March 8, 1888] 



NATURE 



451 



Here then was the cup or calyx of a definite Vorticellan form, 

 changing into (?) an absolutely different Infusorian, viz. Amphi- 



leptiis anser I 



Now I simply reported ihsfact to the Liverpool Microscopical 

 Society, with no attempt at inference ; but two years after I was 

 able to explain the mystery, for, finding in the same pond both 

 V. convallaria and A. anser, I carefully watched their move- 

 ments, and saw the A inphiiepius seize and struggle with a calyx 

 of convallaria, and absolutely become encysted upon it, with the 

 results that I had reported two years before. 



And there can be no doubt but this is the key to the cases 

 that come to us again and again of minute forms suddenly 

 changing into forms wholly unlike. It is happily amongst the 

 virtues of the man of science to "rejoice in the truth," even 

 though it be found at his expense ; and true workers, earnest 

 seekers for Nature's methods, in the obscurest fields of her 

 action, will not murmur that this source of danger to younger 

 mici-oscopists has been pointed out, or recalled to them. 



And now I bid you as your President farewell. It has been 

 all pleasure to me to serve you. It has enlarged my friendships 

 and my interests ; and although my work has linked me with 

 the Society for many years, I have derived much profit from this 

 more organic union with it ; and it is a source of encourage- 

 ment to me, and will, I am sure, be to you, that, after having 

 done with simple pleasure what I could, I am to be succeeded in 

 this place of honour by so distinguished a student of the pheno- 

 mena of minute life as Dr. Hudson. I can but wish him as 

 happy a tenure of office as mine has been. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. 



American Jonrnal of Ulathmiatics, vol. x. No. 2 (Baltimore, 

 January 1888). — In the opening paper (pp. 99-130), entitled 

 "Soluble Quintic Equations with Commensurable Coefiicients-," 

 G. P. Young develops at some length the application of his 

 general method, described in vol, vi., to the solution of twenty 

 quintic equations, such as x' - loj^ - 20.r^- 1505^: - 7412 = o. 

 — Mr. D. Barcroft discusses (pp. 131-40) forms of non- 

 singular quintic curves. The subject is profusely i'lustrated by 

 drawings of 47 curves on twelve large pages (interpolated between 

 pp. 140 and 141). — F. Morley (pp. 141-48) writes on critic 

 centres in cubics. — The expression of syzygies among perpetuants 

 by [means of partitions, by Captain P. A. MacMahon, R.A. 

 (pp. 149-68), is a very interesting addition to the author's 

 previous papers on the subject. — The number concludes with 

 three short papers : " Demonstration directe de la formule 

 Jacobienne de la transformation cubique," by the Abbe Faa de 

 Bruno ; note on geometric inferences from algebraic sym- 

 metry, by F. Morley; and "Surfaces telles que I'origine se 

 projette sur chaque normale au milieu des centres de courbure 

 principaux " (pp. 175-S6), by P. Appell. 



Rivista Scicniijico-Industriale, January 31. — On chemical 

 valency, by Prof. Fr. Mangini. The probable cause of valency, 

 that is, the varying proportions with which the atoms of the 

 simple bodies combine with hydrogen, or its equivalent chlorine, 

 to form molecules, is here attributed to the varying degrees of 

 motion assumed to be pre-existent and inherent in the atoms 

 themselves. A numerical coincidence is pointed out between 

 the acoustic, luminous, and chemical phenomena, seven being 

 the number of the chief musical notes, of the chief colours in 

 the spectrum, and, as is now generally admitted, of the chemical 

 valencies. It is further to be noted that the temperature re- 

 quired to produce the spectral lines varies with the valencies of 

 the different elements. Thus, a much higher temperature is 

 required for the polyvalent than for the monovalent alkalines, 

 and in all these phenomena a connection is seen to exist between 

 the heat required to show the spectral lines and the quanti- 

 valence of the atoms. Another nexus is found between the allo- 

 tropic state and the number of vibrations needed to produce the 

 spectroscopic phenomena. This highly suggestive paper will be 

 continued in a future number of the Rivista. 



Bulletins de la Socicte iC AntJiropjlogie de Paris, \oxnz x. 

 fasc. 3 (Paris, 1887).— C>n the various methods of measuring the 

 thorax, by Dr. E. Maurel. The writer, in enumerating the 

 various insti-uments in use for this purpose, gives the preference 

 to those designed by MM. Woillez, Niely, and Fonrmentin, by 

 which a graphic representation of the dimensions of the chest 

 is obtained ; although he claims to have improved upon their 



design in an instrument to which he has given the natne 

 stethograph. — On a Breton amulet, calkd " Kistin Spagn," by 

 M. Bonnemere. Under this name the people of Locmariaque 

 treasure a seed, probably a cashew nut, or, according to soBoe, 

 the seed of the mahogacy-tree, which is brought home by 

 Breton sailors. The nut is carefully scraped and boiled in new 

 milk, when it is supposed to be a sovereign remedy against 

 intestinal disorders. By some of the peasant vomen, however, 

 the nut is pierced and worn on a chain, with their keys, sci*SOrs, 

 &c., as an amulet. Singularly enough, it is found that even in 

 Paris these nuts are believed to be specifics against various 

 diseases, more especially the gout, three or four when carried 

 in the trousers pocket being regarded as capable of warding off 

 this malady.— On calves born with so-called bull- dog heads, by 

 M. Dareste. Animals of this description were at one time 

 characterized in South America as constitutii^ a distinct race, 

 but the gradual diminution in their numbers since the cattle of 

 the pampas have acquired a marketable value leads to the 

 inference that th$y are being killed when first dropped, in order 

 to eliminate deformed animals from the herds, and this opinion 

 of the deformity of the so-called " natos-calves " is confirmed 

 by the presence of other abnormahties in all the animals of this 

 description which have been examined in Europe.— On the 

 colour of the hair and eyes in Limagne, near the Monts-de- 

 Dcme, by Dr. Pommerol. These observations refer to 2CO- 

 individuals, and appear to indicate that, taken generally, one- 

 fourth of the population have light hair, and three-fourths dark 

 hair, while light and dark eyes are equally frequent. — On the 

 worship of Taranis in popular traditions of Auvergne, by Dr.. 

 Pommerol. The writer believes that under this name we have 

 the Gallic representative of the supreme god of the heavens, 

 and wielder of thunder and storms ; and that the custom still 

 prevalent in France of building an uncut stone into the gab!e 

 or roof-top of a house, or hammering into the newly finished 

 walls an irregularly formed metal, wooden, or stone cross, or 

 mallet, to keep bad luck from the building, is a survival of the 

 ancient usage of averting evil by the help of emblems connected 

 with the worship of the supreme gods, as Baal's stone, Jupiter's 

 thunderbolt, or Thor's hammer, — Circumcision in its social 

 and religious significance, by M. Lafargue. The fact that this 

 rite was practised among the Egyptians long before its adoption 

 by the Hebrews has led to the inference that its practice was 

 due to hygienic considerations only. But the author believes 

 that we have here merely one of the numerous forms of 

 mutilations submitted to by prim^eval men with a view of 

 propitiating their deities, and of which we have such varied and 

 striking evidence among different peoples, as the Assyrians ar.d 

 Aztecs, as well as among the black races ; while survivals of 

 similar faith in the efficacy of voluntarily inflicted suffering and 

 mutilation are to be traced in the mythology of the Greeks and 

 Romans.^ — On the influence of their surrounding medium on the 

 peoples of Central Asia, by M. de Ujfalvy. Referring to the 

 services recently rendered to science by Kichthofen in unravelling 

 the tissue of misconceptions in regard to the geognosy of 

 Central Asia, due to the theories of Humboldt, Klaproth, ai d 

 others, the writer considers the influence which the soil and 

 their surroundings have had on the inhabitants of the four 

 distinct zones into which the first-named of these savants has 

 subdivided the Asiatic continent. Thus, while the central 

 zone, by the general levelling of the surface through the 

 chemical disintegration of the rocks, and the absence of streams- 

 to enrich the soil, compels men to follow a nomadic, or pastoral,, 

 rather than a settled life, the peripheral zone abounds in rich 

 and fertile lands, yielding abundant" opportunities for the 

 exercise of human industry, and a corresponding advance in 

 mental and social development. The intermediate zones 

 correspond ethnographically with the transitional character of 

 their geognostic features. Next to the extraordinary influence 

 of the varied configurations of Asia on the destinies of its in- 

 habitants, M. de Ujfalvy points out the importance of loess form- 

 ations as factors in determining the spread and establishment of 

 civilization. This part of the subject is treated at great length, 

 and deser\'es the careful attention of the palreologist no tess 

 than the student of ethnography, seeing that the loess consti- 

 tutes an important agent in the preservation of the animal 

 and industrial remains of prehistoric ages. — On the nervous 

 system, considered from a physico-chemical point of view, by 

 Dr. Fauvelle. Here the nervous s} stem of man is regarded'as a 

 physical apparatus, presenting certain analogies with an electric 

 pile.— Anthropology^ and philology, with reference to the 



