236 



NATURE 



\yuiy 3, 1879 



variance with that promulgated by Lowne in his researches on the 

 blowfly.- — The Rev. J. M. Crombie gave an enumeration of the 

 lichens in the herbarium of the late Rob. Brown in the British 

 Museum. These were collected 1802-5 during the notable 

 voyage of Capt. Flinders to New Holland and Tasmania. No 

 complete catalogue of these lichens was published by Brown, 

 thouo-h many bear his MS. names, and only the more common 

 species were indicated in the Appendix to the above voyage. A 

 paucity of " sa.xicole " species in this as in more recent collections 

 of exotic lichens is to be regretted. — Mr. G. Busk read a paper 

 on recent species of Heteropora, founded chiefly on material got 

 in the Challenger Expedition. Hitherto material for a know- 

 ledge of these has been among fossil forms, but quite lately Mr. 

 Waters has drawn attention to a recent example in the British 

 Museum, said to be from Japan. Mr. Busk now considerably 

 adds to our information on the living types, and enters into 

 several structural peculiarities observed by him. — The abstract of 

 a contribution to the flora of Northern China, by Messrs. J. G. 

 Baker and S. Le M. Moore was read. Some 600 specimens 

 now deposited in the Kew herbarium, and collected by Mr. John 

 Ross in the province of Selim King 40° to 42° N. lat. of the 

 Celestial Empire, furnish the basis of this botanical contribution. 

 Though many species among these are already known, yet the 

 discovery of such forms as Exochorda serratifolia , an addition to 

 a genus that has for years remained monotypic — Saxifraga Rossii, 

 Brachylites paridiformis, and Betula exaltata — along with several 

 altogether new species, render the collection valuable. These 

 form a good adjunct to the researches on this relatively unfre- 

 quented region ; but a knowledge of which is rapidly being 

 accumulated, chiefly through the labours of Maximowicz, Hance, 

 and Franchet. — The Rev. J. M. Crombie briefly indicated the 

 substance of a reply by him to Dr. Stirton's remarks on his 

 paper on the Challenger lichens. — Then followed a paper by 

 Pastor H. D. J. Wallengren (of Sweden), on the species of 

 Caddis flies (Phryganea) described by Linna;us in his " Fauna 

 Suecia," with notes on, and communicated, by Mr. R. McLach- 

 lan. In this communication some twenty-five species undergo a 

 critical revision and determination as identified from the living 

 insects and Swedish entomological collections. Mr. McLachlan, 

 however, does not concur with all the Pastor's conclusions. — On 

 the Bell Bu:d, by Dr. J. Murie, was a paper taken as read. — Mr. 

 Chas. Holme (Bradford) was elected a Fellow of the Society. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, June 23. — M. Daubree in the chair. 

 — The following papers were read :— On the absorption, by the 

 atmosphere, of ultra-violet radiations, by M. Cornu. That the 

 solar spectrum extends beyond what the most favourable obser- 

 vations present of it, seems probable from its almost sudden ter- 

 mination on the most refrangible side (in photographs), and the 

 results of comparing this spectrum with that of iron vapour in 

 the electric arc. The atmospheric absorption of ultra-violet 

 radiations is demonstrated by introducing a tube 4 m. long, 

 closed at the ends with fluor spar, between the collimator and 

 the prism of a spectroscope. When the tube is full of air, line 

 32 of the aluminium spectrum (from electrodes of that metal 

 transmitting the induction-spark) is invisible ; but as vacuum 

 is gradually produced, the line appears. — Remarks on a note of 

 Admiral Mouchez, by M. Faye. He argues against the watch- 

 makers being called on to determine experimentally the thermo- 

 metric correction of the instruments they supply to merchant 

 vessels. These vessels should have the same advantages as the 

 navy in this respect. — Action of so-called poisons of the heart on 

 ths snail {Helix pomatia), by M. Vulpian. Alcoholic extract 

 of onaye (Strophantus hispidus, D.C.), was taken as type 

 of poisons stopping the heart with the ventricle in systole ; 

 muscarine, with the heart in diastole. The action in both cases 

 was similar to that in frogs. The antagonism observed in mam- 

 malia between the effects of muscarine and those of sulphate of 

 atropine, was also observed in snails. The hearts of crustaceans 

 were not, apparently, affected by the two typical poisons named. 

 — On an arithmetical property of a certain series of whole num- 

 bers, by Prof. Sylvester. — Inexact application of a theorem of 

 d5mamics, by MM. Berlin and Garbe, to explain the motion of 

 the vanes of a radiometer. He disputes the assertion that the 

 motion is produced solely by gaseous matters within the globe 

 (the inference drawn by the authors named from a dynamical 

 theorem). Considering the cause of motion complex, he suggests 

 experiment in the direction of varying the substance and sur- 

 faces of the vanes with special regard to the calorific and lumi- 



nous properties of the materials used ; altering the luminous 

 rays especially by polarising them in different directions relatively 

 to the vanes ; suspending the globe on two very fine points and 

 inclosing it in a receiver exhausted of air. — On the means of 

 working automatically the upper tube of the economising appa- 

 ratus constructed at the sluice of Aubois, by M. de Caligny. 

 — On the interoceanic maritime canal, by M. de Lesseps. 

 Some preparatory operations are mentioned. Dr. Companyo, 

 of Perpignan, who directed an important sanitary service iii 

 the Suez Canal works, has been sent to Panama to study the 

 best means of preserving the health of workmen ; and agents 

 and correspondents have been charged to enlist the most suitable 

 workmen in America. — JI. Lissajous was elected Correspondent 

 in Physics, in room of the late Dr. von Mayer. — Map of the 

 solar spectrum, by M. ThoUon. This new map, made with the 

 aid of his powerful spectroscope in Italy, is 10 metres long, and 

 contains about 4,000 lines (Angstrom's contained i,6co in a 

 length of 3 metres). M. ThoUon remarks on the singular re- 

 semblance of the groups A and B, and gives a four-fold classi- 

 fication of solar lines, viz. : I . Nebulosity without nucleus, 2. 

 Nucleus without nebulosity. 3. Nebulosity predominating. 4. 

 Nucleus predominating. He describes the instruments [with 

 which he operated. — On the reappearance of phylloxera in vine- 

 yards subjected to insecticide operations, by M. Marion. — On 

 the positions of the Comet Tempel II., 1S67, deduced from four 

 first observations at the observatory of Rio de Janeiro, by M. 

 Cruls. — Resolution of systems of linear 'congruences, by M. 

 Demeczky de Gyergyoszentmiklos. — Addition to a previous note 

 on the series of Laplace, by M. de Saint Germain. — Study 

 of the molecular constitution of liquids by means of their 

 coefficient of expansion, their specific heat, and theur atomic 

 weight, by M. Pictet. — Explanation of the bolide at Geneva on 

 June 7, 1879, by JI. Oltramare. He considers such a pheno- 

 menon arises from electricity detaching a portion of the electrified 

 cloud. — Study on alloys of lead and antimony and especially on 

 the liquations and supersaturations they present, by 51. De 

 Tussieu. — On the production of hydrocellulose, by il. Girard. 

 He gives three methods of producing it. — On the reti-ogradation 

 of superphosphates, by M. Joulie. — On the respiratory apparatus 

 of AmpuUaria, by M. Sabatier. — Experimental researches on 

 the therapeutic value of intravenous injections of milk, by MM. 

 Bechamp and Baltus. The transfusion of milk within certain 

 quantitative limits (comparatively extended) is harmless in the 

 dog, but has too little therapeutical value to be siabstituted for 

 transfusion of blood. — On the total absence of amnios in the 

 embryos of the hen, by M. Dareste. — Prof. Draper presented a 

 photograph of the solar spectrum and that of oxygen. 



CONTENTS Pa«b 



Thomson and Tait's Natural Philosophy. By Prof. J. Clekk 



Maxwell, F.R.S atj 



AKTiificlAL Manures 210 _ 



Our Book Shelf:— j 



Price's " Lecture on the Gault _ . . 217 1 



"Travels and Researches among the Lakes and Mountains of j 



Eastern and Central Africa " ai8 



Kincnid's "Conic Sections— The Method of Projections" . . . 218: 

 Letters TO the Editor : — \ 



Comet 1S79 IT (Swift),— Capt. G. L. Tupman 218, 



The Mechanical Theory of Earth-Heat.— Rev. O. Fishes ... 218 



On the Origin of Certain Granitoid Rocks.— C. Callaway . . . 219 



Migrations of Birds.— Charles Dixon «i9 



Glo-w-worms v. Snails.— R. McLachlak, F.R.S. ; R. GREENWOOD 



Peknv 219 



Frogs and Glow-flies.— Rev. George HenslOW 220 



Intellect in Brutes. — Mrs. Margaret Evans ; Rev. Chas. 



Popham Miles, M.D., F.L.S.; X.; Henry Clark . ... 220 



Butterfly Swarms.— J. H. A. Jennhe 220 



The Kilburn Show ' • ■ 220 



Major Pinto's Afkicvn- Journey 221 



The Co.MPARATivK AiiATOMY OF Man, I. By Prof. Flower, 



¥.!>..%. (WHlt J lliistrnttm) 222 



Ok Pollen Plax rs. By Dr. E. Pesceval Wright [With lUus- 



trations) 225 



Our Astronomical Colu.mn: — 



Olbers' Comet o£ 181S 226 



The New Comet 226 



Variable Stars ^-* 



The Comet 1759(111.) 226 



Geographical Notes A • • • V ;, .i • °^ 



Last Year's Solar Eclipse. By Dr. Arthur Schuster, F.R.S. . 227 

 Molecular Physics in High Vacua. By William Crookes, 



F.R.S. (With Illustrations) »»» 



Notes 3' 



ITniversitv and Educational Intelligence 234 



Scientific Serials '3t 



Societies and Aca»bmies 234 



