56o 



NATURE 



[October 5, 1893 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



Pasis, 

 Academy of Sciences, September 25. — M. de Lacaze- 

 Duthiers in ihe chair. — M. Faye, in presenting the Connaissance 

 des Temps for 1896, being volume ccxviii., pointed out some im- 

 provements newly introduced. The tables of the fundamental 

 stars contain their magnitudes, their mean coordinates at the 

 commencement of the tropical year, their variation and proper 

 motion, and the dates at which the hour stars pass the meridian 

 at noon and midnight. — The geographical coordinates of Tanana- 

 rive and the observatory of Ambohidempona (founded at Mada- 

 gascar by the Rev. Father Colin), by M. Alfred Grandidier. — 

 On the spectroscopic observations made at the Mount Blanc 

 Observatory on September 14 and 15, 1893, by M. J. Janssen 

 (see p. 549). . Action of the electric arc upon the diamond, 

 amorphous boron, and crystallised silicium, by M. Henri 

 Moissan. — Preparation and properties of crystallised carbon 

 silicide, by M. Henri Moissan. — On the reproduction of oysters 

 in the Roscoff aquarium, by M. de Lacaze-Duthiers. The 

 ostreicultural work at the Roscoff laboratory was undertaken 

 in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the revival of the 

 oyster fisheries on the Fiench coasts on a scientific basis. 

 During the last two years it has been proved that seed 

 oysters could be brought to a high state of development and 

 commercial value in artificial surroundings. It has also 

 been proved that oysters are capable of reproduction in the 

 aquarium. The culture of oysters is at present divided into two 

 main branches, that of producing seed oysters and that of de- 

 veloping the latter into the article of consumption. The Roscoff 

 laboratory isnow able to perform both functions. The oysters 

 now completing their fourth year of age and their third of 

 culture in the tank, have produced this year about 5000 young 

 oysters, which will be used as seed oysters for future experiments. 

 — M. Bouquet de la Grye, in connection with a recent work by 

 M. Halt on the harmonic analysis of tidal observations, an- 

 nounced that the Hydrographic Service of the Marine Department 

 intended to adopt the method expounded, viz. that originated 

 by Lord Kelvin, to the calculation oi iheAnnuaife des Maries, 

 and that several maregraphical stations are about to be erected in 

 Indo-China, where the tidal phenomena are very singular.— 

 Circles or spheres derived from any envelope, by M. Paul 

 Serret. — On the gUicoside of the Iris, by MM. F. Tiemann 

 and G. De Laire. Iris roots contain a glucoside, iridine, 

 which shows some remarkable properties. Alcoholic extract of 

 iris treated with a mixture of acetone and chloroform of density 

 °'95i gives iridine. It crystallises in small white needles, 

 fusing at 2oS°, and corresponding to the empirical formula 

 CjjHogOis. Iridine, heated under pressure with sulphuric 

 acid diluted with weak alcohol, decomposes into glucose and a 

 crystalline body now termed irigenine. This forms alcoholic 

 ether?, and also gives rise to two series of acid ethers. Under 

 the action of alkaline hydrates, it absorbs three molecules of 

 water, and then splits into three bodies — viz. formic acid, an 

 acid phenol termed iridic acid, CjoHjjO.-j, and a phenol termed 

 iretol, CyHgOj. The latter boiy is rapidly decomposed by 

 the oxygen of the air when in an alkaline solution. When 

 iridic acid is heated above its point of fusion, it splits into I 

 molecule of carbonic acid and a colourless oil distilling at 239° 

 by cooling. It solidifies in large crystals fusing at 57', con- 

 stituting a well-defined new phenol now termed iridol. — Ana- 

 tomical researches on the grand sympathetic nervous system of 

 the sturgeon, by M. Rene Chevrel. — Contribution to the his- 

 tology of the spongidse, by M. Emile Topsent. — On two new 

 types of the choniostomatidcr of the coasts of France, sphccron- 

 ella microccphala and saienskia tubcrosa, G.and B., by MM. A. 

 Giard and J. Bonnier. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES, 



London. 



TUESDAY^ OcTORER lo. 

 Photographic Society, at 8 (at the Gallery, 5a, Pall Mall, East.) 



WEDNESDA K, October ii. 

 PnoTCCRAPHic Society at 3 and 8 (at the Theatre, Society of Arts, John 

 Street, Acleliihi). 



THURSDAY, October 12. 

 Photographic Sociktv, at 3 (at the Theatre, Society of Arts, John Street, 



AdeJphi). At 8 (at the Gallery, 5a, Pall Mall, East).— Special Lantern 



Night, 



.^.y?/Z>^ K, October 13. 

 Amateur Scientific Society, at 7. — Conversazione and E.^hibition. 

 — ^At 8. — Parasiiism, Cominen:;ali.sm, &c. : Mr. Pace. 



NO. 1249, VOL. 48] 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Bocks. — Inorganic Chemistry for Beginners : Sir H. E. Roscoe and J. Lunt 

 (Macmillan),— Mettorological Observations made at the Adelaide Observa- 

 tory, &c., during" 1884-5 (Adelaide). — Caialogn*^ of the Lepidopterous Super- 

 iamily Noctuidx lound in Boreal America : Ur. J. B. Smith (Washington). 

 — Method and Results : T. H. Huxley. (^lacmillan) — Practical Work in 

 Heat : ^V. G. Woolcombe (Oxford. Clarendon Press). — The Process of 

 Argument: A. Sidgwick (Black). — A Dictionary of Birds; A. Newton, &c.: 

 Part 2 (Black)— The Discovery of Australia: A. F. Calvert (Philip).— 

 Persohal Recollections of Werner von Siemens: translated by W. C- 

 Coupland (Asher). — In Amazon Land:. M. F. Sesselberg (Putnam). — 

 Curiosa Mathematica, Part 2. Pillow Problems: C. L. Dodgson, 2nd 

 edition (Macmillan). — Di^coration Ceramtque au feu de Moufler.M. E. 

 Guenez (Pans, Gauthier-Villars). — Les Moieurs a Gaz et a Petrole ; P. 

 Vermand (Paris, Gauthier-Villars). — Biskra and the Oases and Desert of the 

 Zibans : A. b). Pease (Stanfjrd). — An E^say on Newton's "Principia": 

 W. W.R.Ball (Macmillan). — Catalogue of Section one of the Museum of the 

 Geological Survey of Canada: G. C. HolTmann (Ottawa). — An Introduction 

 to Human Physiology : Dr. A. D. Waller, 2nd edition (Longmans).— 

 Anatomy, Descriptive and Surgical: H. Gray, edited by T. P. Pick, 13th 

 edition (Longman?.). — Analysis of Milk and Milk Products: Dr. H. Leff- 

 mann and Dr. W. Beam (Philadelphia, Plakiston). — Eleventh Annual 

 Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland. Part 3 : Scientific Investiga- 

 tions (Edinburgh. Neill).--On Hail: Hon. Rollo Russell (Stanford). 



Pamphlets, — The State of Amazon, Brazil : L. B. Biiancourt. — Fauna 

 and Flora of Norlolk, Part xil- Coleoptera ; J. Edwards. — Zur Kenntniss 

 der , Po:*tembryonalen SchadeImetamorpho>en bei Wiederkauern ; H. G. 

 Stehlin (Basel, Schwabe). — Latitudine di Torino deterniinata coi Metodi di 

 Gughelmo Siruve : F. Porro (TorinQ, Clausen). — EfTemeridi del Sole e 

 D-'lla Luna, &c. : A. Manaira (Torino, Clausen). — Osservazioni Meteoro- 

 lojiche fatte nell'anno 1892, All Osservatorio della R. Universiia di Torino : 

 Dr. G. B. Rizzt) (Torino, Clausen). — Catalogue of Woods Exhibited hy the 

 State of Amazon, Brazil, at the World's Columbian Exposition. Cliicajjo 

 (Chxago). — Trie Cuy of Manaos and the Country of Rubber Tree 

 (Chicago). 



Serials. — Zeitschrifc fiir Wissenschaftliche Zjologie, Ivi. Band. 3 Hefc 

 (Williams and Norgaie). — BulUtin de I'Academie des Sciences de BeL'ique, 

 Wo. 8, Tome 26 (Bruxelles). — The Free Review, October(Sonnenschein). — 

 Michigan Agriculural Experiment Stati3n Bulletins, 96 to 95 (IMichigan). — 

 Zeitschnft Kir Physikal.sche Chemie, xii. Band, 3 Heft (Leipzig, Engel- 

 Miann).— Journal de Physique, September (Paris). —Natural Science, October 

 (Macmillan). — Journal of the Institute of Jama-ca, August (Kingston, 

 Jamaica) — Botanical Gazette, September (Bloomington, Ind.). —Medical 

 Magazine. October (Southwood) — Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W., July 

 (Sydney). — Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, third 

 series, vol. 4, Part 3, No. 15 (Murray). — India Weather Review, Annual 

 Summary, 1892: J. Eliot (Calcutta). — Geological Magazine, October (K. 

 Paul) — Geographical Journal, October (Stanford). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Study of Diatoms. By D ^37 



The Propagation of Electric Energy 53^ 



Our Book Shelf:— 



" Help; to the Study of the Bible" ■ 539 



Edwards: "Differential Calculus for Beginners."— 



G 539 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Thieving of Assyrian Antiquities. — H. Rassam 540 



Vectors and Quaternions. — Prof. Alex. Macfarlane 540 

 Astronomical Photography. — Sir Robert S. Ball, 



F.R.S , 54< 



The Constellations of the Far East.— Kumagusu 



Minakata 54' 



Mr. Love's Treatise on Elasticity.— A. B. Basset, 



F.R.S 543 



New Caledonian Pottery.— Otis T. Mason .... 543 



Science in the Magazines 543 



Hydrophobia Statistics for 1892 at the Institut 



Pasteur 544 



Notes 544 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



On the Parallax of the Planetary Nebula B.D. 



+ 4l°-4004 548 



Solar and Lunar Ephemeris for Turin 54^ 



Geographical Notes 54^ 



The Observatory on Mount Blanc 549 



Iron and Steel Institute 549 



Theories of the Origin of Mountain Ranges By 



Prof. Le Coote 55' 



Geography at the British Association 554 



Mechanics at the British Association 556 



Anthropology at the British Association 557 



The Evolution of Colour in the Genus Megascops . 559 



University and Educational Intelligence 559 



Scientific Serials 559 



Societies and Academies 5^*' 



Diary of Societies 5^0 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 5^° 



