456 



NATURE 



IMarck 7, 1889 



as rigorously accurate except on the condition of the electrodes 

 presenting no trace of polarization. This condition is generally 

 supposed to be strictly complied with when the electrodes are 

 formed of molten metals ; but the present researches prove that 

 such is not always the case. — On the reciprocal influence of two 

 rectangular magnetizings in iron, by M. Paul Janet. A piece of 

 iron being magnetized in a given direction by a given magnetic 

 force, the author inquires whether this magnetic state becomes 

 modified by the establishing or interrupting a fresh magnetic 

 current perpendicular to the first. — On drops of mercury as 

 electrodes, by M. Ostwald. — A correction as regards the action 

 of sulphurous acid on th« alkaline thiosulphates, by M. A. 

 Villiers. In a previous note {Comptes rendus, cvi. pp. 851 

 and 1354) the author described the sodium salt of a new oxy- 

 acid of sulphur as obtained by the action of sulphurous acid 

 on the sodium thiosulphate, and as having the formula S40fjNa,. 

 But he has since discovered that this salt contains two atoms 

 of hydrogen, so that its formula is S408Na2H4 = S406Na2.2H20 ; 

 that is to say, it is hydrated tetrathionate of soda. — On the 

 valency of aluminium, by M. Alphonse Combes. The vapour- 

 density of AKCgHyOg);, at 360° in an atmosphere of nitrogen 

 was found to be 11 "25, agreeing with the above formula. Its 

 valency at this comparatively low temperature therefore shows 

 its analogy with indium and other triad elements. — Combination 

 of mannite with the aldehydes of the fatty series : ethylic acetal, 

 by M. J. Meunier. Two processes are described, by means of 

 ■which the ethylic acetal of mannite may easily be prepared. 

 The combination of mannite with an aldehyde of the aromatic 

 •series (benzoic aldehyde) has already been studied. It now 

 appears that an acid solution of mannite, mixed with equal 

 molecular weights of acetic and benzoic aldehydes, yields 

 ethyl acetal, and not an acetal resulting from the simultaneous 

 combination of the two aldehydes. — M. A. Haller describes the 

 ;preparation of some new neutral and acid ethers of the cam- 

 ■phols, and also gives an easy process for the separation of cam- 

 iphor and camphol. — M. Aime Girard reports the results of some 

 protracted experiments on the cultivation of the potato in France, 

 with a view to the selection of the best tubers, and a more 

 abundant yield of starch-producing roots. — M. G. Hayem studies 

 the causes of the fatal effects resulting from the transfusion of 

 blood between animals of different species, and more especially 

 from the injection of dogs' blood in the rabbit. — The porphyritic 

 rocks of Cavenac, near Saint- Pons, are described by MM. P. de 

 Rouville and Auguste Delage ; and those of the Forez district 

 by M. U. Le Verrier. — M. Ed. Piette gives an account of some 

 human and animal remains representing a transitional epoch 

 between Quaternary and modern times, recently discovered by 

 him in a cave on the left bank of the Arize. 



Astronomical Society, February 6. — M. Flammarion in the 

 chair. — M. Guiot, of Soissons, sent observations of Uranus 

 made with the naked eye, and of Neptune with an opera-glass. 

 — M. Schmoll showed diagrams of solar activity during 1888. 

 He had noted 190 days without spots. M. Bruguiere placed the 

 minimum at 1888 "8. MM. Lihou and Jacquot sent some 

 remarks on the same subject. — M. Flammarion read a paper on 

 0' Arietis, calling attention to the remarkable relative fixity of 

 the two components. His measures at Juvisy gave 8"*5i and 

 359°"i. — M. Ch. Moussette made some remarks on the lunar 

 eclipse of January 17. — General Parmentier read a note on the 

 planetoids discovered in 1888, and showed that they confirmed 

 the classification of those bodies which he published a few 

 years ago. — M. Gunziger exhibited some Thompson's disks, 

 and showed their utility for drawing and accurately placing 

 sun-spots. 



Stockholm. 



Royal Academy of Sciences, February 13.— Sir Joseph 

 Lister was elected a Foreign Member of the Academy. — Prof. 

 Wittrock gave an account of the present state of the Bergian 

 Garden belonging to the Academy. — An examination of some 

 Algae referred to the genus Adenocystis, Hooker fil. et Harvey, 

 by Prof. F. R.Kjellman. — Contributions to the flora of Medelpad, 

 by Dr. L. M. Neuman. — Report on investigations relating to 

 the flora and fauna of the peat-bogs of Scania, by Herr G. 

 Andersson. — Report o« investigations relating to the Ascomy- 

 cetes, especially the coprophilous, of Oland, by Herr C. 

 Starback. — A special case of the problem of three bodies, by 

 Prof. Gylden. — On Odonatoe collected during the Swedish 

 Expedition to Yenisei in 1876, by Dr. F. Trybom. — Ichneii- 

 jnones pueusiici, by the late Lector A. E. Holmgren. — An 



experiment with an electric spark and a sma,ll flame, by Dr. C. 

 A. Mebius. — Prof. Nilsson gave an account of the researches of 

 Dr. Kriisson cobalt and nickel. — On the singular points of the 

 common algebraic differential equations, by Dr. J. Moller. — On 

 maximi and minimi convergents of a certain class of distinct 

 integrals, by Herr C. B. Cavallin. — On naphtoe acids, &c., by 

 Dr. Ekstrand.— On the ^^-^'-^-brom-naphthalin-sulphon acid, by 

 Herr Forsling. — On the reaction of the fuming sulphuric acid 

 on ai-(5i-chlor-naphthylamin and on a'-i!i--chloracetnaphthalid, 

 both combined with hydrochloric acid, by Herr P. Hellstrom. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Mtfmoires de la Societe de Physique et 'd'Histoire Naturelle de Geneve, 

 tome XXX. Premiere Partie (Geneve). — History of the Linen Hall Library, 

 Belfast: J. Anderson (Belfast).— Glimpses of Feverland: A. P. Crouch 

 (Low). — Ueber den Einfluss der Festsitzenden Lebensweise auf die Thiere : 

 Arnold Lang (Jena, Fischer).— Lehrbuch der Vergleichenden Anatomic, 

 Erste Abthg. : Arnold Lang (Jena, Fischer).— Darwinism and Politics : D. 

 G. Ritchie (Sonnenschein).— New South Wales, 1887, Report of the Minister 

 of Public Instruction (Sydney, Potter).— Annual Report of the Department 

 of Mines, N.S.W., for the Year 1887 (Sydney, Potter).— New South Wales 

 Australian Museum, Report of Trustees for 1887 (Sydney, Potter).— New 

 South Wales Report on Technical Education : E. Combes (Sydney, Potter). 

 — Molekularphysik, Zweiter Band : Dr. O. Lehmann (Leipzig, Engelmann). 

 -^Histologische Beitrage, Heft 2 : E. Strasburger (Jena, Fischer). — Ueber 

 die Hypothese einer Vererbung von Verletzungen : Dr. A. Weismann (Jena, 

 Fischer).— Intracellulare Pangenesis : H. de Vries (Jena, Fischer).— The 

 Best Forage Plants fully described and figured : Drs. Stebler and 

 SJchroter; translated by A. N. McAlpine (Nutt). — Index of Publications on 

 Methods of Conimunication in the Field, and on Torpedo Warfare : R. von 

 Fischer-Treuenfeld(Alabaster). -Electricity in the Service of Man, Part i, 

 edited by R. Wormell (Cassell).— The Asclepiad, No. 21, vol. 6: Dr. B. W. 

 Richardson (Longmans).— Note on the Lapps of Finmark : Prince Roland 

 Bonaparte (Paris). — La Nouvelle-Guinee, 3rd Notice — Le Fleuve Augusta : 

 4th Notice — Le Golfe Huon : Prince Roland Bonaparte (Paris). — Himmel 

 und Erde, Heft 6 (Berlin, Paetel).— Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 

 und Chemie, 1889, No. 2 (Leipzig, Barth).— Verhandlungen des Naturhis- 

 torischen Vereines, Fiinfte Folge. 5 Jahrgang, Zweite Halfte (Bonn, Max 

 Cohen). — Geological Magazine, March (Triibner). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Tollens's "Carbohydrates" . . 433 



British Mosses 434 



Our Book Shelf.— 



"Catalogue of the Marsupialia and Monotremata in 

 the Collection of the British Museum (Natural 



History" 435 



Greely : " Report of the Proceedings of the United 

 States Expedition to Lady Franklin Bay, Grinnell 



Land" 435 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Origin of Coral Islands. — ^J. Starkie Gardner . . . 435 

 The Sun's Corona, 1889.— Prof. David P. Todd . 436 

 The Meteoric Theory of Nebulae, &c.— S. Tolver 



Preston . 436 



Upper Wind Currents over the North Atlantic 



Doldrums. — Hon. Ralph Abercromby .... 437 

 The Giant Earthworm of Gippsland.— Prof. James 



W. H. Trail 437 



Weight and Mass. — Prof. A. Gray 437 



The Formation of Ice.— T. W. Backhouse .... 437 

 Rotifera and their Distribution. By Dr. C. T. 



Hudson 437 



The Darkness of London Air. {M'ith a Map.) By 



W. Hargreaves Raffles 441 



Electrical Stress. By Prof. A. W. Riicker, F.R.S. . 444 

 New Buildings at Cambridge for Physiology and 



Anatomy 445 



Notes 446 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Solar Activity in i883 448 



Comet 1889 a 449 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week i88g 



March 10-16 449 



Geographical Notes ..... , 450 



The Forces of Electric Oscillations treated accord- 

 ing to Maxwell's Theory. II. {Illustrated.) By 



Dr. H. Hertz 450 



General Equations of Fluid Motion. By Prof. 



George M. Minchin , . 452 



University and Educational Intelligence 453 



Societies and Academies 453 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 456 



