256 



NATURE 



{Jan. 25, 1872 



South Wales. — A paper by Mr. A. Anderson was read con- 

 taining tlie second portion of his notes on the Raptorial Birds of 

 India. 



Chemical Society, January 18.— Dr. Frankland, F.R.S., 

 president, in the chair. —At this meeting Dr. Odling exhibited 

 some very line specimens of rare metals and their compounds, 

 which had been lent to him by Dr. Richter and Dr. Theodor 

 Schuchardt. Among these was a bar, weighing about seven 

 ounces, of metallic indium ; an element discovered a few years 

 ago by Richter, in conjunction with Reich ; also some 

 metallic rubidium. — Dr. David Howard then read an interesting 

 paper " On quinicine and cinchonicine and their salts. " These 

 alkaloids are prepared artificially, from quinine and cinchonine 

 respectively, by the action of heat on their salts, and are isomeric 

 with them. Quinicine occurs along with the two last-mentioned 

 alkaloids in cinchona bark, l^eing apparently the one which is 

 first formed during the growth of the cinchona plant. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, January 15. — A note by M. M. 

 Levy on a property of the focals of surfaces, was presented by 

 M. Bertrand, in which the author puts forward the proposition 

 that any surface and its focal intersect each other at right angles. 

 — A note from M. Catalan, on General Didion's communication 

 concerning the relation of the circumference to the diameter, was 

 read, in which the authorship of similar formula; is ascribed to 

 Euler. — M. H. Resal commimicated a memoir containing equa- 

 tions of the \'ibra'ory movement of a circular plate, and M. 

 Serret a note by M. E. Ciotti on the employment of vibrating 

 elastic plates for the realisation of a propeller, in connection 

 with a recent communication from M. de Tastes. — A memoir on 

 the measurement of very high temperatures, and on the tempera- 

 ture of the sun, by M. IT. Sainte-Claire Deville, was read. 

 The author maintained that the temperatures which may be pro- 

 duced and measured in the laboratory are not greatly exceeded 

 in nature, and that the temperature of the sun is not far from 

 2,500 — 2,800° C. (= 4,532 — 5,072° F). — M. Delaunay read a 

 note on the secular variations of the mean movements of 

 the perigee and node of the moon. — M. Faye presented 

 a note upon the investigations of Dr. Heis on meteors, whicli are 

 confirmatory of M. Faye's previous communication as to the 

 different centres of radiation observed in November last. — A 

 letter was read from M. Janssen on the principal consequences 

 which may be drawn at present from his observations of the 

 eclipse of December last. ( A translation of this letter will be 

 found in another column.) — M. V. Guyot forwarded a note on a 

 meteor observed at Nancy on the 20th of December last at 

 loh. 28m. A.M. This meteor passed from Cassiopeia through 

 Perseus towards the Phiades, near which it exploded, with a 

 bright green light. — M. E. Becquerel presented a report on various 

 memoirs by M. W. de Fonvielle regarding observations to be 

 effected during balloon ascents. M. E. Becquerel also presented 

 a note by M. T. Sidot on the electrisation by fiiction of metals in 

 sulphide of carbon, and on the decomposition of that body by 

 light. The author finds that certain metals, especially silver, 

 aluminium, and iron, become electrised, and produce sparks 

 when strongly agitated with pure sulphide of carbon, and 

 that the latter, when exposed to the light of the sun, 

 is decomposed, producing a gas and a solid flocculent 

 matter. The same gentleman also communicated a joint 

 note by MM. F. Lucas ani A. Cazin containing an account 

 of some experimental researches upon the duration of the 

 electric spark. — Nott-s by M. Lion and M. Diamilla Midler on 

 the action of ecliptical conjunctions upon the elements of terres- 

 trial magnetism were read. According to the former consider- 

 able perturbations were observed at AIen9on during the eclipse of 

 the nth December last. — M. Tarry presented a further note on 

 the movement of recoil of cyclones in equatorial regions. — In a 

 paper on the combustion of carbon by oxygen, M. Dumas showed, 

 in opposition to M. Dubrunfaut, that carbon is combustible in 

 perfectly dry oxygen. — M. Chevreul made some remarks on 

 this paper. — A note by MM. L. Dusart and C. Bardy on the 

 transformation of phenole into alkaloids was presented by M. 

 Cahouis. The authors have obtained phenylamine, chloride 

 of phenyle, and diphenylamine by the aciion of hydrochlorate 

 of ammonia and fuming hydrochloric acid upon phenole. — M. P. 

 Barbier announced his having produced cymene by treating 

 hydrate of essence of turpentine with bromine. — A letter was 

 read from M. V. Meyers on the reaction between sulphur and 

 aqueous vapour in the synthesis of sulphuric acid, and on the 



preparation of pure zinc by electrolysis. — An important discus- 

 sion on the vexed question of spontaneous generation was raised 

 by the reading of some reflections concerning heterogenesis by 

 M. A. Trecul. In the discussion MM. Balard, Fremy, and 

 Blanchard took part. — A somewhat cognate matter was also 

 treated by M. A. Bechamp in his paper on the cans-; of alcoholic 

 fermentation by beer-yeast, and on the formation of leucine and 

 tyrosine in this fermentation. — M. C. Robin presented a note by 

 M. S. Chantran on the fecundation of the crayfish, in which the 

 author describes the impregnation of the ova as taking place 

 after their expulsion from the oviducts. — A note by MM. E. 

 Mathieu and V. Urbain on the gases of the blood, was presented 

 by M. Cahours. 



DIARY 



THURSDAY, January 25. 



Royal Society, at 8 30. — On the Absolute Direction and Intensity of the 

 Earth's Magnetic Force at Bombay: C. Chambers, F.R.S.— On the 

 Elimination of Alcohol ; Dr. Dupre. — On the Action of Low Temperatures 

 on Supersaturated Solutions of Glauber's Salt: C. Tomlinson, F.R.S. 



Society op Antiquaries, at 8.30.— Miscellaneous Communications on 

 Objects of Medieval Antiquity. 



FRIDAY, January 26. 

 Royal Institution at 9.— On the Demon of Socrates : Archbishop of West- 

 minster. 

 QuEKETT Microscopical Club, at 8. 



SATURDAY, January 27. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — On the Theatre in Shakespeare's Time ; Wm. 

 B. Donne. 



SUNDAY, January 28. 

 Sunday Lecture Society, at 4. — On Ice, as a Geological Agent: A, H. 

 Green. 



MONDAY, January 29. 



London Institution, at 4 — Elementary Chemistry ; Prof Odling, F.R.S. 



Royal United Service Institution, at 8.30.— On Modern Ships of War, 



as illustrated by the Models in the Institution : Nathaniel Bamaby. 



TUESDAY, January 30. 



Royal Institution, at 3, — On the Circulatory and Nervous Systems ; Dr. 



W. Rutherford, F.R.S.E. 



WEDNESDA Y, January 31. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — On Individual Providence for Old Age as a 

 National Question : G. C. T. Hartley. 



THURSDAY, February i. 

 Royal Institution, .it 3— On the Chemistry of Alkalies and Alkali 



Manufacture : Prof Odling, F.R.S. 

 Royal Society, at 8,30. 

 Society of Antiquaries, 8,30. 



Linnean Society, at 8. — On the Classification and Geographical Distribu- 

 tions of Composite : The President. 

 Chemical Society, at 8. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



The Solar Eclipse. Observations wade at Poodocottah. By 



Prof. L. Respighi 237 



The Zoological Record for 1870 238 



Our Book Shelf 240 



Zoological Statistics and the Hudson'^ Bay Company. — Dr. John 



Rae, F.R.G.S 2.(0 



Ripples and Waves. — J. Langton 241 



TheRigidily of the Earth.— Rev. O. Fisfer, F.G.S 242 



English Rainfall 24a 



Circumpolar Lands. — G Hamilton 242 



The Kiltorlian Fossils.— W. Carruthers, F.R.S 242 



Condurango — Dr A. Destruge 243 



Ocean Currents. — Prof. J. D. Everett *. . . . 243 



Mock Sun.— Dr. C M. Inglebv 243 



Solar Eruptions and Magnetic Storms.- F. A. Fleming 243 



Mechanism of Flexion and Extension in Birds' Wings —Dr. M. 



Loughtrey 244 



Elisde Rectus.- H. Woodward, F.G.S 244 



Notes on Microscopy 244 



Huxley's Manual of the Anatomy of Vertkbrated Animals. 



By Prof. Allen Thomson, F.R.S. (With Hlustratiom ]. . . . 243 



Notes 249 



Scientific Intelligence from America 251 



The Laws of Organic Development. By Prof. E. D. Cope . . 252 



Societies and Academies 254 



Diary 256 



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