November i6, 1893] 



NA TURE 



67 



the explosion by percussion were ascertained by performing the 

 reaction in a sealed tube of strong glass, also containing a few 

 i^'lass beads. The rattling of the beads was sufficient to induce 

 explosion, and in one experiment out of a large number the tube 

 remained intact. It was found that the products were all solid 

 substances. The main reaction proceeds in accordance with the 

 equation 4NaCO = NaoCOj -f NaoO + 3C. A small quantity 

 of sodium cyanide was also produced. When a drop of water 

 i^ introduced into a similar tube detonation immediately occurs, 

 and the whole tube is filled with a red flame, the colour of which 

 may perhaps be accounted for by the fact that a considerable 

 quantity of hydrogen gas is liberated. The other products of 

 the reaction are sodium carbonate, free carbon, and a small 

 proportion of carbon monoxide. Water vapour, however, 

 reacts in a quiet manner, as in the case of potassium carbonyl, 

 the substance successively changing colour to iTick-red, reddish- 

 hrown, and dark violet, until at length a viscous liquid of a 

 deep red colour is produced, whose nature, together with that 

 of the liquid derived from the potassium compound, M. Joannis 

 is now investigating. 



Notes from the Marine Biological Station, Plymouth. — Last 

 week's captures include a specimen of the fine Nemertine 

 Cerebratulns i-oseia:, now first recorded for the British Isles. 

 There are clearly hosts of interesting forms in the deeper water 

 off the Devon and Cornish coasts, if only we had a stout 

 ■steamboat from which to dredge this rich locality. The float- 

 ing fauna has not been rich, owing to the prevalence of northerly 

 and easterly winds. The presence of Radiolaria, in spite of 

 this, has been an interesting feature. Terebellid and Polynoid 

 larvK, Sa^itta, and a few Ophiuroid Phitei have also been 

 observed. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include a Bonnet Monkey (Ulacacus siniciis, ? ) 

 from India, presented by Mr. James Kendal ; a Hairy-nosed 

 Wombat {Phalascovtys latifrotis, 6 ) from South Australia, two 

 Marabou Storks {Lcptoptilus criemeiiijertis), a White-necked 

 Stork ' Disstira episcopiis) from West Africa, a Javan Adjutant 

 (.LeptoptiUis javanicus) from Java, presented by Mr. E. W. 

 Marshall, F.Z.S. ; a Macaque Monkey Macacus cynomolgiis, 9) 

 I from India, presented by Mrs. B. E. F. Stevens ; two and three 

 ' Hedgehogs {Erinaceits ettroficus) British, presented respectively 

 by Mr. W. Chatterton and Mr. A. S. Bird ; two Herring Gulls 

 {Lams a>-gen'alii:) British, presented by Mr. B. Tremble ; a 

 ; Blossom-headed Parrakeet {Palaornis cyanocephahts, i ) from 

 • India, presented by Mrs. Osmond Barnes ; a White-handed 

 Gibbon {Hylobates lar., 9) from the Malay Peninsula, de- 

 posited; a Mona Monkey {Cercopithectis mona,S )Iiom West 

 Africa, two Lapwings ( Vaitelhcs vti/§aris), a Common Curlew 

 {Xumenius ar juata) British, purchased ; three Dingoes (Caiiis 

 diii^o) born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



I Brooks's New Comet (18931:).— In the Astronomical 

 \fournal (No. 306), Prof. E. E. Barnard briefly describes a 

 I photograph of this new comet, which he was able to obtain with 

 I a 6-inch Wiliard lens. The exposure was made under con- 

 ; ditions not very conducive to good results, owing to the low 

 position of the comet and the presence of the zodiacal light. 

 The negative exhibits, however, many points of interest, and its 

 characteristic features are described as similar to those shown ■ 

 i in the photographs of Swift's comet 1892 I. Prof Barnard's I 

 ; description is as follows : — '• The plate shows the tail to a dis- 

 I \ance of 3^'. This tail irregularly divides into two slightly 

 I divergent branches. There are two narrow straight rays spring- ! 

 ' ing out from the head on opposite sides, and nearly symmetrical j 

 ■ with the main tail. The north ray, which seems to leave the 1 



NO. 1255, VOL. 49] s 



region of the nucleus, is inclined to the body of the comet by 

 about 45' ; the southern, which leaves the comet 10' or 15' back 

 of the head, is inclined about 30^ They are both about .V' 

 long. There are faint evidences of several other rays from the 

 southern side of the comet." 



BiELA Meteors. — The return of the " Andromedes " this 

 year is looked forward to with special interest, owing to their 

 great abundance last year. It will be remembered that in 1892, 

 instead of arriving on November 27 or 28, as was expected, 

 the maxima occurred about the 23rd, or four days in advance of 

 the predicted time, so that observers this year must be on the 

 Old vivc early. The director of the Pulkova Observatory, M. 

 Bredichin, accounts for this retrograde motion by supposing it 

 to be caused by the perturbations of Jupiter, which during 1890 

 were very great. Besides a retrogradation of the node amount- 

 ing to 4', the inclination of the orbit has largely diminished. 



The Planet Jupiter. — Jupiter's red spot, although preserv- 

 ing its oval form, is very dim, and is less sharp than in preced- 

 ing years. The general aspect of the disc seems to have sensibly 

 undergone changes and shows many more details, as if the 

 cloudy atmosphere of the planet had been more than usual dis- 

 turbed. Numerous observers are now scanning his disc, and 

 some recent results are contained in the current number of 

 V Astronomic (No. ii^. M. Guiot has made a series of draw- 

 ings which are there produced ; they show how the equatorial 

 belt has gradually advanced to the west relatively to a small 

 black spot indicated in the drawing, and has consequently 

 made the latter appear to have a motion in the opposite direction, 

 i.e. eastwards. The motion is clearly shown by a change of 

 inclination in a line connecting the same two spots in the series. 



A New Variable Star. — The Rev. T. E. Espin announces 

 from the Wolsingham Observatory that a red star (anonymous) 

 at R.A. igh. 7m. i6s., Deck -f25"'46, is variable. Its magni- 

 tude on August 21 was 9*0, but it has diminished to I I'D mag. 

 Photographs taken with the Compton telescope have confirmed 

 the variability of Es. 329 (R.A. I9h. 59m. 6s., Deck -(- 36^-25). 



The "Observatory " for November. — In thecurrent num- 

 ber of this monthly, Mr. T. Lewis concludes his interesting survey 

 on the various methods of computing double-star orbits. Mr. 

 H. H. Turner describes briefly a short method of obtaining a 

 star's right ascension and declination from a photograph, the 

 results being correct to less than a second of arc. Mr. Dunkin, 

 in a letter to the editors, gives the text of the ''Adams Me- 

 morial," lately placed in the north transept of Truro Cathedral, 

 and erected at the expense of a few Cornish friends and admirers, 

 both resident and non-resident, as a mark of their high esteem 

 for him as an astronomer and mathematician, and also for the 

 strong afiection he always entertained to the end of his life for 

 the hills and dales of his native county. The translation is as 

 follows : — 



In this place, as is his due. 



We commemorate our own [West] countryman 



John Couch Adams 



Tracing his way 



By the sure clue of Mathematics 



Through the boundless night of space 



He found the outermost of the planets. 



Faithfully pursuing the paths of the Sciences 



With single-hearted modesty and clearness of intellect, 



He loved God Whom he saw in the Face of Christj 



For him, as well as for Henry Martyn, 



Cornwall and Cambridge 



Owe each other mutual debts. 



He died, dearly loved by all who knew him, 



On the 2ist of January 1892, 



Aged 72 years, 7 months, 16 days. 



Solar Observations at Catania, Rome, &c.^Prof. 

 Ricco, in the August number of the Memoire della Sociela a'egli 

 Spectroscopisti Italiani, gives a detailed account of the observa- 

 tions of solar protuberances observed at the Royal Observatory 

 of Catania during the year 1892. The same number contains 

 two of the large diagrams showing the sun's limb as observed at 

 Catania, Palermo and Rome, one for Februar}--March 1892, 

 and the other for March-April of the same year. 



