142 
INA TORE 
[DECEMBER 10, 1896 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. 
Symons's Monthly Meteorological Magazine, November.—The 
climate of the British Empire in 1895. The values for that year 
present one unusual feature: the highest shade temperature 
(107°2°) was recorded at Calcutta, being apparently the highest 
reading there in the past fifteen years ; the maximum is generally 
recorded at Adelaide. For extreme cold, Winnipeg (— 45°5°) is 
unapproachable ; this-station has also the greatest annual range 
(133° 8°), and the greatest mean daily range (230°). The driest 
station is Adelaide, mean humidity 59 per cent. and the 
dampest, Esquimalt, 89 per cent. The highest ceiperanure in 
the sun was 178 0”, at Trinidad, and the lowest temperature on 
the grass, —27°0, at Toronto (the minimum temperature on the 
grass is not rec orded at Winnipeg). Colombo, Ceylon, had the 
greatest rainfall, 92°23 inches, and Malta, the least, 11°38 inches. 
The greatest amount of sunshine occurred at Bombay and 
Jamaica.—The scientific use of kites. An account is given of 
the recent experimentsat the Blue Hill Observatory ; these have 
already been referred to in our columns. The Washington 
Weather Bureau is also giving great attention to the subject, and 
has requested Prof. Marvin and others to make a special 
study of this branch of meteorological research.—This number 
also contains notes on the first use of the word ‘‘isobars,”’ and 
on meteorological observations in schools ; the latter subject has 
already been noticed in our columns. 
In the Nuovo Giornale Botanico Italiano for October, Sig. A- 
Preda concludes a very elaborate paper on the Italian species of 
Narcissus. In addition to an enumeration of the species, a 
detailed account is given of the structure of the flower and other 
organs of the plant, especially of the nature of the corona, and 
of the mode of pollination.—Sig. E. Migliorato discusses the 
nature of the spines in the Awrantzacee, which he decides to be 
of cauline, and not foliar origin. 
In the Journal of Botany for November, a very interesting ad- 
dition to the British flora is recorded by Mr. F. re in 
Luphrasia salishurgensts, gathered by the Rey. E. S. Marshall 
in Co. Mayo. The species is an eminently Rint dae being 
found at elevations between 3400 and 7800 feet in Switzerland. 
It appears to find its lowland limit in Ireland, where it occurs 
almost on the sea-level. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 
LONDON. 
Chemical Society, November 19.—Mr. A. G. Vernon 
Harcourt, President, in the chair.—The following papers were 
read :—Sulphocamphoric acid and derivatives of camphorsul- 
phonic acid, by A. Lapworth and F. S. Kipping. Sulpho- 
camphoric acid SOjH-. C! Bal (COOH), 1 is obtained by oxidising 
a- bromocamphorsulphonic acid; its sulphonic chloride is con- 
verted into 7-chlorocamphoric acid by heat.—A compound of 
camphoric acid and acetone, by W. J. Pope. Camphoric acid 
crystallises from acetone in crystals having the composition 
CjoH,04, 4Me.CO ; they are crystallographically closely related 
to camphoric anhydride. —Mercury hyponitrites, by P. C. Ray. 
A solution containing both mercurous and mercuric nitrites is 
obtained by the dissociation of mercurous nitrite ; on adding 
sodium hyponitrite, mercurous and mercuric hyponitrite are 
formed.—The nitrites of mercury and the conditions under which 
they are formed, by P. C. Ray.—The interaction of mercurous 
nitrite and the alkyl iodides, by P. C. Ray. Apparently ethyl 
nitrite and nitroethane are formed in the interaction of ethyl 
iodide and mercurous nitrite.—Crystallography of the mono- 
hydrated mercurous nitrite, by T. H. Holland.—On the identity 
of dextrose from different sources ; with special reference to the 
cupric oxide reducing poweg,, by C. O'Sullivan and A. L. Stern. 
The optical activity, cupric oxide reducing power, and the 
specific gravities of aqueous solutions of dextrose prepared from 
cane and beet sugar, starch and lactose have been determined ; 
the factors thus obtained are the same for the various samples 
of dextrose, so that it is concluded that the latter are identical. 
—Note on Mr. W. J. Humphreys’ paper on the solution and 
diffusion of certain metals in mercury, by Prof. Roberts Austen. 
—Solution and diffusion of certain metals and alloys in mer- 
cury: Part II., by W. J. Humphreys. The author has investi- 
gated the rate of diffusion of aluminium, antimony, cadmium, 
magnesium, thallium, and a few alloys in mercury ; he considers 
NO. 1415, VOL. 55 | 
that solution and diffusion in mercury may serve to distinguish 
between mixtures and compounds in the case of alloys.—Note 
on the heat of formation of the silver amalgam Ag,Hg,, by Miss 
F. T. Littleton. The heat of formation of theamalgam Ag,Hg, 
is about +3432, and its specific heat is 0°029; the specific 
heat calculated from those of the constituent metals is 0°0359.— 
Preliminary note on the action of alkyl iodides on silver malate, 
by T. Purdie and G. D. Landor. A mixture of isopropylic 
isopropoxysuccinate and isopropylic malate is obtained by the 
action of isopropylic iodide on silver malate ; the formation of 
the first compound suggested the idea that the alkylic malates 
produced from. the silver salt may be contaminated with. 
alkyloxysuccinates. This idea seems to be fully confirmed by 
examination of the alkylic malates so obtained.—On certain 
thiocarbimides derived from complex fatty acids, by A. E. 
Dixon. 
Entomological Society, November 18.—Prof. Raphael 
Meldola, F.R.S., President, in the chair.—Mr. Tutt exhibited 
a series of the ochreous form of Zephrosta bistortata, Goetze, 
known as ab. adzefaria, Haw., captured by Mr. Mason in 
March 1895 and 1896, near Clevedon, Somerset ; also a series 
of the second brood of the same species (ab. covsonarz, St.), 
bred from ova laid by the Clevedon specimens. Ile also 
exhibited a series of Tephrosza crepuscularia, Ub. (bzundudaria, 
Esp.), taken by Dr. H. Corbett at Doncaster; a peculiar 
variety of Azfparchia semele, captured by Mr. H. S. Clarke 
near Ramsey, Isle of Man; also a series of Pesta bractea bred 
from ova laid in July last. The eggs and larve had been 
subjected to forcing treatment, with the result that the moths 
emerged in October.—Dr. Sharp called attention to Mr. Ernest 
Green’s plates of the Coccede of Ceylon. which were exhibited on 
a screen in the room, and said that he had been inclined to con- 
sider the Coccede as a distinct order of insects, but at present 
the evidence was hardly sufficient to warrant this. He asked 
Mr. Green if he could give him any information with regard to 
the development of the wings in the male. Mr. Green said 
that in the males of the Coccede the wings first appeared in the 
penultimate stage as small projections on the sides of the thorax. 
These wing-pads grew to a certain extent without any further 
ecdysis. Though the insect was then quite inactive, and took 
no food during this stage, the rudimentary wings and legs were 
free from the body, and were capable of some slight movement. 
After the final ecdysis the wings of the imago were fully 
expanded, and assumed their natural position belore the insect 
left the sac, or puparium, in which the resting stage had been 
passed.—Mr. Bethune-Baker exhibited a yellow spider from 
Orotava, which was of the exact colour of the flowers that it 
usually rested upon, and which had been observed to catch 
Vanesse which settled on these flowers. Mr. Barrett said he 
had noticed a spider with the same habit on the ox-eye daisy 
in Surrey. Mr. Bethune-Baker also exhibited a very curious 
dark variety of Avctéa caja, bred by Mr. Moore.—Prof. Meldola 
stated that it had been of late found difficult to store bristles in 
the city owing to the ravages of a moth, living specimens of the 
larvee and pupz of which he exhibited. Mr. Barrett said that 
the moth was 727ea biselltella. Mr. Bland oid stated that the 
bisulphide of carbon treatment might be found to be of 
advantage if it were practicable, but more would have to be 
ascertained with regard to the extent and character of the ravages 
before anything could be determined upon. Mr. Merrifield, Mr. 
Green, and others took part in the discussion which followed. 
—Mr. Blandford called attention to the use of formalin as a 
preventive of mould, and said that it would probably be found 
of use in insect collections ; an object once sprayed with this 
substance never became mouldy afterwards. Prof. Meldola said 
that formalin was another name for a solution of formic alde- 
hyde ; it is now much used in the colour industry, and is, there- 
fore, produced on a large scale —Mr. Newstead communicated 
a paper entitled ‘‘ New Cocczde collected by the Rev. A. E. 
Eaton in Algeria.” 
Zoological Society, November 17.—Dr. St. George 
Mivart, F.R.S , Vice-President, in the chair.—Mr. Sclater 
gave an account of some of the more interesting animals 
observed by him during a visit to the Gardens of Antwerp, 
Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Amsterdam, the Hague, and 
Rotterdam in June last.—Mr. P. Chalmers Mitchell made 
remarks on a supposed case of telegony exhibited by a fox- 
terrier in showing peculiarities due to a previous fertilisation of 
its mother by a “Dachshund. A discussion followed, in which 
Sir Everett Millais, Mr. Tegetmeier, and others took part, and 
