332 



NATURE 



July 31, 1879 



the Seine, by M. Manoury. — On the secreting and trophic nerves 

 of glands, by R. Heidenhain. — On the colouring-matter of 

 urine, by M. Masson. — On the beginnings of art, by Dr. Johannes 

 Ranke. — On the circulation of gases and some phenomena of 

 gaseous thermo-diffusion in plants, by J. L. de Lanessan. 



ReaU Isti/Hto Lombardo dl Scienze e Lettcre, Rcndiconti, vol. 

 xii. fasc. xiii. — We note here the following : — Anatomical and 

 statistical note on cirrhosis of the liver, by Prof, Sangalli. — On 

 albinism in batrachians, by Prof. Pavesi. — On polar systems 

 (continued), by Prof. Jung. — On monodromic functions having 

 a characteristic equation, by S. Pincherle.- -Rapid preparation of 

 hydroxylamine, by Dr. Bertoni. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, July 21. — M. Daubr^e in the chair. 

 — The following papers were read : — Theory of the simple 

 pendulum with conical oscillations, regard being had to the rota- 

 tion of the earth, by M. Villarceau. He concludes that other 

 causes than gravity and the earth's rotation intervene. — Various 

 therrao- chemical data, by M. Berthelot. This relates to fonna- 

 tion of diamylene, and heat of fusion and specific heat of gly- 

 cerine. — Remarks on the last communication of M. Bouquet de 

 la Grye, by M. Ledieu. He doubts the possibility of determin- 

 ing, even approximately, the influence of the sun and the moon 

 on atmospheric pressure. — The last three epidemics of plague of 

 the Caucasus, studied with regard to epidemiology and pro- 

 phylaxy, by M. Tholozan. These epidemics appeared in 1804- 

 18, 1828-30, and 1840-43. He remarks on the inefficacy of 

 means expected to be effectual for staying the progress of the 

 disease. — M. Schwann was elected correspondent in Medicine 

 and Surgery, in place of M. Rokitanski. — Astronomical observa- 

 tions and measurement of an arc of parallel in Algeria, by M. 

 Perrier. The arc embraces 10°. The triangulation is destined 

 to serve for ba<is and control of the vast system covering 

 Europe. — Anaesthesia by means of protoxide of nitrogen mixed 

 with oxygen, and employed under pressure, by M. Bert. One 

 operation, by M. Labbe, is described, and sixteen, by M. Pean, 

 referred to. The superiority of the method is chiefly shown in 

 the instantaneousness of the sleep and awaking. There is hardly 

 any nausea. The excess of pressure varied between o' 1 5 m. and 

 o'22m. — Researches on the causes of reinvasion of phylloxerised 

 vineyards, by M. Boiteau. — M. CoUadon announced the death 

 of M. Favre, contractor of the Saint Gothard tunnel. — Disco- 

 very of a small planet by Mr. Peters at Clinton (N.Y.), on July 

 17, 1879. — On a generalisation of periodic functions and on 

 certain linear diflerential equations, by M. Picard. — Hydrody- 

 namic experiments with vibrating bodies, and imitation, in an 

 inverse sense, of the forces of electricity and magnetism, by M. 

 Bjerknes. He describes a modified form of his former appa- 

 ratus. — On a phenomenon similar to that of Peltier, by M. 

 Bouty. This relates to the experiment with metallised thermo- 

 meters as electrodes, referred to elsewhere. — On the capacity of 

 voltaic polarisation, by M. Blondlot. The following law is de- 

 duced from observations : — For a given electrode and a given 

 electrolyte the initial capacity does not depend on the direction 

 of polarisation. — Action of magnetism in motion on static elec- 

 tricity, by M. Lippmann. This action results rigorously from 

 the existence of the inverse phenomenon, which Mr. Rowland's 

 experiments h.ave demonstrated ; and this reversibility is a conse- 

 quence of the impossibility of perpetual motion. Further, 

 static electricity has a proper mechanical inertia, simply added 

 to that of the electrified body. — On the laws of variations of 

 atmospheric electricity deduced from regular observations made 

 at the Moncalieri Observatory, by M. Denza. Inter alia, there 

 are two principal daily maxima, a few hours after sunrise and 

 sunset. The monthly electric tension reaches a maximum in 

 February, a minimum in September. In twelve years negative 

 electricity appeared with rain and snow, at least in 50 per cent, 

 of the cases. The electric tension generally diminishes with 

 the altitiide. — Researches on explosive substances, by MM. 

 Nobel and Abel. — Experimental researches on decomposition of 

 gun-cotton in a closed vessel, by MM. Sarrau and Vieille. The 

 pressure, heat, and volume and composition of the gases, are 

 indicated. The latter are simple and few. — On the employ- 

 ment of sulphuretted hydrogen by the dry method in analyses, 

 by M. Carnot. This mode of sulphuration has advantages, in 



many cases, over that of fusion with sulphur. — On the transforma- 

 tion of hydrocellulose into pulverulent pyroxyles, by M. Girard. 



— Action of fluoride of boron on acetone, by M. Landolph. 



On the determination of urea, by M. Mehn. — On iron reduced by 

 hydrogen, by M. Moissan.— Electric excitation of the point of 

 the heart, by MM. Dastre and Morat. A series of closely ; 

 successive currents may have on the heart the effect of a con- 

 tinuous current. — Note on the physiological action of brom- 

 hydrate of conine, by M. Prevost. — On the biliary secretion, by 

 M. Picard. There are two differences between this and the 

 renal secretion : — (i) An arterial system furnishes urine, a venous 

 system bile; (2) In the biliary secretion certain substances 

 formed in the liver are carried away by the outward movement 

 of the liquid. — Action of the principal poisons on Crustacea, by 

 M. Yung. Strychnine and nicotine act with extreme violence ; 

 curare is less active than with vertebrates ; sulphate of atropine 

 never caused death ; digitaline renders the heart's movements 

 slower, &c. 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, May 8. — The following 

 among other papers were read : — Old and new methods of solv- 

 ing differential equations by simple determinate integrals, by 

 Prof. Winckler. — Researches on liverworts (Ricciese), by Prof. 

 Leitgeb. — Determination of path of two fireballs observed on 

 January 12 in Bohemia and neighbouring regions, by Prof. 

 Niessl. — On the employment of quarter-tones in music on the 

 doubly chromatic piano, by Herr Gruss. — New conchylia from 

 Mediterranean strata, by Dr. Hilber. — Diluvial land-snails frcm 

 Greece, by the same. — On the r6le of the Lis^amentiimiruUs 

 'pectinatum, by Dr. Biggs. — On compounds from Canimal tar, I. 

 Picolin, by Prof. Barth. — On the internal friction in a mixture 

 of carbonic acid and hydrogen, by Dr. Puluj. 



May 15. — On the electro-magnetic rotation of the plane of 

 polarisation of light in air, by Prof. Lippich. — On arsenate of 

 zinc and cadmium, by Herr Demel. — On two peculiar surfaces 

 of the sixth order, and on a certain group of curves of the third 

 and fourth order, by Herr Cantor.- — On tertiary fossils brought 

 by Dr. Tietze from Persia, by Herr Fuchs. 



May 23. — On the formation of cinchomeronic acid from 

 chinine, and its identity with a pyridindicarbonic acid, by Dr. 

 Weidel and Herr Schmidt. — Action of oxalic acid on carbazol, 

 by Dr. Sinda. — On the decomposition of sulphydantoin by 

 baryta hydrate, and on a peculiar iron-reaction of thioglycolic 

 acid, by Herr Andreasch. — On bromoxyl derivatives of benzol, 

 by Dr. Benedikt. — On the fossil fauna of the Vypustek cave in 

 Moravia, by Prof. Liebe. 



CONTENTS pase 



The New Natural History Museum -oy 



Brain and Mind. By Prof. D. Ferkier, F.R.S ^o9 



South Indian Paleography. By Prof. A. H. Savce .... ";it 

 Our Book Shelf: — 



Cobbold's "Parasites; a Treatise on the Entozoa of Man and Ani- 

 mals, including some Account of the Ectozoa " : 



Wilson's " Contribution to Agricultural Botany " 



Evers's "Arithmetic in Theory and Practice for Higher and 

 Middle Class Schools, &c. " 



LSTTERS TO THK EdITOR: — 



The Recent Weather. — William Ellis ^ : 



Some Remarks on the Rev. J. G. Wood's Explanatory Index to 



" Waterton's Wanderings." — Dr. A. Ernst -13 



Swift's Comet. — William."; College Observatory.— Prof. Tkuman 



Henry Sapkord : 14 



Electric Lighting. — A. MallOCK {With Diagram^ ^14 



Did Flowers Exist during the Carboniferous Epoch?— Rev. E. A. 



Eaton ,.15 



,The Papau.— Rev. S. T. Whitmee \i^ 



Intellect in Brutes. — Serjeant Edward W, Cox; Rev. S. J. 



Whitmee 315 



Proceedings of the Aberdeenshire Agricultural Association, 1878. — 



Lieut -Col. Alfred S. Jones -i' 



Spicula in Helix. — Edwd. B. Parfitt 



General Results of Experiments on Friction at High Vhlo- 



CITIHS MADE IN OrDER TO ASCERTAIN THE EFFECT OF BrAKES ON 



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

 Our Astrono.mical Column: — 



The Comet of 1532 ^1^ 



The Sun's Parallax 319 



Meteorological Registers. By M. Mari^-Davy i}Vith Illustra- 

 tions) 320 



German Physiologic \l Chemistry. By Dr. William Ramsay . 323 



Geographical NoTiis 325 



Notes 326 



The EozOon Canadense. By Dr. SVilliam B. Carpenter, F.R.S. ; 



Principal Dawson, F.R.S 328 



The Colours of Double Stars 330 



Scientific Sehials 33' 



Sociktie.<; and Academies 332 



