96 



NATURE 



{Nov. 24, 1887 



had been recently doing great damage to flour in a warehouse in 

 the East of London. — Mr. A. G. Butler contributed a paper 

 " On the species of the Lepidopterous genus Etichromia ; with 

 descriptions of new species in the collection of the British 

 Museum." — Lord Walsingham communicated a note substituting 

 the generic name Homonymtis for the generic name Ankistro- 

 thorus — which was preoccupied— used in his "Revision of 

 the genera Acrolophus and Anaphora,''^ recently published by the 

 Society. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, November 14. — M. Janssen in the 

 chair. — Note on certain definitions in mechanics, and on the 

 unities in current use, by M. de Freycinet. In supplement to 

 the remarks already made in his treatise on mechanics, the 

 author here deals more fully with the notions involved in such 

 terms s.s force, weight, viass, bulk, and shows that considerable 

 advantage might be gained by slightly modifying the generally 

 accepted unities. Fresh definitions ai-e suggested of the unities 

 of length, volume, weight, force, velocity, &c. — On the state of 

 the potassa present in plants and the soil, and on its quantitative 

 analysis, by MM. Berthelot and Andre. In continuation of a 

 previous communication on this subject, the authors here study 

 the condition and process of analysis of the potassa in living 

 plants, and in the humus produced by their disintegration. — On 

 waterspouts, by M. D. Colladon. In reply to M. Faye's 

 strictures, the author illustrates his views by means of an instan- 

 taneous photograph, showing that under certain conditions two 

 waterspouts may be generated, one ascending, the other descend- 

 ing, and crossing each other. — On MM. Houzeau and Lan- 

 caster's " Bibliographie Generale de 1' Astronomic," by M. Faye. 

 A well-merited eulogium is passed on the authors of this great 

 work, who have earned the lasting gratitude of astronomers for 

 accomplishing their vast undertaking in such a thoroughly satis- 

 factory manner. The Bibliography constitutes a systematized 

 catalogue of all astronomical publications that have appeared 

 from the remotest times down to the present day. Although 

 not absolutely exhaustive, the omissions do not appear on exa- 

 mination to be very numerous ; but unfortunately only 300 copies 

 have been issued of a work which should find a place in every 

 Observatory and in every scientific library in the world. M. 

 Houzeau has enriched the first volume with a valuable philo- 

 sophic history of astronomy, which will be found extremely 

 interesting, especially to those students who have been unable 

 to follow the recent discoveries of specialists on the state of 

 astronomical science amongst the Egyptians, Assyrians, and other 

 ancient peoples. — New nebulae discovered at the Observatory of 

 Paris, by M. G. Bigourdan. These discoveries have been made 

 during the years 1884-87 with the equatorial of the West Tower. 

 Most of the nebulae are very weak, and some, indicated as more 

 or less stellar, might, strictly speaking, be regarded as simple 

 stars, it being often quite impossible to distinguish between a 

 small nebula and a star of small magnitude. The positions are 

 approximately given for the mean equinox of i860 "o, in order to 

 facilitate comparison with J. Herschel's "General Catalogue of 

 Nebulae and Clusters of Stars," and its supplement by Dreyer. 

 — On the theory of magnetism, by M. P. Duhem. From a 

 comparative study of magnetic and diamagnetic bodies the 

 theorem is deduced that all magnetic bodies are attracted from 

 great distances by permanent magnets, but that nothing can be 

 affirmed regarding diamagnetic bodies. A theorem is also 

 established which sets forth the difference between magnetic and 

 diamagnetic bodies, and some remarks are appended regarding 

 the magnetizing of crystals. — Measurement of the heights and 

 movements of clouds in Spitzbergen and Upsala, by M. Nils 

 Ekholin. These comparative studies are based on fifty meteoro- 

 logical observations taken during the Swedish expedition of 

 1882-83 to Spitzbergen, conducted by the author. — On a new 

 method of formation of safranines, by MM. Ph. Barbier and 

 Leo Vignon. Having in a previous communication explained a 

 special method of forming substituted safranines, the authors 

 here describe a new process for producing phenosafranine and 

 its homologues. — On a new artificial serum intended to dilute 

 the blood for the purpose of counting its globules, by M. Mayet. 

 For the serum here described it is claimed that it is free from the 

 disadvantages of others in general use. It consists of distilled 

 water, 100 gr. ; neutral phosphate of anhydrous and pure sodium, 

 2gr. ; with cane sugar to raise the density of the liquid to 1*085. 

 — On antipyrine as a remedy against sea-sickness, by M. 

 Eugene Dupuy. The author declares that for some time back 



he has successfully employed this substance as a prophylactic 

 against sea-sickness. He recommends a dose of 3 gr. to be 

 taken daily for three days before sailing, to be continued if 

 necessary during the voyage. Without claiming to have dis- 

 covered an absolute specific, he considers that the success 

 hitherto attending the use of antipyrine justifies the hope that in 

 this substance we possess a more or less efficacious remedy against 

 one of the chief terrors of travelling by sea. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



A Dictionary of Place-Names : C. Blacki^, 3rd edition (Murray).— Report 

 of the Commissioner of Agriculture, 1885 (Washington). — The Cremation of 

 the Dead : Dr. H. Erichsen (Haynes, Detroit). — Djwn the Great River : 

 Capt. W. Glazier (Hubbard, Philadelphia). — The Creator, and what we may 

 know of the Method of Creation : Dr. W. H. Dallinger (Woolmer). — Primo 

 Saggio sui Ragni Birmani : Prof. T. Thorell (Genova). — Le Pe'trole : W. de 

 Fonvielle (Hachette). — Ants, Bees, Dragon-Flies, Earwigs, Crickets,and Flies : 

 W. H. Bath(3onnenschein). — Through Central Asia : Dr. H. Lansdell (Low). 

 — The Volcanic Origin of Epidemics ; Are Epidemics Contagious ? Dr. J. 

 Parkin (Low). — Bulletm of the U.S. Fish Commission, vol. vi., i886(\Vasii- 

 ington). — Mineralogy: F. Rutley(Murby) — A Vertebrate Faunaof Sutherland, 

 Caithness, and West Cromarty : Harvie-Brown and Buckley (Douglas). — Bul- 

 letin of the U.S. National Museum, No. 32, Catalogue of Batrachians and Rep- 

 tiles of Central America and Mexico: E. D. Cope (Washington). — Archiv fiir 

 Pathologische Anatomic und Physi.ologie, und fiir klinische Medicin, Hund. 

 Bandes, Zweites Heft (Reimer, Berlm). — Botanische Jahrbiicher fiir Sys- 

 tenatik.Pflanzengeschichte, und Pflanzengeographie, Neunter Band, ii. Heft 

 (Engelinann, Leipzig). — Transactions of the County of Middlesex Natural 

 History and Science Society, 1886-87 (Mitchell and Hughes). — Records of 

 the Geological Survey of India, vol. xx. part 3. — Bulletin of the California 

 Academy of Sciences, vol. ii. No. 7 — Annalen derPhysik und Chemie,i887, 

 No. II (Leipzig). — Beiblatter zu den Physik und Chemie, 1887, No. 10 

 (Leipzig). — Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. xv. part 1. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Charles Darwin. By Prof. T. G. Bonney, F.R.S. . . 73 

 Our Book Shelf :— 



Roberts: " A Treatise on the Integral Calculus " . . . 75 

 Todhunter : " Solutions to Problems contained in a 



Treatise on Plane Co-ordinate Geometry" 75 



De Bary : " Lectures on Bacteria " 75 



Desmaux : " Mattie's Secret " 76 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Politics and the Presidency of the Royal Society. — Prof. 

 Balfour Stewart, F.R.S. ; Prof. Alex. W. 



Williamson, F.R.S 76 



"TheConspiracy of Silence." — Prof. T. G. Bonney, 



F.R.S 77 



Instability of Freshly-Magnetized Needles. — Prof. 

 Francis E. Nipher ; Prof. Arthur W. Riicker, 



F.R.S 77 



Greek Geometry. — R. T 78 



The Chromosphere. — ^John Evershed, Jun 79 



Perception of Colour. — C. E. Stromeyer 79 



Swifts.— C. B, Witchell 79 



Note on a Madras Micrococcus. — Edgar Thurston . 79 

 Catharinea undulata.— J. Reynolds Vaizey .... 79 

 Researches on Meteorites. II. {Illustrated.) By J. 



Norman Lockyer, F.R.S 80 



Sir Julius von Haast, F.R.S 87 



Notes 87 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



American Observatories 89 



U Ophiuchi 90_ 



The New Algol Variables 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1887 



November 27 — December 3 



Geographical Notes 



Meteorological Notes 



The British Association and Local Societies .... 



The Meteorology of Oxford 



University and Educational Intelligence 



Societies and Academies 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 



