304 



NATURE 



\Aug. 12, 1875 



C14H7 



tite.— A. Kundt and E. "Warburg have investigated the specific 

 heat of the vapour of mercury. Their reason for doing so wras 

 the exception shown by most vapours with regard to the kinetic 

 molecular theory of Clausius. If c signifies the specific heat of a 

 gas of constant volume, and c' the specific heat of the same gaa 



at constant pressure : then — according to that theory should be 



= I "67, while most gases have been found to possess the co- 

 efficient = I "405. Mercury-vapour affords a particular interest, 

 because its molecule is monatomic compared with those diatomic 

 volumes of most other gases. It was found to coincide with the 



law of Clausius — having been found 1 '67. — A. Schiiller and V. 



Wartha described a new ice-calorimeter, a modification of 

 Bunsen's instrument which offers the facility of applying 

 ice which is not entirely pure. — F. Beilstein, as also A. 

 Claus, described derivations of dichlorobenzoic acid.— R. 

 Gnehm described derivatives of diphenyl-amine. —V. Meyer and 

 Lecco have treated iodide of tetramethyl-ammonium with 

 iodide of ethyl, and also iodide of tetracthylammonium with 

 iodide of methyl, without observing in either case an exchange of 

 ethyle against methyl. — W . Klobukowsky and E. Nolting have 

 made researches respecting the constitution of rufigallic acid, 

 which lead them to adopt the formula formerly described by M. 

 Jaffe. — Ph. Zoller and E. A. Crete have added some new 

 observations on xanthogenic salts as a remedy against Phylloxera. 

 Amylic xanthogenate appeal's to be as efficacious as the corre- 

 sponding ethylxanthogenate. Amylxanthogenate of potassium 

 can be prepared in Vienna at the price of 3/. a hundredweight. 

 — C. Liebermann has submitted emodine, the substance accom- 

 panying chrysophanic acid in the root of rhubarb, to new 

 researches. He considers it as methylpurpurine — 

 fCH3 

 (0H)3 



By oxydation it yields anthrachinone-carbonic acid — 



Ci.tH7(C02H)(OH)3(0,)". 

 Heated Iwith powdered zinc, emodine yields anthracene. — C. 

 Liebermann and E. Fischer have transformed purpurine into 

 amidoalizarine — 



( OH ( NH, 



C14H6 \ (OH), + NH3 = H3O + C14H6 ] (OH), 



( O2 ( O2 



This body, by the action of nitrous acid, gives an isomerid of 

 alizarine, viz., purpuroxanthine. — A. Pinner found chloracrylic 

 acid to be transformed by water into malonic acid. — H. Cabriel 

 has studied the body called ammelide by Cerhardt, and has 

 found the formula (C3N3)NH(OH)2 predicted by this chemist. — 

 P. Meyer has prepared a number of derivatives of glycocoll, con- 

 taining phenyl or tolyl and chlorine, obtained by the action of 

 aniline and toluidine on the chloride of chloracetic acid. He 

 likewise has studied the action of those bases on the ether of 

 chloracetic acid. — C. L. Jackson has found in the residues of 

 aniline obtained from a German manufactory a base homologous 

 with xenylamine, viz., CJ3H13N = CjaHjiNHg. The radical 

 being most likely, tolylphenyl. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, Aug. 2. — M. Frcmy in the chair. — 

 The following papers were read :— On the magnets formed of 

 compressed powders, by M. J. Jamin.— Memoir by M. N. Joly, 

 entitled : A gap in the teratological series filled up by the discovery 

 of the genus " Ileadelphia." — On neutral substrata, by M. 

 Weddell. This paper relates to another one read by M. 

 Contejean at the meeting of July 19, with reference to botanical 

 geography. — A critical examination of the basis upon which 

 the calculus generally used to estimate the stability of bridges 

 with metal supports and straight prismatical beams, is based; 

 with propositions for the adoption of a new basis, by M. 

 Lefort. — On the integration of an equation with partial differen- 

 tials of the second order, by M. N. Nicolaides.— On the recurrent 

 sensibility of the peripherical nerves of the hand, by M. A. 

 Richet. — Researches on the nodules of oligoclase in the lava of 

 the last eruption of Santorin, by M. F. Fouque. — On the method 

 of buying beetroot by the density of their juice, by M. Durin. — 

 On microzymata and their functions in the different ages of one 

 and the same being, by M. J. Bechamp. — A new process for 

 the determination of free oxygen in urine, by M. D. Freire. — 



Observations by M. Blanchet, on the project of creating a sea in 

 the interior of Africa. — A memoir by M. P. Maille, on cyclones. 

 On the variations in the brilliancy of Jupiter's fourth satellite, 

 with deductions regarding its physical constitution and its 

 movement of rotation, by M. Flammarion. The author states 

 the following results of his observations : The IV. satellite of 

 Jupiter undergoes considerable variations in its brilliancy and 

 appears to us as a star between the 6th and the loth magnitudes. 

 As its phases as seen from the earth are hardly perceptible, we 

 conclude that its physical constitution is absolutely different from 

 that of the moon. There is a probability (but no certainty) in 

 favour of the hypothesis that it revolves like the moon, pre- 

 senting always the same face to the planet. In that case, its 

 brightest hemisphere would be that which it turns towards the 

 sun when on the superior ■western quarter of its orbit, and its 

 darkest hemisphere the one it turns towards the sun when it 

 stands in the lower eastern quarter of its course. This hypo- 

 thesis does not account for all the variations observed, and this 

 little world seems to undergo atmospherical revolutions which 

 cause its reflecting surface to vary at any point of its 

 orbit. It appears sometimes nebulous and dim. Its re- 

 flecting power is as a rule inferior to that of the three 

 other satellites of Jupiter. — On molecular combinations 

 by M. C. Friedel. — On the complete separation of arsenic from 

 animal matter and on its determination in the different tissues, 

 by M. Arm. Cautier. — On the determination of glucose in wine, 

 by M. A. Bechamp. — On the breaking off of the teats of guinea- 

 pigs, by M. de Sinety. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



British.— Proceedings of the Liverpool Naturalists' Field Club, 1874-75. 

 — The Celt, the Roman and the Saxon : Thos. Wright, F.S.A. 3rd edition, 

 revised (Triibner and Co ) — Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists' Society, 

 N.S., Vol. i. Part 2— Jcnkinson's Practical Guide to Carlisle, Gilsland, 

 Roman Wall, &c. (Stanford) ; and smaller edition of above. —Rocket Floats 

 and Racket Rams : Chas. Meade Ramus (Stanford). — A Practical Treatise 

 on the Diseases of the Eye : Haynes Walton, F.R.C.S. (J. and A. Churchill). 

 — The Annual Address of the Victoria Institute : Rev. Robert Main (Hard- 

 wicke).— Our Summer Migrants : J. E. Halting, F.L.S., F.Z.S. (Bickers 

 and Son). 



Foreign. — Schriften der Naturforschenden Gesclischaft in Dantzig. 

 3 Band, 3 Heft. — Notes sur des Empreintes d'Insectes Fossiles : A. P. de 

 Borre (Brussels, De Veuve Nys). — Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft der Wis- 

 senschaften in Prag. 1874,— Grundziige einer Theorie der Cubischen Involu 

 tionen : von Emil Weyr (Prag). — Zur Lehre der Parallel Projection und der 

 Flachen : von Prof. Dr. W. Matzka (Prag) — Shidiern im Gebiete des 

 Kohlengebirges von Bohmen : von Mdr. O. Teistmantel (Prag). — Das 

 Jeokline Krystallsystem : von J. Krejel. — Ueber die Chemische Konstitution 

 der ;Naturlichen chlor- und fluor-haltigen Silikate : von Dr. A. Safarik 

 (Prag). — Memoires de la Societe des Sciences de Liege. Second Series, 

 Vol. iv. (Brus.sels) — Die Periodischen Bewegungen der Blattorgane : von 

 Dr. W. Pfeffer (Leipzig, W. Engelman). 



CONTENTS paok 



The Science Commission Rei'ort on the Advancement of 

 Science 283 



HINRICHS' "PrINCII'LES OF CHEMISTRY." By ' G. F. RODWELL, 



F.C.S 288 



The Zoology OF THE "Erebus" AND "Terror" 289 



Our Book Shklf : — 



Roper's ' ' Flora of Eastbourne " 290 



Scientific Bibliography 290 



Letters to the Editor:— 



Properties of Selenium. — Richard J. Moss 291 



Mr. Darwm and Prof Dana on the Influence of Volcanic Action in 



preventing the growth of Corals. — Rev. S. J. Whitmee . . . 291 



Mirage on bnovifdom. — H. J. Wetenhall 292 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



Kepler's Nova, 1604 293 



The Binary Star 4 Aquarii 292 



The Nebula; 292 



Encke's Comet 292 



The Argentine Observatory 292 



The Late W. J. Henwood, F.R.S. Bv G. T. Bettany .... 293 

 The International Congress and Exhibition of Geogr-^phy 



(With lU-ustratioti) 293 



The Manatee at the Zoological Gardens 294 



The Wohler Festival. By Dr. A. Oppenheim 295 



The Gigantic Land Tortoises of the Mascarene and Gala- 

 pagos IsLAND.s, III, By Dr. Albert Gunther, F.R.S 296 



Notes 297 



Physical Properties of Matter in the Liquid and Gaseous 



States. By Prof Andrews, F.R.S 300 



New Method of obtaining Isothermals on the Solar Disc. 



By Alfred M. Mayer 301 



Our Botanical Column : — 



Ferula AUiacea 30a 



Diverse Effects of the same Temperature on the same Species in 



Different Latitudes 302 



Scientific Serials 302 



Societies and Academies 303 



Books and Pamphlets Received 304 



