3o8 



NATURE 



\_yuly 24, 1879 



a plate. — Observations on the glandular epithelium and division 

 of nuclei in the skin of the newt, by Dr. iCIein, with a plate. — 

 On the early development of the Lacertilia, with observations on 

 the nature and relations of the primitive streak, by F. M. Balfour, 

 M.A., with a plate. — On certain points in the anatomy of Peri- 

 patus capensis, by F. M. Balfour, RI. A. — Notes and Memoranda. 



Proceedings of the Dublin Microscopical club from November 



21, 1878, to March 20, 1879. 



The Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, Normal and Patho- 

 logical, July, contains: — On supernumerary nipples and mamma;, 

 with an ace junt of 65 instancca observed by Dr. J. M. Bruce, with 

 a plate. — On the origin and composition of the bodies found in 

 compound ganglia, by Dr. G. T. lieatson. — On the physiology of 

 the Turkish bath, being an Inquiry into the effects of hot dry 

 air upon man, by Dr. W. J. Fleming. — On the form and struc- 

 ture of the teeth of MesoplcJon layardii and M. sowerbyii, by 

 Prof. Dr. Turner. — On the element of symbolic correlation in 

 expression, by Prof. Dr. Cleland. — On an intra-thoracic lym- 

 phoid tumour, by Dr. R. H. Clay. — On inequality in length 

 of the lower limbs, by Dr. J. G. Garson. — On a large sub- 

 arachnoid cyst involving the greater part of the parietal lobe of 

 the brain, by Dr. D. J. Cunningham. — On the process of heal- 

 ing, by Dr. D. J. Hamilton, with a plate.— On the dentition of 

 Bettongia penicillatus. Gray, by George Leslie. — On a new 

 theory of contraction of striated muscle, and demonstration of 

 the composition of the broad dark bands, by Dr. D. Newman, 

 with two plates. — Note of a case of articulation between two 

 ribs, by Dr. J. H. Scott, with a note by Prof. Dr. Turner.— 

 Additional note on the organ of Bojanus, by M. M. Hartog, 

 M.A. — On a two-headed sartorius, by G. S. Brock. — Note on 

 ethidene, by Prof. Dr. M'Kendrick. — Notice of KoUiker's 

 " Developmental Plistory of Men and the Higher Animals," by 

 F. M. Balf. ur. 



Zeitschrift fiir wissenschaftliche Zoologie, Bd. xxxii. Heft iii., 

 contains :— Studies among the sponges, by Prof. Elias Metschni- 

 koff, of Odessa, containing notes on the development of Halisarca 

 dujardinii, on the anatomy of Ascetta, on the history of develop- 

 ment in the calcareous sponges, on the inception of nourishment in 

 sponges, and concluding with some general remarks on the group. 

 Four folding plates illustrate this memoir. — On the power 

 possessed by different mammals of holding fast to and moving 

 upwards by means of atmospheric pressure on smooth and more 

 or less perpendicular surfaces, by Dr. O. Mohnike.— Contribu- 

 tions to our knowledge of the organs of generation in the free 

 living copepoda, by Dr. A. Gruber, with five plates. — Re- 

 searches on the minute structure of the intestinal canal in Emys 

 europtra, by Dr. J. Machate, with a plate.— On a new species 

 of infusorian (Tintinnus semiciliatus), by Dr. V. Sterki, with 

 figures.— On the final alterations in Meckel's cartilage, by Dr. B, 

 Baumiiller, with two plates. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, July 14. — M. Daubr^e in the chair. 



The following papers were read :— Addition to my memoir on 



the principle of least action, by M. Serret.— On the direct com- 

 bination of cyanogen with hydrogen and the metals, by M. 

 Bertlielot. Cyanogen and hydrogen, pure and dry, mixed in 

 equal volumes, and sent through a narrow glass tube heated to 

 500° to 550°, give some sign of combination ; but the reaction is 

 more complete when the mixture is heated several hours to the 

 same temperature in a sealed tube of hard glass ; this is after- 

 wards opened over mercurj-. The union of cyanogen with some 

 metals was found also to be merely a question of time and tem- 

 perature. The substances were heated together in a sealed tube. 

 Silver and mercury did not combine with cyanogen at any tem- 

 perature. The analogies of cyanogen with the halogen sub- 

 stances are extended in this inquiry, beyond formute, to methods 

 of direct synthesis.— On the organo-metallic radicals of tin: 

 stannbutyls and stannamyls, by MM. Cahours and Demargay.— 

 On an application of the theory of elliptic functions, by M. 

 Picard.— Researches on the effects of the rheostatic machine, by 

 M. Plante. Using a machine of 80 condensers charged by 

 his secondary battery of 800 couples, he obtains noisy sparks more 

 than 0-12 m. long, and if they are produced above an insulatmg 

 surface sprinkled with flowers of sulphur, they may even attiin 

 0-15 m., and leave a sinuous furrow. When short of then: 

 maximum length they often form closed branches like anasto- 

 moses ; also, on the sprinkled surface, arhoreicences, which appear 



after removing the excess of sulphur by a few light taps. This, 

 M. Plante thinks, may explain the plant-like impressions some- 

 times found on the bodies of persons struck by lightning. But 

 little dynamic electricity is required for these and other static 

 effects described (that from 3 or 4 Daniell elements). I5y asso- 

 ciating all the condensers in surface, and adding a ymall special 

 rotating commutator, static effects of quantity are had, different 

 from those of tension. By mechanical force of succes.'^ive sparks 

 M. Plante elevates water. — On the treatment by submersion of 

 vines attacked by phylloxera, by M. Faucou. Some of the 

 insects always survive. — On the phylloxera in the Cote d'Or, by 

 M. Viallane. — On the treatment of anthracnose ; observations of 

 M. Puel, by M. Portes. The efficacy of lime is demonstrated. — 

 Observations at Marseilles Observatory, by M. Stephan. — On a de- 

 finite integral, by M. Callandreau. — On the integration of equations 

 with partial derivativesof orderssuperior to theiirst, byM. Pellet — 

 Minimum of dispersion of prisms ; achromatism of two lenses of 

 the same substance, by M. Thollon. Two lenses of the same 

 substance, traversed, the one at the minimum of dispersion, the 

 other at the minimum of deviation, by a luminous beam, may at 

 once deflect and achromatise the light. Hence a system of 

 lenses of the same matter may be made, having one focus and at 

 the same time being achromatic. — On the vapour of bisulphydrate 

 of ammonia, by M. Isambert. — On the dissolution of carbonic 

 oxide in acid protochloride of copper, by M. Hamuierl. A 

 thermo chemical investigation. — On the transformation of tartaric 

 acid into glyceric and pyruvic acids, by M. Bouchardat. — On 

 the isomerism of borneol, by M. De Montgolfier. — On bichlor- 

 hydrate of turpentine, by the same. — On some derivatives of 

 indigotine, by M. Giraud. — Comparison of effects of inhalatiots 

 of chloroform and ether, in ara;sthetic and in toxical dose, oa 

 the heart and the respiration ; applications, by M. Arloing. la 

 the first phase attention should be given both to the heart and the 

 respiration, whether chloroform or ether be used ; in the second, 

 the heart must be watched, and especially in the case of chloro- 

 form ; in the third, the respiration. Chloroform should be pre- 

 ferred to ether, where the operation may be long, as the 

 denouement of intoxication by ether is more sudden. — Causes 

 of death from intravenous injection of milk and sugar, by 

 MM. Moutard-Martin and Richet. Death from injection of a 

 great quantity of milk is the result of bulbar anaemia, which 

 produces phenomena of excitation. — On the reproduction of 

 Amblystomas at the Museum of Natin-al History, by M. Vaillant. 

 — Comparative anatomy of the Hirudinere ; organisation of the 

 Batracobdella latasti, C. Vig., by M. Vignier. 



CONTENTS p,,t;B 



Roman Antiquities. By Prof. John Rhys 2J5 



The Rights of an Animal 2^7 



Our Book Shelf: — 



" Proceedings of the Aberdeenshire Agricultural Ass Jciation, 



1878" 23* 



Houghton's " History of Britisli Freshwater Fislies " 289 



Letters TO THE Editor: — 



Tne Price of the ** Memoirs of the Geological Survey." — Jas. B. 



Bailey 2;*^ 



The Sea-Serpent.— H. C. Harnett (With Diagram)) . . . . 2S0 

 Mechanical Difficulty in Growth of Plants and Animals. — H. P. 



Knapton 



Chemical Notation.— Joseph John Mukphy 



Local Colour -Variation in Lizards. — Dr. A. Ernst 



Intellect in Brutes. — Dr. A. Ernst 



Intellect in Brutes — a Cat and a Mirror. — Thos. B- Grovus . . ^ 



Butterfly Swarms.— Hknry Cecil 



Report or an Unusual Phenomenon observed at Sea. By Com- 

 mander J. Eliot Pringle sji 



General Results of Experi.ments on Friction at High Velo- 

 cities MADE IN Order to ascertain the Effect of Brakes on 

 Railway Trains. By Capt. Douglas Galton, C.B., F.R.S. 



(With Diagrams) 292 



Geographical Notes 295 



Prof. Moebius on the Eozoon Question, IT. (With Illustrations) . 297 

 The Blowpipe Cone-Sphctru.m, and the Distribution of the 

 Intensity of Light in the Prismatic and Diffraction 



Spectra. By Dr. John William Draper 301 



The New Thermo-Electric Light Batti uv 301 



Biological Notes : — 



The Blood of the Lobster 30-- 



Anneli-is of the Virginian Coast 302 



Acid Reaction of Flowers 303 



Function of some Contractile Vacuoles io Infusoria 303 



Physiological Action\)f Copper , _ 303 



Localisation of Arsenic in the Biain 303 



Notes • „' • ,; " „" / ^03 



On Two Meteors observed in Sweden in 1S77. By Prot. 



Nordenskjold 306 



Scientific Serials 307 



Societies and Acaobmi»s 30» 



