324 



NA TURE 



\Aug. 19, 1 8 



/D 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, April 22. — Researches 

 0(1 the epitheliiim of the stomach, by W. Kiedermann. — On the 

 formation of meteorites, by G. Tschermak. — On some measure- 

 ments of temperature made in the first half of April in the 

 Gmunden and Atter lakes, by Prof. Simony. 



April 29. — On the zoological results of the Austro-Hungarian 

 Polar Expedition, by Prof. C. Heller. — Ichthyological researches, 

 by Prof. F. Steindachncr.— On the orbit of Planet (138) Tolosa, 

 by Director von Littrow and Dr. L. Gruber* — On the fermenta- 

 tion gases from marsh and water plants, by Prof. J. Boehm. 



May 13. — On the genetic classification of the flora of the 

 Cape, by Dr. von Ettiiigshausen. — On the lichens of Spitzbergen 

 and Novaja Semlja, by Dr. von Hochstetter. — On the orbit of 

 Planet (118) Peitho, by Dr. J. Holetschek. — On the galvanic 

 dilatation ol metallic wires, by Prof. Exner. — On the respiration 

 of water plants, and on a fermentation which includes an absorp- 

 tion of hydrogen, by I^rof, J. L'oehm. — On chalk ammonites, by 

 Dr. Neumayer. 



Berlin 



German Chemical Society, July 26, — P. Behrend described 

 a method for preparing chloride of sulphuryl by heating William- 

 son's oxychloride SOgOH CI in sealed tubes to 180°. — V. Meyer 

 gave an account of an apparatus for delerminiiig the solubilities 

 of salts at IOO°.- — J. Beckmann, by treating bcnzophenone Cjg 

 Hi(,0 with sulphuric acid, produced a neutral body C-jaligSOj, 

 while sodic benzophenondisulphatc, treated with PCI5, yielded 

 two chlorides, CigHtjOjS.jCla and Cj.jIIf,05S2Cl4. — F. Tiemann 

 and Haarmann published a method for determining the quantity 

 of vanilline in vanilla, by precipitating its solution in ether with 

 bisulphite of soda. Mexican vanilla gave i'6, best Bourbon 

 vanilla 2 -3, Tavavanilla 2 '6 p. c. of vanilline. Tavavanilla is less 

 esteemed, on account of other ingredients which affect its fragrance. 



OH 

 — F. Tiemann has transformed vanilline, C^PIg OCH3 into the cor- 



COII 

 responding acid and alcohol, the latter by the action of hydrogen, 

 produced by solium- amalgam. This reagent yields also a body 



(OH V 



CgHj OCH3 I , hydrovanilloin. He has likewise intro- 

 CH.OH/o 

 duced ethyl and methyl into the group OH. — C. Raab has 

 treated cuminic aldeh)dewitli hydrocyanic acid and hydrochloric 

 acid, obtaining the corresponding amygdalic acid. By the action 

 of hydrogen he obtained a higher hydrobenzoin. — C. Jackson 

 has obtained tribromonitrobenzol and tribromodmitrobenzol. — 

 The same chemist refuted a pretended reaction of acetani- 

 lide. This body does not yield a nitrile and water when 

 heated, as published by Mr. Brackebusch.-.-A. Steiner has 

 found that NH3 dissolves fulminate of silver below 40° without 

 alteration. He has also studied the action of sulphocyanide of 

 ammonium on fulminates. — A. W. Hofniann has transformed 

 methyl-xylidine by means of heat into a number of highly 

 carbonated ammonias, chiefly into Cg(CH3)5NH2. — A, Oppen- 

 heim and L. Jackson described two new derivatives of mer- 

 captan, viz. C2H5SHgBr, a white amorphous powder and a 

 combination of iodoform with two molecules of mercuric mercap- 

 tide, crystallising in yellow needles. No tribasic thioformate 

 of ethyl could be| produced from these compounds.- — The fol- 

 lowing communications were sent by T. Wislicenus : — Under his 

 guidance allyl-aceto-acetic ether has been transformed by F. 

 Zeidler into allylacetic acid and allyl-acetone. L. Ehrlich pro- 

 duced dibenzil-afcetic ether and benzyl-oxybutyric ether. H. 

 Rohrbeck, by treating methylacetoacetic ether with hydrogen, 

 produced methyloxybutyric acid, which, when heated, yields 

 methyl-crotonic acid. E. Waldschmidt has obtained the cor- 

 responding ethyl-compounds. M. Conrad, by treating aceto- 

 acetic ether with chlorine, obtained substitution compounds and 

 dichloracetone. F. Hermann has studied the action of sodium of 

 succinic ether. The next meeting will take place on the nth of 

 October. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, Aug. 9. — M. Fremy in the chair. — 

 The following papers were read : — Application of the method of 

 correspondence to questions of the magnitude of segments on 

 tangents of curves, by M. Chasles. — Remarks on the note of M. 

 Nicolaides read at the last meeting, by M, O. Bonnet. — A note 



by M. Thenard, on some blue substance found iu clay. — Three 

 reports by M. Janssen concerning the expedition sent to Japan 

 to observe the transit of Venus across the sun's disc. — Calori- 

 metric researches on the siliciurets of iron and manganese, by 

 MM. Troost and T. Hautefeuille.— Researches on niobates and 

 tantalates, by M. A. Joly. — Facts relating to the investigation 

 of polyatomic alcohols, and their application to a new method 

 for obtaining crystallised formic acid, byM. Lorin. — MM. G. 

 Baker, Decoster de Wilder, Garcia de los Rios, Imbert, and 

 Bordet then made some communications regarding Phylloxera. — 

 M. Reech then presented a new edition oJ his memoir oa sur- 

 faces which can be superposed on themselves, each in all its 

 parts. — The Minister of Public Instruction sent the translation 

 of an article, published by the Ministerial journal of Copenhagen, 

 and treating of the volcanic phenomena which in the course of 

 last winter have occurred in Iceland.— Discovery of Planet (148), 

 made at Paris Observatory, by M. Prosper Henry, on the night 

 of Aug. 7 last— Observations of Pknet (148) at the equatorial, 

 by M. M. Henry. — Ephemerides of Planet (103), Hera, for the 

 opposition of 1876, by M. Lereau. — Experiments with gas under 

 high pressure, by M. Andrews. — On a property of an electrified 

 surface of water, by M. G. Lippmann. — A note on sulphocar- 

 bonates, by M. A. Gelis. — On the preparation of crystallised 

 monobromide of camphor, by M. Clin. — On some points in the 

 physiological and therapeutic action of monobromide of camphor, 

 by M. Bourneville. — On Marsh's apparatus and on its applica- 

 tion for the determination of arsenic contained in organic matter, 

 by M. Arm. Gautier. — On the larva forms of Bryozoa, by M. 

 Barrois. — Observations by M. C. Dareste, on a recent com- 

 munication of M. Joly. — On the temperature of the Mediter- 

 ranean Sea along the coasts of Algeria, by MM. Ch. Grad and 

 P. Hagenmiiller. — On a waterspout observed at Morges on 

 Aug. 4 last, by M. A. Foret. — On the identity in the mode of 

 formation of the earth and the sun, by M. Gazan. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



American.— Report upon the Reconnaissance of (he North-Western 

 Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park : Wm. A. Jones (Washington).— 

 The Geological Story briefly told : James D. Dana, LL.D. (Triibner and 

 Co.) — Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, N.S. 

 Vol. ii -Third Report of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia. — Chrono- 

 logical Observations on Introduced Animals and Plants : Chas. Pickering, 

 M.D. (Boston ; Little, Brown and Co.)— Report of the U.S. Geological 

 Survey of the Territories. Vol. vi. : F. V. Hayden (Washington). — How to 

 use the Microscope: John Phin (Industrial Publishing Company, N.Y.) — 

 Proceedings cf the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Part I. 



Colonial. — Report of Neilgherry Loranthageous Parasitical Plants de- 

 structive to Exotic Forest and Fruit Trees : George Bidie, M.B. (Govern- 

 ment Press, Madras). 



Foreign.— Bulletin de 1' Academic Imperiale des Sciences de St. Peters- 

 bourg. Tome xix. Feuilles 22-37, Tome xx. Feuilles 1-21. — Der Ursprung 

 der VVirbelthiere und das Princip des Functionswechsels : von Anton Dohrn 

 (Leipzig, Engelmann).— Die Geologie und Ihre Anwendung auf die Kennt- 

 niss der Bodenbeschaffenheit der Oesterr.-Ungar. Monarchic : von Franz 

 Ritter von Hauer (Wein. A. Holder). 



CONTENTS Pags 



The Science Commission Report on the Advancement of 



Science 305 



The Encvclop-bdia Britannica 30S 



Our Book Shklf : — 



" Annual Record of Science " 310 



" Year-book of Science " 310 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Systems of Consanguinity. — Lewis H. Morgan 311 



Weather on the Atlantic— Capt. W. W. Kiddle, R.N 312 



The Late W. J. Kenwood, F R.S.—M. Y 312 



Zoology of the " Erebus " and " Terror." — L. Reeve and Co. . . 312 



The Rocks at Ilfracombe. — William S. Tuke 312 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Binary Stars. — (i)J>i Cassiopeae 312 



(2) >■ Leonis 313 



The Minor Planets 313 



The August Meteors 313 



The Separation of the Aral and the Caspian. By Major 



Herbert Wood, R.E. (IViiA I llustratiotC) 313 



Gun-Cotton Water Shells 314 



Notes from the "Challenger." By Prof. T. H. Huxley, 



F.R.S 315 



The International Congress and Exhibition of Geography . 316 



Science in Germany 316 



Notes 318 



On the Action of Urari on the Central Nervous System. By 



C. Yule 320 



Weather and Epidemics of Scarlet Fever in London during 



the Past Thirty-five Years. By Dr. Arthur Mitchell . . 321 

 Phv.sical Propertifs of Matter in the Liquid and Gaseous 



States, II. By Prof Andrews, F.R.S 321 



Scientific Serials 322 



Societies and Academies 324 



Books and Pamphlets Received 324 



