192 



NATURE 



[JUx\E 25, 



ance with the distribution of barometric pressure over the 

 British Isles according to the Buys Ballot's law, which asserts that 

 the winds blow counter-clockwise round areas of low pressure, 

 such an area lying to the north of the British Isles. But the Ben 

 Nevis winds do not fit in with such a distribution of pressure at 

 all, which indicates that isobars drawn at the level of Ben Nevis 

 (4400 feet) have directions differing entirely from the directions 

 of sea-level isobars. In other words, the distribution of average 

 barometric pressure which extends over the North Atlantic and 

 North-western Europe, and dominates the surface wind over that 

 area, does not in this country extend to a vertical height of one 

 mile. Precautions were taken to make certain that this difference 

 was not due to a difference between the methods of observation 

 at Ben Nevis and at low-level stations. If a cyclonic storm of 

 small area is lying to the north-eastward, the sea-level winds are 

 west or north-west ; but the Ben Nevis winds may be north- 

 east, blowing straight out from the centre of the area of low 

 pressure. In larger storms the Ben Nevis winds are practically 

 identical with the sea-level winds, which indicates that a storm 

 has a vertical extent proportionate in some way to the horizontal 

 area which it covers. Ihe outflowing wind seldom or never 

 occurs when the centre is to the south or west, but only when it 

 is to the north or east ; and it is most s'.rongly marked when an 

 anticyclone lies on the other side. The outflowing current seems 

 to carry the ascending air of the cyclone to the descending anti- 

 cyclonic regions. The non-observation of the outward current 

 when the centre of the cyclone lies on the south or west may be 

 due to the fact that it passes at a higher level than the top of the 

 mountain, for it then consists of air passing from hotter to colder 

 regions, which will presumably rise to a higher level. The 

 veering of the wind at great heights, which should occur accord- 

 ing to the usual theory of cyclones, is very rarely observed. — Dr. 

 Crum Brown read a paper, by Dr. A. B. Griffiths, on the blood 

 of the Invertebrata. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, June 15.— M. Duchartre in the 

 chair. — On the deformation and extinction of isolated or 

 periodic aerial waves propagated in the interior of delivery 

 tubes without water and of indefinite lengthy by M. J. 

 Boussinesq. — On a volatile compound of iron and carbonic 

 oxide-iron-carbonyl, and on nickel-carbonyl, by M. M. Berthe- 

 lot. The author finds that iron, taken in a particular state, 

 combines directly with carbonic oxide at ordinary temperatures 

 (about 45° C. gives the best results) to form a very volatile com- 

 pound. The required state is attained by reducing precipitated 

 iron peroxide by hydrogen, or by decomposing ferrous oxalate 

 by heat, and completing the reduction with hydrogen. Iron- 

 carbonyl is analogous to nickel-carbonyl, discovered by Mond, 

 Lang, and Quincke (Journ. Chem. Soc, vol. Ivii. p. 749, 1890). 

 M. Berthelot has investigated the stability of the latter com- 

 pound and its reactions with oxygen, sulphuric acid, ammonia, 

 and nitrogen dioxide. — Resume of meteorological observations 

 made at Ecorcheboeuf, near Dieppe, from 1873 to 1882 by 

 M. J. Reiset. — Observations of Wolf's periodic comet, made at 

 Paris Observatory (West Tower equatorial), by M.. G. Bigour- 

 dan. Two observations for position were made on June 12. 

 It is remarked that the comet is a round nebulosity about 20' 

 in diameter, and having a magnitude 13*3. — Observations of 



the new asteroid (ao) made at Paris Observatory with the 



East Tower equatorial, by Mdlle. D. Klumpke. An observation 

 for position was made on June 12. — Eclipse of the sun of June 

 6; observations made at Lyons Observatory, by MM. Gonnes- 

 siat and Le Cadet. Measures were made of times of contact. 

 — Observations of Wolf's periodic comet (1884, III.), made at 

 Algiers Observatory with the Foucault telescope of 0-50 metres 

 aperture, by MM. Rambaud and Sy. Eight observations for 

 position were made between May 15 and June 8. — Eclipse of 

 the sun of June 6, observed at the Observatory of the Flam- 

 marion Scientific Society at Marseilles, by M. Jacques Leo'.ard. 

 — On the two forms in which the co-ordinates of the surface of 

 the fourth degree, described by the summits of cones of the 

 second order which pass through six given points, are expressed 

 by means of functions of two arguments, by M. F. Caspary.— 

 On an electric indicator for the detection of small variations of 

 pressure in currents of gas, by MM. G. and L. Richard. — 

 Researches on the application of the measure of rotatory power 

 to the determination of compounds formed by aqueous solu- 

 tions of mannite, with acid molybdates of soda and ammonium, 



NO. 



I 1 30, VOL. 44] 



by M. D, Gernez. By measuring the proportions of salts in 

 solution which give the maximum rotatory effect on polarized 

 light, the author arrives at the molecular formula of the com- 

 pounds formed. — On quinethyline, a homologous base of 

 quinine, by MM. E. Grimaux and A. Arnaud. — On ureides 

 derived from normal acids, by M. C. Matignon. — Mode 

 of formation of methyl-campho-carbonates of methyl and 

 ethyl, by M. J. Minguii). — On nitro-cyanacetic ethers, by 

 M. P. Th. MuUer. — Bleaching of cotton by oxygenated 

 water, by M. Prud'homme. The addition of calcined mag- 

 nesia to oxygenated water improves the bleaching properties 

 of the latter. According to the author, the superiority of the 

 results obtained is due to the formation of a peroxide of mag- 

 nesium. — Role of the nucleus in the formation of the funda- 

 mental muscular reticulum of the larva of Phrygane, by M. G. 

 Bataillon. — On a special disposition of the eyes in Pulmonara: 

 basommatophora:, M. Victor Willem. — Experimental contribu- 

 tion to the study of growth, by M, Henry de Varigny. — On a 

 crypt ogamic disease of the Acridium peregrinum, by M. L. 

 Trabut. — On the existence of a little Miocene vertebrate fauna 

 in the rocks of the Saone valley at Gray, and at Mont d'Or 

 Lyonnais, by M. Charles Deperet. — Contribution to the geo- 

 logical study of the environs of Digne, by M. Bachelard.— 

 Fauna in a deposit of Quaternary strata at the environs of 

 Pouillenay, by Don Jehl. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



The Oyster : W. K. Brooks (Wesley) — De I'Exercise chez les Adultes : 

 Dr. F. Legrange (Paris, Alcan).— Bulletin of the United States Fish Com- 

 mission, vol. viii. (Washington). — Education and Heredity: J. M. Guyau ; 

 translated by W. J. Greenstreet (Scott). — An Introduction to the Mathe- 

 matical Theory of Electricity and Magnetism : \V. T. A. Emtage (Clarendon 

 Press),— Le Peche et les Poissons des Eaux Douces : A. Locard (Paris, 

 Bailliere).— La Plume des Oiseaux : Lacroix-Danliard (Paris, Bailliere). — 

 Les Plantes d'Appartement et les Plantes de Fenetres : D. Bois (Paris, 

 Bailliere). — Dictionaire d'Electrlte et de Magnetisme : J. Lefevre (Paris, 

 Bailliere). — Bibliography of the Chemical influence of Light: Dr. A. 

 Tuckerman (Washington). — Constance Naden and Hylo-Idealism : E. B. 

 Brewer (Bickers). — A Summary of the Darwinian Theory of the Origin of 

 Species: F. P. Pascoe (Taylor and Francis). — L' Anthropologic, 1891, tome 

 ii. No. 3 (Paris, G Masson).— Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 

 June (Williams and Norgate). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Educational Aspects of Free Education 169 



Differential and Integral Calculus. By G. C. ... 170 

 The Geology of the Country round Liverpool. By 



Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S 172 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Trouessart : "Les Microbes, les Ferments, et ses 



Moisissures " 173 



" Botanical Wall Diagrams." — D, H. S 173 



"Chambers's Encyclopaedia" 173 



Wilson: " Glimpses of Nature " 174 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Fusing and Boiling Points of Compounds. ( With 



Diagrams.) — Dr. Gustavus Hinrichs 174 



Porpoises in African Rivers. — Willy Kiikenthal . . 175 

 Physical Science for Artists. I. By J. Norman 



Lockyer, F.R.S 175 



The Faraday Centenary. {With Diagram.) By Lord 



Rayleigh, F.R.S 178 



The Royal Naval Exhibition 180 



A Geological Excursion in America. By S. F. 



Emmons 182 



Notes 183 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Transit of Mercury . * * 186 



Observations of Telluric Lines 186 



Similarity of the Orbits of Certain Asteroids .... 187 

 Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto . . . 187 



A New Asteroid (an) 187 



The Royal Society Conversazione 187 



University and Educational Intelligence 188 



Scientific Serials 189 



Societies and Academies 189 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 192 



