264 



NATURE 



[January 11, 1894 



8 are generally very soluble in water, but the hydrochloride, 

 hydrobromide, and basic oxalate form exceptions, and may be 

 easily crystallised. — On the ophites of the Western Pyrenees, 

 by M. P. W. Stuavt-Menteath. The author controverts the 

 supposed necessary connection between the Trias and the 

 Ophites of this region, and shows that the presence of the latter 

 is due to the faults of the district. He also shows that the 

 intercalation of the ophites parallel to the surrounding beds is 

 not an invariable case, many instances being now known of 

 penetration of neighbouring strata, and that the granites, por- 

 phyries, and ophites of the Pyrenees are not independent of 

 each other, but rather that the latter become important as the 

 former die out.— On the composition of the waters of the 

 Dranse du Chablais and the Rhone at their entrance into the 

 Lake cf Geneva, by M. A. Delebecque. The varying 

 quantities of solid residue in the waters of these two rivers are 

 given for various times in the year. The proportions of the 

 substances dissolved vary, calcium sulphate being found more 

 abundantly in winter, and the alkalies in greater proportion in 

 summer. An approximate calculation gives for the amounts of 

 dissolved matter carried annually into the Lake of Geneva by 

 the Rhone and by the whole of its affluents, respectively, the 

 figures 750,000 and 1,150,000 tons. 



New South Wales. 

 Linnean Society, November 29, 1893. — Prof. David, the 

 President, in the chair. — The following papers were read : — A 

 Thylacine of the earlier Nototherian period in Queensland, by 

 C. W. De Vis. The occurrence of a Thylacine, for which the 

 name Thylacimts rostralis was proposed, larger than the existing 

 species, and differing from it in other expressive features, was 

 recorded from the Darling Downs deposits. A number of 

 fragmentary portions of the cranium have been for some time 

 in the Queensland Museum ; but the most valuable evidence 

 has been furnished by a recent acquisition, in the shape of the 

 major part of the left side of an adult skull, with all the teeth 

 except the second upper premolar in place, together with the 

 first four cervical vertebrre. — A second note on the Carenides, 

 with descriptions of new species, by T. G. Sloane. Nine new 

 species were described, and the opportunity of reviewing the 

 classification of the group has been taken, synoptical tables of 

 the more important genera being furnished. — Additions to and 

 emendations in the reference list of the land and freshwater 

 mollusca of New Zealand, by Henry Suter. In the " Reference 

 List " published in last year's Proceedings, a further account of 

 several new species was promised. Descriptions, which will be 

 fully illustrated, of these novelties have now redeemed this 

 promise. Critical notes on various other New Zealand land 

 mollusca accompany the descriptions. The existence in New 

 Zealand of an undetermined species of Gundlachia, the young 

 of which were formerly mistaken for an Ancyhis, was also an- 

 nounced. — On the Australasian Gundlachia, by C. Hedley. 

 Two Australian species, G. Petterdi, Johnston, and G. Beddomei, 

 Petterd, were figured and described, and the dentition of the 

 former was also elaborated. A summary was given of the whole 

 genus, with especial reference to its discontinuous distribution, 

 and probable path of migration. — Description of CcEcum am- 

 putatiim, an undescribed mollusc from Port Jackson, by C. 

 Hedley. The newest addition to the Port Jackson molluscan 

 fauna, figured and described by the author, stands nearest to 

 C. auriculatum, de Folin, from the Mediterranean. It is the 

 first of its genus observed in extratropical Australia. — Notes on 

 the red-crowned parrakeet {Cyano7-hamphus Cooki) »f Norfolk 

 Island, by A. J. North. Having recently examined two speci- 

 mens of this parrakeet forwarded by Dr. P. H. Metcalfe, of 

 Norfolk Island, the author has found it to be specifically dis- 

 tinct from C. novcB-zealandice, as maintained by Count Salvadori, 

 in whose views as to the incorrectness of the habitat assigned 

 to G. Cooki by Gray, and the necessity of regarding C. Rayneri 

 as a synonym of C. Cooki he therefore concurs. — -Fourth con- 

 tribution to a knowledge of the geographical distribution of 

 Australian batrachia, with description of a new cystignathoid 

 frog, by J. J. Fletcher. The collections recorded are mainly 

 from the Lower Clarence and the Northern Tableland of 

 N.S.W. ; and a new species of Crinia — with vomerine teeth, 

 the tympanum indistinct, the throat very dark, the belly macu- 

 late and granulate, a light vertebral line — from Jervis Bay, 

 proposed to be called C. Haswelli, was described. — Description 

 of a new Australian Acacia, by J. H. Maiden and R. T. 

 Baker. A well-defined and somewhat remarkable species from 

 Murrumbo, near the Goulburn River, N.S. W., was described. 



NO. 1 263, VOL. 49] 



It bears some superficial resemblance to A. decurreiis, van 

 normalis, but the length of the leaflets, the fewness of the glands, 

 the pinnse, and the flowers in the heads (six or eight only), are 

 the principal distinctive differences upon which the specific rank 

 is based. This species commemorates Baron Ferd. von Mueller, 

 the eminent botanist, to whom we are indebted for the classical 

 " Iconography of Australian Acacias." 

 Netherlands. 

 Zoological Society, November 25, 1893. — M. Hubrecht in 

 the chair. — M. Hubrecht contributed a paper on the development 

 of the Shrew {Sorex vulgaris), and especially on its placentation. 

 The placenta is an embryonal organ ; the part which the tissue 

 of the mother plays in its formation is considerably smaller than 

 has been supposed. — M. Seydel exhibited models of embryonary 

 skulls of Anguis and Lacerta, made of wax after the method of 

 Born. — -M. Bolsius dealt with the anatomy especially of the 

 generative organs of BranchiobdeUa parasita. — M. Vosmaer 

 treated on the so-called membrane of Sollas, in sponges of the 

 genus Sycon. — M. Hoek described a hermaphroditical ray 

 {Rajaclavata). A specimen of a length of 44 centim.etres (without 

 the tail) was in possession of a single pterygopodium (the left 

 one) only. On dissecting it was found to be furnished with a 

 complete set of female reproductive organs (ovaries, oviducts, 

 oviductal glands, uteri), and at the left side with a well-developed 

 testis containing mature spermatozoa. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLET, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Electromagnetic Theory: O. Heaviside, Vol. i. {Elecifician 

 Publishing Company).— Eau Sous Pression : F. Bloch (Paris, Clauthier- 

 Villars). — Annuario pubhcado pelo Observatorio do Rio de Janeiro, 1893 

 (Rio de Janeiro). — The Crinoidea of Gotland, Part i — The Crtnoidca Tna- 

 dutiato: F. A. Bather (Stockholm, Norstedt).— Index-Catalogue of the 

 Library of the Surgeon-General's Office, U.S. Army, Vol. xiv. (Washing- 

 ti-,n). — Results of Rain, kiver, and Evaporation Observations made in 

 N.S.W. during 1892 : H. C. Russell (Sydney). 



Pamphlet. — Report of the Meteorological Council to the Royal Society 

 for the year ending March 31, 1893 (Eyre and Spoltiswoode). 



Serials. — Geographical Journal, January (Stanford). — Natural Science, 

 January (Macmillan). — Handbuch der Palseontologie Erste Abthg. iv. 

 Band, 3 Liefg. (Williams and Norgate).— Observatory, January (Taylor 

 and Francis). — Bulletin of the New York Mathematical Society, December 

 (New York. Macmillan). — Revue G^niirale des Sciences, No. 24 (Paris). — 

 Annals of Scottish Natural History, January (Edinburgh, Douglas). — 

 American Journal of Science, January (New Haven). — Journal of the Royal 

 Statistical Society, December (Stanford). — The Physical society of London, 

 Proceedings, Vol. xii. Part 3 (Taylor and Francis). — Contributions from the 

 Botanical Laboratory of'the University of Pennsylvania, Vol. i. No. 2 

 (Philadelphia). — Medical Magazine, January (Southwood). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Kew Index of Plant-Names 241 



Astronomy for the Public. By R. A. Gregory . . . 243 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Coleman: "Practical Agricultural Chemistry for 



Elementary Students."— C. J 244 



Walther : " Bionomie des Meeres " 244 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Correlation of Solar and Magnetic Phenomena. — Dr. 



M. A. Veeder: William Ellis, F.R.S 245 



The Mendip Earthquake of December 30-31, 1893. — 



Prof. F. J. Allen 245 



Quaternionic Innovations. — Oliver Heaviside, F. R. S. 246 

 The Second Law of Thermodynamics. — S. H. 



Burbury, F.R.S 246 



The Fauna of the Victoria Regia Tank in the Botanical 



Gardens.— Frank E, Beddard, F.R.S. . . . 247 

 Rudimentary (Vestigial) Organs. — W. E. H. ; C. 



Mostyn 247 



Fresh Lightjon the Ainu. {With Illustrations.') By 



H. R. M 248 



The Purification of Sewage by Bacteria .... 249 



Arthur Milnes Marshall 250 



Notes 251 



Our Astronomical Column. — 



Harvard College Observatory Report 256 



The " Gegenschein " 256 



Geographical Notes 256 



The Rise of the Mammalia in North America. II. 



By Prof. H. F. Osborn .257 



A Dynamical Theory of the Electric and Lumini- 

 ferous Medium. I. i^With Diagram.) By Dr. Joseph 



Larmor, F.R.S 260 



Scientific Serials 263 



Societies and Academies 263 



Books, Pamphlet, and Serials Received 264 



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