Z1^ 



NATURE 



[Mar. 7, 1872 



the arrangements previously suggested by him. — M. H. Sainte- 

 Claire Deville communicated a note by M. J. M. Gaugain 

 on the electromotor forces developed by the contact of 

 metals with inactive fluids, containing the discussion of 

 results obtained with plates of platinum in distilled water. — 

 The question of priority in the invention of the method of pre- 

 serving wines by the action of heat was treated at some length 

 by M. Balard, to whom M. Thenard replied. — M. Tellier for- 

 warded a further communication on his system of producing 

 cold by the evaporation of ether, assisted by compressed air. — 

 M. Wurtz presented a note by M. E. Reboul on two new isomers 

 of bromide of propylene. — M. J. Personne read a note on iodide 

 of starch, in answer to one presented by M. Duclau.v at tlie last 

 meeting. M. Personne claims to have arrived six years ago at 

 the conclusion that tlie so-called iodide of starch is not a chemical 

 compound. — A note by M. Marey, on the determination of the 

 inclinations of the plane of the wing at different moments of its 

 revolution was read. — M. C. Bernard presented a third note by 

 M.P. Bert on the inlluence which changes in barometric pressure 

 exert upon the phenomena of life, in which the author described 

 the effects produced by exposing small animals to various degrees 

 of atmospheric pressure. He has found that up to a pressure of 

 two atmospheres spaiTows die when the air in the receiver con- 

 tains 25 per cent, of carbonic acid, but that above this limit 

 and below a pressure of 25 centims. , this law does not 

 apply. In the former case the birds perisli partly by the 

 toxical effects of an excess of oxygen, and in the latter by 

 a privation of oxygen. — M. C. Bernard also communicated 

 a note by M. N. Grehant on the respiration of fishes, containing 

 a statement of the curious fact that fishes in respiraiion can avail 

 themselves not only of the o-xygen dissolved in the water, but 

 also of that held by tlie red corpuscles of the blood of other 

 animals when these are mixed with the water. — A note by MM. 

 L. Labbe and G. Guyon on the combined action of morphine 

 and chloroform, was also presented by M. C. Bernard. The 

 authors state that a state of perfect anccsthesia may be produced 

 and sustained for a long time witliout the usual danger, by ad- 

 ministering a subcutaneous injection of hydrochlorate of morphine 

 about a quarter of an hour before the exhibition of cliloroform. — 

 M. A. Bechamp read a paper " On the Essential Nature of the 

 Organised Corpuscles of the Atmosphere, and on the part which 

 belongs to them in the phenomena of Fermentation." — M. S. 

 Meunier presented a note on the existence of bauxite in French 

 Guiana. 



Vienna 

 Geological Institution, February 6. — Dr. Neumayr, "On 

 the Jurassic Provinces of Europe." The author stated the dif- 

 ferent development of the Jurassic strata in three regions of 

 Europe. To the Mediterranean province belong the Jurassic 

 beds of Spain, and of the Alpine and Carpathian districts ; 

 secondly, the middle European province is formed by the Juras- 

 sic beds of England, France, and Northern Germany ; while to 

 the third, the Russian province, belong the Jur^.ssic beds of 

 Russia, as well as those of Spitzbergen and Greenland. The 

 only really important diversity between the Jurassic strata of 

 these provinces is founded, as he shows, on differences in the 

 zoological characters of their faunas. Tlius, for instance, the most 

 prevalent peculiarity of tlie Mediterranean province is the pre- 

 sence of Ammonites of the two genera, Phylloceras [^Ht'UTophyJli) 

 and Lytoceras (Fimbriafi), which abound in almost all members 

 of the Jurassic formation in the Alps and Carpathians, while they 

 are almost entirely wanting in the middle European province. 

 The Russian province, on the contrary, is chiefly characterised 

 by the absence of reef-forming coral and some other peculi- 

 arities. It is impossible to account for this difference by the suppo- 

 sition of land having separated the Jurassic seas of the dif- 

 ferent provinces. The tact that along the line of separation 

 between the Meditenanean and middle European provinces, from 

 the South of France to the Crimea, strata of both provinces 

 approach very near, even to a few miles, excludes this supposi- 

 tion. The onlj- possible mode of explanation the author finds 

 in accepting iii ihe Jurassic period climatic differences in 

 the zones from north to south. The strict separation of 

 both faunas along the said line may be explained, he thinks, by 

 a great stream of warm water, which produced similar effects to 

 the Gulf Stream in our time. — Dr. G. Pilar, "On the Tertiary 

 deposits in tlie valley of the Culpa, in the environs of Glina, in 

 Croatia." Very ingtnictive sections have been denuded in these 

 deposits by the Culpa river. The marine beds, as well as the Sar- 

 matic and the Cougeria beds are developed ; all abound with 

 fossils. 



DIARY 

 THURSDAY, March 7. 



Royal Society, at 8 30. — On tlie Organisation of the Fossil Plants of the 

 Coal Measures. lU. L>-copodiacea:, by Prof. W. C. Williamson, F.R.S. 



Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. — Exhibition of a large collection of Pho- 

 tographs and Drawings of Irish Architectural Remains anterior to the 

 I2th Century, made by the late Earl ol Dunraven, F.S.A., with Remarks 

 by Miss Stokes. 



Chemical Society, at 8. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8. — Revision of the Genera and Species of S<:illex : 

 J. G. Baker. — AnUriecium in Cochhostema : Dr. Masters. 



London Institution, at 7. — A Vindication of our Monetary Standard, with 

 an Exposition of its Internal Relations : J. A. Franklin. 



of the 



FRIDAY, March 8. 

 Royal College of Surgeons, at 4. — On the Digestive 



Vertebrata:' Prof. Flower, F.R.S. 

 Astronomical Society, at 8. 

 Quekett Microscopical Club, at 8. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.- On the Effect of certain F.aults of Vision on 



P.-iinting, with especial reference to Turner and iVIulrcady : R. Licbrcich. 



SA TURD A Y, March 9. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Dcmonologj' : M. D. Conway. 



MONDAY, March ii. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30, 



Royal College of Surgeons, at 4. — On the Digestive Organs of the 

 Vertebrata : Prof. Hower, F.R.S. 



TUESDAY, March 12. 

 Photographic Society, .at 8.— Retouching, its Use and Abuse : V.ilcntine 



Blanchard. 

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



Rutherford. 



WEDNESDAY, March 13. 

 Royal College of Surgeons, at 4, — On the Digestive Organs of the 



Vertebrata: Prof. Flower, F.R.S. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — On the British Trade with France during the last 



Ten Years, in its relation to the General Trade of the United Kingdom ; 



Leone Levi. 



THURSDAY, March 14. 

 Royal Society, at 8.3©. 

 Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 



Mathematical Society, at 8. — Shall the Society apply for a Charter? 

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



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



CONTENTS Page 



A French Association for the Advancement of Science . . 337 

 QuETELEi's Contributions to the Science of Man. By 



E. B.TvLOR, F.R.S. (With Diagram:) 358 



Our Book Shelf 363 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Survival of the Fittest.— Prof E. D. Cope 363 



Ethnology and Spiritualism.— A. R. Wallace, F.L.S 363 



Development of Barometric Depressions 364 



Solar Intensity.— F. W. Stow 364 



The Aurora of February 4 365 



Aurora Island. — S. J. Whitmee 365 



Foul Air in Mines and How to Live in it.— I. By , Prof. J. 



Tvndall, F.R.S., and J. E GiBBS 365 



The Structure of the Corona. By Prof Cleveland Abbe. 



(With Diagram.) 367 



Earth-Currents and the Aurora Borealis of February 4, 



1872. By W. H. Preece 368 



The Darmstadt Polytechnic School 368 



Lake Villages in .Switzerland 369 



Notes 369 



Science in Plain English 371 



Scientific Serials 372 



Societies and Academies 373 



DlARV 376 



Errata. — P. 341, first col., line 32, for "and should be changed," read "and 

 should not be changed." P. 33S, first col., line 3, for "I. Murray" read 

 "Tinslcy Brothers." 



NOTICE 



We beg leave to state that we decline to return rejected communica- 

 tions, and to this rule we can make no exception. Communica- 

 tious respecting Subscriptions or Advertisements must be addressed 

 to the Publishers, not to the Editor. 



