428 



NA TURE 



{Feb. I, 1 88 1 



feet. As connected with other Alpine tunnels, Mont Cenis is 

 40,093 feet, and St. Gothard, 48,952 feet. The Simplon 

 would therefore be longest of all ; but, on the other hand, it 

 would be on a lower level than the others, the entrance at 

 Brieg being only 2333 feet, and that at Iselle 2253 feet above 

 the sea level. The entrances to the Mont Blanc tunnel would 

 be 3345 feet at Mont Quart, and 4215 feet at Entreves above 

 the sea level. The Bardonneche entrance to Mont Cenis is 

 3970 feet, and that at Modane 3799 feet, while in the case of 

 the St. Gothard tunnel the northern entrance at Goschenen is 

 3638 feet, and the southern, at Airolo, 3756 feet above the 

 sea. Thus the Mont Cenis tunnel is shorter, but 330 feet higher 

 than the Mont Blanc, while the Simplon w ould be about half as 

 long again, but about 1000 feet lower. Supposing that the 

 operations would be conducted at the same rate as they have 

 been at St. Gothard, the boring will take 421S days, or, working 

 at both ends, 2109 — nearly six years. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include two Guinea Baboons (Cyttocephalus spliiiix), a 

 Grivet Monkey {Cercopithccus griseo-viridis, var.) from West 

 Africa, presented by Mr. Lionel Hart ; a Macaque Monkey 

 [Macacus cynomolgus) from India, presented by the Rev. George 

 Cuffe; two Arabian Gazelles {Gazella arn(5zVa), three Domestic 

 Pigeons {Columba anas) from Arabia, presented by Mr. Reginald 

 Zohrab ; two Common Squirrels (Sciunis vulgaris), British, 

 presented by Lieut. -Col. F. D. Waters, 82nd Regiment ; a Col- 

 lared Peccary {Dicotylcs tajacu) from Guiana, presented by Capt. 

 W. F. Wardroper ; a Ring-tailed Coati {Nasua rufa) from South 

 America, presented by Mr. L. H. Haworth ; a Cinereous Sea 

 Eagle {Haliaitus albicilla) from Norway, presented by Mr. James 

 Ashbury ; a Red and Blue Macaw {Ara macao) from South 

 America, presented by Mrs. Supple; two Common Barn Owls 

 [Siri.x flainmea), British, presented by Mr. C. T. Foster ; an 

 Upland Goose {Bernicla magellanica) from South America, pre- 

 sented by Mr. A. Nesbitt ; two Common Kestrels [Tinnunculns 

 alaudarius), British, presented by Mr. J, Edwards : a Bonnet 

 Monkey {Macacus radiatus) from India, a Common Marmoset 

 (Hapale jacchtts), from South-East Brazil, deposited ; two Euro- 

 pean Scops Owls (Scops giu), European, purchased. Amongst 

 the additions to the Insectariura during the same period are larvae 

 of the Common Butterfly {Vanessa C. album), Lobster Moth 

 {Stauropus fagi). Pale Tussock Moth {Orgyia pudibunda) — the 

 so-called Hop-Dog — Dipthera orion, Halias prasinana, and 

 Deilep/iila eup/iorbiit: and galii ; also a perfect insect of C/iolus 

 forbesi, being the third know n example of this species, originally 

 described from specimens captured in an orchid-house at High- 

 gate. The present specimen was found, under similar conditions, 

 by Dr. Wallace of Colchester. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 Paris 



Academy of Sciences, August 22. — M. Jamin in the chair. 

 — The following papers were read : — Meridian observations of 

 small planets and of Comet b iSSi, at Paris Observatory, during 

 the second quarter of 1S81, by M. Mouchez. — Remarks on M. 

 Jamin's note on comets, by M. Faye. — On spectrum analysis 

 applied to comets, by the same. — On the nature of the repulsive 

 force exercised by the sun, by the same. He associated it long 

 ago with the state of incandescence of the sun ; and, in an ex- 

 periment, rare gaseous matter made luminous by means of an 

 induction-spark was repelled by an incandescent plate at a 

 sensible distance. Some thought this not decisive, however ; 

 for the gaseous matter might become more conductive through 

 heating, so that the effect observed might be a sort of oljscure 

 discharge. M. Faye invites physicists to take up the matter 

 afresh. — On the interior state of the terrestrial globe, by M. 

 Roche. Supposing the globe formed of a nucleus or solid block 

 nearly homogeneous, covered with a lighter layer, of density 



geologically shown to be about 3 in relation to water ; he finds 

 it possible to harmonise the general values of j^recession and 

 flattening, if it be considered that the interior nucleus has 

 solidified and taken its definitive form under influence of a 

 rotation less rapid than that now animating the earth. The 

 central block is probably like meteoric iron in specific gravity, 

 while the enveloping layer is comparaljle to aeroliths of stony 

 nature, with little iron. — On the irreducible co-variants of the 

 binary quartic of the eighth order, by Prof. Sylvester. — On a 

 new species of Cissus (Cissus Rocheana, Planch), from the interior 

 of Sierra Leone, capable of bearing the winter of Marseilles, by 

 M. Planchon. Its endurance is a matter of temperament, and a 

 proof of the extent of the scale of resistance to cold and heat 

 which some plants possess, and which often upsets all prevision. 

 The American Vitis riparia live^ sixty miles north of Quebec, 

 and is also found in the sub-tropical Southern States. — On the 

 laws of formation of cometary tails, by M. Schwedoff. Starting 

 with the existence of an infinite number of ponderable particles 

 in celestial space, he shows that those with parabolic orbits have 

 most chance of collision and consequent heating and dispersion. 

 The sudden vaporisation of solids, due to passage among 

 them of a cometary nucleus, generates the cometary nebulosity. 

 The velocity of propagation of visible waves accompanying the 

 nucleus is equal to the velocity of the nucleus itself at the moment 

 of departure of these waves. The maximum of intensity of a 

 cosmic wave is found in the tangent to the orliit of the nucleus at 

 the point of departure of the wave. With these two laws he 

 seeks to explain the phenomena observed. — On a particular case 

 of the theory of motion of an invariable solid ii\ a resistant 

 medium, by M. Willotte. — M. Treve communicated the results 

 of some experiments as to the effects produced by shunts in 

 telephonic circuits. — Solar observations at the Royal Observa- 

 tory of the Roman College during the first quarter of 18S1, by 

 P. Tacchini. After the secondary minimum in the end of last 

 year, the solar activity resumed its course towards the maximum. 

 The distribution of protuberances, &c., was the same as in the 

 last quarter of iSSo. — Observ.ations of solar spots and faculie 

 in April to July, 1S81, by P. Tacchini. A minimum of spots 

 occurred in M.ay, and an exceptional maximimi in July ; now, 

 the .activity is anew at a minimum. During this year several 

 periods of abundant frequency have recurred. — .Spectroscopic 

 studies on comets b and c 1881, by M. Thollon. Comet c seems 

 to be almost wholly gaseous. The brightness of the head and 

 tail of the comets seems to vary rapidly and uniformly with 

 distance from the sun ; arguing that their white light is almost 

 wholly reflected sunlight. The slowness of variation of the 

 band spectrum is against the view that the cometary ele- 

 ments are rendered incandescent by calorific action of the 

 sun. The comets have probably a light and heat of 

 their own. — Researches on the telluric lines of the solar 

 spectrum, by M. Egoroff. Sending a strong electric beam 

 through i8m. of aqueous vapour, and increasing the tension to 

 6 atm., the spectrum was notably changed in aspect. Tlie 

 group a in the extreme red he thinks fundamental for aqueous 

 vapour, and he is going to examine it in detail. — On the exist- 

 ence of a new metallic element, actinium, in the zinc of com- 

 merce, by Mr. Phipson. — Note relative to a new series of 

 phospliates and arseniates, by MM. Filhol and Senderens. — 

 Fixation of hypochlorous acids on propargylic compounds, by 

 M. Henry. — On the abnormal presence of uric acid in the 

 salivary, gastric, nasal, pharyngeal, sudoral, and uterine secre- 

 tions, and in menstrual bloody ; diagnostic and therapeutic 

 indications, by M. Boucheron. — Observations during a thunder- 

 storm on June 25, 1881, by M. Larroque. 



CONTENTS Page 



The British Association 401 



Inaugural Address by Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., F.R.S., 



D.C.L., LL.D.. President 402 



Section B— Cliemical Science— Opening Address by Prof. A. W. 

 Wifliamson, Ph.D., LL.D,. F.R.S., V.P.C S , President of the 



Section 413 



Section C— Geology— Opening Address by A C. Ramsay. LL.D.. 

 F.R.S,, S:c, &c.. Director-General of the Geological Survey, 



President of the Section 4^9 



Section D— Biology— Opening Address by Richard Owen, C.B., 



F.R.S., President of the Section 421 



Our Astronomical Column ; — 



Encke's Comet *^i 



Schaberle's Comet 4^5 



Notes 4^5 



Societies and Academies 42S 



