NATURE 
[NoveMBER 5, 1896 
Macmillan and Co, will issue in a few days, has had to introduce 
many modifications of the original text, and make many addi- 
tions. Especially is this the case in the first part of the work 
dealing with the classification and genesis of ore deposits. This 
has been entirely rewritten in order to bring it into accordance 
with modern ideas. The second part of the work, being mainly 
a record of facts and observations on ore deposits of the principal 
mining regions, has not needed to be recast, though the results 
of recent studies, and of newly-developed fields and deposits 
have been added. The work has thus been rejuvenated, and 
will continue to hold its high place among mining literature. 
Another new edition to be published by Messrs. Macmillan in a 
few days, is Ziegler’s ‘‘ Special Pathological Anatomy.” The 
first English edition of this standard work was published in 1884, 
but the edition (the third) shortly to be issued differs from it 
very considerably, having been translated from the eighth 
German edition. So great have been the advances in pathological 
anatomy during the past twelve years, that the text has had to be 
completely rewritten. The forthcoming volume has been trans- 
lated and edited by Dr. Donald MacAlister and Dr. Henry W. 
Cattell. The second volume of the work is in the press, and 
it will be followed by a new version of the part on general 
pathological anatomy. 
THE researches of Emil Fischer on the action of phenyl- 
hydrazine on the various sugars have shown that either a simple 
hydrazone is formed, by the reaction of the aldehyde or ketone 
group of the sugar with the amido-group of the hydrazine, or 
that, in addition to this, the hydrogen atoms, combined with 
the carbon atom adjacent to the carbonyl group, are removed, 
and a second molecule of phenylhydrazine enters into reaction, 
an osazone being formed. Ina paper published in the current 
number of the 4erichte, E. Davidis describes two new types 
of hydrazine derivatives of the sugars, which have been obtained 
in the laboratory of Prof. Curtius. When a sugar such as 
glucose is warmed with hydrazine hydrate and a little methyl 
alcohol, two molecules of the sugar react with one of the hydra- 
zine, and glucosaldazine, CgH,.O;:N.N:C,11,,0;, is pro- 
duced. Similar compounds are formed by fructose and arabinose, 
and they are all readily hydrolysed by dilute acids. Compounds 
of the second type are formed when the sugar is treated with 
an acid hydrazide, such as benzhydrazide, C;H;.CO.NH.NH,, 
in the presence of dilute alkalis. Under these circumstances, 
no less than fowr molecules of the hydrazide react with one 
molecule of the sugar. The compound produced from glucose, 
which the author terms glucosebenzosazone, therefore resembles 
glucosazone in constitution, but differs from it inasmuch as 
the removal of the hydrogen atoms and reaction with the hydra- 
zide has been extended to three consecutive carbon atoms. A 
portion of the benzhydrazide is simultaneously decomposed 
with formation of ammonia and benzoic acid. Lzevulose yields 
precisely the same compound as glucose. It has, so far, been 
found impossible to prepare a benzosazone containing either 
more or less than four hydrazine groups. These compounds 
crystallise well, and melt at a comparatively high temperature ; 
and it is therefore possible that they may play an important part 
in the investigation of the very complicated group of compounds 
to which the sugars belong. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 
past week include a Mozambique Monkey (Cercopithecus 
pygerythrus, &) from South-east Africa, presented by Dr. John 
Archibald ; a Hocheur Monkey (Cercopethecws nictitans, 8 ) from 
Congoland, presented by the Rev. Lawson Forfeitt ; a Syrian 
Bear (Ursus syriacus, 2?) from Western Asia, presented by Mr. 
G. A. Schenley; a Garden Dormouse (JZyoxus guercinus), 
European, presented by Mr. W. H. St. Quintin; two White 
Storks (Czconéa alba), European, presented by Miss Agnes 
Nc. I410, VOL. 55] 
Woodroffe ; a Black-backed Piping Crow (Gymmnorhina tibican) 
from Australia, presented by Mr. Charles G. Murrell ; four 
European Tree Frogs (4y/a arborea) from Italy, presented by 
Mrs. Kneeshaw ; a Beccari’s Cassowary (Caswarius beccariz) 
from New Guinea, a Night Heron (Wycticorax griseus), two 
Purple Herons (Ardea purpurea), European, two Black-spotted 
Teguexins (7ubénambis nigro-punctatus) from South America, 
deposited; two Common Sheldrakes (Zadorna vulpanser), 
European, three Mandarin Ducks (x galerzcu/ata) from China, 
a White-faced Tree Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) from Brazil, 
received in exchange. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
STRASSBURG OBSERVATORY.—The first contribution to astro- 
nomical science of the Kaiserlichen Universitats-Sternwarte in 
Strassburg is contained in a handsome volume just published by 
the Director of the Observatory, Prof. E. Becker. This ob- 
servatory, it may be remembered, was instituted in the year 
1872, Dr. August Winnecke being called upon to fill the post of 
Professor of Astronomy, and make plans for the arrangements of 
the buildings and instruments. It is quite worth while 
recording the fact that almost one of the first acts of 
Germany after the conclusion of the war, was to arrange 
for the building of this observatory, showing that, to have 
an astronomical observatory, which should be a seat ‘‘ der 
exacten Wissenschaften,” was almost as important as a fortress. 
No less extraordinary is it that this volume of the ‘* Annalen,” 
just published, should contain the first full description of the 
buildings and instruments almost fifleen years after they have 
been set up. We are led to infer from this that the object of 
the Germans is, in any case, to collect facts, even if they cannot 
momentarily be published. The buildings were commenced 
in 1877, and by the summer of the year 1881 work had already 
begun. In this, the first volume of the ‘‘ Annalen,”’ Prof. Becker 
gives a full description of the different buildings and of the 
various instruments housed in them, illustrating them with 
eighty excellent photogravure plates. Among these latter are a 
large refractor of 487 mm. aperture and 7m. focal length, by 
Merz, ona mounting by the brothers Repsold ; a large comet- 
seeker with an objective, by Merz, of 162mm. aperture and a 
focal length of 1°3 metres; a smaller comet-seeker, a transit 
instrument by Cauchoix, an orbit-finder (Bahnsucher), an alt- 
azimuth, and a Repsold meridian circle, having an object-glass. 
of 160 mm. diameter and a focal length of 1°888 metres, by 
Merz. <A thorough and complete investigation of this last- 
mentioned instrument was undertaken, the results of which are 
given in full detail. The observations which are here published 
extend from 1882 March 15 to 1886 September 9, and consist of 
meridian observations of the sun and chief planets, and of those 
stars, the positions of which were required for such different 
objects as comparison stars of comets, angular values of the 
heliometer scales, longitude determinations. In June 1884 the 
programme of work was considerably increased, the determina- 
tion of the positions of 306 Anschlusssterne for the southern 
zones, and also of eighty-three stars of the southern fundamental 
catalogue of the Astronomischen Gesellschaft being the chief 
additions. Following the list of observations are the corrected 
readings of the meteorological instruments, the temperatures in 
the basement under the transit circle, and a short account of the 
climate of Strassburg as gathered from the meteorological 
observations made from 1873-79. 
Mars IN AuGusT LAsT.—Prof. V, Cerruli contributes some 
of his notes on the appearance of the Martian disc, during last 
August, to 4st. Nach., No. 3384. Of the southern cap, he says, 
we have no sign. This fact cannot be accounted for solely by 
reason of perspective ; it seems, however, that the southern 
snows, which diminished very rapidly in June and July, have 
undergone complete liquefaction. (The southern solstice occurred. 
on July 13.) Ramification of the northern snow took place,, 
according to his opinion, on August 25; on that day he 
observed for the first time ‘‘a flash of lightning more or less in- 
tense at the extreme north of Elisium,” and this apparition was 
successfully repeated on the following days. It may be mentioned 
here that the bright flashes noted by the Lick observers, and others,. 
were seen towards the southern pole in the region known as 
Chersonesus. With regard to the canals, he says that he was, 
