5.04 



NATURE 



{March 21, 1889 



of fine carpels which have the upper parts of their margins 

 coherent in a parietal manner. Illustrative diagrams were exhi- 

 bited of nearly seventy genera typical of about thirty orders. 

 The paper was favourably criticized by Dr. D. H. Scott, Mr. 

 A. W. Bennett, and Prof. Marshall Ward. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, March ii. — M. Des Cloizeaux, Pre- 

 sident, in the chair.— Fresh experiments with hydrogen peroxide 

 and chromic acid, by M. Berthelot. In previous communica- 

 tions {Comptes rendus, vol. cviii. pp. 24 and 157) it was shown 

 that the reactions between chromic acid and hydrogen peroxide 

 also took place with bichromate of potassium, and that this 

 salt has the property of gradually decomposing an unlimited 

 quantity of hydrogen peroxide, remaining itself unchanged. 

 This continuous reaction was attributed to the formation of an 

 intermediate compound incessantly destroyed and renewed 

 throughout the process of decomposition, and the experiments 

 now described tend to confirm this phenomenon. — On the 

 cephaloid organs in the tendons of birds, by M. Ranvier. The 

 organs to which M. Ranvier has given the name of " cepha- 

 loid" are here fully described, and their presence determined in 

 the domestic fowl, pigeon, and duck, but not in the lapwing. 

 Where found they invariably present pretty much the same 

 disposition and structure. — Actinometric observations made in 

 1888 at the Observatory of Montpellier by MM. Houdaille and 

 Mazade, and reported by M. A. Crova. These observations 

 confirm the general laws established by the records of previous 

 years (1883-87), showing that, while the epochs of maximum 

 and minimum intensities vary with the meteorological condi- 

 tions, the great maximum always occurs in spring, and the 

 secondary in autumn. — On the solar spots, by M. Spoerer. 

 These remarks are made in connection with the author's recent 

 memoir on the periodicity of the solar spots since 1618 (Halle, 

 1889), in which the law anticipated by Carrington is definitely 

 demonstrated and formulated. But although the norma for the 

 distribution of spots in heliocentric latitude is established for 

 many past periods, great aberrations are shown to have prevailed 

 during the period between 1672 and 1713. After the reading of 

 the paper, M. Faye pointed out that according to his own theory 

 the spots depended, like the pores, not on irregular eruptions of a 

 volcanic nature, but on the alimentation of the photosphere, an 

 essentially stable process, or at least subject only to infinitesimally 

 slight variations. In the general complexity of the phenomenon, 

 the pores with the faculae and cloudy protuberances appear to be 

 the more stable elements, and the spots and metallic protu- 

 berances more of an accessory character. — On the value of the 

 revolution of the right ascension screw in a meridian instrument, 

 as determined by the observation of the equatorial or circum- 

 polar stars, by M. G. Rayet. This inquiry shows that the 

 determination of the value in question by observing the transit 

 of a circumpolar is not more exact than that resulting from the 

 observation of equatorial stars, and that when practised in the 

 ordinary way, apart from the phenomena of refraction, it leads 

 to systematic errors, that cannot be neglected in researches 

 needing great accuracy. — On the automatic gauging of an arti- 

 ficial feeder, by M. H. Parenty. The method invented by the 

 author, and described by him in the Contptes rendus, vol. civ. 

 p. 1427, has been applied with complete success for estimating 

 continuously and automatically the irregular discharge of the 

 Courpalet feeder of the Orleans Canal, all efforts to calculate 

 which had hitherto been baffled by the varying size of the cut- 

 tings, its winding course, and almost imperceptible fall. — On 

 transformations and equilibrium in thermodynamics, by M. Gouy. 

 The method already described in the Co?uptes rendus for 

 February 18, 1889, leads to the use in thermodynamics of a new 

 function, which is here described, and which appears to present 

 the advantage of being directly connected with the consideration 

 of cycles. — Relation between magnetic rotatory power and the 

 transmission of luminous waves by ponderable matter, by M. A. 

 Potier. Here an explanation is sought in the views of Fresnel 

 of magnetic rotatory power in reference to Rowland's electro- 

 magnetic theory of light. — Employment of sulphite of sodium 

 for developing the picture in photography, by M. Paul Poire. 

 Numerous experiments carried out by the author with a solution 

 of sulphite of sodium and pyrogallic acid as a developing bath 

 show that the best results are obtained when the sulphite is in 

 the proportion of 25 per cent, v/ith i "5 gramme of pyrogallic acid 

 added. The development is slower but more intense and 



clearer than when the sulphite contains carbonate, and the bath 

 may be used repeatedly and preserved for months in corked 

 bottles. — On the monochloracetoacetic ethers o and 7 ; syn- 

 thesis of citric acid, by MM. A. Haller and A. Held. It has 

 already been shown that W. James's cyanacetoacetic ether is 

 identical with that obtained by the authors by treating sodium 

 acetoacetic ether with cyanogen chloride. This view is here 

 confirmed by a fresh synthesis of this cyanide, prepared by 

 making acetyl chloride react on sodium cyanacetic ether. — 

 Papers are contributed by MM. Ph. Barbier and J. Hilt, on 

 australene ; by M. A. Miintz, on the fertilizing properties of the 

 Nile waters j by M. Aime Girard, on the cultivation of the 

 potato ; by M. I. Straus, on preventive vaccination against 

 glanders ; by M. S. Arloing, on the zymotic effects of the 

 soluble substances contained in the cultures of Bacillus heini- 

 necrobiophilus ; and by M. A, Bottarel, on the poisoning apparatus- 

 found in certain fishes. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Carl yon Linne's Ungdomsskrifter, vol. ii. (Stockholm, Norstedt).— 

 Mechanics and Experimental Science : Heat and Light : Dr. E. Aveling. 

 (Chapman and Hall). — Mechanics and Experimental Science : Magnetism 

 and Electricity : Dr. E. Aveling (Chapman and Hall).— Industrial Educa- 

 tion : Sir P. Magnus (K. Paul). — Chambers's Kncyclopsedia ; new edition,, 

 vol. iii. (Chambers).— Practical Plane and Solid Geometry ; revised and en- 

 larged edition : J. S. Rawle(Simpkin).-Pract cal Iron Founding (Whittaker). 

 The Orbit of the Planet Sappho (80) : R. Bryant (Waterlow).— A Text-book 

 of Pathology, vol. i. : D. J. Hamilton (Macmillan).— The Elastical Re- 

 searches of Barre' de Saint-Venant : edited by K. Pearson (Cambridge 

 University Press).— Agricultural Canada : Prof. Freara.— Report of the 

 Rugby School Natural History Society. 1888 (Rugby).— Philosophy and 

 Specialities : G. Mallery (Washington).— Nineteenth Annual Report of the 

 Wellington College Natural Science Society, 1888.— Journal of the Chemical 

 Society, March (Gurney and Jackson). — Anales del Museo Nacional de 

 Buenos Aires, Entrega Decimaquinta (Buenos Aires). — Proceedings of the 

 Royal Society of Edinburgh, vol. xvi. pp. 1-64. — Annalen der Physik und 

 Chemie, 1889, No. 4 (Leipzig, Barth). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Baku Petroleum. By Prof. T. E. Thorpe, F.R.S, . 481 



A Text-Book of Elementary Biology 482 



United States Geological Survey 484 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Rideal : " Practical Inorganic Chemistry " 485 



Newall : " Scottish Moors and Indian Jungles " . . 485 

 Letters to the Editor: — 



The Inheritance of Acquired Characters. — Prof. 

 E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. ; Prof. W. J. Sollas ; 



J. Jenner-W^eir 485 



Hertz's Equations in the Field of a Rectilinear 



Vibrator.— Rev. H. W. Watson 486 



Alternative Path Leyden Jar Experiments. — Prof. 



Oliver J. Lodge, F.R.S 486 



The Celluloid Slide Rule.— C. V. Boys, F.R.S. . . 486 



The Philosophical Transactions. — H. R 486 



Japanese " Koji." — R. W. Atkinson 4S7 



The Total Solar Eclipse of January i. {Illustrated.) 



By J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S 487 



The Gradual Rising of the Land in Sweden. By 



Baron A. E. Nordenskiold 478 



Variable Stars and the Constitution of the Sun. By 



A. Fowler 492 



The Rabbit Pest. By Dr. P. L. Sclater, F.R.S. . . 493 



Notes 494 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Rowland's Photographic Map of the Normal Solar 



Spectrum . . 496 



The Clinton Catalogue 497 



Saturn's Ring 497 



The O'Gyalla Observatory 497 



Moon-culminating Stars 497 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1889 



March 24-30 497 



Geographical Notes 497 



Sixth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for 



Scotland 49^ 



Scientific Serials 499 



Societies and Academies 500 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 504 



