- 
exhibited malformed cups of Quercus Jlex, the evergreen Oak, 
yeceived from Mr. F. Moore, of the British Museum, The tree 
yrows on the cliff’s edge, in the Isle of Wight. Minute acorns 
appeared to have been produced in the axils of the bracts which 
formed the cups.— Carnation Disease: Mr. W. G. Smith exhibited 
specimens of carnations received from Dr. Hogg, attacked by the 
nematoid worm, Anguilula.—Root Malformation: Dr. M. T. 
_Masters showed a specimen of elm-root much distorted in places, 
in consequence of meeting with obstructions in growing in Lias 
limestone rock. It was lately figured and described in the Gav- 
dener’s Chronicle (p. 147),and was received from Mr. Ingram, 
of Belvoir Castle. — Variation in Pear-Leaf: Mr. R. D. Black- 
more exhibited a three-lobed leaf which had been produced 
after root-pruning, such being in this case a reversion to the 
primitive character of the plant. Mr. Henslow remarked 
that in some cases the change from a simple to a lobed 
and compound state is the result of further development, 
as may be easily traced in blackberries and _ raspberries. 
—Apparent Superfetation in the Pea: Mr. J. Laxton, of 
Bedford, forwarded a communication, describing some experi- 
ments in fertilising a flower with the pollen of six other va- 
rieties. The conclusions he drew from the appearance of 
the peas and flowers subsequently produced by the seedlings, 
were that (1) pollen’ of more than one variety of pea used 
to cross-fertilise the same flower, may influence more than one 
ovule in the same ovary; (2) that there is some evidence of 
the pollen from more than one variety affecting the same ovule.— 
Report on Winter Losses, &c., in Plants: The secretary, the 
Kev. G. Henslow, gave an account of the progress he had made 
in compiling statistics for a report. on the meteorological pheno- 
mena of, and consequent injury to plants in severe winters. He 
had obtained particulars of severe winters from A.D, 220 to 1881 ; 
but those during which destruction of, and injuries to plants had 
been specially recorded, were the following eight :—1851-52, 
1852-53, 1859-60, 1860-61, 1864-65, 1878-79, 1879-So, 1880-81. 
He had collected all the information he had at present been 
able to find with reference to these winters, and had drawn up, 
first, a short account of the principal meteorological phenomena 
of the year preceding each winter, as well as of the winter itself 
—as the behaviour of a plant under frost so much depends upon 
its previous conditions ; in each case such was followed by details 
of injuries to and losses of plants over as many places in the 
British Isles as possible. The importance of registering meteo- 
rological phenomena and the losses in several winters lay in the 
fact that the conditions of the winters respectively differed in 
many ways from one another, The consequence was that ¢he 
immediate cause of plants succumbing to frost was not always 
the same. There would be an Introduction dealing with several 
interesting matters bearing on meteorology and plant-injuries, 
and he proposed completing it with copious indices, so that no 
difficulty would be met in finding the exact behaviour of every 
plant in any country and in any winter. A discussion followed, 
in which the great importance of elaborating the report as fully 
as possible, and of speedily publishing it, were insisted on. 
Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, March 6.—A meeting 
of this Society tcok place at its house, 7, Adelphi Terrace, when 
a paper was read by Mr. J. E, Howard, F.R.S. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, February 27.—M. Blanchard in the 
chair.—The following papers were read :—On double salts of 
mercury, by M. Berthelot. This relates to chlorobromides, 
iodo-bromides, and chlorocyanides of mercury, iodocyanice 
and bromocyanide of mercury and potassium, &c.—On the 
action of strong doses of strychnine on the motivity of 
nerves in mammalia, by M. Vulpian. They abolish the 
motivity in mammalia as well as in frogs, The quantity of 
strychnine necessary is greater than that of curare for the same 
result, (Nicotine, too, in sufficient dose, abolishes the motivity 
of motor nerves).—Induced currents of polar interversions, by 
M. Da Moncel. The currents from displacement of a coil on 
an iron bar, through a fixed magnetic field, are not of the same 
nature as those from displacement (in a fixed magnetic field) of 
this bar, reacting directly on the coil. In the former case those 
generated by each half of the magnetised bar are in contrary 
directions, whereas in the other case they are always in the same 
direction, and their intensity increases with the amount of dis- 
placement, but it becomes almost nil in a complete movement of 
the coil in the former case.—Colouring-matter formed in flour- 
paste, by M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Violet is sometimes 
“formed by a small organism in the surface-cells of paste kept 
long in moist air. Different atmospheres were tried with the 
(fertilised) paste, and acetic acid vapour seemed the most 
favourable to production of the colour, The colouring mat- 
ter is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol and ether ; 
in the dry state it has a metallic Justre, like aniline colours, 
The author describes its spectral and other properties. 
logical and zoological relations of Campbell Island with neigh- 
bouring southern portions of land, by M. Filhol. The two principal 
geological elements of Camphell Island are a band of limestone, 
and lavas (the former anterior as a formation). The island 
seems to have appeared in the end of the Pliocene epoch. The 
New Zealand Eocene, Miocene, and early Pliocene lavas are © 
quite different from those of Campbell, which contain mineral 
anorthite (a known characteristic of post-pliocene lavas), The 
geological age of the island is determined by the epoch of the 
volcanic eruptions. M. Filhol finds his conclusion confirmed 
by zoology. —On the physiological character of tendinous con- 
traction, by M. Guérin. This contraction has been supposed of 
reflex order, a return action of the spinal cord, provoked by direct 
excitation of the nerves in the tendon. 
that it is absolutely of the same order as muscular contractility, 
tendons showing both voluntary and involuntary contraction, like 
muscles.— On the employment of bitumen of Juda against vine 
diseases, by M. de Lafitte. He recalls earlier observations on 
the subject than those noticed by M. Abric, by Count de Bertou. 
—M. Maumené, in a provisional note, said he was able to offer 
incontestable proof of the individual existence"of H,N, and its 
decided alkalinity with regard to active colours and acids. He 
hopes to do the same for HN.—Observations of the comet g= 
VIII. 1881, and of planets (221) and (222) at the Paris Observa- 
tory, by M. Bigourdan.—Observations of the planet Palisa (221) 
at Marseilles Observatory, by M. Borrelly.—On the successive 
differentials of functions of several variables, and on a property 
of algebraic functions, by M. Darboux.—On the integration 
of differential equations by series, by M. Poincaré.—On 
certain uniform functions ef two independent variables and 
on a group of linear substitutions, by M. Picard.—Gastric 
microzymas and their digestive power, by M, Bechamp. He 
isolated some from the juice obtained with artificial fistulas. 
Their action on fecula, cane-sugar, fibrine, caseine, and primoy- 
albumen is described. They do not act on albuminoid matters in . 
neutral matter. By their power of action in an acid medium 
they are distinguished from pancreatic microzymas ; the latter, 
too, give crystallisable compounds of decomposition, as leucin 
and tyrosin, while the former do not——New observations of 
apparent death in new-born infants treated successfully with a 
bath at 50°, by M. Campardon.—Analysis of a volcanic ash 
ejected by Etna on January 23, 1882, by M. Ricciardi. This 
contained silica 37°82, sulphuric acid 20°57, alumina 9°97, pro- 
toxide of iron 14°05, lime 11°98, with a little magnesia, chlorine, 
soda, and potash. The recent appearances of Etna seem to 
indicate a fresh paroxysm of the volcano, 
CONTENTS Die 
VIVISECTION. 0 « 0 (00 (Sy 0 is le me yeh te os) cteve le) (et en 
FisHer’s ‘‘EArTH’s Crust.” By Rev. E. Hirt . . . 2 « + « 433 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR :— 
Vignettes from Nature —Dr. Witt1am B. Carpenter, F.R.S.; 
Moths Attracted by Falling Water.—J. SrarKre GARDNER . . 436 
Hypothetical High Tides.—C. CALLAwWav. . . . - + + « + 436 
Rime Cloud observed in a Balloon —W. pz FoNVIELLE . - 436 
The Markings on Jupiter.—G. P. Serviss. . . . + + + 436 
The Level of the Mediterranean.—L. Luicct. . . « . + « « 436 
A Strange Phenomenon.—Donacp Cameron; W.H.C.B. « « 437 
Parhelia —FrRANcIS PorRO . . «© + + te © © e s+ © © * © 437 
Red Flints in the Chalk. —W. FRREAM « 2. «+e © 6 © + 437 
Tue Satmon Disease. By Prof. T. H. Huxcey, LL.D., F.R.S. . 437 
On THE ConsERVATION oF Sotar Enrrcy. By Dr. C. WitttaM 
Siemens, F.R.S. (With Diagram) . . «© 2's + + + + + 446 
FurTHRR OBSERVATIONS ON THE FresH-WaTER MepvSsA MADE 
DURING THE SuMMER, 1881. By Prof. E. Rav LankesTer, F.R.S. 444 
ELectricity AT THE CrvstaL Paracs, II. (With Jilustrations) . 446 
Neresic bo) Skea eer ea yop) ale ynel eet token si 
Our AsTRONOMICAL COLUMN :— 
The Variable Star U Geminorum . « . «© = + «© + © «© + + 450 
The Total Solar Eclipse of May . ». ». « © e© « © « ° 450° 
A New Astronomical Magazine. « . « ». + «© © © © «© « © 455 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE . « + « + + - 45st 
SocirTigs AND ACADEMIES « - + « © 6 © © © © © «© © «© + 45% 
M. Guerin here contends — 
