1 64 



NA TURE 



[Dec. 1 8, 1884 



On calorimetric determinations of magnesium sulphate, by S. 

 U. Pickering. The author finds that, when the ordinary hepta- 

 hydrated salt is heated to ioo°-I30°, it retains about i^ mole- 

 cule of water. This excess of one-ninth may be expelled 

 by heating to i5o°-l6o°, but, if this temperature be exceeded, 

 some anhydrous salt is formed. The numbers obtained with 

 the monohydrated salt were 12,131 cal. ; with the anhydrous 

 salt, 20,765 cal. — On condensation compounds of benzil with 

 ethyl alcohol, by Miss M. E. Owens and Dr. F. R. Japp. By 

 the protracted action of very dilute alcoholic potash upon benzil 

 in the cold, the authors have prepared in large quantity a body, 

 C 3 „H 24 0j, fusing at 200°- 201°, and crystallising from alcohol with 

 a molecule of alcohol of crystallisation. No acetyl derivative 

 could be prepared. A second condensation-product, C 46 H 34 4 , 

 fusing at 232°, was also obtained. — Note on the solubility of 

 certain salts in fused nitrate of soda, by F. B. Guthrie. The author 

 has experimented with the sulphates, chromates, and carbonates 

 of barium, strontium, calcium, and lead. — On certain deriva- 

 tives of isodinaphthyl, by A. Staub and Watson Smith. The 

 authors have endeavoured, by gentle oxidation of this body, to 

 form the corresponding naphthoic acid. Cold strong nitric 

 acid, however, produces a tetranitro body ; dilute nitric acid in 

 sealed tubes formed phthalic acid, and permanganate gave a 

 similar result. Chromic acid in glacial acetic acid produced 

 isodinaphthylquinone, a yellow amorphous powder melting at 



25O -260°. 



Edinburgh 



Mathematical Society, December 12. — Mi. A. J. G. Bar- 

 clay, President, in the chair. — Mr. P. Alexander, Lady Mar- 

 garet's College, Glasgow, contributed a paper on failing cases 

 of Fourier's theorem, remarks on which were made both by 

 Dr. Muir, who read the paper, and by Prof. Chrystal. — Dr. 

 Muir gave a note on a function of two integral arguments ; and 

 Mr. A. Y. Fraser discussed the number of conditions determin- 

 ing geometrical figures. 



Dublin 



Experimental Science Association, November 19. — On 

 Boakes's siphons of sulphur dioxide, by Prof. E. Reynolds, 

 F.R.S. — Photometric measurement of lighthouse illumination, 

 by T. Syle, University student — On photometers made of 

 paraffin, by J. Joly, B.E. This was an arrangement based on 

 the remarkable difference of appearance presented by a piece 

 of cracked paraffin about the plane of the crack, if placed in 

 an unequally illuminated field. Two similar slabs of paraffin 

 laid together on smooth faces show this effect very well. If the 

 illumination about the plane of contact be brought to equality, 

 the appearance of discontinuity vanishes. The close proximity 

 of the fields to be compared confers great sensibility on the 

 arrangement. The effect is due to the complete dispersion of 

 the light in the translucent paraffin, thereby causing a large 

 amount of it to be totally reflected at the plane of contact, across 

 which, therefore, but little of the light received on either side 

 passes. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, December 8. — M. Rolland, Pre- 

 sident, in the chair. — Note on the photograph of a tornado 

 taken by J. N. Robinson Howard last August in Dakota, 

 United States, by M. Faye. — Final researches on antiseptic 

 intravascular coagulation, by M. L. Gosselin. — Observations 

 of Wolfs Comet made with the 8-inch equatorial at the Obser- 

 vatory of Bordeaux, by M. G. Rayet. — Observations of the 

 same cimet made with the meridian circle at the same observa- 

 tory, by M. G. Rayet. — On the inversion of the abelian 

 integrals, by M. Appell. — On a trigonometric formula of inter- 

 polation deduced from two formulas already established applic- 

 able to even and odd functions respectively, by M. G. Fouret. 

 — On a generalisation of continuous fractions, by M. H. Poin- 

 care. — On the integrals of certain functional equations, by M. G. 

 Kcenigs. — Note on the numerical results required for the cal- 

 culations of compressed gas manometers, by M. E. H. Amagat. 

 — ( in the application of Ingenhonz andde Senarmont's processes 

 to the measurement of the relative thermic conduclibilities of 

 different substances considered as isotropic, by M. Ed. Jannettaz. 

 ■ — On some practical processes for examining the luminous 

 spectra of bodies to which the method of Lecoq de Boisbaudran 

 is inapplicable, by M. Eug. Demarcay. — On ferrocyanhydric 



acid and the nitroprussiates, by MM. A. Etard and G. Bemont- 

 — On the optic inactivity of the cellulose of cotton, and on the 

 rotatory power of the gun-cotton of photography, by M. A. 

 Bechamp. — Chemical analysis of the so-called "porte-graiite " 

 beetroot in the second year of its growth, by M. H. Leplay. — 

 On the inertia of the retinal apparatus and its variations accord- 

 ing to the exciting colours, by M. Aug. Charpentier. From 

 experiments made during the last few years, the author con- 

 cludes that the inertia increases with the refrangibility of 

 the stimulating rays. Hence more light is absorbed or used 

 up in producing the luminous sensation for the blue than 

 for the green rays, for the green than for the yellow, and 

 so on to the red. He further shows that any increase of intensity 

 for any given colour requires all the more light in proportion to 

 its greater refrangibility. — On the disease of the vine known by 

 the name of pourridii, by MM. G. Foex and P. Viala. This 

 disease, which is common in the South of France, and especially 

 in Provence and Roussillon, is attributed to a species of fungus 

 first observed by R. Hartig, and by him named Dematophora 

 necatrix. — On the presence of the middle carboniferous measures 

 in Anjou, by M. Ed. Bureau. — The results are given of a gen 

 logical survey of this district undertaken during the present year 

 by the author and his brother, the Director of the Natural 

 History Museum of Nantes. — Tables of atmospheric move- 

 ments between the parallels of latitude 30° S. and So° N. for 

 November 20, 1879, and January I, 1880, based on the baro- 

 metric charts prepared by M. Leon Tisserenc de Bort, by M. 

 Poincare. 



Vienna 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences, November 13. — Re- 

 searches into the intimate structure of striated muscle-fibre, by 

 A. Rollett, — Determination of the orbit of the planet Adria, 

 by E. von Hcerdtl. — Remarks on the physical constitution of 

 the atmosphere, by N. Herz. — The botanical results of Polack's 

 expeditions to Persia in the year 1882, by O. Stapf. — Report 

 on the plants collected by F. Luschan in Lycia and on the 

 Nimroud Dagh, by the same. 



CONTENTS Pace 



A Teaching University for London 145 



The Polyzoa of the "Challenger" Expedition . . 146 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Richardson's " Healthy Manufacture of Bread " . . 14S 

 " Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society" 148 

 Pinkerton's "Elementary Text-Book of Trigono- 

 metry " 148 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Iridescent Clouds — Prof. C. Piazzi-Smyth ; J. 



Edmund Clark 148 



The "New" Volcanic Island off Iceland. — Prof. 



Alfred Newton, F.R.S 149 



Over-Pressure in Schools. — School Teacher . . . 149 

 The Tokio Earthquake of October 15, 1884. — J. 



Milne 150 



Large Meteor. — E. J. Lowe 150 



The Cost of Anthropometric Measurements. — 



Francis Galton, F.R.S 150 



The Northernmost Extremity of Europe.— W. 



Mattieu Williams 150 



Apospory in Ferns. By Prof. W. T. Thiselton 



Dyer, F.R.S 151 



Modern English Mathematics. By Prof. Henrici, 



F.R.S ,51 



Physical Geogrsphy of the Malayan Peninsula. By 



Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods 152 



A New Application of Science 154 



Notes 153 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Binary Star a Cenlauri 15S 



Encke's Comet 158 



Barnard's Comet 158 



Geographical Notes 13S 



A Teaching University for London 159 



Nature-Drawing. By W. H. Fisk 160 



University and Educational Intelligence 162 



Scientific Serials 162 



Societies and Academies 162 



