JuNE 1, 1899] 
NATURE 
119 
post-Jurassic strata such as Prof. Steinmann believes to exist.— 
Contributions to the geological study of County Waterford. 
Part 1, §i. The Lower Palzeozoic bedded rocks of the coast, by 
F. R. Cowper Reed. This paper opens with an account of the 
previous publications on the geology of the district, and then 
goes on to describe the sections exposed along the coast at the 
following localities: Raheen and Newtown Head, Tramore 
Bay, Garrarus and Kilfarrasy, Annestown and Dunabrattin, 
Knockmahon, Ballydouane Bay, and Killelton Cove to Bally- 
voyle. These sections expose shales and limestones with 
abundance of igneous rocks partly interbedded, but mainly in- 
trusive ; and the author is able to make out the following suc- 
cession of rocks, tabulated in descending order: (4) Raheen 
Series. Mudstones, slates, felsites and tuffs, and fossiliferous 
shales. (3) Carrigaghalia Series. Graptolitic shales, thin flags, 
cherts, tuffs, and felsites. (2) Tramore Limestone Series. 
Divided into three stages. (1) Tramore Slates. Calcareous 
and argillaceous slates. 
Zoological Society, May 16.—Dr. W. T. Blanford, 
F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair.—The Secretary read 
extracts from letters received from Mr. J. S. Budgett, contain- 
ing an account of the progress of his expedition to the Gambia, 
and announcing his proposed return in July next.—Mr. G. A. 
Boulenger, F.R.S., exhibited a specimen of the Bornean lizard 
(Lanthanotus borneensts), belonging to the Sarawak Museum, 
and remarked that it was the second example of this reptile that 
had reached Europe. An examination of the specimen had con- 
firmed Mr. Boulenger’s suspicion that its affinities were with the 
Helodermatidae, and that it was not, as its original describer 
(Steindachner) had supposed, entitled to family rank by itself. 
—Mr. G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton exhibited the skins of two 
hares (Zepus vartabzlis), and made some remarks on the winter 
whitening of Mammals in connection therewith.—Mr. G. A. 
Boulenger, F.R.S., read an account of the fishes obtained by 
the Congo Free State Expedition, under Lieutenant Lemaire, in 
Lake Tanganyika, in 1898. Ten new species were described, 
of which three were made the types of new genera.—Mr. E. M. 
Corner read a note on the variations of the patella in the divers, 
grebes, and cormorants, by which the functions of the bones in 
these birds were explained.—A communication was read from 
Mr. Stanley S. Flower, containing notes on a second collection 
of reptiles made in the Malay Peninsula and Siam, from Novem- 
ber 1896 to September 1898, and a list of the species recorded 
from those countries. The species enumerated in the paper 
-were 221, of which one was the type of a new species, de- 
scribed under the name of Zyphlops flowerd by Mr. G. A. 
Boulenger.—A communication was read from Marquis Ivrea on 
the wild goats of the A®gean Islands. <A series of heads and 
some photographs of the goats of the islands of Antimilo and 
Joura were exhibited, with the object of showing that the effect 
of across between Capra aegagrus and C. hircus (such as had 
been proved to have occurred on the former island) was not to 
produce an animal corresponding to C. dorcas (Reichenow), and 
that consequently the goat of Joura had not, as was generally 
assumed, been so produced, but was, asa matter of fact, a local 
variety of the wild goat, for which the name C. aegagrus, var. 
jourensis, was suggested. Mr. W. Cunnington read a paper on 
anew Brachyuran Crustacean from Lake Tanganyika, obtained 
by Mr. J. E. S. Moore, for which he proposed the name Z2:720- 
thelphusa maculata. he crab, unlike its nearest allies, was 
wholly aquatic, and would seem to be the most primitive mem- 
her of the Thelphusine group.—A paper was read by Mr. W. 
T. Calman on some Macrurous Crustaceans obtained by Mr. J. 
E. S. Moore in Lake Tanganyika. A new genus (Zimzo- 
carvidina tanganyikae) and a new species of Palaemon (P. 
mooret) were described, it being pointed out that neither of 
them furnished any particular facts bearing on the general 
question of the origin of the Tanganyikan fauna. 
CAMBRIDGE. 
Philosophical Society, May 15.—Mr. J. Larmor, Pre- 
sident, in the chair.—Mr. J. J. Lister exhibited specimens of 
Branchipus and Estheria raised from dry mud, obtained from 
the upper pool of Gihon near Jerusalem. The mud had been 
placed in water, after remaining dry for three years, and 
three days later the water was found to be peopled with the 
nauplius larvze of these genera. Representatives of species of 
Daphnia, Ostracoda and Copepoda had subsequently appeared, 
probably identical with those described by Baird from the 
same locality (Aznals and Magazine of Natural History, 
NO. 1544, VOL. 60] 
_(2) a new type of Paleozoic plant, by A. C. Seward. 
series iil. vols. iv. and viii.). It was pointed out that in 
Branchipus food travels forward towards the mouth along the 
groove which separates the thoracic appendages of the opposite 
sides ; and the suggestion was offered that a similar course of 
the food may explain the masticatory character of the basal 
inner lobes of the anterior thoracic appendages of A/zs.— 
Notes on the Binney collection of carboniferous plants ; 
The 
author gave a brief description of a fragment of stem from 
the Coal-Measures of Lancashire, which exhibits anatomical 
features differing from those of any known genus. The 
primary structure agrees in certain respects with that of 
Heterangium ; but there are definite peculiarities which render 
advisable the institution of a new generic name. Among the 
more important characteristics may be mentioned the large 
isodiametric metaxylem tracheids, the position of the protoxylem 
elements and the structure and course of the leaf-traces.—On 
the modification and attitude of Zdolm déabolicum, a Mantis 
of the kind called ‘floral simulators,” by Mr. D. Sharp. 
Mantises are voracious insects with the front legs of remark- 
able form, suited to the capture of living insects which form the 
sustenance of the Mantis. Certain of these Mantises assume 
attitudes and make movements that cause them to resemble 
flowers, and they are moreover possessed of some modifications 
of structure and colour that are believed to strengthen the illu- 
sion caused by their attitudes. The facts as regarded /dolem 
diabolicum were stated, and from a comparison with other 
Mantises the conclusion was deduced that the modifications of 
structure are really slight, and that the attitude is the important 
point. In reference to the origin of the peculiarities, he con- 
cluded that, granted that the instinct of the creature caused it to 
assume the attitudes, the slight structural modifications might 
follow from simple physical causes. —On the product /,,(”)/,,\«), 
by Mr. W. McF. Orr. 
Paris, 
Academy of Sciences, May 23.—M. Van Tieghem in the 
chair.—On the deformation of general surfaces of the second 
degree, by M. Gaston Darboux.—On some new compounds of 
camphor with aldehydes, by M. A. Haller. In continuation 
of previous work on the subject, the author has studied the 
action of piperonal and of meta- and para-methoxybenzaldehydes 
on the sodium derivative of camphor, and has prepared a number 
of new compounds. Metamethoxybenzylidenecamphor crystal- 
lises in long needles melting at 51°-52° andis reduced by sodium 
amalgam to metamethoxybenzylcamphor. Paramethoxybenzyl- 
idenecamphor forms large crystals melting at 125°, and is con- 
verted by reduction into paramethoxybenzylcamphor, which 
erystallises in prisms melting at 71°. Piperonylidenecamphor 
crystallises in needles melting at 159°°5, and yields, on reduction, 
piperonylcamphor, which forms small white plates melting at 
70. Piperonyl piperonylate, which is formed along with 
piperonylidenecamphor, crystallises in needles melting at 97°.— 
On isothermic surfaces and the deformation of the paraboloid, 
by M. A. Thybaut.—On the deformation of certain surfaces 
related to surfaces of the second degree, by M. Tzitzeica.—On 
the development of a uniform branch of analytic functions, by 
M. Paul Painlevé.—On the calculation of divergent series by 
Taylor’s theorem, by M. Emile Borel.—On the calculation of 
the maximum available force at the draw-bar of a motor, by M. 
A. Petot.—On the decomposition of silicates by hydrogen 
sulphide, by M. P. Didier. The majority of silicates, when 
heated in a porcelain tube at about 1400° C., are decomposed 
and partially converted into sulphides. In some cases, the 
latter are easily separated, owing to the occurrence of volatilis- 
ation or of crystallisation, or by their solubility in dilute acids ; 
in others, the sulphides obtained are only attacked by reagents 
which decompose the original silicate. The reaction is always 
incomplete, since the silicate becomes covered with a pro- 
tective layer of sulphide, and in the greater number 
of experiments the somewhat remarkable formation of 
a small quantity of sulphuric acid was noted. <A 
portion of the silica appears to be reduced to silicon, and 
this is also found to occur in the action of hydrogen sulphide on 
silica alone.—On di-isoamylacetic acid, by M. H. Fournier. 
Ethylic di-isoamylmalonate, obtained by the malonic ether syn- 
thesis from isoamylic bromide, isa colourless liquid boiling at 
278°-280°, and the corresponding acid crystallises in white plates 
melting at 147°-148". The latter, when heated to 175", is con- 
verted into di-isoamylacetic acid, which crystallises in white 
needles melting at 46°-47°, and is insoluble in water but very 
