24 



NATURE 



[May 7, 1891 



atomic alcohol isomeric with the saccharoses, and very near to 

 maltose in chemical constitution ; it yields glucose on inversion, 

 and does not fulfil aldehydic functions. — On the constitution of 

 aqueous solutions of tartaric acid, by M. Aignan. The author 

 arrives at the conclusion that tartaric acid exists in aqueous solu- 

 tion in the state expressed by the formula (C4Hg08)2, partially 

 dissociated according to a definite law. — Researches upon the 

 artificial production of hyalite at the ordinary temperature, by 

 M. Stanislaus Meunier. — On the stomachic digestion of the 

 frog, by M. Ch. Contejean. Experimental evidence is given 

 (i) that the pepsin secreted by the oesophagus is more abundant 

 or more active than that of the stomach ; (2) that the oesopha- 

 gean and stomachic pepsins transform coagulated albumin into 

 syntonin, and afterwards into peptone, without passing through 

 the pro-pepsin stage ; (3) that the predominance of the action 

 of cesophagean pepsin on stomachic pepsin is especially manifest 

 by the larger quantity of syntonin that it produces. — On the 

 sexual evolution of the trouts of tire Pyrenees, by M. A. Can- 

 nieu. The metamere of the endodermous layer and of the 

 primitive circulatory system in the post-branchial region of 

 Vertebrata, by M. F. Houssay. — Contribution to the study of 

 the mechanism of urinary secretion, by M. O. van der Stricht, 

 — Reappearance during winter of the starch in ligneous plants, 

 by M. Emile Mer. The researches indicate that in ligneous 

 plants starch is reabsorbed at the end of the autumn, and gener- 

 ated at the beginning of spring. It results from this that the 

 winter, instead of being the season during which the amylaceous 

 reserve is most considerable, is the season during which it is 

 least. — On some points in the anatomy of the vegetative organs 

 of Ophioglossa, by M. G. Poirault. The observations show 

 that the Ophioglossum fungus is never reproduced by spores, but 

 is propagated exclusively by buds on the roots. — On the exist- 

 ence of Diatoms in the lower lands of North France and Bel- 

 gium, by M. L. Cayeux. — On the proportion of water in corn 

 from different localities, by M. Balland. — On the treatment of 

 phylloxerous vines by carbon bisulphide mixed with vaselines, 

 by M. P. Cazeneuve. 



Brussels. 

 Academy of Sciences, February 7. — M. F. Plateau in 

 the chair. — Micrographical researches on the nature and origin of 

 phosphate rocks, by M. A. F. Renard. The author gives the 

 preliminary results of some researches on the formation of phos- 

 phate rocks. The investigation has been especially directed 

 towards the problem of the origin of these rocks, and some 

 important conclusions are arrived at with regard to this point. 

 A lithographic plate, containing magnified representations of 

 nineteen phosphate chalk specimens, accompanies the paper. — 

 The winter of 1890-91, by M. F. Folie. It is remarked that 

 observations at Brussels show that the winter of 1890-91 is one 

 of the severest passed during the last sixty years. Since 1833 

 seven winters have been of a severity comparable with the last. 

 They are 1837-38, 1840-41, 1844-45, 1846-47, 1854-55, 

 1870-71, 1879-80. A table is given showing the mean minimum 

 temperature and the mean temperatures experienced during these 

 years. This comparison and a consideration of summer tem- 

 peratures do not point to any particularly definite facts. The 

 idea that a hot summer succeeds a rigorous winter does not 

 appear to be supported. On the contrary, it appears that the 

 coming summer should be more cold than hot, with the exception 

 of the months of May and August. — On variations in the latitude 

 of a single place, by M. F. Folie. The reality of the variations 

 in latitude deduced from observations made at Berlin, Potsdam, 

 and Prague, are contested on the ground of systematic errors in 

 the formulsD of reduction, due to the assumption that the earth 

 has been considered to move as a solid body, whereas M. Folie 

 believes it to be composed of a fluid nucleus with a solid crust. 

 — Researches on the development of Arachnsetis : contribution 

 to the morphology of Cerianthida;, by M. E. van Beneden. — 

 Researches on the velocity of evaporation of liquids at tem- 

 peratures below their boiling-points, by M. P. de Heen. The 

 first part of this paper was read at the January meeting. The 

 results are now given of experiments on the variations of the 

 velocity of evaporation with the hygrometric condition of the 

 current employed. The whole of the observations show that 

 the velocity of evaporation, v, of a liquid surface acted on by 

 wind may be expressed by the formula — 



z^ = AF (100 - o-88/)VV 

 where A is a constant, F the tension of the saturated vapour at 

 the temperature of the liquid, and V the velocity of the current, 

 NO. II 23, VOL. 44] 



— Determination of the radius of curvature in parallel co- 

 ordinates, by M. Maurice d'Ocagne. 



March 7.— M. Plateau in the chair. — On a curious peculiarity 

 of currents of water, and on one of the causes of sudden floods, 

 by M. G. van der Mensbrugghe. An explanation is given of 

 the fact that in a river the maximum velocity of the current does 

 not occur at the surface, but about three-tenths of the depth 

 below the surface. — Reduction of nitrates by sunlight (second 

 note), by M. £mile Laurent, The author has caused a beam of 

 sunlight to fall upon solutions of nitrates placed in a vacuum, 

 and has found that after a certain time the space contained 

 liberated oxygen, whilst the liquids possessed the characteristic 

 reactions of nitrites, M. Laurent has analyzed the oxygen and 

 nitrites, and finds that the quantity of gas is sensibly proportional 

 to the nitrite formed. As might have been expected, the blue 

 end of the spectrum possesses the most powerful reducing 

 action. — Note on the coagulation of the albumins of the serum 

 of cow's blood, by MM. J, Corin and G. Ansiaux. The authors 

 support the assertion made by Halliburton in 1883, that the 

 albumin of serum ought not to be considered as a single sub- 

 stance, but as a mixture of two or three albuminoids, o, /3, and 7, 

 coagulating respectively at temperatures — a = 73° C, jS = 77° C, 

 and 7 = 82° C, The blood of man, the dog, pig, rabbit, &c., 

 were known to contain these three substances, and it is now 

 shown that the serum of the cow also contains the paraglobulin 

 a, and the albumins & and 7. Further, it is shown that 

 opalescence and coagulation are not distinct things, but two 

 forms of one and the same phenomenon occurring at the same 

 temperature. — On the curvature of polars with respect to a 

 point on a curve of the wth order, by Prof. C. Servais,— Dis- 

 covery of a variable star, by M. L. de Ball. An account is 

 given of observations of a variable red star situated in R.A. 

 2oh. 41m. 19s., Decl. + 2° 2''3 (1891), The observations ex- 

 tend from September 15, 1890, to January 9, 1891, In this 

 time the magnitude of the star increased from 8 '7 to 8. The 

 star is not included in Bermingham's Red Star Catalogue. M. de 

 Ball's observations are only eye-estimations, and have not been 

 made by the aid of a photometer. Further evidence of varia- 

 bility is therefore required, 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED, 



Lessons in Astron imy : C. A. Young (Arnold). — Practical Perspective : 

 J. Spencer (Percival).— Revision or Examination Sheets ; Subject If., 

 Machine Construction and Drawing, Elementary Stage : A. G. Day 

 (Percival).— General Physiology : Dr. C. Calleja (Kegan Paul).— Differ- 

 ential and Integral Calculus : A. G. Greenhill, 2nd edition (Macmillan and 

 Co. ). — NTatural Selection and Tropical Nature : A. R. Wallace ; new edition 

 (Macmillan and Co). —Fifth Report of the U.S. Entomological Commis- 

 sion : A. S. Packard (Washington). — Principles of Political Economy and 

 Taxation : D. Ricardo ; edited by E. C. K. Conner (Bell). — L'l5volution 

 des F >rmes Animates: F. Priem (Paris, Bailliere). — Geologic, Principes— 

 Explication de I'Epoque Quaternaire sans Hypothesis : H. Hermite 

 (Nenchatel. Attinger). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Fossil Insects. By R. Lydekker i 



Statistics of Population and Disease 4 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Sonnenschein : "The Best Books: A Contribution 



towards Systematic Bibliography " 5 



McPherson : " The Fairyland Tales of Science " . . , 5 

 Letters to the Editor :— 



County Councils and Technical Education. — Sir T, H, 



, Farrer, Bart 6 



The Alpine Flora, --T, D. A, Cockerell ; J, Innes 



Rogers 6 



Co-adaptation,— Prof, R. Meldola, F.R.S 7 



High and Low Level Meteorological Observatories,— 



Joseph John Murphy 7 



An "International Society."— Prof. W. H. Flower, 



F,R.S 7 



On some Points in the Early History of Astronomy, 



II, illustrated.) By J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S, 8 



Hertz's Experiments, II 12 



The Royal Society Selected Candidates 14 



The Endowment of Research in France 17 



Notes 17 



The Institution of Mechanical Engineers 20 



University and Educationallntelligence 21 



Scientific Serials 21 



Societies and Academies . 22 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received ..... 24 



