June 26, 1890] 



NATURE 



213 



of cells of several varieties — the columnar, the spindle, and inter- 

 mediate forms ; all are ciliated. — On the temperature limits of 

 the vitality of the mammalian heart, by H. Newell Martin and 

 E. C. Applegarth. 



No. 6 contains : — On the morphology of the compound eyes 

 of Arthropods, by S. Watase (plates 29 to 35). In studying 

 the structure of the omniatidium of the compound eye of Scrolls 

 it was found that it might be reduced to a simple ectodermic 

 invagination of the skin. Extending his researches over several 

 other Arthropods, the author found that the same interpretation 

 could without exception be applied, and he thinks this view of 

 the ommatidium finds its strongest support in the fact that in 

 Limulus the ommatidium is an open pit of the skin. If these 

 views be correct, the unit of the compound eye of an Arthropod 

 is not so complex as has generally been conceived, and the total 

 result is but the vegetative repetition of a similar structure. In 

 an appendix the author alludes to his investigations into the 

 structure of the eye in Echinoderms, the result of which he 

 hopes shortly to publish. — On the anatomy and histology of 

 Cyvibuliopsis calceola, Verrill (plates 36 to 39), by J. I. Peck. 

 A few specimens of this rare Pteropod were found in the Gulf 

 Stream, off Cape Charles. — On the amphibian blastopore, by T. 

 H. Morgan (plates 40 to 42), concludes that in some forms it 

 becomes altogether or in part the neurenteric canal ; in some it 

 becomes the anus ; in some, again, it closes and a new anus is 

 formed, while he believes that in Amblyostoma it becomes both 

 the neurenteric canal and the anus. — On a new Actinia, by Dr. 

 Henry V. Wilson (plate 43). This new form was found on the 

 small reef which fringes the shore of No Name Key, Abaco, 

 Bahamas. It was discovered in a perforation on the under 

 surface of a porites-like asteroid coral, and, though constantly 

 looked for, but the one specimen was found. It has been called 

 Hoplophoria coralligens. Below the twelve long tentacles are 

 cycles of smaller ones, and below these four remarkable large 

 organs, which give the animal a most bizarre appearance ; 

 these are diverticula of the gastro-vascular cavity, and are 

 stinging weapons. The genus is placed provisionally with the 

 Antheadse. 



Bulletins de la Societe d^ Anthropologie de Paris, tome 

 xii. (serie 3), fasc. 4, 1889. — Continuation of M. Variot's 

 paper on pigmentation of the skin in the region of cicatrized 

 lesions in the negro. — Descriptive ethnographic summary of the 

 course of distribution of different races in Europe, by M. 

 Lombard. Starting from the Neanderthal race as the only one 

 referable to the Quaternary period, the author attempts to show 

 that as early as the age of their descendants — the Cro-Magnon 

 men — various alien races had already appeared contemporaneously 

 with the latter in Central Europe. From this point, M. Lombard 

 undertakes, on very vague premises, to trace the advance west- 

 ward of successive and intersecting streams of brachycephalic 

 and dolichocephalic peoples bringing with them their own special 

 civilization of the dolmen, polished stone, or other, period. His 

 view that the Pamir plateau is the cradle of the Aryans, and 

 that they belonged primarily to the blonde races, is strongly 

 combated by Mme. Clemence Royer, whose able refutation of 

 his somewhat crude opinions gives to his paper its sole claim to 

 notice. — Communications on the silex of Breonio, near Verona, 

 and on spurious French and Italian flint implements, by M. de 

 Mortillet, who shows the extent to which the manufacture of 

 so-called palseontological objects is carried on. — On a case in 

 which the gray commissure of the third ventricle was absent ; 

 and on the concomitant psychic characteristics of this anomalous 

 condition, by Dr. F. de Marcedo. — On the mummified brain of 

 an ancient cranium found in Venezuela, by M. Chudzinski. — 

 On venous circulation in stumps, by Dr. Lejars. — On a rabbit 

 with only one ear, by M. Chervin. — On the effects of the artificial 

 deformity of the skull in a Bolivian infant, by M. Manouvrier. 

 — On various prehistoric stations in the Department of Seine-et- 

 Oise, by M. Vauville. The finds at Crespieres included three 

 implements of a sandstone not found in the district, the re- 

 mainder being of cut flint. At Grancieres evidence exists of 

 the extensive manufacture of extremely small flint implements 

 similar to those found in India, and in the neighbourhood of 

 Tunis and Algiers, as well as in parts of South-Western Europe. 

 The objects generally would seem to belong to the Palaeolithic 

 and Neolithic ages. — On the skeletons found at Castenedolo in 

 Lombardy, and assumed by M. de Marcedo to be of Tertiary 

 origin, by M. de Mortillet. — On the utility of family burying- 

 places in reference to the study of the influence of heredity on 

 anatomical characteristics, by Mme. Clemence Royer. — On the 



NO. 1078, VOL. 42] 



megalithic remains of the Department of La Somme, by M. 

 Pouchon. The author points out the inaccuracy of the official 

 lists published for the district, and describes a number of interest- 

 ing, so-called polishing stones, and other monoliths, which demand 

 immediate protection from the Government to save them from 

 wanton destruction. — On the distribution of muscular force in 

 the hand and foot, observed by means of a new form of dynamo- 

 meter, by M. Fere. — Final Report of the Eighth Congress of 

 Orientalists at Stockholm, by M. O. Beauregard. — The pre- 

 historic stations of Coucouteni, Roumania, by M. Dimandi. 

 I'he finds here are of special interest, as showing the advanced 

 civilization of a people, probably of Greek origin, who as early 

 as the fourth or fifth century B.C. occupied this region. The 

 enormous number of idols, chiefly female, was a marked charac- 

 teristic of the station. Besides anthropomorphic idols, a few 

 animals, as cows and bulls, were used to represent some forms 

 of divinities. — On the various forms of projectiles of the 

 Neolithic age, by Dr. Capitan. — On bronze objects found in the 

 bed of the Marne, by M. P. Masson.— On the flint knives and 

 arrows of the Department of Aisne, by M. Vauville. — On the 

 prehistoric station of Lengyel, in Hungary, by M. Nadaillac. — 

 On a case of a pseudo-male hermaphrodite, by Dr. Pozzi. — On 

 artificially induced deformity of the head as still practised in the 

 Haute Garonne, and other parts of France, by Dr. Delisle 

 (with illustrations). — Report of the Sixth Broca Conference.— 

 On the erroneous establishment of a distinct order of true 

 Bimana, by M. Herve. The object of the essay is to prove that 

 the Simians have, like man, two hands and two feet, and cannot 

 therefore be classified as true Quadrumana, or true Bimana. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 London. 



Royal Society, June 5. — "On the Passive State of Iron 

 and Steel. Part L" By Thomas Andrews, F.R.S., M.Inst.C.E. 



The passive state of iron appears first to have been observed 

 just a century ago by Keir, and brought before the notice of the 

 Royal Society in 1790 (Phil. Trans., 1790, p. 379) ; he observed 

 that strong nitric acid had no action on iron when the metal was 

 placed therein. Since then, Bergmann, Schonlein, Faraday, 

 Herschel, and others, have conducted investigations in relation 

 to this phenomenon. In the present paper are presented the 

 results of a study of certain magnetic, temperature, and other 

 conditions which the author found to affect the passive state of 

 iron and steel. The experiments of Part I. are classified under 

 the following heads : — 



Series I., containing the results of observations on the influ- 

 ence of magnetization on the passive state of steel in cold nitric 

 acid, specific gravity i "42. 



Series II., treating of the influence of magnetization on the 

 passive state of steel in warm nitric acid, specific gravity 1*42, 

 the experiments showing that magnetized steel bars were less 

 passive in warm nitric acid than unmagnetized ones. 



The chemical composition and physical properties of the steel 

 used are given in detail in the paper, together with the methods 

 employed in the investigation, and detailed illustrations of the 

 various apparatus used in course of the research. The results 

 of the investigation are given in detail in Tables I. and II. 

 The whole of the results on Table I. afford an indication that 

 magnetization of comparatively low intensity, acting during con- 

 siderable periods of time, exerts only a limited modifying influ- 

 ence on the passivity of iron or steel in the cold, though the 

 influence is discernible when employing a delicate galvanometer. 

 Magnetization, with the nitric acid at a higher temperature, 

 produces a quicker effect (see results in Series II., Table II.). 

 In a recent research by the author "On Electro-chemical 

 Effects on Magnetizing Iron, Part II." (Roy. Soc. Proc, vol. 

 xliv. p. 152), it was noticed that local currents were set up 

 between the polar terminals and central portions of steel 

 magnets exposed as electrolytes ; and this class of local action, 

 together with the slight alteration of the physical structure of 

 the magnet bars consequent on their magnetization, may possibly 

 be involved in producing the effects due to magnetism on passive 

 steel or iron in cone, nitric acid. 



" Observations on Pure Ice, Part II." By Thomas Andrews, 

 F.R.S., M.Inst.C.E. 



The experiments contained in the paper form a continuation 

 of a previous research by the author. The experiments were 



