504 



NA rURE 



[March 22, 1888 



Poulton in his paper on the subject in the Transactions of the 

 Royal Society ; and to effect this object different and additional 

 influences had been brought to bear on these pupjB, so that an 

 analogy might be drawn between the two sets of results. Mr. 

 Poulton, Lord Walsingham, F.R.S., Mr. Jacoby, Dr. Sharp, 

 and Mr. White took part in the discussion which ensued. 



Paris. 



Academy of Scie^ices, March 12. — M. Janssen in the 

 chair. — Remarks accompanying the presentation of the second 

 edition of his " Traite de Physique Mathematique," by M. H. 

 Resal. To this edition have been added sections on mathe- 

 matical optics and thermodynamics, enlarging the work from 

 one to two volumes. — On the combination of measures of the 

 same magnitude, by M. J. Bertrand. An attempt is here made 

 to estimate the consequences of rejecting measures assumed to 

 be less accurate as departing furthest from the mean in the 

 doctrine of probabilities. — New theory of M. Loewy's equatorial 

 <:oude and equatorials in general, by MM. M. Lcewy and P. 

 Puiseux. An improved method is described for more accurately 

 determining the constants both of bent and straight equatorials, 

 with the most rapid processes for mounting and rectifying these 

 instruments. — On phosphorus and phosphoric acid in vegetation, 

 by MM. Berthelot and G. Andre. As a general result of their 

 experiments, made especially on Amarantluis caudatus, the 

 authors find that, after the normal flowering, the employment of 

 phosphorous, and even to some extent of nitrous, manures seems 

 almost, if not altogether, useless, whereas potassic manures may 

 still be advantageously continued as long as vegetation lasts. — 

 Classification of the Gasteropods, based on the various disposi- 

 tions of the nervous system, by M. H. de Lacaze-Duthiers. 

 This is a purely synthetic treatise, summing up the long and 

 numerous analytical studies on the nervous system of various 

 mollusks, such as Gadinia, Aplysia, Tethys, and many others 

 described in the Comptes rendus and elsewhere. The object is 

 to ascertain what data may be supplied by these different types 

 of nervous systems for a physiological classification of the 

 secondary groups of Gasteropods. Two sub-classes with 

 five orders are proposed for the whole class. — On a general 

 theorem of convergence, by M. J. L. Jensen. The studies 

 undertaken by the author with a view to a generalization 

 of the theory of convergence of a series with positive terms have 

 led to an unexpected simplification of the present theory. It is 

 shown that the criteria of Cauchy, of Duhamel and Raabe, of 

 Bertrand, and others, may henceforth be treated summarily as 

 simple corollaries of one general theorem. — On the measurement 

 of magnetic fields by diamagnetic bodies, by M. P. Joubin. The 

 author's renewed attempts to utilize the magnetization of dia- 

 magnetic bodies for measuring the intensity of a magnetic field 

 seem to demonstrate the existence of several states of magnetic 

 equilibrium in diamagnetic bodies. This unexpected result is in 

 accordance with theory according to Duhem's calculations, as 

 well as with the general considerations recently set forth by M. 

 Brillouin. — On the magnetization of diamagnetic bodies, by M. 

 P. Duhem. The grounds are explained which render highly 

 probable the existence of several states of magnetic equilibrium 

 for diamagnetic bodies placed in a given position and subjected 

 to the action of given magnets. — A new eolipyle, by M. Paquelin. 

 The apparatus here described has the advantage of working in 

 any position without the risk of explosion, aud consumes not 

 more than 90 grammes of fuel in the hour. — Determination in 

 wave-lengths of the two red rays of potassium, by M. H. 

 Deslandres. This determination, made at the request of M. 

 Lecoq de Boisbaudran, yields for the stronger ray 766*30, for 

 the weaker 769 63, giving a mean 767-965, compared with 

 588 '89 of the D2 sodium ray, which served for the calcu- 

 lation of the constant.— On the decreasing solubility of the 

 sulphates, by M. A. Etard. The sulphates of iron, cadmium, 

 magnesium, lithium, rubidium, and potassium, as well as an- 

 hydrous selenious acid, all present the same phenomenon of 

 decreasing solubility. But that of iron, like the previously 

 described sulphate of copper, changes direction twice, first in- 

 creasing and remaining constant, then decreasing ; the complete 

 series of transformations being accomplished between - 2° and 

 -F 156° C. — Action of roasting on several oxides and salts of 

 manganese, by M. Alex. Gorgeu. The anhydrous protoxides 

 heated briskly leave a red oxide ; slowly roasted, so as to avoid 

 incandescence, and then kept at a dull red until the weight of 

 the residuum ceases to change, they yield a sesquioxide ; lastly, 

 when heated from 200° to 430° C, the oxidation of the MnO 



obtained at a high temperature is very slow, and appears not to 

 go beyond the manganite Mn024MnO, even after forty or fifty 

 hours. Several other details are given of these interesting ex- 

 periments. — On the collection of star-fish brought to Europe by 

 the French Scientific Mission to Cape Horn, by M. Edmond 

 Perrier. This collection comprises no less than 553 specimens, 

 referred to 38 distinct species, of which 23 are new. This gives 

 to the southern waters of the American continent a total of 57 

 species of these organisms. — M. J. Kunstler describes a new 

 Foraminifer from the Arcachon basin. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



The Geological Evidences of Evolution : A. Heilprin (Philadelphia). — Age 

 of Creation: W. J. Cassidy (Brigg'!, Toronto). — The Geological History of 

 Plants : Sir J. W. Dawson (K. Paul). — A Treatise on Mine Surveying : B. H. 

 Brough (Griffin). — Old and New Astronomy, Part i : R. A. Proctor(Longmans). 

 — Rainfall in the East Indian Archipelago, 1886 : Dr. Van der Stok(Batavia). — 

 Observations made at the Magnetical and Meteorological Observatory at 

 Batavia, vol. ix. 1886 : Dr. Van der Stok (Batavia). — Report on the Crops ot 

 the Year 1887 (Washington). — London Geological Field Class Reports, 18S7 

 (Philip). — Morphologisches Jahrbuch, Eine Zeitschrift fur Anatomie und 

 Entwickelungsgeschichte, xiii. Band, 3 Heft (Leipzig). — Journal of the 

 Chemical Society, March (Gurney and Jackson) — Journal of the Society 

 of Telegraph-Engineers and Electricians, vol. xvii. No. 70 (Spon). — Notes 

 from the Leyden Museum, October 1887 (Leyden). — Archives Italiennes de 

 Biologic, Tome ix. Fasc. 2 (Turin). — Encyklopsedia der Naturwissenschaften, 

 Erste Abthg. 54 Lief., Zoologie, &c. ; Zweite Abthg. 46 and 47 Lief., Chemie 

 (Breslau). — Bulletin de I'Academie Royale des Sciences de Belgique, 1888, 

 No. I (Bruxelles). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Revenue Method of Estimating and Charging 



the Duty on Spirits 481 



Prestwich's "Geology" 482 



Vaccination. By Dr. Robt. Cory 483 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Morgan : " Animal Biology " 484 



Burton : " Practical Guide to Photographic and Photo- 

 Mechanical Printing Proces-es " 485 



Steel : "A Treatise on the Diseases of the Dog." — 



Dr. E. Klein, F.R.S 485 



Salomons: " Management of Accumulators " • . . . 485 



Thornton : " Elementary Physiography " 485 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Dr. Whewell on the Origin of Species. — Prof. George 



J. Romanes, F.R.S 486 



The Fog Bow.— James C. McConnel 486 



"The Teaching of Elementary Chemistry." — Z. . . 487 

 " Kinematics and Dynamics." — Prof. J. G. Mac- 



Gregor 487 



Coral Formations. — T. Mellard Reade 488 



The Movements of Scree-Material. — Cecil Carus- 



Wilson 488 



Were the Elephant and Mastodon contemporary in 



Europe?— H. P. Malet 488 



Experiments in Mountain Building. {Illustrated.) By 



Henry M. Cadell 488 



Swiss Forest Laws 490 



Notes 492 



Our Astronomical Columr ; — 



Distribution of the Sunspots of 1886 and 1887 . . . . 495 



The Total Eclipse of the Moon, January 28 .... 495 

 Spectroscopic Determination of the Rotation Period of 



the Sun 495 



New Minor Planet - . . • 495 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1888 



March 25-31 495 



Geographical Notes 496 



Our Electrical Column 497 



Derham's Hydrometer 497 



The Ccelom and the Vascular System of Mollusca 

 and Arthropoda. By Prof. E. Ray Lankester, 



F.R.S . . 498 



The Teeth of the Myxinoid Fishes. ByDr. J. Beard 499 

 Models Illustrating the Modification of the Arterial 



Arches in Vertebrates. By Prof. W. N. Parker . 499 



University and Educational Intelligence 500 



Scientific Serials 500 



Societies and Academies 5°' 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 504 



