i86 



NATURE 



\_'/une 19, 1879 



myths and songs from the South Pacific, by Dr. C. Criiger. — 

 On the metamorphosis of amphibia, by Dr. J. W. Spengel. — 

 Some diagnoses of new Heteromera, by Dr. Haag-Rutenberg. — 

 Descriptions of some new butterflies from the Philippine Islands, 

 by G. Semper. — On the species of the butterfly-genus Zethera, 

 by the same. — On butterflies from Wladiwostock and from the 

 Gaboon River, by Dr. C. Criiger. — On dimorphism and varia- 

 tions of some North American butterflies, by J. Boll. — On the 

 metamorphosis of Sepedon, by G. Gercke. — On Helix alonensis, 

 Fer., by H. Strebel. — Note on the geography of molluscs, by 

 J. D. E. Schmeltz. — On the miocene formation of Reinbeck and 

 its mollusc fauna, by Carl Gottsche. — On the geognostical con- 

 ditions of the neighbourhood of Kiel, by Dr. A. Braasch. — On 

 petroleum springs, by S. B. Guttentag. — Ornithological notes on 

 the fauna of the Lower Elbe, by F. Bockmann.— On the lepi- 

 doptera fauna of the same district, by L. Graeser and A. Sauber. 



The yahrbuch der kais, kon. geologischen Reichsanstalt zu 

 Wien (1879, part I, January — March) contains the following 

 papers : — On the metalliferous deep eruptions of Zinnwald- 

 Altenberg (on the Saxon-Bohemian frontier), and on the tin- 

 mining in that district, by E. Reger (with plates).— On the 

 tertiary formation of Waldbockelheim (near Kreuznach, Rhenish 

 Prussia) and its polypaHum fauna, by Dr. A. von Klipstein. — 

 On the geology of the Rhodope Mountain chain, south and 

 south-east of Tatar Pazardzik, by Anton Pelz. — On the Jurassic 

 limestone rock dlbris in the diluvial formation of Moravia and 

 Galicia, by Anton Rzehak. — Geological sketch of the highest 

 part of the Sierra Nevada in Spain, by Dr. Richard von Drasche. 

 This sketch is highly interesting and elaborate ; it is accom- 

 panied by several plates and numerous illustrations. — On some 

 limestones containing orbitoida and nummulites fiom the so- 

 called "Goldberg" near Kirchberg, on the Wechsel Moun- 

 tain (Austria), by Franz Toula. — Researches on the age of 

 the North-Bohemian brown-coal (lignite) formation, by D. Stur. 

 — On the productivity and the geotectonic conditions of the 

 Caspian naphtha districts, by Hermann Abich. 



The Moniteur Scientifique (Paris : June, 1879), amongst 

 numerous papers, which are noticed by us elsewhere, contains 

 the following papers : — On the influence which a change of 

 temperature exercises upon the deviation which inverted sugar 

 produces upon polarised light, by Paul Casamajor. — On the 

 acceleration in the tanning of hides by means of phosphoric 

 acid, by E. Ador. — On "antichlore" (hyposulphite of soda), by 

 M. G. Lunge. — On ozokerite and ceresine from Galicia, by Dr. 

 J. Grabowsky. — Researches on the root of Alstonia, by O. 

 Hesse. — On the use of anhydrous chloride of calcium as a con- 

 servative for steam-boilers, by M. Burstyn. 



The Journal of the Russian Physico-chemical Society (vol. xi. 

 No. 5) contains the following papers : — On the amines contain- 

 ing tertiary alcoholic radicals, by M. W. Rudnefif. — On tertiary 

 isosulphocyanates, by the same. — On the polarisation of 

 electrodes, by M. A. Sokoloff. 



The Rivista Scieniifico Industriale (Nos. 8 and 9, 1879). 

 — From these numbers we note the following papers : — On a 

 direct application of the free fall of bodies, by G. Mocenigo. — 

 On the atmospheric whirlstorm of February 24 — 25, by Prof. L. 

 Respighi. — On a telephonic microphone for demonstration at 

 schools, by Prof. G. Cantoni. — On a new method to determine 

 the specific gravity of liquids, by Prof. M. Cagnassi. — On some 

 new phenomena connected with the plasticity of solids, by Prof. 

 C. Marangoni. — On some phenomena due to the viscosity of 

 liquids, by the same. — On sand showers, by Prof. Tacchini. — 

 On a telephotographic apparatus with a single wire, by Prof. C. 

 Perossino. — On the magnetic properties developed in nickel and 

 cobalt by induction compared to those of iron, by Prof. T. 

 Martini. — On a new steelyard-densimeter, by Dr. C. Chistoni. 



The Revue Internationale des Sciences (May, 1879) contains 

 the following papers : — On the glacial epoch, by Th. Kjerulf. — 

 On the reciprocal assistance which descriptive and geographical 

 zoology may render to each other, by M. Lataste. — On the 

 colouring-matter of urine, by M. Masson. — On the mechanical 

 theory of the position of leaves, by Dr. Schwendener. — The 

 number, besides the above, contains an interesting account of 

 the organisation of medical instruction at Lyons, as well as an 

 excellent review by M. C. Issaurat of Dr. F. Isnard's new book 

 entitled "Spiritualisme et Matdrialisme." This serial has con- 

 siderably improved since it appears only in monthly parts instead 

 of in weekly numbers as it did up to the beginning of 1879. 



Mittheilungen der naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Bern (Nos. 

 923-936, 1877). — From this part we note the following papers 

 of interest : — Botanical and geological notes from a tour in the 

 province of Reggio in Calabria, by J. Coaz. — On the most im- 

 portant conditions of shape in the leaf of phanerogamic plants, 

 by Herr Fankhauser. — On the principal laws of growth in 

 Floridese, by the same.— On the formation of the stem in Lepas 

 anatifera, by Dr. Lang. — On some luminous bacteria, by Dr. 

 M. Pertz. — Various notes on electrical instruments, by Herr 

 Rothen. — On the soda efilorescences in the Ganges districts, 

 by Prof. Schwarzenbach. — On the geology of Kerguelen's Land, 

 by Prof. Th. Studer. — On deep-water siphonophora, by the 

 same. — On the coloration of the retina, by Dr. A. Valentin. — 

 On some preparations preventing fermentation, and their appli- 

 cability for the conservation of food. 



The Giornale di Sciense naturali ed economiche (Palermo, 

 1878, vol. xiii.) contains the following papers :^On the cornea 

 of osseous fishes ; contribution to the morphology of the eye of 

 vertebrates, by Dr. C. Emery. — On the solar spots observed at 

 Palermo in 1877 and the first three months of 1878, and on the 

 frequency of the vapours of iron and magnesium at the solar 

 surface, by P. Tacchini. — Enumeration and synonyms of the 

 conchyfera of the Mediterranean, by the Marchese di Montero- 

 sato. — On the fossils of the crystalline limestone of the Casale 

 and Bellampo Mountains in the province of Palermo, by Prof. 

 G. G. Gemmellaro. 



Reale Istituto Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere, Rendiconti, vol. 

 xii. fasc. viii. — Mechanical demonstration of the second prin- 

 ciple of thermodynamics, by S. Crotte. — On functions whose 

 first derivatives belong to the class zero, by Prof. Ascoli. — Ima- 

 ginary plane of linear complex and its intersections, by S. 

 Aschieri. 



Fasc. ix. — Prophylaxis of the plague, by Dr. Zucchi. — Re- 

 searches on the electric conductivity of carbon, by Prof. Ferrini. 

 — On the product of the more integrable and finite functions, 

 by Prof. Ascoli. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 London 



Mathematical Society, June 12. — C. W. Merrifield, F.R.S., 

 president, in the chair. — Mr. R. C. Rowe was proposed for 

 election. — The following communications were made : — Notes 

 on the reduction of a system of forces ; and on plane curves, by 

 Mr. J. J. Walker. — Notes on determinants of n dimensions, by 

 Mr. Lloyd Tanner. — Curves for the inscription of a regular 

 nonagon and undecagon in a circle, by the Rev. Dr. Freeth. — On 

 Clifford's graphs and on the twenty-one co-ordinates of a conic 

 in space, by Dr. Spottiswoode, P.R.S.— Two geometrical notes, 

 by Prof. H. J. S. Smith, F.R.S. 



Chemical Society, June 5.— Mr. Warren De La Rue, presi- 

 dent, in the chair.— It was announced that a ballot for the election 

 of Fellows would be held at the next meeting (June 19).— The 

 following papers were read : — A contribution to the theory of 

 fractional distillation, by T. E. Thorpe. The author has observed 

 that of a mixture of equal volumes of carbon tetrachloride, boil- 

 ino- point 76°-6, and of methyl alcohol, boiling-point 6s°-2, 46-5 

 per cent, of the whole distils over at S5°'6-S5°'9. 10° lo^er *an 

 the boiling point of its most volatile constituent. — Preliminary 

 note on the action of organo-zinc compounds on quinones, by 

 F. R. Japp. The author has studied the action of zinc ethyl on 

 phenanthrene quinone and obtained a substance crystallising in 

 faintly-yellowish plates having the composition CjeHjiOjCjHoO ; 

 he hopes by these reactions to distinguish quinones from double 

 ketones. — Third report to the Chemical Society on researches on 

 some points in chemical dynamics, by Dr. Wright, Messrs. Luff 

 and Rennie. This is a lengthy paper in which the action of 

 carbonic oxide and hydrogen on a uniform weight of copper 

 oxide has been studied at various temperatures ; the results are 

 plotted out in numerous curves ; in all cases carbonic oxide 

 reduces more quickly or at a lower temperature than hydrogen. 

 —On fractional distillation, by F. D. Brown. The author has 

 studied with great care the distillation of mixtures of benzene 

 and carbon disulphide.— On chlorstannic acid, by J. W. Mallet. 

 A bottle containing a strong solution of stannous chloride after 

 standing for a year deposited a transparent jelly-like substance 

 which proved to be SnOsHCl. Soda and ammonia salts were 

 obtained.— On indigopurpurin and indirubm, by E. Schunck. 



