240 



NATURE 



\7uly 19, 1877 



Scotland. — On tenninal curvature in the south-western counties, 

 by W. A. E. Ussher, F.G.S., of H.M. Geological Survey. — On 

 the chronological classification of the granitic rocks of Ireland, 

 by G. H. Kinahan, M.R.I. A., communicated by Prof. Ramsay, 

 F. R. S. — The Cambrian rocks of South-cast Ireland, by G. H. 

 Kinahan, M.R.I. A., communicated by Prof. Rams.ay, K.R.S. 



PHILAnELPHIA 



Academy of Natural Sciences. — A valuable list of the 

 fresh-water fishes of Northern Indiana, by Dr. D. S. Jordan, is 

 published in the Pioccedings for 1S77, with remarks on many 

 forms of novelty or interest. This is followed by a critical 

 account of the genera of Norih American fresh-water fishes, by 

 Dr. Jordan and Mr. C. H. Gilbert. One list gives the whole of 

 the genera in the order of their original description, with full 

 references. 



ViKNNA 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, April 19. — Contributions 

 to the cosmic theory of meteorites, I. Proof of identical 

 meteorite paths, by M. Niessl. Two detonating meteorites, on 

 April 10, 1S74, in Bohemia, and April 9, 1876, in Hungary, 

 had apparently the same point of emergence, and observations 

 gave for both a velocity corresponding to a hyperbolic path. — 

 On the action of alcoholic caustic potash solution on ether-like 

 nitro-bodies, by MM. Hess and Schwab. — On the application of 

 the microscope to quantitative determinations, by M. Jonstorff. 

 — On the history of creation of our planetary system, &c., by 

 M. Sedlitschka. — On some remarkable phenomena in Geissler 

 tubes (fourth paper), by MM. Reitlinger and Urbanitzky. 

 Seeking the causes and laws of the repulsions and attractions, 

 they experimented with various gases rarefied in Wiillner's cylin- 

 drical tubes (without capillary part), noting simultaneously with 

 a multiplier the changes in the induced current. They were led 

 to the conviction that it is a case of reciprocal action between 

 accumulation of static electricity on the approximated conductors 

 and current electricity in the tubes, and that the chemical 

 character of the gases has a great influence on the apparent pro- 

 gress of the phenomenon. 



April 26. — On iron cyanide compounds, by M. Skraup. This 

 relatesjto superferrid-cyanide of potassium. — On a new derivative 

 of sulpho-urea, sulphydantoinic acid, by M. Maly. — Theory of 

 circular polarisation, by M. V. Lang. — On Phymatocarcinus 

 speciosus, Reuss, by M. Bittner. — A geological profile from 

 Osmanich am-Arcer, on the Sveti Nikola-Balkan, to Ak-Palanka, 

 on the Nisava, by M. Toula. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, July 9. — M. Peligot in the chair. — 

 The following papers were read : — On the alcoholate of chloral, 

 by M. Wurtz. The dehydratation of crystallised oxalate of 

 potash occurs in vapour of the alcoholate as easily as in air ; not 

 so in vapour of hydrate of chloral (proving that the latter con- 

 tains water). — Reply to M. Roudaire's last note on tlie Algerian 

 inland sea, by M. Naudin. He insists specially on the erosive 

 force the current would have both in its primary state and in 

 time of flooding. The troubled water of the coast, too, would 

 enter and deposit much sediment. — On electric transmission 

 through the ground by means of trees, by M. Du Moncel. Trees 

 are all, more or less, conductors, their conductivity depending 

 on the quantity of liquids in them. The roots act .as electrodes. 

 The resistance of a tree, commencing with its leaves, and sup- 

 posing contact only with a lew of them, varies from 200,000 to 

 400,000 kilometres of telegraph wire (in round numbers). That 

 of the trunk, at a height of 7 to S m. hardly exceeds, in strong 

 trees, 3,000 kil. in connection with the ground, and varies from 

 2,000 to 7 000 kil. lietween small metallic electrodes. Thus, 

 contact of telegraph wires with leaves need not give much anxiety. 

 The resistance of ordinary houses being about sixteen to twenty 

 times that of trees, the latter, if not under the former in height, 

 may be considered a protection, but as rain usually falls in 

 thunderstorms and diminishes the difference of conductivity 

 between trees and house, a protective effect of trees may only lie 

 in their superior height. — Treatment by sulphocarbonates of 

 vines of Orleans and Saint Jean-le-Blanc, by M. Gueyrand. — On 

 the quasi-circular movements of a point subject to the attraction 

 of a fixed centre, by M. Boussinesq. — On the diamagnetisra of 

 condensed hydrogen, by M. Blondlot. Palladium charged with 

 hydrogen M. Blondlot finds to be less magnetic than palladium 



uncharged ; which accords with the facts that palladium is weakly 

 magnetic and hydrogen diamagnetic. Graham's opposite expe- 

 rience is thought due to some disturbing cause, probably impurity 

 of tile acid used in charging the palladium by means of electro- 

 lysis ; the least trace of a ferruginous body gives a deposit on 

 the palladium, which would explain Graham's results. — Photo- 

 metric researches on coloured flames, by M. Gouy. If the 

 quantity of salt introduced into the flame be doubled, the in- 

 crease of brightness of each line is at most equal to what would 

 be produced by doubling the thickness of the flame, and it is 

 nearly always inferior. — On a new metal, davyiim, by M. Kern 

 (see p. 236). — On the oxidability of sulphide of manganese, by 

 MM. De Clermont and Guiot. — On a new general method of 

 synthesis of hydrocarbons, acetones, &c. Third note by MM. 

 Friedel and Crafts. — Action of bromine on pyrotartaric acid ; 

 second memoir by M. Bourgoin. — On the determination of car- 

 bonic acid in blood serum, by M. Fredericq. — Researches on 

 bitter almonds, by M. Portes. Youn^ bitter almonds contain 

 amygdaline ; they have always a different composition from 

 sweet almonds ; the embryo alone contains emuUine, and it 

 appears pretty late ; the amygdaline is localised in the tegu- 

 ments of the seed ; its origin is still unknown ; by degrees it 

 quits the teguments and penetrates into the cotyledons by the 

 radicle. — On the nickelised iron of Santa Cattarina, by M. 

 Lunay. — On some physiological facts observed in Drosera, by 

 M. Ziegler. It has been observed that Drosera is sensible 

 to the physical action of salts of quinine after e.vcessive in- 

 direct animal contact. Many other bodies have this property, 

 and among tliem is urea. Like quinine, urea does not cause 

 any action in normal droseras, but on being united with certain 

 other bodies, it produces contraction [e.g., granules made of a 

 mixture of urea and iron with white wax give contraction ; but 

 granules of wax with urea alone, or with iron alone, have no 

 effect). — Comparative study of cupric preparations introduced 

 into the stomach and the blood, by MM. Feltz and Ritter. 

 Insoluble albuminate of copper ingested into the stomach in 

 considerable quantity has hardly any effect ; soluble albuminate 

 causes disorders at least as grave as the ammoniac.al sulphate in 

 distilled water. Sulphate of copper dissolved in syrupy glycerine 

 is much more poisonous than in aqueous glycerine. — Treatment 

 of rheumatism, gout, and various nervous states, with salicylic 

 acid and its derivatives, by M. See. It seems beneficial in some 

 cases. — On testing for salicylic acid, by M. Marty. — On external 

 use of salicylic acid, by M. Grellot. — The advantages of 

 immediate and early trepanations, by M. Gross. 



CONTENTS Page 



The "Inflexible" {tViih Tllus/raiiot) 221 



The New Meteorological Council 224 



The "JPolaris" Expedition 225 



Pollution of Rivers. By R. J. Friswell 225 



Our Book Shelf :— 



De CossDn's "Cradle of the Blue Nile ; a Visit to the Court of 



King John of Ethiopia" 226 



Fnith's "Tiber and its Tributaries, their Natural History and 



Classical Associations " 226 



Piiie's "Short Account of the Principal Geometrical Methods of 



Approximating to the Value of TT " ... 226 



Atkins's " Elements of Geometry Based on Euclid" 226 



Lagout's " Talfimetry. Concrete Geometry in Three Lessons. 



Accessible, Inaccessible, Incalculable" 226 



Museum Reform —A. B. Meyer 227 



Koenig's Tuning Forks. — Alexander J. Ellis 227 



(m a Fish-sheltering Medusa —E. Lawless 227 



The Earth and Moon.— RicHD. A. Proctor 227 



Blue and Yellow Crocuses. — Thos. Cornish 227 



Japanese Mirrors. — J. PaRnell 227 



Prmtingand Calico Prmting. — The Writer OF Calico Printing 



IN the "Encvclop/edia Britannica" 22S 



Local Museums 228 



The Velocity of Light {tVtih ( lUcstrations) 229 



Evolution of Nerves ano Nbrvo-Systems- By George J 



Romanes, M.A , F L S (With Illustration) 231 



On Elementary Instruction in Fhysiologv. By Prof. Huxley, 



FR.S 233 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



D'Arrest's Comet 234 



The Bmary Star a Centauri 235 



Geological Notes : — 



Geological Survey of the United Kingdom 23s 



Geological Survey of Canada 2^55 



Excrementitous Deposits in the Rocky Mountains 235 



Notes ' 236 



The Stalldalen Meteorite. By Prof. Nordenskjold .... 23S 



University and Educational Intelligence 239 



Societies and Academies 239 



