Mar. 7, 1872] 



NATURE 



375 



on the polarisation by frictional electricity of platina plates, 

 either immersed in water or rolled together with wet silk inter- 

 vening. The charge was only diminished one half after an 

 interval of an hour and a quarter. It was ascertained both in 

 quality and quantity by transmitting it through a delicate galvano- 

 meter. He suggested that a condenser on this principle might 

 be useful for the observation of atmospheric electricity. — " On 

 an Electrical Corona resembling the Solar Corona," by Prof. 

 Osborne Reynolds. — "On the Electro-Dynamic effect, the in- 

 duction of Statical Electricity causes in a moving body. The 

 induction of the Sun a probable cause of Terrestrial Magnetism," 

 by Prof. Osborne Reynolds. 



Edinburgh 



Royal Physical Society, February 28. —Dr. James M'Bain, 

 president, in the chair. The following communications were 

 read : — " On the Dentition of Echinorhinns spinostts" by Prof. 

 Duns. Dr. Duns has obtained two specimens of this rare 

 sharlv in the Firth of P'orth, one in 1868 and another in iSyi. 

 The former is in the Scottish Natural Museum, the latter in the 

 Museum of the New College. The specimens noticed by Yarrell 

 were referred to, and the form of the teeth of the 186S example 

 shown. The remarks of Agassiz were quoted on the resemblance 

 of the teeth of Ec/iiiuv/uniis to those of his genus Gonwdiis. 

 It jwas shown, that while in other specific features the speci- 

 men of 1 87 1 resembles those of that got in 1 868, it differs 

 very widely in the form of the teeth. — " On Garnetiferous 

 Limestone, Balmoral," by Prof. Duns. — "On the Preserva- 

 tion of Compound Ascidians," by Mr. C. W. Peach. Mr, 

 Peach stated that when living at Cornwall he was much 

 struck by the beauty of the compound ascidians, so abun- 

 dant on rocks, cSrc, between tide-marks tliere, and that he 

 was perfectly ' aware that the beauty of the colours and 

 flower like systems of these lovely objects was always lost, 

 whether they were preserved in spirits or any other fluid. He 

 thought of Canada balsam — the great difliculty of contending 

 with wet objects suggested itself. He, however, tried, and so 

 far succeeded, by laying them on glass, (when detached from the 

 rocks), after squeezing out as much as possible of the moisture by 

 first laying them in cotton or linen rag between sheets of blotting 

 paper, changing these as often as required, and doing all as 

 quickly as possible, after taking the object from the sea. Thus 

 dried, they were placed on glass covered with warmed Canada 

 balsam, and covered with another similarly prepared plate of 

 glass, on which sufficient balsam was melted to cover up com- 

 pletely the specimen. It is then allowed to cool under slight 

 pressure, the superfluous balsam scraped off, and sealing-wax 

 put round the edges to form a cell, and thus they were 

 preserved. He exhibited several specimens — some preserved 

 twenty-five years ago — of Leptoclinum, Botryllus, Didem- 

 num, Paracidra, «S:c., in a beautifully preserved condition. — 

 Mr. Peach exhibited a number of fossil plants he had collected 

 last cummer from the coal-fields of Edinburgh, Slamannan, Bath- 

 gate, and Devonside near Tillicoultry. — "On the Phos- 

 phate Deposits of South Carolina," by Prof. Pratt, Charleston, 

 U.S. — Mr. John Hunter exhibited a series of fossils from the 

 same.region. 



Dublin 



Royal Irish Academy, February 12. — Rev. J. H. Jellett, 

 president, in the chair. Dr Eugene A. Conwell read a paper on 

 the identification of the ancient Cemeteiy at Loughcrew, Co. 

 Meath. — Dr. W. Frazer read notes on several finds of silver coins 

 lately made in Ireland. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, Febraary 19. — The dispute con- 

 cerning the accuracy of the results published by the Paris Obser- 

 vatory was carried on rather briskly by MM. Serret, Le Verrier 

 and Delaunay. — A note by M. Zeuthen on the determination of 

 the characteristics of the elementary systems of cubics was pre- 

 sented, with remarks by M. Chasles. — M. Ciotti claimed the 

 originality of his researches on the employment of vibratoiy 

 elastic laminL-e as a means of propulsion. — M. Delaunay com- 

 municated some remarks on the experiments of M. Wolf, on the 

 reflecting power of silvered glass miiTors. — Numerous reports on 

 the aurora of February 4 were presented, and also a note by 

 Marshal Vaillant on the phenomena which give ri^e to auroras, a 

 note by M. H. Tarry on the origin of polar auroras, and a 

 memoir by M. Silbermann on the facts from which we may 

 deduce a theory of auroras borealis and austraUs founded on the 



existence of atmospheric tides, and the indication, by means of 

 auroras, of the existence of flights of meteors in proxi- 

 mity to the terrestrial globe. — Marshal Vaillant regarded 

 auroras as produced by the reflection from the surface of the 

 terrestrial atmosphere of the light produced by electrical or mag- 

 netic currents. M. Tarry ascribes to these phenomena a cosmical 

 origin. — A note by M. J. L. Soret on the induction currents 

 produced in the coils of an electro-magnet when a metallic mass 

 is set in rotation between its poleswas read. — M. H. Sainte-Claire 

 Deville presented a note by M. E. Branley on the measure- 

 ment of the polarisation in a voltaic element. — A note by 

 M. Respighi on the spectral analysis of the zodiacal light was 

 read, in which the author detailed some interesting observations 

 on the spectral phenomena presented by the zodiacal light and 

 auroras tending to indicate the identity of origin of the two 

 phenomena. — M. Delaunay presented a note by MM. Loewy 

 and Tisserand on the search for the last planet (99) Dike. — MM. 

 J. Pierre and E. Puchot communicated some facts in the history 

 of propylic alcohol, relating chiefly to the behaviour under dis- 

 tillation of the so-called nionoliydrate of that body. — M. G. 

 Tissandier communicated a note on a new mode of producing 

 anhydrous protoxide of iron by the action of carbonic acid 

 upon iron heated to redness. The author describes the 

 properties of the oxide thus prepared. — A memoir was 

 read by M. E. Duclaux on iodide of starch, which 

 he does not regard as a regular chemical compound. — 

 A note by M. Blondlot on the alcoholic fermentation of sugar 

 of milk was read. The author described the fermentation of milk 

 when agitated from time to time, by means of a ferment apparently 

 proper to it, and stated that this fermentation was continued by 

 the addition of sugar of milk or glucose to the fluid after the 

 cessation of the first fermentation. He obtained alcohol by the 

 distillation of the fermented product, and regarded his results as 

 favourable to the theory of fermentation of M. Pasteur. — M. 

 Pasteur criticised the recent communications of M. Fremy on the 

 subject of fermentation, discussing his experiments seriatim, and 

 indicatmg objections to them. — M. S. de Luca presented some 

 investigations upon the composition of the gases which are 

 evolved from the funiaroles of the solfalara of Pozzuoli, upon 

 which M. Boussingault made some remarks. — The processes for 

 the preservation of wines by the application of heat formed the 

 subject of notes by M. A. de Vergnette-Lamotte and by Dr. 

 Bart. — M. E. Alix noticed the existence of the depressor nerve 

 in the hippopotamus, and stated that it resembles that of the 

 horse in arrangement, but is thinner coinciding with the small 

 size of the primitive carotid. — M. A Bechamp presented some 

 observations on a recent note by M. de Segnes upon micro- 

 zymes. 



Februai-y 26. — ThefoUowingmathematical paperswere read : — 

 An exposition of a geometric theory of the curvature of surfaces, 

 by M. A. Mannheim, presented by M. Serret ; a note on some 

 relations between the angular quantities of convex polyhedra, by 

 M. L. Lalamie ; and a determination of the characteristics of the 

 elementary systems of cubics, by M. Zeuthen, communicated by 

 M. Chasles. — M. de Saint Venant read a memoir on the hydro- 

 dynamics of streams. — M. PhilUps presented a note on the 

 governing spiral of chronometers, and M. de Pambour a second 

 paper on the theory of hydraulic wheels, relating to the reaction 

 wheel. — A letter from Father Secchi on the aurora of February 4, 

 and on some new results of spectrum analysis, was read, contain- 

 ing a description of the appearances observed at Rome, with a 

 notice of the phenomena presented by spectrum analysis, and a 

 discussion of the supposed relation between auroras and the 

 solar protuberances, which the author is not inclined to accept. 

 In a postscript M. Secchi calls attention to the appearance of 

 remarkably distmct bands and lines upon the planet Jupiter. — 

 A communication was read from Prof. Piazzi Smyth, on the 

 brilliant yellow band m the spectrum of auroras, which he 

 stated to be of constant occurrence, and to fall always upon the 

 line 5579. — M. A. Laussedat also presented a memoir on the 

 aurora of February 4, and M. C. Sainte-Claire Deville a con- 

 tinuation of M. J. Silbermann's memoir on the theory of auroras, 

 I and on the indication by their means of the existence of flights 

 of asteroids in proximity to the earth.— M. C. Sainte-Claire 

 I Deville ako read a note on the probable application of quadruple, 

 dodecuple, and tridodecuple symmetries, or of periods of 90, 30, 

 I and 10 days, to the mean returns of the electrical phenomena of 

 the atmosphere, such as storms and auroras,— M. E. Becquerel 

 presented a memoir by M. G. • Plante, on the employment of 

 secondary currents to accumulate or transform the effects of the 

 I galvanic battery, containing the description of improvements in 



