620 
NATURE 
oceilata, by Rev. H. S. Gorham ; and a very complete collection 
of British Zrichoptera, by Mr. R. McLachlan.—Mr. A. G. 
Butler communicated a continuation of his Heterocerous Zesz- 
doptera, collected in Chili by Mr. T. Edmonds, in which forty- 
five species of Woctue were noticed. 
Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, April 17.—Dr. Wallich 
delivered a lecture describing the results of hi; investigations 
during the last twenty-two years into the question of the origin 
of life, his studies having led him to go over the ground that 
Prof. Haeckel has investigated. 
BERLIN 
Physiological Society, April 17.—M. du Bois-Reymond, 
president.—Dr. Schiffer lectured about the effects of guacha- 
maka-poison. An extract was made from the wood of the 
poisonous plant, w hich, like curare, is soluble in water and 
alcohol, and gives the general reactions of an alkaloid, The 
effects of the extract were tried on frogs, pigeons, and rabbits. 
A latent period of about fifteen minutes was always noticed. 
This was followed by a loss of vital and motor powers, although 
the activity of the heart and of the organs of respiration was 
not impaired. When small doses were given, the animals re- 
covered after a few days ; when large doses were given, the 
impairment of their powers ended in producing death. The 
muscles could be stimulated directly, but not indirectly, through 
the medium of the nerves. The guachamaka-poison had, conse- 
quently, exactly the same effects as curare. The circumstance that 
both these poisons must be administered in 25 times as large 
‘quantities, when given by the mouth, than when administered 
hypodermicaily, gave origin to some attempts to discover the 
reason of this difference. It was determined that these poisons 
are neither very rapidly thrown out of the system in the urine, 
when they have been absorbed, nor are there substances present 
in the alimentary canal, which decompose them. ‘The probable 
cause of the difference is, that these poisons are with difficulty 
absorbed from the stomach.—Dr. v. Ott read a communication 
about the formation of nutritive albumen in the digestive canal. A 
frog’s heart, which had been rendered pulseless by washing it out 
with salt solution, and which commences to beat again under 
action of nutritive (z.2. serum) albumen, was used as a reagent, in 
order to recognise the presence of thisalbumen. Peptone had no 
action on the pulseless frog’s heart, but the contents of the in- 
testinal tube of a dog, who had been fed on albuminous food- 
stuffs, had; consequently, serum-albumen must have been 
formed.—Prof, Adamkiewicz, of Krakan, gave a description of 
the anatomical alterations in a case of incipient tabes, and a 
description of the blood-vessels in the spinal cord, which form 
a very close capiliary network. He believes that he can trace 
back tabes to a disease of the capillary vessels of the spinal 
cord. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, April 17.—M. Jamin in the chair.— 
The following papers were read :—On the transformation of 
oxysulphide of carbon into ordinary and sulphurated ureas, by 
M. Berthelot.—Conservation of the hand by removal of bones 
of the carpus and radio-carpian resection, by M. Ollier. He 
has so operated in fifteen cases, and, after the first four, with 
yery satisfactory results ; the patients being able to use the hand 
in alight way, and several to do hard work with it.—Report on 
the photographic description of the Alps, by M. Civiale. This 
vreat enterprise is warmly eulogised by the Commission, M. 
Civiale selected forty-one panoramic centres, where he operated 
both as geodesian and photographer. In some cases he had to 
climb with his apparatus more than 3000 metres. At each station 
the apparatus was directed in fourteen equidistant azimuths, and 
the photographs were joined together. M. Civiale devotes 600 
separate plates to details of the Alps, photographed at as many 
secondary <tations. Full descriptions, containing much to interest 
the engineer and ordinary traveller, are given in bis journal,—On 
quarantines at Suez, by M. Fauvel. He reviews at some length 
the prophylactic mea ures taken in recent years. M. ce Lesseps 
seems to have been inadequately informed ; what he proposes is 
exactly (M. Fauyel says) the ordivary ) ractice at Suez ; facilities 
as great as possible where the ship frou a distance is really 
healthy ; serious measures again-t every infected ship, or ship 
suspecte| of being so.—Method of observation of meteors at the 
summit of the Puy de Déme, by M. Alluard, A circular terrace 
with balustrade has been formed round the tower ; the balustrade 
is divided into 360°(N.0°, E. go", &c.) and the localities all round 
d 
are referred to this graduation. Two terrestrial telescopes are 
supported on chariots running on rails round the terrace. Geo- 
graphical maps are constructed, having concentric circumferences 
round the Puy de Dome and radii from it. The origin and course 
of any meteor (thunderstorm, mist, &c.) is easily and exactly ob- 
served.—On spermatogenesis in plagiostones and in am) hibians, 
by M. Sabatier.—The death of M. Giffard was referred to.— 
Observations of planets 221, 222, 223, and 224, and of comet a 
1882 (Wells) at Paris Ooservatory, by M. Bigourdan.—Elements 
and ephemerides of comet a 1882 (Wells) by the same.—Ob<ser- 
vations at Marseilles Observatory. by M. Coggia,—On the theory 
of uniform functions of a variable, by M. Mittag-Leffler.—On a 
property of the circle, by M. Darboux.—On a passage of the 
“Mecanique analytique,” relative to the principle of the least 
action, by M. Brassinne.—On pernitric acid, by MM. Haute- 
feuille and Chappuis. On formation of pernitric acid by 
electrisation of dry air, when the maximum tension for a given 
temperature has been reached, the electric discharges decompose 
the acid suddenly into hyponitric acid and oxygen (shown by 
sudden fall of pressure, and an intense red colour). A retrogra- 
tion of ozone takes place simultaneously, through heat liberated 
in decomposition of the acid. In presence of certain proportions 
of hyponitric acid neither ozone nor pernitric acid can be re-formed. 
To get as much pernitric acid as possible, one should operate at a 
low temperature ; (otherconditions are indicated), —On some reac- 
tions of salts of protoxide tin, by M. Ditte.—Action of ammoniac 
gas on nitrate ot ammonia, by M. Raoult.—On the discovery of 
alkaloids derived from jroteic animal matters, by M. Gautier. 
In 1873 he observed and announced that putrefaction of albumi- 
noid matters gave rise to true fixed and volatile alkalies ; (Selmi 
later). —On tetranitrated bromide of ethylene, by M. Villiers. — 
On the origin of saccharine matters in the plant, by M. Perrey. 
Cane--ugar is a product of direct elaboration of the green cells. 
Glucose, never found in the plant without saccharine, is probably 
derived from the latter by hydration. A reaction between 
saccharose and glucose, secondary in the leaf, primary in the 
seed, produces starch. In germination starch is transformed 
into dextrine and glucose. In normal nutrition saccharose appears 
with an essential 7é/ec.—On the Echinida of the Senonian 
strata of Algeria, by M. Cotteau.—On the brain of Arctocyon 
Duetlii and of Pleuraspiaotherium Aumonieri, wammalia of the 
lower eocene of the environs of Rheims, by M. Lemoine.—A 
“* Traité d’ Hydrographie,” by M. Germain, was presented ; also 
a volume by M. Pochet, entitled ‘‘Tbeory of the motion in 
curves on railways, with its applications to way and material ; 
new method of ensuring the perfect working of axles in curves.” 
M. Pochet expresses a hope that the State, which is about to 
construct no less than 14,000 to 15,000 km. of new lines within 
a few years, may take the mitiative in fixing at the outset the 
elements of the typical railway, and that his theory may be of 
service for this. 
CONTENTS PAGE 
Cuartes Darwin. By Prof. T. H. Huxtey, F.R.S.. - . - «= 507 
Pror. Wiesner ON “THe PowER oF MoveMEnT IN Prants.”” By 
Francis DarRWIN (With Diagram) . . «© «© © © © «© © + + 597 
Our Book SHELF :— 3 ae 
Boulenger’s ‘*‘ Catalogue of the Batrachia, Salientia, and Ecaudata 
in the Collection of the British Museum” . . . . . «+. . 604 
Letrers TO THE EviTor 
On the Conservation of Solar Energy.—Prof. CHarLes Morris ; 
Dr. T. Srerry Hunt; Dr. C. W. Sremens, F.R.S. . . . . 60% 
Silurian Fossils in the North-West Highlands.—Rev. T. G. 
Bonney ; Cuas. W. Peacu sy (ec; otet Pks te biel Scent mCOSS 
The Magnetic storms —G. M. Wuirre = atecl fe kern wicecireg tein MMGCRT 
Colour Perception.—J. B. Hannay, F.RS. « . - - + + + + 604 
Dispersal of Freshwater Bivalves.—FRANK J. RowBOTHAM. « . 605 
The Horse in Motion.—J. MuyBRIDGE. . - - . + + « + = 605 
Daicy WeaTHeR CuakrsiN 1H& NoRTHATLANTIC . «. « « + + 605 
PIscICULTUKE IN THK EDINBURGH FISHERY EXHIBITION . « - + « 606 
Tue EptxpurGH Cuatx oF Natura History. By Prof. E. Ray 
LaNKESTER, F.R.S. . oO ee ie eres Fes PS 5 - 607 
On THE Revative Resistances OF Lanp anp WATER TO WiND ; 
07 
Currents. By THomMas STHVENSON . oe een syle epee 
ILtustRaATIONS OF Nxw ox Rakk ANIMALS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL 
Society’s Livinc Courecrion, VII. (With Illustrations). . . . 608 
Tue Lire-HistorY OF 1HE EXL. « + + « © © © © © 610 
Sir Henry Coreg, K.C.B.. .- Sate Lo od, a) eo 611 
NODES i= meets 2 Meee Saoe eos Oe 
Our ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN :— 
The Observatory of Trinity College, Dublin . . + - + + + + 616 
Tne Observatory of Moscow Pe eC cs 
GgorropisM AND Growth. By Francis Darwin. . « + « + + 616 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE . - + + + + + + 697 
Screnvriric'SERIALS : : . 2 © «© © © © oe © we 8 8 617 
SocreTigs AND ACADEMIES - . + 2 + + + * * + Mees 618 
2 @327 
[Agri 27, 1882 
