April 20, 1882] 
NATORE 
593 
MEssRS, JARROLD AND SONS have published a ‘‘ Handbook 
to the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk,” by Mr. G. 
Christopher Davies, who seems to be thoroughly acquainted with 
every winding and nook of these curious features of East Anglian 
scenery. It seems a really charming and easily accessible place 
for a quiet and refreshing holiday, gives ample scope for the 
collecting naturalist and the fisher who loves a well-filled basket. 
From the Refort of the Rugby School Natural History Society 
for 1881, we see that the work has been fairly sustained. The 
feport contains few papers by the members of the Society them- 
selves, considerable space being given to an abstract of four 
instructive lectures on the Natural History of Islands, by Mr. 
A. R, Wallace. Appended to Mr. Seabroke’s usual observatory 
report, is a Syllabus of work with the instruments in the Temple 
Observatory, which shows that very thorough instruction in 
practical astronomical work is available for the Rugby boy:. 
THE scarcity of water is excessive in France and Germany ; 
the level of the Seine has never been so low since 1734. The 
quantity of rain which fell this winter has not reached half the 
usual quantity. The engineers of the City of Paris and the 
Government are trying to find protection against such a scarcity, 
which will turn to a calamity if rainy weather does not set in 
shortly. 
In February of last year an account was given ‘in this journal 
of Baeyer’s method for preparing artificial indigo (NATURE, vol. 
xxiii. p. 390). The fifth step in the process, as there described, 
consisted in the preparation of orthonitrophenylpropiolic acid : in 
a patent recently obtained by the ‘‘ Badische Anilin und Soda- 
fabrik,” bye-products obtained from this acid are employed as 
sources of indigo. By the action of alkaline-reducing agents, 
¢.g- ammonium sulphide, on the ethyl salt of this acid, ethylic 
indogenate is obtained; thus, CgH,. NO,(CO,.C,H;)+2H,= 
C,H,NO(CO,.C,H;)+H,O. Zndogenic acid (melting at 122° 
to 123°) is obtained by saponifying this ethylic salt; the acid 
easily gives off carbonic anhydride, either by boiling in aqueous 
solutions or by heating to its melting-point, with the production 
of zxdogen, C,H,NO, an oily liquid, showing yellow-green fluor- 
escence. Any of these substances—ethylic indogenate, indogenic 
acid, or indogen—readily yields indigo blue by the action of 
dilute acids or alkalies, when freely exposed to the air, without 
heating. 
THE recent study of the Rhone glacier by M. Gosset is 
probably the most detailed and exact that has ever been made of 
a glacier. According to Prof. Rutimeyer (who has recently 
written on the results of these researches) a precise topographical 
knowledge of the glacier is supplied ; and the scale of represen- 
tation (1 : 5000) allows of following all the details of form. 
There are also exact data as to the glacier’s movements. Four 
rows of stones of different colours were placed, in 1874, on its 
surface, and their position has been precisely noted from time to 
time. These observations prove that the glacier advances much 
more rapidly in the upper part (600 to 680 m. since 1874) than 
near the extremity, where the progress has only been 150m. 
below the cascade of ice; also that the ablation, / in the 
higher parts, is very great in the lower; and that the difference 
in the progress of the central and the lateral parts of the glacier 
is much greater in the first part. 
M. Monticny published, a short time ago, some interesting 
observations on the effects of lightning on trees placed near a 
telegraph wire. A more extended examination of the road from 
Rochefort to Dinant has enabled him to mature his conclusions, 
and he now affirms (Bu//. Belg. Akad., 1) that “in the section of 
road beyond Rochefort, nine kilometres in extent, where one 
notices poplars that have been struck by lightning near a tele- 
graph wire, the fulminant fluid has scarcely produced its effects, 
; 
except in places where the provocative action of the wire is 
favoured by the influence exerted on it by a considerable group 
of lofty trees ; this action is especially favoured in places where 
the road traverses woods on an elevation, but the differences of 
heizht seem to have less powerful influence than the surrounding 
and neighbourhood of wood,” This conclusion agrees with 
what Arago observed as to the objects and places which lightning 
strikes by preference. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week inclacea Malbrouck Monkey (Cercopithecus cynosurus) 
from East Africa, presented by Mr. Robert Mills ; a Vervet 
Monkey (Cercopithecus lalandii) from South Africa, presented 
by Mr. T, W. Gourlay ; a Macaque Monkey (M@ucacus cynce 
molgus § ) from India, presented by Mr. E. W. Hills; a Black- 
backed Jackal (Camis mesome/as) from South Africa, presented 
by Capt. E. Jones ; a Canada Goose (Aernicla canadensis) from 
North America, presented by Mr. George Edson; a Saker 
Falcon (Falco sacer 6), captured in the Red Sea, presented by 
Mr. Battersby ; a Chimpanzee (Anthropopithecus troglodytes @ ), 
an Angolan Vulture (GyZohterax angolensis), a Mueller’s Parra- 
keet (Zanygnathus muellri), a Ludio Monkey (Cercopithecus 
Zudio 6), a Blackish Sternothere (Sternotherus subniger) from 
West Africa, an Opossum (Dide/phys, sp. inc.), a Kinkajou 
(Cercoleptes caudivolvulus), a Great-billed Rhea (Rhea macro- 
rhyncha) from South America, four Meyer’s Parrots (eocephalus 
meyer’) from East Africa, a Magellanic Goose (Bernicla magel- 
Janica) from Patagonia, a Brazilian Tree Porcupine (Syzetheres 
prehensilis) from Brazil, a Western Black Cockatoo (Cadyf/o- 
rhynchus naso 6) from Western Australia, two Indian River 
Snakes (Zropidonotus quincunciatus), an Indian Cobra (aie 
tripudians) from India, purchased ; a Crested Screamer (Chauna 
chavaria) from South America, received on approval; two 
Golden-headed Parrakeets (Brotogerys tui) from South America, 
received in exchange ; three Chilian Pintails (Dafila spinicauda), 
hatched in the Gardens. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
Comet 1882 a.—Observations by Prof. Tacchini at the Ob- 
servatory of the Collegio Romano, Rome, on April 6, gave the 
following place of this comet :— 
M.T. at Rome. Decl. 
h, m._s. h. m. Ss. Pele “A 
April 6 at 14 38 7 ... 18 29 33°62 ... +44 54 34°9 
From this position, which was kindly communicated by Prof. 
Tacchini, and those obtained at Harvard Ccllege, U.S., on 
March 19, and at Vienna on March 28, the following elements 
result :— 
Perihelion passage 1882, June 996974 G.M.T. 
R.A. 
Longitude of perihelion ... 54 25 17°2 From Ap. Eq- 
3 ascending node... 204 37 42°I April o. 
Inclination oo! “ono! Need 73 35 39°4 
Log. perihelion distance ... 8°748238 
Motion—direct. 
The co-ordinate constants to this parabola are (App. Eq- 
May 0) :— é ; 
x [9°96219] sin (v+127 10°3) 
r [986101] sin (v+ 61 33'8) 
ry [9790055] sin (v+197 45°4). 
Hence with the X, Y, Z of the Nautical Almanac the following 
positions are found :— 
At Greenwich midnight 
R.A. Decl. Log. distance from 
ip oss - ;; Earth. un. 
April 20 ... 19 15 41 ... +57 27°7 ... 0°0528 ... o°1610 
22 ... 19 25 49 59 31°0 ... O°0414 .., O°1488 
24... 19 37 33 61 36°7. ... 0°0303 ... 0°1362 
26 ©. LORIN ee 63 43°7 .-. O'0196 ... 0°1230 
28). .5 20) bg She... 05, 50:4. =<.) 00003) Ont OOm 
30 ... 20 27 49 ... +67 54°8 ... 9°9995 ... 0°0946 
