192 



NA TURE 



\_yune 23. 1S8 



accompanying a preliminary note on diameters of cubics, by 

 J. J. Walker, F.R.S. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, June 13. — M. Janssen in the chair. 

 — On the life and labours of M. Laguerre, Member of the 

 vSection for Geometry, by M. Poincare. A brief sketch is given 

 of the important discoveries made, especially in pure geometry, 

 by this distinguished mathematician, who was born at Bar-le- 

 Duc on April 9, 1834, and died there on August 14, 1886. — 

 General method for the deteraiination of the constant of aberra- 

 tion, by M. M. Loewy. By means of the table published in the 

 Cotnptes rendtis for May 23, the author has determined the two 

 azimuths relative to the horizontal direction of the terrestrial 

 movement. The solution of this problem affords a good illus- 

 tration of the easy application of the new method, as well as 

 the high degree of accuracy of which it is capable.— Note on 

 the earthy phosphates, by M. Berthelot. Some practical 

 remarks are offered in connexion with M. Joly's recent communi- 

 cation on the earthy phosphates. While confirming the numerical 

 data of previous thermo-chemical studies, they extend and in 

 some respects modify their application. — Note on the residuums 

 resulting from the action of the acids on the alloys of the 

 metals in association with platina, by M. H. Debray. In a 

 previous communication it was shown that the common metals, 

 such as tin, zinc, lead, alloyed with a small quantity of the 

 metals of platina, when heated with an acid capable of dis- 

 solving the common metal yield either the metal of platina in 

 the ciystalline state, or perfectly distinct alloys, or, lastly, 

 residuums containing a considerable portion of water and oxygen. 

 Here it is shown that these residuums even contain nitrogen when 

 the acid employed is nitric acid. — Figures in relief representing 

 the successive attitudes of a pigeon on the wing ; disposition of 

 these figures on a zootrope, by M. Marey. By the rr.ethod already 

 described and applied to other birds, theauthor here represents the 

 flight of a pigeon in eleven successive attitudes taken at equi- 

 distant phases in a single revolution of the wing. The zootrope 

 on which these phases are reproduced is an instrument derived 

 from Plateau's phenakistiscope, which reflects the continuous 

 flight of a bird. The large number of the images and the slow 

 rotation of the instrument reproduce the apparent movements so 

 gradually that the eye is easily able to follow them in all their 

 shifting phases. The bronze figures are painted on a ^\'hite 

 ground, the illusion being completed by appropriate tints im- 

 parted to the bill, feet, and eyes. — "The Pygmies of the Ancients 

 in the light of Modern Science," by M. A. de Quatrefages. On 

 presenting to the Academy the work bearing the above title, 

 the author remarks that, although now found only in scattered 

 groups everywhere oppressed or encroached upon by larger and 

 stronger races, the dwarf Negrito peoples existed in compact 

 bodies forming the bulk of the population in many parts of 

 Africa, Southern Asia, and the Eastern Archipelago. The 

 Akkas, discovered by Schweinfurth south of the Monbuttu 

 country, formerly reached as far north as the parallel of Khartoum, 

 and were known by this name to the ancient Egyptians, Mariette 

 having found it inscribed under a pygmy sculptured on a monu- 

 ment dating from the old empire. The Negritoes of Malaysia 

 and Melanesia, characterized by their low stature and a relative 

 degree of trachycephaly, are quite distinct from the Papuans of 

 the same region, and this distinction is now generally recognized 

 by anthropologists. The Asiatic pygmies described by the 

 ancients are represented by these eastern Negritoes, just as 

 the African pygmies of Herodotus and Pliny were the 

 ancestors of the Negrilloes still surviving in many parts of 

 Africa. In stature the modern pygmies range from i '507 

 (various tribes in the Malay Peninsula) down to i'300 metre (the 

 Batwas recently discovered by Dr. Wolff in the Congo Basin). — 

 Observations of the Borrelly planet made at the Observatory of 

 Algiers, by M. Trepied. — Observations of the new planet. No. 

 267, discovered at Nice on May 27, by M, Charlois. — On a 

 new form of electrometer, by M. J. Carpentier, The apparatus 

 here described has been prepared especially with a view to 

 industrial apjDliances. It is distinguished by its exceptional 

 qualities of aperiodicity, by which its readings are rendered 

 perfectly sure and rapid. — Researches on the trimetallic phos- 

 phates, by M. A. Joly. Here are studied the sodico-strontianic 

 and sodico-barytic phosphates and arseniate^, which are specially 

 interesting owing to the readiness with which they ai^e formed 

 in the crystalline state with a considerable liberation of heat, 

 and under conditions analogous to those yielding the ammoniaco- 

 magnesian phosphate. — On the metallic vanadates, by M. . A. 



Ditte. Having already prepared a number of vanadates by 

 dry process, the author here shows that many metallic vanada 

 such as those of magnesia, lime, nickel, cobalt, zinc, cop 

 lead, and silver, may also be produced by the wet process, 

 crystallized vanadates thus obtained present, like the oth 

 compositions analogous to thoSe of the alkaline vanadates.— 

 the hydrochlorates of chlorides, by M. Engel. This paper d 

 more especially with the hydrochlorate of perchloride of iroi 

 On the composition of different buttery by M. E. Duck 

 The experiments made by the author with butters from var: 

 parts of France show that, contrary to the generally accej 

 opinion, the quality of this article does not depend so much 

 the method of preparation as on the breed of cattle and i. 

 food, the character of the pastures — that is to say, the geolog 

 constitution of the soil — the influence of the seasons, the ag 

 the milk, &c. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVE 



Journ.al of the Chemic.^l Society, June (Gurney and Jackson).— Proc 

 ings of the Society for Psychical Research, May (Trubner). — Journal of 

 Royal Microscopical Society, June (Williams and Norgate). — Bulletin c 

 Societe Imper.ale des Naturalistes de Moscou, No. 2 (Moscou). — Beibli 

 2u den Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 1887, No. 5 (Barth, Leipzig).— 

 cord.s of the Geological Survey of India, vol. .xx. Part 2. — The True Sou 

 of the Missi.-isippi : P. Giles. — A Century of Electricity .• T. C. Mender 

 (.Macm.llan). — .Atlas de la Description Physique de la Republique Argeni 

 Deu.x. Section, Mammiferes : Dr. H. Burmeister and E. Daireaux (Bu( 

 Aires).— Metal Plate Work : C. T. Millis (Spon).— Animal Biology : C 

 Morgan (Rivingtons) —My Hundred Swiss Flowers : M. A. Pratten(All 

 — Dinocerata, an Extinct Order of Gigantic Mammals : Prof O. C. M; 

 (Washington). — Introductory Text-book of Physical Geography, 

 Edition : D. Page (Blackwood).— On Light (Nature Series) : Prof G 

 Stokes (Macmillan).— Manchester Microscopical Society, Transactions 

 Annual Report. 1886. — Geodatische Arbeiten, v. Heft ; V'andstandsobse 

 tioner, iv. Heft (Kristiania). — The Nature of Fever : Dr. D. Mac.\li 

 (Macmillan). — Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Scien 

 New Series, rol. xiv.. Part i (Boston). — Natural i^istory 'IVansactior 

 Northumberland. Durham, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, vol. ix.. Pa 

 (Williams and Norgate) —Bulletin de la Socieie Imperiale des Naturali 

 de Moscou, 1886, No. 3(Moscju). 



CONTENTS. PA 



The Agricultural Pests of India 



Cell-Division in Animals. By Rev. Dr. L. Martial 



Klein, S.J 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Lindsay: " The Climatic Treatment of Consumption " 

 Fitch and Smith : " Illustrations of the British Flora " 



Knollys : " Sketches of Life in Japan " 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Thought without Words. — Dr. George J. Romanes, 

 F.R.S. ; Joseph John Murphy ;^Arthur Ebbels ; 



A. Grenfell ; Arthur Nicols . ' 1 



Two Friends. — -M. C 



The Use of Flowers by Birds. — William White . . ] 

 Names for Electric Units of Self-induction and Con- 

 ductivity.— Prof. Oliver J. Lodge, F.R.S. . . . 1 

 Units of Weight, Mass, and Force. — Rev. John B. 



Lock ; Prof. Alexander Macfarlane 



The New Degrees at Cambridge. — Outis 1 



" After-Glows " at Helensburgh. — Robert H. Scott, 



F.R.S. ; Lewis P. Muirhead 1 



Zirconia. — Lewis Wright 



The Jubilee, II 



Atlantic Weather Charts 



A Review of Lighthouse W^ork and Economy in th< 

 United Kingdom during the Past Fifty Years. Ilj 



By J. Kenward 



The Observatories at Oxford and Cambridge 



Notes 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Great Southern Comet, 1887 a 



The Companion of Sirius 



A Short Method of Computing Refractions for all 



Zenith Distances 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1885 



June 26— July 2 



The Zoological Society of London 



University and Educational Intelligence , . . 



Scientific Serials 



Societies and Academies 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received (| 



I 



