256 Correspondence of /. Nicldes. 



tions wliicli exist between the present condition of the organic 

 kingdoms and that of earlier time. 



Another prize, which had been held out ever since 1847, was 

 given to Lereboullet, Professor of Zoology at Strasbourg. The 

 subject was the following: To establish^ by studying the develop- 

 rnent of the embryo in two species^ taken one from among the Verte- 

 hrata^ and the other either from the Mollusca or Articulata^ the basis 

 for comparative embryology. It was a question requiring long in- 

 vestigation, and was treated bj Lereboullet in his usual thorough 

 style. The Academy awarded him a medal of gold, valued at 

 8000 francs. 



The prize in Experimental Physiology was divided between 

 Messrs. Waller, Davaine and Fabre; the first, for his experi- 

 ments on the ganglions of the rachidian nerves ; the second, for his 

 experiments on the Anguillula Tritici; the third, for researches on 

 the action of the poison of the Cerceris {Ilymenopierous insects) on 

 the nervous ganglionary system of insects. This is not the place to 

 analyze the interesting researches of these physiologists. But 

 we may say however that M. Fabre brought out the fact that 

 the larves, with which the insects of the Cerceris family provision 

 their nests for the nourishment of their own young, are struck 

 with a kind of paralysis, which permits of their living for a long 

 time while depriving them of the faculty of feeling or moving- 

 This species of anesthetic condition is produced bv the puncture 

 of one of the thoracic ganglions by the sting of the Cerceris ; 

 and M, Fabre has succeeded in producing this condition at will 

 by introducing a little ammonia into the nervous ganglionary 

 system, an effect which he has repeated in other insects. 



With reference to the expenses of carrying on these researches, 

 the Academy contributed a certain sum to each, and also divided 

 between them the prize of 5000 francs. 



As usual, the Academj found nothing to compensate or en- 

 courage in physics, chemistry, or in mineralogy, if we except a 

 prize of 2500 francs given to M. Schroetter for the discoverj^ of 

 the isomeric state of red phosphorus. It was decreed by the Com- 

 mission for the prizes relative to the insalubrious arts, for the year 

 1856, a Commission consisting of MM. Eayer, Dumas, Pelouze, 

 Boussingault, Combes and Chevreul. We say it, to the honor of 

 this Commission, that the prize was declared not solely for the dis- 

 covery of a non-poisonous phosphorus which could be employed 

 in preparing matches in place of ordinary phosphorus, but also in 

 addition to this, because of the scientific merit of the discovery. 



This same Commission decreed 2500 francs to a workman 

 named Chaumont, the inventor of a machine for separating the 

 long hairs of the skin of the rabbit from the short and fine hairs 

 which are exclusively used in making the felt of hate. In 

 France^ this operation is called ^^ejarrage," because the long 



