine, October 

 (Tri'ibner). 



CONTENTS. page 



Determinants 537I 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Dawson: " The Geological History of Plants " . . . 538 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



Prophetic Germs.— Prof. E. Ray Lankester, 



F.R.S 539: 



A Shadow and Halo.— E. W. P 540 j 



Sonorous Sands. — A. R. Hunt 540I 



The Report of the Krakatao Committee of the Royal 



Society. I 54c' 



The British Association ; — 



Section H — Anthropology. — Opening Address by 

 Lieut.-General Pitt-Rivers, D.C.L., F.R.S., 

 F.G.S., F.S.A., President of the Section. II. 



{With Maps) 542k 



Section A. — Mathematical and Physical Science . . . 54^! 



The International Geological Congress. II 54c 



Remarks on some of the more Recent Publications 

 dealing with the Crystalline Schists. By Prof. J. 



Lehmann 54' 



The Stratigraphical Succession of the Cambrian 

 Faunas in North America. By Prof. Chas. B. 



Walcott 551 



Notes 55: 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Satellites of Mars 55. 



Total Lunar Eclipse of January 28 55. 



Photometric Observations of Asteroids 55. 



New Catalogue of Variable Stars 55 



Minor Planet No. 275 55. 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1888 



October 7-13 55, 



Geographical Notes 55 



Electrical Notes 55 



Notes on Meteorites. IV. (Illustrated.) By J. 



Norman Lockyer, F.R.S 55 1 



Scientific Serials 55 



Societies and Academies 56 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 561 



