536 



NATURE 



[Fed. 22, 1872 



wheels, relating to the reaction-wheel. — M. Saint- Venant com- 

 municated a note by M. Boussinesq on the equation of the partial 

 derivatives of the velocities in a homogeneous and ductile solid 

 undergoing deformation parallel to a plane. — -M. Serret presented 

 a note by M. de Tastes in reply toa recent note by M. Ciotti on 

 the employment of vibrating elastic plates as a means of 

 propulsion. M. de Tastes stated that the elastic plate propeller 

 is his invention, communicated by him to M. E. Ciotti. — M. 

 E. Dubois presented a reply to M. Ledieu's objections to 

 the employment of the marine gyroscope. — M. Delaunay pre- 

 sented a note byM. C. Wolf on the reflecting powerof mirrors of 

 silvered glass, and their application to astronomical purposes. — A 

 note by M. D. Genez on the absorption-binds produced in the 

 spectrum by solutions of hyponitrous, hypochlorous, and chlorous 

 acids, was communicated by M. H Sainte-Claire Deville. — A 

 note by M. Baudrimont on the recent experiments of M. Poey 

 with regard to the influence of violet light upon vegetation was 

 read, in which the author stated that lie had arrived at totally 

 different results, having found that violet light was fatal to vege- 

 tation. —A great number of communications from all parts of 

 France, and also from Belgium, Switzerland, and Algeria, 

 relating to the aurora of February 4, were laid before the 

 Academy ; they included notices of magnetic disturbances 

 observed in the telegraphic lines. — M. Delaunay presented a 

 paper by M. E. Stephan containing a list of nebula; discovered 

 and observed at the Observatory of Marseilles. —M. E. Vicaire 

 read a reply to Father Secchi's observations on the temperature 

 of the solar surface. — Some remarks were read by M. Harting 

 on the saccharine matter observed by M. Boussingault on lime 

 trees, which he ascribed to the action of aphides in accordance 

 with the commonly received opinion. He stated that the saccha- 

 rine secretion produced by those insects consists in great part of 

 cane sugar. M. Boussingault ^in reply said that in the case 

 observed by him the saccharine e.-cudation appeared before the 

 aphides, and that it contained cane-sugar, grape-sugar, and 

 dextrine. — M. I^e Verrier also read an extract of a letter from M. 

 FoUie on this subject. — M. Bussy presented a report upon a 

 memoir by M. Louvel, describing a process for preserving grain 

 in vacKi'. The author suggested storing grain in air-tight grana- 

 ries, in which a partial vacuum may be produced by a powerful 

 air pump ; he described the construction of the apparatus, and 

 stated that a granary such as he proposed of the capacity of ten 

 cubic metres (about 370 cubic feet) and containing loohectohtres 

 of wheat would cost 750 francs. He stated that by this process 

 the ravages of insects are effectually stopped. 



BOOKS RECEIVED 



English.— The Origin of Species, 6th edition : C. Darwin (Murray).— 

 Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, Vol. i.. Part I. (Long- 

 mans).— Index of Spectra : W. M. Watts (H. Gillman).— Recollections of 

 Past Life : Sir H. Holland (Longmans).— New Theory of the Figure of the 

 Earth ; W. Ogilby (Longmans). 



PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



English.- Eighth Annual Report of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club 

 for 1871.— Italy in England.— Five Speeches on the Liquor Traffic : G. O. 

 Trevelyan —Description of a new Anemometer; J. E H. Gordon. — Psychic 

 Force and Modern Spiritualism ; W. Crookes. — On the Mechanism of 

 Accommodation for Near and Distant Vision : Dr. R. E. Dudgeon. — Address 

 of Tho>. Hawkesley on his Election as President of the Institution of Civil 

 Engineers. —The Reflecting Media of the Atmosphere a Natural Law ; J. 

 Shaw. — Preliminary Report of the Scientific Exploration of the Deep Sea in 

 H.M. surveying vessel P&fcuj^ine. —Report of the Ladies' National Associa- 

 tion for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act. — Contributions to the 

 Flora of Berkshire : Jas. Britten. — A Grave Question for Englishwomen. — 

 What is the Shape of the Earth : Scajvola.— On the Elevation of Mountains 

 by Lateral Pressure : Rev. O. Fisher. — Meteorology of West Cornwall and 

 Scilly, 1871.— Journal of the Iron and Steel Institute, Jan. 1872.- On 

 Teaching Universities and Examining Boards. — Child's Public Ledger 

 Almanac, 1S72, — Every Saturday, No. i. — Pauperism and Crime: Robert 

 Hill —The Mining Magazine and Review, No. 2 —The Quarterly Journal 

 of Education, Jan. 1872.— Righthandedness ; D. Wilson. — Address at 

 the Anniversary Meeting of the Entomological Society ; A. R. Wallace. — 

 Proceedmgs of the Geologist's Association, Oct. 1871. — The National Church, 

 No. I.— The Scottish Naturalist, No. 5. 



American and Colonial.— Lippincott's Magazine for Jan. 1872. — Aus- 

 tralian Vertebrata, Fossil and Recent Mammals: G. Kreft'c— Catalogue of 

 the Meteoric Collection of C. U.Shepard. — Proceedings of the Asiatic Society 

 of Bengal, 1871, Nos. 10, 11. — Appleton's Journal, No. 14^. — Proceedings ot 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, April-Sept. 1871.— A 

 Letter concernine the Deep-Sea Dredging, addressed to Prof. B- Petrce by 

 L. Agassiz. — Annual Report of the Secretary of the Interior for the year 

 ending Oct. 1871. — Report on the Geological Structure of Prince Edward's 

 Island; Prof. Dawson. — Nitro-Glycerine, as used in the Construction of the 

 Hoosac Tunnel ; G, Mowbray. — Cruise of the School-ship liUrcitry in the 

 tropical Atlantic Ocean,— Correspondence relative to Deep-Sea Dredging.— 



The Indian Antiquary, No i : Edited by Jas. Burgess. — Monthly Notices 

 of the Meteorological Society of Mauritius. — The School Laboratory of 

 Physical Science, Nos. 3 and 4 ; G. Hinrichs. 



Foreign. — La Belgique Horticole, Dec. 1871-Feb. 1872. — Bulletin de 

 I'Academie Royale des Sciences de Belgique, No. 12, 1871. — Verhandlungen 

 der k. k. geologischen Reichsan-lalt zu Wien, No. i6, and No. i, 1872.— 

 Anzeigen der k. Akademie der VViss. math.-naturforsch. CUsse, 1S71, No. i- 

 29. — Bulletin de la Societe d'AnthropoIogie de Paris, June and July, 1870 — 

 Sitzuigsberichte Isis in Dresden, July-Sept. 1871. — Die geographischin 

 Verbreitung derConiferen u. Gnetaceen : R. Brown. — Zeitschrit^t fiir Ethno- 

 loijie. Heft 2.— Journal general de Timprimerie. — Jiotice sur Sir J. F. W. 

 Herschel ; Ad. Quetelet- — Jahrbuch der k k. geologischen Reichsanstalt zu 

 Wien — Memoire della Societa dei spectroscopisti Italiani, No. i. - Un expe- 

 rience relative a la question de vapeur v^siculaire ; F. Plateau. — Re'cherches 

 expcrimentales sur l.t position du centre de gravite chez les insectes ; F. 

 Plateau — Annali di Chimica, No. i, 1872. 



DIARY 



THURSDAY, February 2:. 

 Royal Society, at 8.30.— On a New Hygrometer ; W. Whitehouse — On 



the Contact of Surfaces; W. Spottiswoode. 

 Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30.— The Roman Villa at Holcombe : Capt. 



Swann, F.S.A.— The Kirkham Chantry, Paignton, Devon ; Sir W. Tite. 

 London Institution, at 7.30 —On South Africa and us Diamo ad Fields : 



Prof. T. R. Jones, F.G.S. 



FRIDAY, February 23. 

 Royal Institution, at 9— On Social Influenc: of Mu;ic; Mr. H.Leslie. 



QOEKETT MiCKOSCOriCAL ClUB, atS. 



SATURDAY, February 24- 

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

 B. Danne. 



SUNDAY, February 25. 

 Sunday Lecture Society, at 4.— On the Educition of Women: Mrs. 

 Fawcett. 



MONDAY, February 2S. 

 Geographical Society, at S.30. 

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



TUESDAY, February 37. 

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

 Rutherford. 



WEDNESDAY, February 28. 

 Society of Arts, at S.30. 



THURSDAY, February 29 

 Royal Society, at 8.30. 

 Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 



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

 Manufacture; Prof. Odling, F.R.S. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Rock Thermometers at the Royal Observatory, Edin- 

 burgh. By Prof. C. PiAZZi S.mvth, F.R.S 317 



Darwin's Origin of Species. By Alfred W. Bennett, F.L.S. . . 318 



Maxwell on Heat. By Prof. B. Stewart, F.R.S 319 



Our Booic Shelf 320 



Letters to the Editor: — 



A Zoological Station at Torquay. — W. Pengellv, F.R. S. . . . 320 



The Chicago University— Edwin Dunkin, F.R.A.S 320 



Composition of Vibrations — Sedley Taylor 321 



Eclipse Photography- — H- D.'^vis 321 



Tidal Friction according to Thomson and Tait. {lYit/i Dia^ra'ii) . 321 



Circumpolar Lands. — G. Hamilto.ni 321 



The Spheroidal State of Water.— W. H. Preece ...... 321 



"The American Eclipse Expedition. — Prof. H. Morton" .... 322 



Mr. Spencer and the Dissipation of Energy. — W. S.mvth . . . 322 



The Aurora OF February 4. By J. P. Earwaker 322 



Reference Spectrum for the Chief Aurora Line. By Prof. C. 



PiAZZi Smyth, F.R.S 324 



American Deep-Sea Soundings 324 



The Recent Aurora, and a New Form of Declinq.meter. By 



J. T. Bottomlev. {lyit/L Diiigraiiis.) 326 



Theorell's Printing Meteorograph. {IVit/i IllustratioK.) By 



J. J. Hall 327 



On Sleep. By Prof. Humphry, F.R.S 328 



Notice of the .\ddrrss of Prof. T. Sterry Hunt before the 



American Association at Indianapolis. By Prof. J. D. Dana. 329 



Notes 331 



Aerial Navigation in Francs 334 



Societies and Academjes 335 



Books and Pamphlets Received 336 



Diary 336 



NOTICE 



Wt- have received a letter signed " M." whieh we hold over till 

 informed (in confidence) of the name and address of the 'loriter. 

 Anonymous communications can in no case receive attention. 



