404 
lenticels, and he finds that when air is forced into the cut end of 
a rootlet it issues by the pores. Hence he conjectures that the 
function of the pores is to contribute to the aération of the plant, 
a view coinciding with that held by several botanists as to the 
lenticels, which they regard as structures affording, like stomata, 
a communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the 
p'ant.—Prof, B, Balfour presented three’Latin diagnoses prepared 
by Dr. J. Miiller, Dr. G, Dickie, and Dr. C, M. Cooke, of the 
lichens, alga, and fungi collected by him and partly by Dr. 
Schweinfurth in the Island of Socotra.—Prof, Tait communi- 
' cated a note by Prof. Piazzi Smyth, who, with the aid of a very 
superior spectroscope, has recently discovered that the low- 
temperature spectrum of oxygen does not consist of five znigue 
lines as hitherto believed, but that four at least of these are 
triple or quadruple, and have the fluted appearance common to 
other Jow-temperature gaseous spectra, 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, February 13.—M. Jamin in the chair. 
—The deaths of M. Bussey, free Academician, and M. Decaisne, 
member in Rural Economy, were commented upon. Discourses 
at the funeral of the latter, by MM. Bouley, Fremy, van Tieghem, 
and Deschartre.—On the law of deviation of Foucault’s pen- 
dulum, by M., Bertrand.—On some applications of the theory 
of elliptic functions, by M. Hermite.—On a new memoir of M. 
Hirn, ‘‘Experimental researches on the relation between the 
resistance of air and its temperature, by M. Faye. This memoir 
(noticed in NATURE, vol. xxv. p. 325) M. Faye regards as an 
important and pregnant scientific event.—On double salts formed 
by haloid salts of mercury, by M. Berthelot.—Effects of hyp- 
notism on some animals, by M. H. Milne-Edwards. Fowls, &c., 
hypnotised several times by M. Harting were injured in the ner- 
vous system ; they were paralysed anddied. M. Milne-Edwards 
thinks the increased aptuess of persons often hypnotised, as sub- 
jects for demonstration, is a bad sign, and that hysteric persons 
should not be often so treated.—Proofs of the breaking up of a 
southern continent during the modern age of the earth, by M. 
Blanchard. New Zealand and small adjacent islands (Auckland, 
Maquarie, Chatham, Antipodes, Bounty, and probably others) 
he regards as the débris of this old continent ;. finding evidence 
chiefly in the similarity of living things, and also in soundings 
and in the disappearance of the huge Moas (which he thinks 
explained by changes in the land, the birds having then been 
huddled together in small space, and perishing by hundreds). 
M. Alph. Milne-Edwards passed some strictures on M, 
Blanchard’s conclusions, holding, z#ter alia, that the Ant- 
arctic islands (such as Auckland and Campbell Islands) were 
not formerly connected to New Zealand. M. Blanchard re- 
plied.—On the roots of sanitary matrices, by Prof. Sylvester. 
—Researches on the nitrogen-acids derived from acetones, 
hy M. Chancel.—On the various nervous states produced by 
hypnotisation in hysteric persons, by M. Charcot. He distin- 
guishes the cataleptic, the lethargic, and the somnambulic state, 
—On a spouting thermal water obtained in the plain of Forez, 
by M. Laur. Boring to a depth of 502 m. they observed at 
irregular intervals eruptions of carbonic gas projecting a column 
of hot water 26 m, for 20 minutes. The vertical tube had a 
diameter of about 8 inches. Changes of water level accompany 
the phenomenon.—On the employment of bitumen of Judzea 
against diseases of the vine, by M. Alric. He quotes informa- 
tion from an account of the journey of Nassiri-Kbosan in Syria 
and Palestine. It is said that phylloxera in Palestine, in the 
Middle Ages, was suppressed by means of this bitumen, M. 
Dumas promised an analysis of the substance, a small barrel of 
which had been sent to the Academy.—Observations of planets 
221 Palisa and 222 Palisa at Paris Observatory, by M. 
Bigourdan.—On the companion of the star y of Andromeda, 
and on a new mode of regulation of an equatorial, by M. André, 
A 6-inch equatorial lately set up by MM. Brunner in Lyons 
Observatory decomposes clearly (with a magnification of 200) 
the star named, an effect generally regarded as a test for 8-inch 
objectives, and which seems only to have been once had before, 
with aid of a With silvered mirror, In regulation MM. Brumer 
use a spirit level anda nadir ocular.—On the distribution, in the 
plane of roots, of an algebraic equation whose first member 
satisfies a linear differential equation of the second order, by M. 
Laguerre.—On singular points of differential equations, by M. 
Poincaré.—On the forms of integrals of certain linear differential 
equations, by M. Picard.—On a case of reduction of © functions 
of two variables to @ functions of one variable, by M. Appell.—On 
NATURE 
quadratic forms with two series of variables, by M. Le Paige.—On | 
(Feb. 23, 1882 
the divisibility of certain quotients by powers of a certain factorial, 
by M, André,—On shock of elastic bodies, by M. Pilleux. He de- 
scribes some instructive experiments with ivory cubes hung ina row, 
and an ivory ball allowed to impinge on them.—Electric actions 
in similar conducting systems, by M. Deprez.—On the electric 
transport of force to great distances, by M. Deprez. With 
small modified Gramme machines weighing about 100 kg. he has 
got a useful work of 37 kgia. with an interposed resistance of 
786 ohm:, representing 78°6 km. of ordinary telegraph wire.— 
On methods of comparison of induction coefficients, by M. 
Brillouin.—On the generality of the electrochemical method for 
figuration of equipotential lines, by M. Guébhard.—Hydrody- 
namic experiments ; imitation, with liquid currents, of the phe- 
nomena of electromagnetism, by M. Decharme. He uses, instead 
of the pulsating or vibrating bodies of Bjerknes (in water), liquid 
currents, continuous or interrupted, acting in air or water. He 
describes a hydro-electromagnet with interrupted currents.— 
Polarimeter with ordinary light, by M. Laurent. He introduces 
into an ordinary polarimeter, between the tube and the analyser, 
a Soleil compensator, with prismatic quartz plates. —On oxy- 
chlorides of magnesium, by M. André.—On_ oxychlorides 
of sulphur, by M. Ogier,—Action of cyanide of potassium 
on trichloracetate of potassium, by M. Bourgoin.—On the 
heat of formation of ferricyanhydric acid, by M. Joannis. He 
arrives at the number +280°5 cal.—On galactine, by M. Muntz. 
This isa gum which he extracts from grain of lucerne ; it is 
marked by high dextrogyrous rotatory power, and the property 
of giving, with dilute acids, the products of decomposition of 
milk-sugar. Leguminous grains, especially, contain large quan- 
tities of it—On aconitrates, by M. Guinochet.—On hieratite, a 
new mineralogical species, by M. Cossa. This is named from 
ffieva, the Greek for Vulcano Island (Lipari), where the sub- 
stance is found near the fumaroles of the crater. The compo- 
sition agrees with that of fluosilicate of potassium, a salt not 
previously found among natural products.—Atlantic actinia from 
dredges of Le 7ravailleur, by M. Marion.—On fossil Echinida 
of the island of Cuba, by M. Cotteau.—On asterophyllites, by 
M. Renault,—On the nature of spheroliths forming an integral 
part of eruptive rocks, by M. Lévy.—On the discovery of 
marine carboniferous formation in Upper Alsace, by M. Bleicher. 
—On the anomalies of the atmospheric pressure in January and 
February, 1882, by M. Renou. The sky was overcast continu- 
ously for fifteen days (January 11 to 26) ; the bright days were 
warm, the dull days cold (contrary to what usually occurs in 
winter), From January 9 to February 7 no rain fell. The 
Marne and Seine were very low and extraordinary clear. 
VIENNA 
Imperial Institute of Geology, January 24.—Dr. Tirus, 
on the Scoglio of Brusnick in Dalmatia.—A. Rzehak, on 
oncophora, a new genus of Bivalvee.—Th, Fuchs, on the pelagic 
fauna and flora.—C. M. Paul, on the region of Sanok; and 
Lupkow, in Gallicia.—M. Vacek, on the geology of the 
Nousberg. 
CONTENTS Pace 
VIGNETTES FROM NATURE. By ALFRED R, WALLACE . . 2 - 38x 
THE Compass, 5 cise (ete cake) elle wate Per tebe) tel Met ene 382 
Our Book SHELF :— : 
**Stanford’s London Atlas of Universal Geography”® . . . . « 383 
Ablett’s ‘‘ Farming for Pleasure and Profit” . ... . 
Dixon's ‘Land of the Morning” . . . -) - - ws + | «384 
Nettleton's ‘‘ Study of the History and Meaning of the Expression 
“Original Gravity". sie % ve Te Tel in is) fe os ee 
Letreks To THR EpirorR :— 
Hypothetical High Tides.—C. Cactraway; A. Hark. . . « . 385 
Rime Cloud observed in a Balloon —Dr. HerMANN Kore. . . 385 
Earthquake in the Andaman Islands.—Col. H. H. Gopwin- 
AUSTEN abc etn ete ehothy ie ele tyr of hs Be wine 386 
The ‘‘ Overflow Bugs,’ in California.—C. V. Rirgy . . . . « 386 
Solar Halo.—W. F. Evans . . . . . «2 « 2 « 386 
Auroral Display.—Tuos. Gwyn Ercer. . . « « + «+ 11986 
A Plea for (eee ee eee yn A 
Tur Cuemistry OF THE ATLANTIC. By J. Y. BuCHANAN 386 
Tue Boston Society of Natura History, 1830-1880 . 389 
Tue PaystoGNomy OF CONSUMrTION . « a ie pe 389 
Josern DecaisngE. By W. T. THtsetTon Dyer, F-R.S. . . . . 390 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF New OR RarE ANIMALS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL 
Society's Livinc Cotrection, VI. (With Jélustrations). . « 39% 
NOTES... pepeealeere B.S) ai cena sts . 4S ie oes - 393 
Tue INFLUENCE OF MATHEMATICS ON THE ProGress OF Puysics. 
By ArTuur Scnuster, Ph.D., F.R.S.. 2. 2 2 «= © 2 © ® 397 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE . « + - + = + 401 
ScigNTIFIC SERIALS . = « © 5 = 0 = © 6 8 @ © © © 0) 67 bl amOE 
Societies AND ACADEMIES + « + « «© © © © © © © © «© «© © 4O% 
