Feb, 14, 1889] 



NATURE 



\77 



Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand shall also be taken up, 

 (2) Weather Telegraphy. The work in this branch of the Ofiice 

 continues to increase. Forecasts are prepared three times a day, 

 at II a.m., 3.30 p.m., and 8.30 p.m. A comparison of the 

 results of the latter during the year shows an average success of 

 84 per cent, over the whole United Kingdom, being 3 per cent, 

 more than for the previous year. Hay harvest forecasts were 

 .also issued, the results showing considerable success. Storm 

 warning notices were issued to 146 coast stations. Under this 

 head may be specially noticed a discussion of the severe storms 

 which visited the British Isles between August i, 1882, and 

 September 3, 1883. From this investigation Mr. Scott con- 

 dudes that it is extremely improbable that telegraphic reports 

 from America can assist in the forecasting of the weather on our 

 coasts, and this conclusion is supported by the actual results of the 

 experiment made in dealing with the American reports during 

 the year. (3) Land Meteorology. The records received from 

 the Observatories and stations are classed under five heads ; the 

 methods employed are fully explained, and the Report shows 

 that several important researches are being carried on in this 

 branch. 



A CORRESPONDENT writes to us from Adelaide : — " I am 

 glad to be able to tell you that the drought, which has been so 

 bad over nearly the whole of Australia during the past year, has 

 at last broken up. We have had splendid rains right across the 

 continent ; the north-west monsoon, aided by a barometric 

 trough across the interior, and a low-pressure area on the south 

 coast, penetrating south of the tropics, and bringing a deluge of 

 rain and heavy thunderstorms over the whole of South Australia, 

 Victoria, and New South Wales." 



In consequence of the severity of the weather in Russia, 

 wolves have made their appearance in East Prussia, where they 

 have not been seen during the last six years. 



The hydrate of amidogen, or hydrazine, N.,H4 . H^O, has 

 been prepared by Drs. Curtius and Jay, of the University of 

 Erlangen. It may be remembered that a brief announcement 



NHo 

 of the isolation by Dr. Curtius of gaseous amidogen itself, | , 



NH., 

 was made in Nature (vol. xxxvi. p. 185) nearly two years ago. 

 The free gas appears, however, to possess such an intense 

 affinity for water, that its isolation in any quantity appears 

 almost impracticable ; for in all the reactions yet known in which 

 it is liberated, water is also of necessity a secondary product, and 

 combines with the amidogen 'zi the moment of its liberation, 

 forming this interesting hydrate, which is a liquid, and has been 

 obtained pure in large quantities. Hydrazine hydrochloride, or 



NH2. HCl 

 hydrochloride of amidogen, as it is variously called, | , 



NHj . HCl 

 a salt which may be obtained from its aqueous solution in fine 

 regular octahedra, was distilled with caustic lime from a silver 

 retort. The tube of the retort was inclined upwards for some 

 distance and then bent into a U -shape, so as to prevent the 

 possibility of any projection of particles from the contents of the 

 retort. To the end of the silver U-tube was attached a hori- 

 zontal tube, also of silver, containing fragments of quicklime ; 

 this in turn passed into areceiver of glass. The reaction between 

 hydrazine hydrochloride and quicklime is exactly analogous to 

 that so well known in the preparation of ammonia, amidogen 

 water and calcium chloride being formed ; but instead of ob- 

 taining the free hydride, its compound with water distils over. 

 After the distillation had been in progress a few minutes, 

 the horizontal tube was gently warmed, when liquid drops 

 of the hydrate began to fall into the receiver. Barium 

 oxide behaves just like lime, but by far the largest yield 

 of the liquid is obtained by use of a strong solution of 

 potash. Hydrazine hydrate is a fuming liquid, of very high 



refractive index, boiling unchanged at 119° C. Although boiling 

 so near the boiling-point of water, it may be almost perfectly 

 separated from that liquid by fractional distillation. It attacks 

 glass energetically, and rapidly destroys cork or caoutchouc. It 

 is strongly alkaline, as expected, tastes somewhat like ammonia, 

 and leaves a burning sensation upon the tongue. It forms well- 

 crystallized salts with most acids, which are found extremely 

 poisonous, being fatal to the lower animals. It is probably the 

 strongest reducing agent known. The most easily reducible 

 metals are precipitated from solutions of their salts in the cold. 

 Silver separates from cold strong solutions in fine compact 

 crystalline masses ; from very dilute solutions in the form of 

 perfect mirrors of great beauty. On warming with a neutral 

 solution of platinic chloride, metallic platinum separates, accord- 

 ing to the degree of concentration, in silver-white particles or 

 shining mirrors. In acid solutions it quantitatively reduces ferric 

 to ferrous, cupric to cuprous, and platinic to platinous salts, with 

 evolution of nitrogen gas. For instance, N.jHj . 2HCI + 2PtCl4 

 = N, -f 6HC1 + 2PtCI.2. Finally, when dropped upon mercuric 

 oxide, it violently explodes. From these facts it will be seen 

 that hydrazine hydrate is one of the most remarkable liquids yet 

 discovered, and appears likely to be of great use in chemical 

 operations. 



The Haileybury Natural Science Society has published the 

 first part of a list of the "Fauna and Flora of Haileybury." 

 The volume is interleaved, and should be of considerable service 

 ^o students of natural science in the neighbourhood. 



Messrs. Allen and Co. have just issued a new edition of 

 " Practical Microscopy," by George E. Davis. The work has 

 been enlarged, and, as nearly as possible, brought down to the 

 present time. The author has extended its scope, so as to include 

 an account not only of English instruments, but of the apparatus 

 in general use upon the Continent and in the United States of 

 America. 



Messrs. Longmans, Green, and Co. have published " The 

 Student's Atlas," by the late Mr. R. A. Proctor. It consists 

 of twelve circular maps, on a uniform projection and one 

 scale, with two index maps, and is "intended as a vade-mecum 

 for the student of history, travel, geography, geology, and 

 political economy." 



The Royal University of Ireland has issued in a separate 

 volume the examination papers of 1888. The volume forms a 

 supplement to the University Calendar for 1889. 



Wk understand that the Trustees of the Australian Museum, 

 Sydney, have decided to publish the manuscript and drawings 

 relating to the life-histories of Australian Lepidoptera left by the 

 late Alexander Walker Scott, and since acquired by them, and 

 that the work of editing and revising this material has been 

 intrusted to his daughter, Mrs. Edward Forde, and Mr. A. 

 Sidney Olliflf. 



The French Government, immediately after the recent out- 

 break of yellow fever at Jacksonville, despatched Dr. Paul 

 Gibier, a French physician, to study the causes of the outbreak. 

 Dr. Gibier now appeals to the American Government, on the 

 ground that his own Government will not spend any more money 

 on the task. He merely asks for the payment of incidental 

 expenses, and for the moral support of the United States. 



At a recent meeting of the Scientific Society of Christiania, 

 Prof. H. A. Getz exhibited the tusk of a mammoth found in 

 Vaage, in Central Norway. This is the first discovery of 

 remains of this animal in Norw.iy. 



The Woman's Anthropological Society, Washington, has 

 entered upon the fifth year of its existence ; and, according to 

 Science, it displays " undiminished enthusiasm and vigour," 

 Mrs. Sybil A, Carter (wife of the Hawaiian Minister) and Miss 

 Florence Spofford act respectively as President and Secretary. 



