326 



NA TURE 



[August 3, 1893 



chloride and ice is employed, the amount of interaction is but 

 insignificant. It is only in the neighbourhood of the boiling- 

 point of ammonia (-38° '5) that the vigorous reaction above 

 referred to occurs, and the action practically ceases immediately 

 above and below this point. 



Prof. Christensen has made the further interesting obser 

 vation that anhydrous ferric chloride, FeCls, likewise reacts 

 with liquefied ammonia. The reaction occurs the moment the 

 liquid touches the chloride, even when surrounded by a freezing 

 mixture of solid carbon dioxide and ether. The product of the 

 reaction is an orange compound probably consisting of an 

 ammoniacal compound analogous to purpureo-chromic chloride. 

 It is, however, more unstable than the latter compound, rapidly 

 evolving ammonia at the ordinary temperature, and it is com- 

 pletely decomposed by water, even the moisture of the air 

 rapidly converting it into a mixture of ferric oxide and sal- 

 ammoniac. 



Notes from the Marine Biological Station, Plymouth. — Last 

 week's captures include the Polyclad Prosthecerieus vittatus, 

 the Crustacea Idotea linearis, Schistomysis spiritus, Crangon 

 trispinosus, Polybius Henslowii and Portunus holsatus, and the 

 MoUusca Calyptraa chinensis, Polycera Lessonii and Galvina 

 Farrani. In the floating fauna there has been a marked in- 

 crease in the numbers of the Siphonophore Muggiaa atlantica, 

 which has been present in the townettings from time to time for 

 several weeks past. The larvae of the Polychsete Chtplopterus 

 insignis have made their first appearance for the year, and 

 numbers of the Dinoflagellate Peridinium and of Echinoid 

 Plutei have also been taken. The following animals are now 

 breeding : — The Polychtete Chceloplerus insignis, the Isopod 

 ^Idotea. linearis, the Schizopoda Mysidopsis gibbosa and Schisto- 

 mysis spiritus, and the Decapod Crangon trispinosus. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Yaguarundi Cat (Pelis yaguarundi], a 

 Brazilian Hare (Lepus brasiliensis) from Brazil, presented by 

 Mr. J. E. Wolfe, C.M.Z.S. ; a Common Paradoxure {Para- 

 doxttrus typus) from India, presented by Mrs. Oswald 

 Walmesley ; two Azara's Foxes (Canis azara), a Crab-eating 

 Raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) from South America, presented 

 by Lord Lilford, F.Z.S. ; two Common Foxes (Canis vulpes) 

 British, presented by Mr. Reginald Chandos Pole ; a Red Deer 

 (Cervus elaphus, 9 ) British, presented by Mr. C. J. H. Tower, 

 F.Z.S. ; a Spotted Eagle (Aquiia dangd) from India, pre- 

 sented by Lord Lilford, F.Z.S. ; a Golden Eagle {Aquila 

 chrysactus) from Scotland, presented by Mr. Hugh Cameron 

 Ross ; a European Pond Tortoise [Emys europoea), European, 

 presented by Mdlle. Lajeunesse ; four Midwife Toads [Alytes 

 obstetricans) from Belgium, presented by Prof. Gustav Gilson ; 

 a Crab-eating Opossum (Didelphys cancrivorus) from Tropical 

 America, an Australian Cassowary {Casiiarius atistralis) from 

 Australia, an American Tapir ( Tapirus antfricanus), an 

 American Jabiru (Mycteria americana) from British Guiana, a 

 Wild Cat (Felis catus), European, deposited. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 Meteor Shoviters. — In the following list of radiant-points 

 of meteor showers, which we owe to Mr. Denning {Companion 

 to Observatory, 1893), that dated for August 10 is stated as 

 being the radiant of a most brilliant shower. 



Radiant, 

 a. 6. 



1893. 

 August 



Meteors. 



NO. 



Comet Finlay, 1893. — The following is the ephemeris for 

 this comet for the ensuing week : — 



'. Paris. 



Decl. app. 



2°2 37 S4'4 

 22 43 i8'4 

 22 48 17-3 

 22 52 517 



22 57 2'i 



23 o 48 9 



23 4 12-8 



23 7 i4'3 



Rordame-Quenisset Comet, 1893. — In Astronomischen 

 Nachrichten, No. 3174, several observations of this comet are 

 inserted. Prof. E. Lamp, July 10, describes the comet as 

 o''6 diam., brighter in centre, but no proper nucleus. Dr. F. 

 Restenpart for the next day gives the diameter as 4', the nucleus 

 being of the 5' magnitude with a shining nebulous envelope. 

 Prof. Schen, for the same day (July 11), estimates the diameter 

 as 2', and says, that by the 12th the brightness had distinctly 

 increased. On the 13th Herr. Archenhold describes the comet 

 as nearly one-half a magnitude dimmer than A Ursffi Majoris, 

 of an intense blue colour, and a nucleus l' in diameter. M. 

 Bigourdan {Comptes Rendus for July 17, No. 3) describes the 

 comet (July 16) as a round nebula of 3' '5 diam., with a small 

 stellar nucleus of 2" to 3" diam., surrounded by a brilli£.nt 

 nebulosity. This nebulosity had a diameter of about 20". 



Earth Movements. — In the account of the pendulum 

 observations made by Herr E. von Rebeur-Paschwitz, atten- 

 tion was frequently drawn to the fact that in several cases of 

 earth motions or disturbances, the records indicated that some- 

 times one followed the other in a short space of time, .such as 

 two to three hours, a hint being thrown out that these double 

 perturbations originated from one shock. Happening to 

 examine one of the volumes of the " Transactions of the Seis- 

 mological Society of Japan," Herr Paschwitz was surprised to 

 find that the earthquake at Kumamato, a town on the west 

 coast of the Island of Kiusiu (lat. 32'°8, long. E. 130'°7), which 

 occurred on July 28, 1889, was the severest that had taken place 

 in Japan in that year, and its time of occurrence coincided with 

 the double perturbation that was recorded at Potsdam and 

 ^i,\ht\miha.vtr\ (Astronomischen Nachrichten, No. 3174.) De- 

 ducing the most probable times for the arrival of the chief dis- 

 turbance at a mean place (long. io-°6i E., lat. + S2'°97) he 

 obtained the hours, 3'47h. and 6'ioh. M.T. Greenwich. 

 From this point the distance of Kumamato, reckoning on 

 a great circle, is about 8860 kilometres, the complement of this 

 great circle amounting to 31, 140 kilometres. Taking into con- 

 sideration the difference of time of 9h. I9*3m., and that the 

 earthquake occurred at 3h. 2S'2m. M. Greenwich time, he de- 

 duced the time diffi^rence of67'5m. and 225 ■3m. , or velocities- 

 of movement of the wave, as 2'i88 and 2 '304 kilometres, or 

 about 2'3, taking into account the time inaccuracies. This value 

 was obtamed approximately also from the Japan earthquake of 

 April 18 of the same year, the distance being 9000km., the time- 

 difl'erence 64"3m., the velocity of propagation resulting 

 2-334km. 



Observations made during the Eclipse of April, 

 1893. — In the Memorie delta Societa degli Spettroscopisti 

 Italiani for June, 1893, several communications are made con- 

 cerning observations made at the time of the last solar eclipse. 

 Lona at Palermo, Eugenio, Garibaldi, and Tacchini all give 

 their time observations, while Fenyi, in addition to these, gives 

 a list of the prominences observed at a height of at least 30" at 

 the epoch of the total eclipse at Chili and Brazil. The follow- 

 ing is the list referred to ; — 



M.T. Greenwich, 

 h. m. 



n ... XT 1. T7 Latitude. 



Position. N. by E. ^j^^„ heliographic. 



Height. 



SS 

 12 



25 

 27 



31 



I 47 



