144 



NA TURE 



[June 9, 1892 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, May 30. — M. d'Abbadie in the 

 chair. — Introduction of M. Guyon, the new member elected in 

 the place of M. Richet.^ — Observations of the small planets, 

 made with the great meridian instrument of the Paris Observa- 

 tory during the second and third quarters of the year 1891, by 

 M, Mouchez. — On the propagation of electrical oscillations, by 

 M. H. Poincare. The disturbance is supposed to be propagated 

 along a thin straight conductor. The enfeeblement of the 

 disturbance is theoretically shown to vanish when the diameter of 

 the conductor becomes indefinitely small. — Another blow to the 

 ascent theory of cyclones, by M. Faye. A discussion of recent 

 observations, showing that cyclones are not produced by convec- 

 tion from the soil, but by disturbances in the general circulation 

 of air in the higher regions. — On the monkey of Montsaunes 

 discovered by M. Harle, by M. Albert Gaudry. A portion of 

 the mandible of a monkey, containing three teeth, was exhibited, 

 found by M. Harle, engineer at Toulouse, in the Quaternary of 

 the Haute-Garonne. It shows the greatest similarity with the 

 magot of Gibraltar and Algiers.— Physiological effects of a 

 liquid extracted from the sexual glands, and especially the 

 testicles, by M. Brown- Sequard. — On the relations of the 

 Devonian and Carboniferous formations of Vise,by M. J.Gosselet. 

 — Study of the physical and chemical phenomena under the 

 influence of very low temperatures, by M. Raoul Pictet. 

 The calorific sether waves corresponding to low temperatures 

 are found to traverse all bodies with hardly any resistance. 

 A test-tube filled with chloroform was placed in a nitrous oxide 

 refrigerator at - 120°. A thermometer in the tube showed a 

 gradual fall to - 68°"5, when crystallization commenced. On 

 removing the test-tube to a refrigerator at - 80°, the tempera- 

 ture indicated by the thermometer /^/Z rapidly from - 68°'5 to 

 - 80°, while the crystals formed on the walls of the test-tube 

 fused and disappeared. On replacing it into the - 120° refrige- 

 rator, the temperature rose to -68°'5, and the crystals re- 

 appeared. M. Pictet explains these extraordinary phenomena 

 by supposing his thermometers to have acted more as thermo- 

 dynamometers than as thermoscopes. While the crystals were 

 forming in the first refrigerator, the radiation from the bulb was 

 neutralized by the latent heat given out by the chloroform in 

 crystallizing, whereas in the warmer refrigerator the crystals did 

 not form, and radiation alone«was active. Alcohol and sulphuric 

 ether thermometers were used, which were checked by ther- 

 mometers containing dry hydrogen at four different pressures. — 

 On rectangular co-ordinates, by M. Hatt. — On the application 

 of the optical properties of minerals to the study of the in- 

 closures in volcanic rocks, by M. A. Lacroix. — On a property 

 common to three groups of two polygons, inscribed, circum- 

 scribed, or conjugate to the same conic, by M. Paul Serret. — On 

 the canonical developments in series the coefficients of which 

 are difTerential invariants of a continuous group, by M. Arthur 

 Tresse. — On the calculation of the coefficient of resistance of 

 air, supposing the resistance proportional to the fourth power of 

 the velocity, by M. de Sparre. — On a means of bringing two 

 non-miscible liquids into intimate contact in definite propor- 

 tions, by M. Paul Marix. This is done by pouring both liquids 

 into the same vessel at a definite rate, and allowing them to 

 leave it by an orifice in the side. They will escape together in 

 the proportion of their volumes, if the level of the liquid is 

 maintained uniform by a constant supply. The surface of 

 separation is invariably found at the level of the orifice, 

 and if a flattened spout is used, a lamellar arrangement of the 

 liquids is produced, thus giving a large surface of contact. — On 

 a hydro-silicate of cadmium, by MM. G. Rousseau and G. Tite. 

 This is produced by the action of the glass vessel when the solid 

 hydrate of neutral cadmium nitrate is heated to about 300^ 

 On dissolving away the basic nitrate with boiling alcohol, the 

 silicate can be detached from the glass in long scales by hot 

 water. Its formula is 2(CdO, SiOj) . SHoO. — On the decom- 

 position by heat of ammoniacal pentachloride of phosphorus, 

 nitrochloride of phosphorus, and phosphame, by M. A. Besson. 

 — On the phosphates of strontium, by M. L. Barthe. — The 

 calorific power of pit-coal and the formulae by means of which 

 its determination is attempted, by M. Scheurer-Kestner. — 

 Mechanical determination of the boiling-points of terminal 

 complex substitution products, by M. G. Hinrichs. — On 

 some reactions of the three amido-benzoic acids, by M. 

 CEchsner de Coninck. — On the composition of chloro- 

 cruorine, by M. A. B. Griffiths. — On the antiseptic properties 

 of formaldehyde, by M. A. Trillat. — The nervous system of the 



NO. I I 80, VOL. 46] 



Neritidse, by M. E. L, Bouvier. — On the osteological characters 

 of a male Mesoplodon Sowerbyensis recently stranded on the 

 French coast, by M. P. Fischer,— On a new species of 

 Gammarus of the Lac d'Annecy, and on the fresh-water 

 Amphipoda of France, by MM. E. Chevreux and J. de Guerne. 

 — Action of various toxic substances on Bornbyx Mcri, by M. J. 

 Raulin. — On the genetic relations of resinous and tannic sub- 

 stances of vegetable origin, by MM. Edouard Heckel and Fr. 

 Schlagdenhauffen. — Researches on the grafting of Crucifers, by 

 M. Lucien Daniel. — Contribution to the study of the toxic 

 effect of the diphtheria bacillus, by M. Guinochet. — Contribution 

 to the knowledge of the Saharian climate, by M. Georges 

 Rolland. A summary of observations made at a meteorological 

 station in the oasis of Ayafa, in Southern Algiers. The sparse 

 vegetation found here and there seems to derive its moisture 

 from subterranean sources, whence it ascends by capillary 

 attraction, and from certain deliquescent salts found in the soil 

 which absorb moisture at night. — On a passage in Strabo re- 

 lating to a treatment of the vine, by M. Ant. Aublez. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books.— La Distribution de L' Electricity, Usines Centrales : R. V. Picou 

 (Paris, Gauthier-Villars) —Travail des Bois : M. Alheilig (Paris, Gauthier- 

 Villars).— Medical Electricity : Drs. Steavensoti and Jones (Lewis).— First 

 Report of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, 1890-91 (Washington). — 

 Smithsonian Report, 1890 (Washington).— Lehrbuch der Zoologie : Dr. R. 

 Hertwig, 2 vols. (Jena, Fischer). — Ziele und Wege Biologischer Forschung : 

 Dr. F. Dreyer(Jena, Fischer). — Key to Arithmetic for Beginners : J. Brook - 

 smith and E. J. Brooksmith (Macmillan).— Transactions of the Sanitary 

 Institute, vol. xii. (Stanford). — Bibliography of the Algonquian Languages : 

 J. A. Pilling (Washington).— A Monograph of the Myxogastres : G. Massee 

 (Methuen).— Popular Readings in Science : J. Gall and D. Robert.son (Con- 

 stable).— Researches on Micro-Organisms, Dr. A. B. Griffiths (BailHere).- 

 Darwin et ses Pr<5curseurs Frangais, deux, edtn., A. de Quatrefages (Paris, 

 Alcan).--Trattato di Fisico-Chimico secondo la Teoria Dinaraica : E. dal 

 Pozzo di Mombello (Milano). 



Pamphlets.— The Orthoceratida; of the Trenton Limestone of the Winni- 

 peg Basin: J. F. Whiteaves (Montreal, Dawson).— Ursachen derDefor- 

 mationen und der Gebirgsbildung : Dr. E. Reyer (Leipzig, Engelmann). 



Serials.— Journal of the Chemical Socifety, June (Gurney and Jackson). — 

 Meteorological Record, vol. xi., No. 42 (Stanford). — Quarterly Journal of 

 the Royal Meteorological Society, April (Stanford). — (jeological Magazine, 

 June (K. Paul). — Natural History Transactions of (Northumberland, Dur- 

 ham, and Newcastle-on-Tyne, vol. xi., Part i (Williams and Norgate). — The 

 Yale Review, vol. i., No. i (Arnold).— Bulletins de la Societe d'Anthro- 

 pologie de Paris, July to December, 1891 (Paris, Masson). — Archives de 

 Sciences Biologiques publi^es par ITnstitut Imperial de M^decine Ex- 

 pSrimentale a St. P^tersbourg, tome i., Nos. i et 2 (St. P^tersbourg). — 

 Engineering Magazine, June (New York). — Himmelund Erde, June (Berlin, 

 Paetel). — Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, June 

 S i ngapore). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A Professorial University of London 121 



Indian Botany. By W. Betting Hemsley, F.R.S. . 122 



Mathematical Recreations and Problems 123 



Soils and Manures 125 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Sharpe : " Catalogue of the Specimens illustrating the 

 Osteology of Vertebrated Animals, contained in the 

 Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of 



England" 125 



Letters to the Editor :— 



The Line Spectra of the Elements.— Dr. G. John- 

 stone Stoney, F.R.S 126 



Stone Circles, the Sun, and the Stars. {Illustrated.) 



— A. L. Lewis 127 



The Height of the Nacreous Clouds of January 30. — 



J. Edmund Clark 127 



A Dust Storm at Sea.— Prof. John Milne, F.R.S. . 128 



Submerged Forest.— M. H. M 128 



Carnivorous Caterpillars.— Juliet N. Williams . . 128 

 The Hurricane in Mauritius. By Dr. C. Meldrum, 



F.R.S 128 



Professor James Thomson 129 



Jean Servais Stas. By ^V. C 130 



Notes 131 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Light-Variations of Y Cygni 134 



Active Lunar Volcanoes ? 1 34 



Catalogue of Nebulas 135 



Geographical Notes 135 



Micro-organisms in their Relation to Chemical 



Changes. By Prof. Percy F. Frankland, F. R. S, . 135 



University and Educational Intelligence 140 



Societies and Academies . . 140 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 144 



