2l6 



NA TURE 



[June 28, 1894 



the " iolemal pressure," is explained on the supposition that a 

 " skin " effect exists between the matter in the vessel and the 

 boundary layers. By clearing expression (3) of fractions the 

 author shows that the shape of the iiothermals are represented 

 by an equation of the seventh degree in /, which cannot have 

 more than three positive roots, and thence infers that isothennals 

 are not necessarily represented by cubic equations, as is soue- 

 times assumed. Prof. Ramsay said Mr. Rose Innei' formula 

 was much more satisfactor)' than that of Van der \Va.il's, which 

 was at best only a rough approximation. The President objected 

 to the use made of the woid "discontinuity" in the paper, as 

 being quite ditTerent to its precise mathematical meaning. He 

 also pomted out that the author's arguments respecting the effect 

 of finite molecular dimensions was much less general than that 

 of Van der Waal's. Although the new formula agreed with ex- 

 periment over a longer range of volume than that of Van der 

 Waal's, it would not be safe to argue beyond the range of the 

 experiments it represented. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, June 18. — M. La?wy in the chair. 

 — On the satellite of Neptune, by M. F. Tisserand. — The prin- 

 ciple of maximum woik and entropy, by M. Berthelot. A 

 general discussion of the theory of maximum work, treated 

 under the heads — ( I ) Chemical action and the disengagement of 

 heat ; {2) the principle of maximum work ; (5) entropy ; 14) 

 a comparison of the consequences of the principle of maximum 

 work and those of entropy. — Note on Phyllium fulchrijoh'uiii, 

 by M. Sappey. The author shows that Phylliuni fulclirifolium 

 exhibits only a superficial resemblance to leaves, and is a true 

 insect in all essential particulars. — On the Dyrosauriti thcvtS' 

 tiiisi', by M. .\. Pomel. This fossil reptile is the same as that 

 described by M. Phil. Thomas as Crocodilm fhosphalicus. It 

 is not a crocodile, and should perhaps be termed Dyrosaurus 

 fhoiphaticus. — On the astronomical observations made at Abas- 

 louman by M. de Glasenapp, director of the St. Petersburg Im- 

 perial Observatory, bvM. Lfcwy. — A memoir was presented on 

 a theoretical study of the elasticity of meals, by M. Felix Lucas. 

 — .Solar observations made during the first quarter of the yeir 

 1894. by M. P. Tacchini. .\ progressive diminution in spots 

 and facula: has been recorded. — Researches on continued frac- 

 tions, by M. Siielijes. — On four connected solutions of the 

 problem of transformation relative to the elliptic function of the 

 third order, by M. F. de Salvert. — The expression of the num- 

 ber of classes deduced from the transformaiion of elliptic 

 functions, by P. de .Srguier. — ^On the surfaces capable 

 of forming, by a hclicoidal displacement, a familte 

 lit Lame, by M. Albert Petot. — On a system of 

 chromaiodiaionic gamuts, by M. Edmond de Polignac. — 

 The detection of traces of chlorine, by M.M. A. Villiers and 

 M. Fayolle. The chlorine is liberated by permanganate in 

 presence of snlphuric acid, and shows, even in small traces, a 

 i>Iue colouration becoming red violet when treated with the 

 following reagent in excess : saturated aqueous solution of 

 colourless aniline lOO cc. , saturated aqueous solution of ortho- 

 loluidine 20 cc, and glacial acetic acid 30 cc. — On the emetics, 

 by M. E. Maumenc. — Pieliminary notice on a meteorite of a 

 type dislmct from the ordinary stony meteorites, by M. G. 

 Hinrichs.— On the irflucncc of fluorine c >mpounds on beer 

 ferments, by M.J. Kffront. It is ^hoxn that ferments which 

 have gradually l>ecome inured to the action of fluorine com- 

 pounds ^ivc niore alcohol and less glycerine and succinic acid 

 than ordinary yeast from a given quantity irf glucose.— Anat my 

 of the digc-tive lube of Ilyn.enopicra, by M. Ijordas. — On the 

 presence of a thread cell in the spfires of Microspmidin:, by M. 

 P. Ihclohan. The author concludes that the Microspondix 

 should lelong to the group of the Myxosporidi.-e, as their sp'TCS 

 present the same characteristics. — On the structure of the plants 

 of SpilzberKcn and of the island o( J.in .Ma>en, by M. (ja-lon 

 Honnier. The (ollowing conclusions have been formulated : — 

 (I) Arctic ptants as compared with Al>>ine plants of the same 

 >pecirs are thicker and present a difTerentiaicd structure, and 

 contain mure numerous lacunae ; (2) the greater humidity of the 

 air and ihe different character of ihe light play the principal 

 part in this ari;ipiaiion of Arctic plants. — 'Xhc gommose badllaire 

 of vines, by MM. Prillieux and UcLacroix. --On the pre-encc of 

 remains ol Fuiaimnifn.x in pn -Cambrian rocks of Brittany, 

 by M. L. Caycux. — Impermeability of healthy ejiithelium 



to drugs and poisons, by MM. Biyer and L. Guinard. — 

 Regulation of thermogenesis by the cutaneous action of certain 

 alkaloids, by MM. L. Guinard and Geley. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



HoTKS — .\ Tcxr Book of Ore and Sl«>nc-Minini: : Pr. C. Ic N'cve 

 Foster tGriffin) — A H.ind-book to the Flor.i of Ceylon: Dr. H. Trimcn, 

 Parts I and 2 and Plates (Dulau) — Practical Photo-Micrography: A. 

 Pringle (llitfe). — Travels amongst American Indians : Vicc-.\dtniral L. Urine 

 (S. Low). — Aspects of Modern Study (.MacmillanV — Beginner's Guide to 

 Photography, fifth edition (Perken). — Bodcnphysikalische und Metev'irolo- 

 gi-^che Beobachtungen mil bcsanderer beriicksichligung des Nachtfrost- 

 ph.lnomens : T. Homen (Berlin, Mayer). — Travels in a '1 rcc-top : C. .Mihott 

 (Matthews,.— The Tidal Streams of the North Sea: F. H. Collins (Potter). 

 — A Monograph of the IJats of North .\mcrica : Dr. H. .\llen (Washington). 

 Bulletin of the U.S. Fish Commissi.-*n, Vol. xi. (Washington). 



Pamkhlets. — The Calming of Waves: Dr. M. M. Richter, translated 

 (Hamburg, Porges).- t.)n Blinding of the Retina by Direct Sunlight : Dr. 

 O. Mackay (Churchill). — Johns Hopkins University of Baltimore Register 

 for 18^3-4 (Baltimore). — Carolina Pirates and Colonial Commerce, 1670- 

 1740: S. C. Hughson (Baltimore). 



Serials. — Sit7iingst>erichte der Physikalisch-Medicinischen Sociei.il in 

 Erlangen, 25 Hcfl, 1S93 (Erlangen). — Zeilschrift fiir Wissenschaft-licli'. 

 Zi>ologie, Ivii. Band. 4 Heft (Leipzig. Engelmann). — Seances de la Socict'- 

 Frani;aise de Physique, July-December, 1S03 (Paris). — Procecdlr<gs of llu- 

 Livtrpool Naturalists' Field Club. 18^3 (Liverpool). — Economic journal. 

 June (Macmillan). — Good Words. July tisbislcr). — Sunday Maga/inc, July 

 (Isbistcr). — Longman's Magazine July (Longmans). — Bulletins de la .sincirftc 

 d'.^'.thropologie de Paris. Avril (Paris), — Journal of the Royal Micro- 

 scopical S'Kiely, lune (Williams and Norgale). — Transactions of the Royal 

 Irish Academy, Vol. x.\x. Part xi. : On the Geology of Torres Straits; 

 I'rofs. Hadd'm, Sollas, and Cole (Dublin). — Ditto, Vol. xxx. Part xii : On 

 the Volcanic District of Carlingford and SlieveGullion, Part I. : Prof. Sollas 

 (Dublin) — Proceedings of the American Philosophiial Society, January 

 (Piiiladelphia). — Proceedings of the .\cadeiny of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia, 1891. Part 3 (Philadelphia). — journal of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia, and series. Vol. x. Part 1 (Philadelphia). 



NO I 287, VOL. 50] 



CONTENTS. PAGi 



Studies in Forestry. IJy Prof. W. R. Fisher .... i<)3 



The Comparative Pathology of Inflainmation . . . 194 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Leonard : " The Camel, its Uses and .Management " 195 

 Richardson and Ramsay ; " Modern Plane Geo- 

 metry" • . ig6 



"Chemistry Demonstration Sheets " 190 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Panmixia and Natural Selection. — Dr. Alfred R, 

 Wallace, F.R.S 196 



Discontinuous Colour- Variation. — Prof. T. D. A. 

 Cockerell 197 



Niagara River since the Ice .^ge. — Prof. Warren 

 Upham 19S 



The Teeth and Civilisation. — Charles S. Tomes, 



F.R.S M'l 



Electrical Theory of Vision. — Dr. E. Obach . . . 199 

 Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram- 

 Himalayas. (/lluilraltd.) 199 



A New Form of Object-Glass Mounting. By W. 

 J. S. Lockyer 201 



Notes 202 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Native Calendar of Central America and Mexico 20(1 



The Appearance of the Helium Line 2o() 



Ephemeris for Tempel's Comet • . . 206 



The Recent Discovery of Fossil Remains at Lake 

 Callationna. South Australia. II. {/L'lnfiaUii.) 

 Ity Dr. E. C. Stirling, C.M.G., F. K.S 201. 



Kafiristan 211 



Scientific Education and Research, liy Dr. H. E. 

 Armstrong, F. R S 211 



Scientific Serials 214 



Societies and Academies 214 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 216 



