ii8 



NATURE 



\yune lo, 1875 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



Poggendorf s Annalen der Physik und Chemie, Nos. 3 and 4, 

 1875. — These parts contain the following papers :— Remarks on 

 electro-dynamics, by F. Zoellner. These refer to Ampere's law 

 and Helmholtz's potential law. — On the proportion of temporary 

 magnetism to the magnetising force and its relation to the reci- 

 procal action of the metallic particles, by E. Boernstein. — Re- 

 marks on the paper of Dr. Streintz, on the torsion oscillations of 

 wires, by O. E. Meyer. — On the conducting resistance at the 

 points where metallic conductors touch, by F. C. G. Miiller. — 

 On the specific heats of the elements carbon, boron, and silicon, 

 by Dr. H. F. Weber ; this is the first paper on the subject, and 

 treats on the dependence on temperature of the specific heats 

 of the isolated elements in question. — On the path of the rays 

 of light in a spectroscope, by Dr. J . L. Hoorweg. — On elec- 

 trodes which cannot be polarised, by A. Oberbeck. — On the 

 conduction of electricity in electrolytes, by W. Beetz. — Supple- 

 ment to K. L. Bauer's paper (vol. 153, p. 572, of these Annals) 

 on the apparent position of a point of light situated in a denser 

 medium, by the author. — General theorems on the images of 

 spheric mirrors and lenses, by the same. — On the theory of the 

 process of assimilation in the vegetable kingdom, by E. von 

 Benkovich. — On a simple method of finding the poles of a rod 

 magnet, by F. C. G. Miiller. — On the determination of the 

 velocity of light' and the parallax of the sun, by A. Cornu. 

 This paper is taken from the Comptes Rendus. — On the unipolar 

 conduction of electricity through layers of gases of different 

 conducting capacity, by C. Braun. — New researches on the 

 currents in electric machines, by F. Rosette. — Some remarks on 

 Helmholtz's theory of vowels, by E. van Qvanten. — On the 

 theory of anomalous dispersion, by H. Helmholtz.— On an 

 electric fall machine, by H. Waldner. — On the experimental 

 determination of diamagnetism by its action of induction, by A. 

 Toepler. — On an optical method of studying the oscillation of 

 solids, by O. N. Rood. — On a new kind of variation sounds, by 

 V. Dvorak. — On the spectrum of the zodiacal light, by Arthur 

 W. Wright (from the American Journal of Science). — Some re- 

 marks on Thomson's electrometer, by K. A. Holmgren. — 

 Electroscopic note by the editor. 



Geographical Magazine, May. — A long and interesting article 

 on the late Admiral Sherard Osborn is the first and chief 

 article in this number, and is followed by one on the Arctic 

 Expedition. Other articles are on "The Salt-farms of the 

 Ivoire," by Horace St. John ; an interesting account of the town 

 of Kulja, in Russian Turkestan, by A. Vambery ; on the Khivan 

 Mission to India in 1871, by Robert Michell ; a short article on 

 Dr. Nachtigall's travels in Africa, with a well-constructed map ; 

 besides reviews, reports of societies, &c. 



Zeitschrift der Oesterreichischen Gesellschaft fiir Meteorologie, 

 April I. — In continuation of his article in the last number. Dr. 

 Hann proceeds to calculate from the formula (I. ) the gradients 

 of two storms, one of which was violent at Vienna on January 27, 

 1874, and the other a tropical hurricane which passed over the 

 island of St. Thomas on August 21, 1871. In the first case 

 t\B, expressed in millimetres per 50 miles, amounts to 3-125, of 

 which 27 is due to the rotation of the earth, and "4 to centrifugal 

 force. In the second, the earth's rotation causes a difference of 

 I "25, and centrifugal force of 8*87, the whole Aj5 being 10 "12. 

 A difference of pressure amounting to 9 "02 at a distance irom the 

 centre of 57 miles, is caused in this case by a velocity of 30 metres 

 per second. Thus, in storms of small diameter, the effect of 

 centrifugal force greatly exceeds, and in our cyclones falls far 

 short of, that of the rotation of the earth. If the air streams 

 towards or (in lofty regions) from the centre, another factor 

 must be introduced into equation (I. ) representing resistance to 

 movement. Now, in spiral gyration, the full centrifugal force is 

 not exerted, and we may divide the real velocity into two compo- 

 nents, one in the direction of the tangent, and the other at right 

 angles to it. Calling the angle between the direction of move- 

 ment and the tangent i, the first component will be represented 

 by V cos i, and on this depends the centrifugal force. Finally, 

 we have, according to Ferrel, for a spiral storm the equation — 



/ B {2n sin <^ + u)v 

 - J, 



(XL) aB = 



287-4 J cost 



1 ' V cos i , 



where u = — -- where r = distance from axis of rotation. 



Dr. Hann remarks that that portion of the gradient derived from 

 2« sin ^ V is really independent of the value of i, but according 

 to the formula it increases with the increase of /, and this must 



be an error. Besides, the second factor, representing centrifugal 

 force, on analysis appears to be independent of i, and so we get 

 too large a quantity for the gradient. With respect to the velocity 

 of the wind, we see that the rate cannot be proportional to A B 

 alone in all parts of the cyclone in the same latitude ; and further, 

 that in different latitudes the value of v for the same gradient is 

 nearly inversely proportional to the sine of the latitude. On the 

 subject of tornadoes. Dr. Hann says that if the earth were not 

 rotating, the tendency of the air to restore equilibrium would 

 prevent any greater disturbances than those which are now 

 observed at the equator. Water before at perfect rest, when an 

 orifice is made in the containing vessel, flows through without pro- 

 ducing circulation, but the least original movement causes rapid 

 rotation. In tornados the influence of the rotation of the earth 

 is small in comparison with that of the original condition of the 

 atmosphere. Hence the variable direction of rotation. Large 

 cyclones are not found near the equator. Tornadoes, having no 

 constant force acting to maintain them, must soon be spent. 

 The direction of progression of cyclones can be explained by 

 the inequality of centrifugal force on their north and south 

 sides. On the north side, that part of the gradient depending on 

 2« sin ([> is greater than on the south side ; the cyclone ac- 

 cordingly moves in the direction of least pressure, viz., towards 

 higher latitudes. 



I?er Zoologishe Garten. — In the number for March, J. von 

 Fischer remarks on the habits in captivity of the common and 

 Mozambique Ichneumons (/i'^r/if^/^j' ichneutnon and H. ornatus); 

 the former is more diurnal and arborial in its manner of life, and 

 is much more playful and tameable than the latter. — A. Petry 

 gives an account of a viper {Belias berus) which gave birth in 

 solitary confinement to one young one, and fifteen weeks later to 

 three more. — E. Buck remarks on the life of various species of 

 Acineta in the aquarium, and Herr Director Rueff on the history 

 of zoological gardens. — A curious instance of the attachment of 

 the cuckoo {Cuculus canoms) to its egg is recorded on the autho- 

 rity of Herr Forster Amort by Victor Ritter von Tschusi- 

 Smidhofen, and Herr von Bothmer gives an interesting account 

 of two tame otters [Lutra vulgaris). 



yahrbuch der Kais-Kon. geologischen Reichs-Anstalt. No. 3, 

 band xxiv., 1874. Hierzu : T>x. G. Tschermak, Mineralo- 

 gische Mittheilungen, band iv., heft 3. — The first paper in 

 this number of the Jahrbuch is one by Ludw. v. Vuko- 

 tinovic, on the tertiary strata in the neighbourhood of Agram 

 (Croatia). These are divided into two groups, the loiver, 

 consisting of limestone (nuUipore in part), with which is 

 associated sandstone, sometimes fine-grained, sometimes coarse, 

 and pale grey sandy marls ; the upper (brackish group) being 

 composed of grey and yellowish brown sandstone, yellow o 

 white sand, and gravel and shingle. In general, a striking'^ 

 resemblance can be traced between these Agram tertiary deposits 

 and the strata of the so-called Vienna basin. This holds good 

 with at least the Upper Tertiary or Miocene ; but as regards the 

 brackish water group, some difference obtains. But this the 

 author believes is only what might have been expected when 

 consideration is had to the varying local conditions under which 

 the deposits must have been accumulated. An account of the 

 brown coal of Croatia and Slavonia is furnished by C. M. Paul. 

 He tells us that brown coal occurs at five different geological 

 horizons in the Tertiary strata of those districts. According to 

 the index, we should have a paper by Dr. O. Lenz, on the 

 ancient glacier of the Rhine, but it does not appear in this 

 number. — Among the Mincralogische Mittheilungen we note 

 specially two papers : Petrographical observations on the 

 west coast of Spitzbergen, by Dr. R. v. Drasche ; and on 

 some trachytes of the Tokay-Eperieser Mountains, by Dr. C. 

 Dolter, The rocks this author describes are augite andesite 

 (augite andesite lava), amphibole-andesite, quartziferous augite 

 andesite, rhyolite (quartziferous sanidine trachyte), and sani- 

 dine trachyte lava ; analyses of a number of these rocks are 

 given. There is also an interesting preliminary notice of a new 

 circular-polarising substance, by Dr. C. Hintze. 



All^emeine Schweizerische Gesellschaft fiir die gesammten 

 Naturwissenschaften.—Tiie. publication of this society, vol. 

 xxvi (1874), contains only one, but a very elaborate treatise, 

 with two plates, on the ants of Switzerland. It gives their 

 classification, their habits, anotomical and physiological notes 

 regarding them, and remarks on their geographical distribution, 

 together with many new observations regarding their mode -of 

 life, &c. The author is Dr. Auguste Torel. The treatise occu- 

 pies no less than 480 quarto pages, and is written in French, 



