96 



NATURE 



[May 22, 1890 



material. The occurrence of other local developments of Middle 

 and Upper Devonian volcanic rocks is described. The relation- 

 ship of the Middle and Upper Devonian deposits varies. In 

 some cases Upper Devonian shales may have been deposited 

 against Middle Devonian limestones ; in others there is a con- 

 tinuous development of limestone, the Middle Devonian lime- 

 stones being succeeded by Cuboides beds, Goniatite limestones, 

 and Knollenkalk. The local variations of these are described, 

 and fossil lists are given. The Knollenkalk is shown to pass 

 under Entomis \>&tixm% beds ("Cypridinen-Schiefer"), which 

 are described, though a detailed account of their relationship to 

 the Culm-measures is reserved for a future occasion. After 

 the reading of this paper, some remarks were offered by the 

 President, Prof. T. Rupert Jones, Prof. Hughes, and the author. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, May 12.— M. Hermite in the chair. 

 — New lunar photographs by the Brothers Henry, of Paris 

 Observatory, by M. Mouchez (see Our Astronomical Column). — 

 On volume iii. of the " Annales de I'Observatoire de Nice," by 

 M. Faye.— Experiments on the deformations undergone by the 

 solid envelope of a fluid spheroid submitted to the effects of 

 contraction ; possible applications to dislocations of the terrestrial 

 globe, by M. Daubree. In order to obtain the necessary oblate- 

 ness, spherical balloons of vulcanized caoutchouc, having disks of 

 the same material affixed at the extremities of a diameter, were 

 used. The disks gradually increased in diameter, so that the 

 thickness gradually decreased from the poles in each hemi- 

 sphere, and unequal pressure was exercised on the liquid con- 

 tained in the balloon. The oblateness has been determined of 

 various liquid spheroids, and the conditions of production of 

 ridges and fissures similar to those exhibited in the earth's 

 •crust. — On the retardation of foliation in Provence during the 

 spring of 1890, by M. G. de Saporta. The low temperature and 

 the abnormal humidity having exercised a very sensible in- 

 fluence during the spring of this year on vegetation in the middle 

 of France, the author has investigated the state of foliation at 

 the beginning of May in a locality situated at Saint-Zacharie 

 (Var), in the high valley of Huveaune, at an altitude of about 

 200 metres. — On an hydraulic instrument with a new model of 

 turbine for the continued utilization of the power of rivers, by 

 M. Paul Decoeur. — The difference between the surface of the 

 earth taken as fluid and that of an ellipsoid of revolution having 

 the same axis, by M. O. Callandreau. It is shown that in the 

 case of a supposed fluid earth the maximum depression for latitude 

 45° is 9'i metres, which agrees with the value given by M. 

 Helmert in his "Geodesie superieure." — On surfaces possessing 

 a train of geodetic conjugates, by M. C. Guichard.— On some 

 particular cases of visibility of interference fringes, by MM. J. 

 Mace de Lepinay and Ch. Fabry. — On undulatory transverse 

 magnetization, by M. C. Decharme It appears from some ex- 

 periments given that a continuous electric current traversing the 

 length of a tempered cylinder of steel may become undulatory on 

 account of the resistance which the molecular actions of the mag- 

 netic medium oppose to it. — A note by M. A. Witz describes a 

 method of exploration of magnetic fields by tubes of rarefied gases. 

 — On the double chlorides of iridium and phosphorus, by M. 

 G. Geisenheimer. By heating in a sealed tube at 3C0" C. I gram 

 of iridium hydrate with 10 grams of PCI3 and 15 grams of PClg, 

 and reheating the yellow crystalline mass obtained with POCI3 

 to 250°, a body possessing the empirical formula Ir^PgClis is 

 formed in fine clear yellow crystals. By appropriate treatment 

 several other double chlorides are obtained therefrom. An acid 

 corresponding to the body Ir.^PjCljg is the product obtained on 

 evaporating an aqueous solution of the latter as far as possible. 

 The analyses of the salts of this acid indicate that the formula 

 for the double chloride above should be written 2lr2Cl3, 3PCI3, 

 3PC1b. — A note on a characteristic reaction of hydrogen dioxide, 

 by M. G. Deniges. A 10 per cent, solution of ammonium molyb- 

 date in water added to its own volume of concentrated sulphuric 

 acid gives with a few drops of hydrogen dioxide an intense 

 yellow coloration. — On the existence of microlithic peridote in 

 the andesites and labradorites of the ridge of the Puys, by 

 M. A. Michel Levy. — On the contact phenomena of elseolithic 

 syenite at Pouzac (Hautes-Pyrenees), and on the transformation 

 into dipyre of the felspar of the ophitic rock in the same bed, by 

 M. A. Lacroix. — On the metamorphic rocks of Pouzac, by M. 

 Ch. L. Frossard. These rocks, occupying a space of 1250 m. 

 by 300 m,, extending from the railway near Monloo, appear to 

 have been principally modified by the syenite. The ophite of 



NO. 1073, VOL. 42] 



Palassou has hardly acted upon the surrounding rocks. The 

 rocks of which the modifications are attributed by the author to 

 the action of the syenite are in the state of a fragmentary 

 breccia and are without trace of fossils or indications of strati- 

 fication. They may be classed as— siliceous, hard compact 

 argillaceous, amphibole, talcose, chloritic, limestone, and dolo- 

 mite rocks. — On the organisms of nitrification, by M. S. 

 Winogradsky, The author has succeeded in isolating the 

 nitrifying microbe, and has found that neither its rate of multi- 

 plication nor its vigour of action is diminished by cultivation 

 in a mineral solution quite devoid of organic carbon. The 

 colourless microbe of nitrification is thus capable of a complete 

 synthesis of its substance from carbonic acid and ammonia. 

 This fact is in direct contradiction with the fundamental doctrine 

 of physiology that a complete synthesis of organic matter only 

 occurs in chlorophyll-bearing plants, under the actbn of 

 luminous rays. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Elementary Statics, new edition: Rev. J. B. Lock (Macmillan).— Dyna- 

 mics for Beginners, 3rd edition: Rev. J. B. Lock (Macmillan).— Capital 

 and Interest: E. V. Bohm-Bawerk : translated by W. Smart (Macmillan) 

 —First Lessons in Political Economy : F. A. Walker (Macmillan); —Sketches 

 of BriLigh Sporting Fishes: J. Watson (Chapman and Hall).— Yachting 

 Guide and Tide Tables, 1890 : A Thorns .n (Pall Mall).— A Guide to the 

 Literature of Sugar : H. Ling Roth (K. Paul).— Nautical Surveying : Vice- 

 Admiral Shortland (Macmillan).— La Ge'ographie Zoologique : Dr. E. L. 

 Troussart (Paris, J. B. Bailliere).— American Economic Entomology, Part i, 

 The More Important Writings of Bishop — Walsh (Washington). - Piclure>que 

 Wales : G. Turner (Adams) —Practical Chemistry for Medical Student* : S. 

 Rideal (Lewis).— Catalogue of the Birds in the Provincial Museum, North- 

 West Provinces, and Oudh, Lucknow (Allahabad).— Masken von Neu Guinea 

 und dem Bismarck Archipel : Dr. A. B. Meyer (Dresden, Stengel and 

 Markert).— Anoa Depressicornis (H. Smith): Dr. K. M. Heller (Berlin, 

 Friedlander).— Abhandlungen und Berichte des Koniglichen Z .ologischen 

 und Anthropologisch-Eihnographischen Museums zu Dresden, 1888-89 '• ^^• 

 A. B. Meyer ( Berlin, Friedla ider).— Harpur Euclid, Books 5, 6, 11 : B. M. 

 Langley and W. S. Phillips (Rivingtons).— On Aphasia, or Loss of Speech, 

 2nd edition : Dr. F. Bateman (Churchill). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Future University for London 73 



Recent Ornithological Works. By R. Bowdler 



Sharpe 74 



Criminal Anthropology. By Francis Galton, F.R.S. 75 

 Elementary Physiographic Astronomy. By A. F. . 76 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Cousins : " Theoretical and Practical Treatise on the 

 Strength of Beams and Columns." — A. G. G. . . . 76 



" Chambers's Encyclopaedia " 77 



Brinton : " Essays of an Americanist " 77 



Vigarie : " Esquisse Historique sur la Marche du De- 

 veloppement de la Geometric du Triangle " .... 77 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



A Uniform System of Russian Transliteration. — A. 



Wilkins ; Ch. R. Osten-Sacken 77 



The Eruption of Vulcano Island. — Dr. H. J. Johnston- 



Lavis 78 



Panmixia. — Prof. George J. Romanes, F.R.S. . . 79 

 Photo-electric Impulsion Cells. { With Diagram.) — 

 Prof. George M. Minchin ....... . . 80 



Bison not Aurochs. — Prof. Alfred Newton, F.R.S. 81 

 Sudden Rises of Temperature. — Dr. M. A. Veeder . 81 

 Coral Reefs, Fossil and Recent. — Captain W.J. L. 



Wharton, R.N. , F.R S 81 



Doppler's Principle.— Prof. J. D. Everett, F.R.S, . 81 

 The Shapes of Leaves and Cotyledons. By Sir John 



Lubbock, Bart., M. P., F.R.S 81 



Eua Island, Tonga Group. {Illustrated.) By Captain 

 W. J. L. W^harton, R.N., F.R.S. ; Commander C. 

 F. Oldham, R.N. ; Prof. J. W. Judd, F.R.S. . . . 85 



Notes 86 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Objects for the Spectroscope. — A. Fowler 89 



Spica 90 



The Meteoritic Theory of Comets 90 



Mass of Shooting- Stars 90 



Photographs of the Moon 90 



The Royal Society Conversazione 90 



University and Educational Intelligence 93 



Scientific Serials 93 



Societies and Academies 94 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials-Received 96 



