409 



NATURE 



{April 1 8, 1872 



of Berosus (the Biblical Noah), is the Accadian Susru or Na 

 (Anu). Like the traditions, a large proportion of the words in 

 the Semitic languages which express the objects of civilised life 

 are barrovved from the Accadian — the ordinary terms for ' ' city," 

 "weighing," "measures," "ciphers," &.C., come from this 

 source. \Ve are thus enabled to gauge the primitive civilisa- 

 tion of the Semitic nomads, and to determine that their home 

 had no great rivers or mountains, like the deserts of Northern 

 Arabia. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, April l. — M. Serret presented a con- 

 tinuation of M. A. Mannheim's geometrical researches upon the 

 contact of the tliird order of two surfaces. — A paper was read 

 by M. C. Decharme on the spontaneous ascensional movement 

 of liquids in capillary tubes. The author here stated as there- 

 suit of his experiments that each liquid possesses a proper ascen- 

 sional velocity, which he proposes to call its " capillary velocity," 

 and he indicated the peculiarities presented by certain liquids as 

 regards the relation between this velocity and the length of the 

 column, &c. An aqueous solution of hydrochlorate of ammonia 

 has the greatest capillary velocity, and next to it chloride of 

 lithium ; both these have a greater velocity than pure water. — A 

 note by M. de la Rive on the llieory of polar auroras was read ; 

 the author maintains the atmospheric nature of the phenomenon. — 

 The second part of a paper by M. A. Crova on the phenomena of 

 interference produced by parallel nets was read. — M. Faye gave 

 a long account of an association recently founded in Italy under the 

 title of "Societa dei Spettroscopisti Italiana," and also presented a 

 memoir on the Iiypothesis of persistent winds on the sun. — In a 

 second communication on the history of fermentation, M. E. 

 Chevreul described in some detail the chemical labours of Stahl, 

 and especially his theories of fermentation and combustion, 

 which the author regarded as pliysical rather than chemical. — 

 M. Joseph Boussingault presented a note on sorbite, a saccharine 

 material allied to mannite, obtained from the juice of the berries 

 of Soiiuis aiiniparia. — X note was read by M. A. Clermont, on 

 some metallic trichloracetates, and M. Balard presented a note 

 by M. E. Keboul on the identity of the brominatedhydrobromate 

 and hydriodate of propylene, with dihydrobromate and iodohy- 

 dro'bromaie of allylene, and on the dihydrobromate of acetylene. 

 •A njte by M. Duval-Jouve, on the anatomy of the dissepi- 

 ments presented by the leaves of certain species of Juncus, was 

 conimun cated by M. Duchartre. 



April 8. — M Serret presented a note by M. E. Combescure 

 on a peculiar system of equations with partial differences ; and 

 a paper entitled " Investigations upon substitutions," by M. C. 

 Jordan, was read. — M. Le Verrier communicated two notes by 

 M. D.amilla-Mii ler, one on terrestrial magnetism, the otherlon 

 the cosmieal origin of auroras. In the latter he claimed priority 

 in having put forward the notion of these phenomena being due 

 to solar inlluences. — M. J. Silbermann re.ad a continuation of his 

 memoir on the laws of atmospheric tides ; and M. C. Sainte- 

 Claire Deville communicated a note by M. O. Silvestri, giving 

 a chemical and microscopic analysis of the sand-shower which 

 fell in Sicily on March g, 10, and 11 in the present year. — M. 

 Chevreul read a second note on the crystallisation of barytic 

 salts, the acids of which originate from the maceration of dead 

 bodies. — A memoir on the alteration of the sulphurous waters of 

 Eau-Bonnes in contact with a limited atmosphere, by the late M. 

 Louis Martin, was read.— M. II. Sainte-Clare Deville presented 

 notes by M. A. Ditte on the apparent volatilisation of selenium 

 and tellurium, and on the dissocial ion of their hydrogenated 

 compounds ; by M. B. Renault, on the reducing properties of 

 hydrogen and vapours of phosphorus, and on their apphcation 

 to the reproduction of drawings ; by M. de Tommasi, on a com- 

 pound of binoxide of chrome and potas~icdichromate,kalichromic 

 dichromate [(CrO-)"' (CrU^j^ K-'O] H-0 ; and by M. L. Gran- 

 deau, on the function of the organic materials of the soil in the 

 nutrition of plants.— M. Cahours presented a note by MM. S. 

 Clocz and E. Guignet on the chemical composition of the 

 Chinese green (/o/vro).- An interesting note on the polymorphism 

 oi Miicor miucJo, by MM. P. Van 1 ieghem and G. Le Meunier, 

 was lommunicated by M. Decaisne. — M. A. Vulpian read a 

 mtmoir on the alteration of the muscles produced under the in- 

 fluence of trjuniatic or analogous lesions of the nerves, and on 

 the trophical action of the nervous centres upon the muscular 

 tissue ; and M. Gauthier de Claubry presented some observa- 

 tions on M. Champouillon's recent remarks as to the rapid 

 decomposition of the bodies of alcoholised subjects. He 

 adduces facts which seem to show that the difference in the rate 



of putrefaction may be. otherwise accounted for. — M. A. de 

 Lapparent read a note on the date of the elevation of the district 

 of Bray. 



BOOKS RECEIVED 



English —History of tlie Birds of New Zealand, Part i. ; W. L Buller 

 (Van Voorst).— Ttie Teeth, and How to save them ; L. P. Meredith 

 (W. Tegg). 



Foreign.— Verhandlungen der k. k. zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in 

 Wien, Band 21. — Die Grundlagen der Vogelschutzgesetzes (Ritter v. Fraucn* 

 feld) —Die Pflege der Jungen bei Thieren (Ritter v. Frauenfeld).— Ueber die 

 Weizenverwiisterin Chlorops tasniopus : Prof. Max Nowicki — La Photo- 

 graphie appliquee aux etudes geographiques : Jules Girard.— (Througll 

 Wilhatnsand Norgate.) -Die Metamorphose der Squilliden : Prof. C. Claus. 



DIARY 



THURSDAY, Ap: 



J. 30. — On the Connectit 



IL 18. 



Royal Societv, at 8.30.— On the Connection between Explosions in Coal' 

 Mines and Weather: R. H. Scott, F.R.S., and W. Gallo*ay.- On the 

 Fossil Mammals of Australia. Part VII. Oeniis Phascolomj s. Species 



esin size : Prof. Owen, F R S. 



-On Heat and Light: Prof Tyndall, F.R.S. 



at 8.30.— Test of Certain Centurial Stones : H, 



exceeding thi 

 Royal Instit 

 Society c 



Society, 



' Antiqua 



On BegonieUa, a new genus of BegoniaceEC : Prof, 



Oliver, — On three new genera of Malayan plants: Prof, uliver.— On 



and Tertistrcemia coriacca : Prof. Dyer. 



It 8.— Notes from the Laboratory of the Andersoniaa 



d Glycerine ; and On Benzyliso- 



University: On a Compound of Sod; 

 cyanate and Isocyanurate : E. A, Letts. 



FRIDAY, Apkil 19. 

 Royal Institution, at 9,-On the Sulphurous Impurity in Coal Gas and 

 the means of removing it : A, V. Harcourt, F.R.S. 

 SATURDAY, April 20. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— The Star-Depths : R. A. Proctor. 

 Government School of Mines, at 8.— On Geology : Dr. Cobbold. 



SUNDAY, April 21. 



Sunday Lecture Society, at 4.— On the Hindus— Ancientand Modern— 



their Manners, Customs, &c. : Ur. F. J. Mou.it. 



MONDAY, April 22. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Letter from Dr. Kirk on the 



Movements of Dr, Livingstone.— On Recent Explorations ol the North 



" ' Regions: Capt, Sherard Osborn, R.N. .^ 



, at 8. - On the Ha 



ities of Oceanic Races : Dr. j. B. Davis, F.R.S.— On the Hair ot a Hin 

 dostanee : Dr. H. Blaoc— On the Descent of the Esquimaux : Dr. Rink. 

 — LeSette Commuiii; Dr. R. S Charnock. 



TUESDAY, April 23. 



Royal Institution, at 3,— On Statistics, Social Science, and Political 

 Economy : Dr. Guy. 



Society of Antiquaries, at 2,— Anniversary Meeting. 

 WEDNESDAY, April 24. 



Geological Society, at 8,— Notes on the Geology of the Colony of Queens- 

 land : R. Daintree ; with 'Descriptions of the t ossils, by K. Etheridge, 

 F.R.S.— Notes on Atolls or Lagoon Islands ; S. J. Whitnell. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— On Nuts; their Produce and Uses: P. L. 

 Simmonds. 



Royal boclETV of Literature, at 4.30,— Anniversary Meeting, 



London Institution, at 12, — Anniversary Mtetmg. 

 THURSDAY, April 25. 



Royal Society, at 8.30. 



Royal Institution, at 3 —On Heat and Light : Prof Tyndall F.R S 1 



London Institution, at 7.30.— Turner and Mulready : Dr. Liebreich. 1 



CONTENTS f 



The Second Report of the Royal Commission on Scientific 

 Instruction and the Advancement of Science 



American War-Office Reports ' • • • 



Our Book Shelf '.'.'.'.'.'. 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Ertor in Humboldt's Cosmos. — J. Carrick Moore 

 Conscious Mimicry.— Rev. G. Henslow, F.L S. . 



The Adamites.— B. G. Jenkins 



On the Colour of a Hydrogen Flame— A. G.Meeze' '■_''• 



Another Aurora.— T. G. E. Elger 



Brilliant Meteor— G. M.Whipple, F.R.A S. . . 



Tidal Gauges,— Rev, Jas. Pearson ... • ■ . 



Notes on the Rainfall OF 1871. By J. J, Hall, F.R, S. '. '. ". 



Jn Certain Phenomena Associated with a Hydrogen Flame 



By W. F, Barrett, F.C.S., Head Science Master at the Interiia- 



■ onal College 



e Inhabitants of the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, -^Crus'- 

 iConchidcd). By A, S, Packard, Jun. (Wit/i 



Th 



Manchester. 



Itlustraiions.) 

 Proposed Grand Aquariu 



Notes . .... 



Scientific Intelligence from America . . . 

 Annual Address to the Geological Society 



16, 1872 (Concluded), by J. Fkestwich, F.R.S. 



Scientific Serials 



Societies and Academies 



Books Received 



Diary 



4S4 

 487 

 487 

 489 



i 



