i8 



NATURE 



[May 6, 1875 



and thiocMoride must possess the following formulae: — 

 CI CI 



I I 



P— O— CI P— S-Cl 



I I 



CI CI 



It is possible to decide between the two modes of represent- 

 ing the constitution of tkese compounds, if it be granted that the 

 variation in the specific volume of oxygen and sulphur is due to 

 the manner in which these elements are held in union. For if 

 the phosphorus in the oxychloride and thiochloride be quinquiva- 

 lent, the oxygen and sulphur must possess the greater of the two 

 values, since both their combining units are united to the phos- 

 phorus ; if, on the other hand, phosphorus be trivalent, the 

 oxygen and sulphur must possess the smaller of the two values. 



The author has determined the specific gravity, boiling-point, 

 and rate of expansion of P CLj, P O Clg, and P S CI3, in order 

 to ascertain the specific volume of the oxygen and sulphur in the 

 two latter compounds, and consequently the chemical value of 

 the phosphorus ; and he finds that the specific volumes of the 

 oxygen and sulphur are almost identical with the values given 

 by Kopp for these elements when " without the radicle." It 

 would therefore appear that the oxychloride and thiochloride 

 must possess the constitution — 



CI CI 



I I 



P— O— CI P— S— CI 



! I 



Cl CI 



and that the phosphorus in these bodies is to be regarded as a 

 triad. 



The author concludes by discussing Buff's hypothesis that the 

 specific volume of an element varies with its chemical value ; 

 and he shows that in the case of phosphorus there are no reasons 

 for the belief that this element has a variable specific volume. 



Geological Society, April 14. — Mr. John Evans, V.P.R. S., 

 president, in the chair. — Descriptions of new corals from the 

 Carboniferous Limestone of Scotland, by Mr. James Thomson. 

 In this paper the author described some forms of corals from the 

 carboniferous limestone of Scotland, which he regards as new 

 species, and as belonging to three new genera allied to Clisto- 

 phylhim. In the group which he names Rhodophyllutn the 

 calice is circular and shallow, the epitheca thin and smooth, the 

 septa thin and numerous, and the columellar boss dome-shaped, 

 slightly raised above the inner margin of the primary septa, and 

 clasped by subconvolute ridges. The species referred to this 

 genus are Rhodophyllutn Craigiamim, R. Slimonianum, R. Phil- 

 lipsianum, R. Argylianum, R. reticulatum, and R. ellipticum. 

 Aspidiophyllum has the calice generally circular, shallow ; the 

 septa forming thin laminse for about half their length from 

 within, when they become flexuous, and the columellar boss 

 prominent and helmet-shaped. The species are named A. 

 Koninckianum, A. Huxleyanum, A. cruci/orme, A. elcgans, A. 

 Hennedii, A. Danai, A. dendrophylluni, A. dliptkmn, A. Paget, 

 A. scoticum, andy^f. laxum. The third genus, Ku7-natiophylluni, 

 is most nearly alUed to Rhodophyllum, but has the columellar 

 space slightly raised above the inner margin of the primary 

 septa, and crowned by bending or Avavy lamellce, some of which 

 pass over the central space in sinuous folds. The species are 

 described under the names of A', conccntricutn, clavatum, Tyler- 

 amim, intermedium, ellipticum, Ramsayanum, Youngianum, 

 Harknessianum, lamellifolium, bipartitum, octolamellosum, Haimi- 

 anum, Edwardsianuvi, and Davidsonianum. In a specimen of 

 Aspidiophylltnn Huxleyanum the author noticed in the open 

 interseptal space a small tube, four lines long, around the inner 

 margin of which there was a group of oval bodies, which, from 

 their close proximity to the inner margin of the primary septa 

 and their form, he is inclined to think may be ova. — On the 

 probable existence of a considerable fault in the lias near Rugby, 

 and of a new outlier of the oolite, by Mr. J. M. Wilson. The 

 author called attention to what appeared to him to be a great 

 fault in the Lower Lias at the village of Low Morton, near 

 Rugby, where a sandpit is worked against the face of a steep 

 hill to a depth of nearly fifty feet. The sand in the valley, as 

 proved by wells and borings, is of great depth. Above the 

 sand-pit is a clay-pit, and the author stated that the clay is 

 bounded towards the sand by a highly inclined face of clay, 

 against which the sand is thrown. This face of clay can be 

 clearly traced for a distance of more than half a mile, running 



in a south-easterly and north-westerly direction. If continued to 

 the south-east, it would pass close by Kilsby Tunnel, the diffi 

 culties met with in the construction of which may have been due 

 in part to a continuation of the fault ; whilst if continued to the 

 north-west it would coincide generally with the valley of the 

 Clifton Brook, the bed of which is also occupied by a great 

 depth of sand. The line of fault thus passes between Rugby 

 and Brownsover, and the author suggests that it is the cause of 

 the presence on the summit of the Brownsover plateau of an 

 extensive oolitic mass of Stonesfield -slate character. The line 

 of fault continued further would connect with the Atherstone 

 and Nuneaton fault, and agree with this in having its downthrow 

 on the north-east side. — On a Labyrinthodont from the Coal- 

 measures, by Mr. J, M. "Wilson. The fossil referred to in this 

 paper was from the Leinster Coal-measures, and was regarded as 

 probably belonging to the genus Keraterpeton of Prof Huxley, 

 although the outer posterior angles of the skull do not appear to 

 have been prolonged into cornua. — On Cruziana semiplicata, by 

 Mr. J. L. Tupper ; 'communicated by Mr. J. M. Wilson. In 

 this paper the author gave a detailed desciiption of a slab of 

 unknown origin, but said to have been obtained from a workman 

 at Bangor, containing several specimens of tlie fossil described 

 by Salter under the name of Cruziana semiplicata. From his 

 examination of the specimen the author seemed inclined to 

 ascribe to Cruziana an animal origin, and to regard it rather as 

 fossilised animal structure than as a cast of the track left by the 

 feet of some animal passing over the surface of the sand. 



Geologists' Association, April 2. — Mr. Wm. Carruthers, 

 F.R.S., president, in the chair. — Remarks upon geological 

 boundary lines, by Horace B. Woodward, F. G. S. The author 

 beheves a tendency exists to overlook the broad classification of 

 lithological characters, and to adopt lines of a paljeontological 

 nature. The identity of organic remains is no absolute proof of 

 contemporaneity. In identifying the age of a formation the test 

 of superposition, as a rule, is decisive ; and the main facts of 

 palaeontology must first be worked out from the stratigraphical 

 succession of the rocks. Still the value of palaeontology cannot 

 be disputed, and if we cannot identify formations far separated 

 as synchronous when the fossils are similar, we may parallel suc- 

 cassive faunas. Our formations, when looked at in the large 

 way, must be taken to represent deposits of essentially similar 

 character, and characterised by a particular assemblage of fossils. 

 The more we learn of the history of our own strata and those 

 of foreign countries, the less evidence do we see of breaks in the 

 conformity of succession. — Notes on the probable depth of the 

 Gault sea ; or, an endeavour to ascertain the relative depth of 

 the sea during the Gault period, by comparing the representative 

 fossil genera with recent forms, by F. G. H. Price, F.G.S. The 

 author is disposed to consider that the depth of the sea in which 

 the Lower Gault was deposited did not exceed 100 fathoms. 



Meteorological Society, April 21. — Dr. R. J. Mann, 

 president, in the chair. — Mr. Scott read a paper, " Notes on sea 

 temperature observations on the coasts of the British Islands." 

 He said that it mainly related to the connection between sea 

 temperature and the take of fish on the coasts, and he noticed 

 the investigations formerly carried on by the Dutch and that 

 now in progress under the direction of the Scottish Meteoro- 

 logical Society. He read a letter from Mr. F. Buckland on 

 the subject, which, however, proposed a scheme of action which 

 would entail heavy expenditure, while at present there was no 

 satisfactory record kept of the take of fish on any of our coasts 

 except those of Scotland. Mr. Scott then said that he had had 

 some observations of sea temperature taken at some stations in 

 the West of Englanc^ and on the coasts of the Irish Sea, and 

 had received some observations from Mr. W. Dymond and from 

 Mr. N. Whitley, and he submitted some monthly mean tem- 

 peratures from a few stations. He also stated that both the 

 Trinity House and the Commissioners of Irish Lights had kindly 

 consented to have observations taken at certain lightships, 

 and that instruments had been supplied for the purpose, and the 

 inquiry was in progress. In conclusion, he mentioned the steps 

 taken by the German Government to investigate the tempera- 

 ture, &c., of the sea on their Baltic and North Sea coasts, and 

 expressed a hope that our Government would undertake a 

 similar inquiry. — Mr. Pastorelli read a paper on the errors of 

 low range thermometers. He pointed out some of the diffi- 

 culties which instrument-makers have to encounter in graduating 

 thermometers from 32^-0 to — 37°'9, the freezing point of mercury, 

 as there is no intermediate fixed point. He believed that fairly 

 accurate thermometers could only be obtained by calibration. — 



