304 



NATURE 



\_7tUy 28, 1 88 1 



velocity for blue over red light, seeming to exceed I per cent, of 

 the whole, must rest upon the merit of the present observations 

 themselves. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, June, iSSi, con- 

 tains : On tiie diatoms of the London Clay, by W. H. Shrub- 

 sole, with a list of species and remaiks by V. Kitton {Plate V. 

 Fig. l). — On the estimation of aperture in the microscope, by 

 Prof. E. Abbe (woodcuts). — On a new species of Hydrosera 

 (Wallich), by Dr. H. Stolterforth (II. tricornata), Flate V. 

 Figs. 2, 3. — SuQimaiy of current researches relating to zonloL^y 

 and botany {principally Invertebrata and Cryptogamia), niicr v 

 scopy, c&c, including orii;inal communications from Fellows and 

 others.— Proceedings of the Society. 



The Scottish Naturalist, July, 1881, contains under Phytology 

 — Dr. Stirtoii, on the genus Usnea .and a new genus allied to 

 it.' — Rev. J. Stevenson, Mycologia Scotica (continued). — J. 

 Cameron, the Gaelic names of plants (continued). — Dr. F. B. 

 White, prehminary list of the flowering plants and ferns of 

 Perthshire. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



Vienna 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences, July 7. — L. T. Fitzinger 

 in the chair. — Dr. T. Holetschek and T. v. Hepperger, deter- 

 mination of the elements and ephemeris of the comet of iS8i(5. 

 — E. Rathay, on the spermagonia of the Aecidio mycctcs. — F. 

 Exner, on galvanic couples consisting only of chemical elements, 

 and on the electromotive f rce of bromine and iodine. — C. Block, 

 a sealed packet. — A. Brezina, on new and little-known meteors 

 (third report). — A. Schlosser and Z. H. Skraup, synthetic.il ex- 

 periments on the chinulin series. — R. Brix, on the constituents 

 of copahu (Maracaiho) and on commercial copaibic ami meta- 

 copail)ic acid. — H. Weidel, on dichinolins. — A. Spina, inquiry 

 into the mechanics of intestinal and cutaneous resorption. — Th. 

 Openchowsky, on the pressure of the pulmonary circulation. 



July 14. — L. Fitzinger in the chair. — T. Glax and R. 

 Klemensiewicz, contritmtions to the theory of inflammation (ist 

 part). — E. Scherks, on the action of metals on a-bromopropionic 

 ethyl ether. — H. I.eitgeb, on Completoria completes, Lohde, a 

 fungus-parasite on fern-prothallia. — N. v. Lorenz, on the action 

 of lead-meial on aqueous solutions of nitrate of lead. — A. 

 Adamniewicz, preliminary note on the microscopical ves els of 

 human cord. — A. W. Meisels, studies on the zooid and oekoid 

 of different vertebrates. — C. Etti, contributions to the knowledge 

 ofcatechin. — T. Kachler, on the action of nitric acid on some 

 fatty bodies made by ustion. — S. Exner, to the knowledge of the 

 cortical motor area. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, July 18. — M. Wurtz in the chair. — 

 With regard to a telegram from Gabes about a recent earthquake 

 there, and detonations preceding the shocks, M. Bou-singault 

 remembered having heard detonations at intervals during an 

 earthquake in South America in 1827. — Observations of comet i^ 

 18S1 at Paris Observatory, by MM. Tisserand and Bigourclan. — 

 Theory of the plane flexion of solids, &c. (continued), liy M. 

 Villarceau. — On the reduction of quadratic forms, by M. Jordan. 

 — Researches on glycolic ether, and on oxides of ethylene, by M. 

 Berthelot. — On the trajectory of cyclones, and on the aiLUounce- 

 ments transmitted by telegraphic caliles, by M. Faye. Com- 

 mandant Bridet has lately shown that if Mauritius and Reunion 

 (Bourbon) were connected by means of a cable, the latter might 

 be informed eighteen or twenty four hours in advance of the 

 arrival and direction of storms. M. Bridet is trying to get this 

 project realised. — On the integration of a linear differential 

 equation of the second order on which evection depends, by M. 

 Gylden. — Effects produced by sulphide of carbon on vines of 

 Beaujolais, by M. Ilenneguy. — Ephemerides of the planet {103) 

 Hera for the opposition of 1881, by M. Callandreau. — On the 

 tails of comets, by M. Flammarion. He reislies to M. Faye, and 

 supports M. Berthelot's theory of electric illumination. — On the 

 vision of stars through comets, by M. Andre. The enlargement of 

 the image is probably a simple effect of diffraction indicating the 

 presence of solid or liquid nuclei in the mass of matter. — On a func- 

 tion simiLar to modular functions, by M. Poincare. — Distribution 

 of energy in the normal spectrum, by Prof. Langley. He gives 

 two curves obtained from observations with his new instrument 

 for a diffraction spectrum after and before zenithal absorption by 

 our atmosphere. The curve of light coincides almost exactly 



with that of heat. There is enormous absorption by the atmo- 

 sphere in the blue. — On a method enabling us to amplify the 

 displacements of the plane of polarisation of light, by M. H. 

 Becquerel. When monochromatic luminous rays, polarised 

 rectilinearly, traverse a half-wave crystalline plate, ihe emergent 

 rays are polarised rectilinearly in a plane which, relatively to the 

 axis of the plate, is symmetrical with the plane of polarisation 

 of the incident vi aves. This known property is utilised for the 

 pnrpoe indicated. — On the velocities of propagation of the 

 inflammation in explosive gaseous mixtures, by MM. Mallard 

 and I,e Chatelier. In one form of apparatus each end of the 

 tube has a lateral orifice communicating through a caoutchouc 

 tube with a small chamber closed with an elastic membrane, 

 which, being pressed outv\ards at the moment of explosion, 

 affects an in^crihing style. The propagation in the larger tube in 

 not of normal velocity, ui.less the part not yet inflamed remains as 

 rest during the whole phenomenon. In a tube closed at one end 

 the velocity is much greater if the gas be fired from the closed 

 end. Even in the other case violent movements often occur in 

 the unburnt mass, and there are various irregularities. — On the 

 decomposition and enlargement of bands of the rainbow, by M. 

 Hitter. Near the observer (to a distance of about i'5om.) the 

 two systems of cones, with parallel axes from the eyes, hy which 

 the rainbow is defined, are quite separate; thus if the drops are 

 within that di tance one should see two distinct arcs or rings. 

 Illustrations of this deduction and others are given. — On the 

 extraordinary temperature of July, 1881, by M Renou. The 

 temperature of 37°'8 in the Park of Saint-Ivlaux, on July 15, is 

 undoubtedly the highest ever experienced in Paris or the 

 environs. — On hydrosulphurous acid, by M. Schutzenberger. — 

 Action of sulphur on various metallic solutions by MM. Filhol 

 and Senderens. It decomposes them (in heat), producing mere 

 or less complex reactions. — .Separation and determinaiion of 

 alumina and oxides of iron and chromium, by M. Carnot.— In- 

 dustry of magnesia, by M. Schloesing. This is preliminary to 

 an account of new ways of extracting magnesia from the water 

 of salt marshes, and even from sea- water. — On injury done in 

 Greece by amhracnose and Peronospora viticola, by M. Gennadius. 

 — On the origin of trunks of fossil trees perpendicular to the 

 strata of the coal formation, by M. Fayol. — On some points 

 relative to anthracic immunity, by M. Toussaint. — On a new 

 malady of domestic geese observed in the Commune of Viviers- 

 les-Montagnes (Tarn), by M. Caravin-Cachin. — Experiments 

 on yellow-fever patients with phenic acid, phenate of ammonia, 

 &c., by M. de l.acaille. — On the Cretaceous system of the 

 Northern Sahara, by M. Rolland. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



Miss Gordon Cumming's "Fiji" =81 



OUK Book Shelf: — 



Houston's " Practical Botany for Elementary Students". . . 283 



F.alh's '• Von den Umwalzungen im Weltall" 'iz 



Joulie's "Qviantitative listimation of Phospfioric Acid" . . • 283 



Lang's " Butterflifs of Europe " 283 



Chemical Equivalents — C- W. M =84 



Slow Lightning.— W. M. Flinders Petrie 284 



Thought Reading.- Geo. B. Merriman 284 



Optical Phenomena.- J. Rand Capron 204 



Symbolic Logic— T. Venn =84 



Jupiter.-J. Birmingham '"S 



New Red Variable.— J. Birmingham 2S5 



A Fireball. John Tennant 285 



Meteor.— G. H. Kinahan 2S3 



The Comet. By J. Rand Capron : F. C. Constable ... .286 



Sea-Shore Alluvion =°* 



Science at Eton (With lllmtratiatis) 2B7 



Notes ''^ 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Encke's Comet "9^ 



Comet i88i c ^9- 



Biological Notes: — 



On some New Lower Green Algae , ' ^i ' . ' " ' ^'" 



On the Influence of Intermittent Illumination on the Development 



of Chlorophyll ^^2 



Chemical Notfs ^^3 



Physical Notes ;?4 



GaoGKAPHicAL Notes 295 



Solar Phv-icj-The Chemistry of the Sun. By J. Nok,man 



\,OCKVKR.¥.k.%.(IVilh Diagrams) 296 



UpoN°r Modificat'ion of Wheatstone's Microphone and its 

 ApPLrcAViLiTV to Radiophonic Researches. By Prof. Kwii- 

 ander Gr.^ham Bell (JJ'iM £>;<i?>-aj«i) ....-••■■ 302 



Experimfnpal Determination of the Velocity of White and 

 Coloured Light By Dr. J. Young. F.R.S., and Prof. G. 

 Forbes ; ?' 



Scientific Serials -^ 



Societies .4nd Academies ■* 



