454 



NA TURE 



{March 8, 1888 



theoretical considerations, but the results as yet deduced would 

 not lead the authors to anticipate the equal efficiency found 

 experimentally. An interesting discussion followed, in which 

 Mr. Swinburne, Prof. S. P. Thompson, Mr. Boys, and the 

 authors took part. — Observations of the height, length, and 

 •velocity of ocean waves, by the Hon. Ralph Abercomby. 

 Several sets of observations were made by the author in the 

 South Pacific in 1885. The heights were measured by a 

 sensitive ameroid, and the length and velocity by a chronograph, 

 assuming the length and speed of the vessel to be known. The 

 largest waves observed in a heavy sea gave a height of 46 feet, 

 length 765 feet, velocity 47 miles per hour, and time period of 

 l6"5 sees. Great discrepancies exist between the results of 

 different observers, which the author believes to be chiefly due 

 to the comparative rarity of well-defined simple waves. Reply- 

 ing to a question from Mr. Baily, the author said the effect on 

 the barometer of the difference of wind pressure -on the two 

 sides of a wave was negligible. — On the temperature at which 

 ■nickel begins suddenly to lose its magnetic properties, by Mr. 

 Herbert Tomlinson. Different authorities give different values, 

 ranging from about 300" to 400° C. In investigating the subject 

 the author found that the said temperature depends on the 

 magnetizing force used; e.g. with magnetizing forces of 5, 99, 

 and 182 units, the temperatures at which the permeability attained 

 its maxima were 287° C, 248° C, and 242° C, and those corre- 

 sponding to permeability = o were 333°, 392°, and 4 1 2° respectively. 

 From the above results it will be seen that for small magnetizing 

 forces the change of permeability from maximum to o is much 

 more sudden than for the greater forces. As in iron, the per- 

 meability decreases as the magnetizing force increases. An 

 experiment was shown in which a nickel plated brass wire was 

 heated to dull redness whilst suspended between the poles of an 

 electro-magnet, and allowed to cool. When the critical tem- 

 perature was attained, the wire was suddenly attracted to one or 

 other of the poles. In reply to Mr. Shelford Bidwell, the 

 author stated that the changes in permeability due to ordinary 

 atmospheric changes of temperature were considerable, when 

 small magnetizing forces were used. — Experiments on 

 electrolysis, by Mr. VV. W. Haldane Gee, Mr. H. Holden, and 

 Mr. C. H. Lees. Whilst studying some electrolytic polarization 

 phenomena with palladium electrodes in dilute sulphuric acid 

 (pure), a dense liquid was seen after reversing the current to flow 

 downwards in streaks from the anode. The paper is devoted to 

 the investigation of the character of the liquid streaks, and the 

 authors conclude that the streaks are of concentrated sulphuric 

 acid, formed by the union of the hydrogen (occluded by the 

 electrode whilst serving as cathode) with the SO4 liberated at 

 the same electrode when the current is reversed. Similar 

 streaks were found with phosphoric acid, &c. In their next 

 paper the authors hope to describe some experiments in which 

 these and similar effects become of great importance in, changing 

 the resistances of electrolytes. 



Zoological Society, February 21. — Prof. W. H. Flower, 

 F.R.S., President, in the chair. --Mr. A. Thomson exhibited a 

 series of insects reared in the insect-house in the Society's 

 Gardens during the past year, and read a report on the subject. 

 — Prof. G, B. Howes read a njte on the azygos veins of the 

 Anurous Amphibia. The author described an individual spe- 

 cimen of Rana temporaria, in which the azygos vein (prerenal 

 portion of the posterior cardinal) had been retained on one side, 

 its relations differing in important details from that observed by 

 Hochstetter in Bombinator. By way of supplementing that 

 author's work, he had examined examples of a few genera not 

 dealt with by Hochstetter. He recorded the presence of these 

 veins in the only specimen of Discoglossus dissected, and in one 

 of five individuals ol Alytes ohstetricans—{s^Q.\.% which lent addi- 

 tional support to the views of Cope and Baulenger of the lowly 

 affinities of the Discoglossidoe. He had failed to detect these 

 vessels in the Aglossa : while he regarded their total absence in 

 Pelobates and Pelodytes as fresh evidence of the Pelobatoid rather 

 than the Discoglossid affinities of the last-named genus, -r^Mr. 

 A. Smith- Woodward read the second part of his pxlteontological 

 contributions to Selachian morphology, — Mr. Oldfield. Thomas 

 gave an account of the mammals obtained by Mr. G. F. Gaumer 

 on Cozumel and Ruatan Islands, Gulf of Honduras. -^A second 

 paper by Mr. Thomas contained the description of a new and 

 interesting annectent genus of Muridse, based on a specimen 

 which had been in the Paris Museum for some years. This was 

 supplemented with remarks on the relation of the Old and 



New World members of the family. — Dr. G. H. Fowler ex- 

 hibited and made some remarks on a new Pennatiila from the 

 Bahamas, the most interesting feature of which was the presence 

 of immature antozooids at the dorsal end of the leaves, devoid 

 of tentacles, but possessing a well-marked syphonoglyphe on the 

 stomatidseum which disappears with the increasing age of the 

 polyp. The species was proposed to be named Pennatula 

 •bellissima. 



Royal Meteorological Society, February 15. — Dr. W. 

 Marcet, F.R. S., President, in the chair. — The following papers 

 were read: — Electrical and meteorological observations onthePeak 

 of Teneriffe, by the Hon. Ralph Abercromby. The author made ■ 

 a trip to the Island of Teneriffe in October 1887, for the purpose 

 of making some electrical and meteorological observations, and. 

 now gives some of the results which he obtained, which may be '' 

 summarized as follows : — The electrical condition of the Peak of I 

 Teneriffe was found to be the same as in every other part of the. 

 world. The potential was moderately positive, from 100 to 150 ' 

 volts, at 5 feet 5 inches from the ground, even at considerable.; 

 altitudes ; but the tension rose to 549 volts on the summit of the.J 

 Peak, 12,200 feet, and to 247 volts on the top of the rock of;^ 

 Gayga, 7100 feet. A large number of halos were seen associated 

 with local showers and cloud masses. The necessary ice-dust 

 appeared to be formed by rising currents. The shadow of the 

 Peak was seen projected against the sky at sunset. The idea of 

 a south-west current flowing directly over the north-east Trade 

 was found to be erroneous. There was always a regular vertical 

 succession of air currents in intermediate directions at different 

 levels from the surface upwards, so that the air was always 

 circulating on a complicated screw system. — Rainfall of South 

 Africa, 1842- 1 886, by Mr. W. B. Tripp. The author gives 

 the rainfall statistics from all those stations situated in South 

 Africa which possess records of ten complete years and upwards. 

 He remarks upon the chronological succession of wet and dry 

 years, and the consecutive years above and below the mean ; and 

 also describes the seasonal distribution of monthly maxima, and 

 the extent over which monthly rains prevail. He concludes by 

 comparing the curves of rainfall with those of sunspot energy. — 

 Some methods, of cloud measurements, by Mr. Nils Ekholm 

 As exact cloud measurements afford almost the only easily avail- 

 able means of determining motions in the upper regions of the 

 atmosphere, the author describes some methods which seem to 

 him likely to give the best results. He also details the plans 

 adopted at the Swedish Polar Station, Cap Thorsden, in Spitz- 

 bergen, and at the Upsala Observatory, for determining the 

 direction and angular velocity of the clouds, and for making 

 direct measurements of the height and absolute motions of the 

 clouds. 



Edinburgh;. 



Royal Society, January 30. — The Rev. Prof. Flint, D.D., 

 Vice-President, in the chair.— Prof. Nicholson read a paper on 

 the causes of movements in general prices. — Prof. J. B. Hay- 

 craft and Dr. E. W. Carlier gave a demonstration of a method 

 by which human blood may be withdrawn from the body and its 

 fluidity preserved. Castor-oil is the medium in which the blood 

 is suspended. The finger from which the blood is obtained is 

 greased and plunged in the oil before the puncture is made, 

 every precaution being taken to prevent contact of the blood 

 with the air or with solid matter. In this way the blood may be 

 preserved in a fluid state for a considerable time. As the drops 

 of blood settle slowly in the oil, the corpuscles are seen to fall to 

 the lower part of the drops, while the clear plasma remains above. 

 Prof Haycraft and Dr. Carlier believe that the human blood 

 plasma has never before been demonstrated in an unaltered con- 

 dition except in microscopic quantity. Coagulation eventually 

 occurs, because the blood necessarily comes in contact with the 

 sides of the wound made in the finger. — Mr. D. B. Dolt read a 

 paper, written by him.self in conjunction with Dr. Ralph Stock- 

 man, describing experiments which show that the ordinarily 

 accepted formula of morphine is the correct one, — Mr. Robert 

 Kidston read the first part of a paper on the fossil flora of the 

 Staffordshire coal-fields, and also read a note on Neuropteris 

 plicata, Sternb., and Neuropteris redinervis, Kidston.— Mr. John 

 Aitken communicated a note on a monochr imiic rainbow seen 

 at sunset. — Prof. Haycraft read a note on a "scratching centre" 

 found in the spinal chord of some vertelirates. —Prof. Tait com- 

 municated an answer to Prof. Boltzman's strictures, which 

 appeared in the Sitznngsberichte of the Vienna Academy, on 

 his investigations on the kinetic theory of gases. IJnis has been 

 sent to the Philosophical Magazine. 



