39^ 



NATURE 



\_Atigiist 30, 1877 



July 12.— On the fresh-water fishes of South-Eastern Brazil 

 (4th part), by M. Steindachner. — On the recurrence of two 

 different kinds of bundles of vessels in the kidneys, by M. 

 Drasch. — On the compounds of the camphor group, by M. 

 Kachler. — On the substances besides anthracene occurring in 

 crude anthracene, on carbazol, and on the behaviour of camphor 

 to hydrate of chloral, by M. Zeidler.— Theory of the functions 

 Ci/„(^), by M. Gegenbauer.— On intermediate cells in the large 

 ant'heridium cell of the pollen grain of some Conifera>, by M. 

 Tomaschek.— On the properties of dialysed egg albumen, by 

 M. Laptschinsky.— The volcano of Monteferru, in Sardinia, by 

 M. Doelter. — On a relation corresponding to the linear differen- 

 tial equations of the second order, by M. Winckler.— On the 

 light line in the prism-cells of some seed envelopes, by M. 

 Junovvicz.— The Salse of Sassuolo, the origin of aptychous lime, 

 and the Mediterranean flora in its relation to the bottom deposits, 

 by M. Fuchs. — The stand-aneroid barometer, by M. Schell. 



July 19.— On the chemical reaction of the visual nerves and 

 the retina, by M. Chodin. — The fossil flora of Parschlug in 

 Steiermark, by M. v. Ettingshausen. — On the orbit of the 

 Loreley (165), by M. Gruss. — The development of the embryo 

 of Asplenium Shepherdi, Spr., by M. Vouk.— On idryl, by M. 

 Goldschmidt. — On the behaviour of some resins and resinous 

 acids in distillation over zinc powder, by M. Ciamician. — On 

 derivatives of isatin, by M. v. Somaruga. — On cinchonin, by M. 

 Skraup. — Action of water on haloid compounds of alcohol 

 radicals, by M. Niederist. — Action of nitric acid on trimethyl 

 carbinol, by M. Ilaitinger. — Action of weak affinities on aldehyde, 

 by M. Lieben.— Researches on fluorescence, by M. Mach. — 

 Tenacity and elasticity of vegetable textures and organs, by M. 

 Wiesner. — Analysis of the sulphur springs at Baden, near Vienna, 

 by M. Kretschy. — On the spectra of the chemical elements and 

 their compounds, by M. Ciamician. — Contributions from chemical 

 laboratory in Brunn. — Influence of temperature on galvanic 

 conductivity of liquids, by MM. Exner and Goldschmiedt. — 

 Behaviour of taurine in the system of birds, by M. Cech. — On 

 peculiar products of mykotic keratitis with the reaction of amy- 

 loid, by M. Frisch. — On heat conductivity of cotton, wool, and 

 silk, by M. Schuhmeister. — Anatomy of the optic thalami and 

 neighbourhood, by M. Schnopfhagen. — On the laws of nerve- 

 excitation, by M. Fleischl. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, August 20. — M. Peligot in the chair. 



— The following papers were read : — Meridian observations of 

 small planets at the Greenwich and Paris observatories, during 

 the second three months of 1S77, communicated by M. 

 Leverrier. — Observations on a recent work of M. Hebert, 

 relative to the exceptional winter of 1S76-7, by M. Faye. The 

 phenomena are attributed by M. Hebert to a succession of 

 strokes of sirocco with descending whirling motion, which have 

 communicated the heat and drought characteristic of them. 

 Forty-one distinct gyrations were observed in December alone. 

 The sirocco stroke, which caused the very mild dry weatlier in 

 the beginning of the year, belonged to three great cyclones 

 which came, like all the others, from the Atlantic. — Examina- 

 tion of documents relative to a scientific expedition to Peru in 

 1735 to 1743, by M. De la Gournerie. The documents contain 

 what is perliaps the first reference to platina, also references to 

 M. Bouguer's celebrated memoirs, on attraction of mountains, 

 not known till ten years afterwards (1749). — On an example 

 of reduction of Alielian integrals with elliptic functions, by Prof. 

 Cayley. — Properties common to supply pipes, canals, and rivers, 

 with uniform regime (continued), by M. Boileau. The influence 

 of resistance of the walls on the decrease of velocity of the 

 liquid sheets (starting with the principal liquid thread) is 

 proportional to the square root of the intensity of this resist- 

 ance. — The plague in 1877; third reappearance in Bagdad; 

 two centres of origin in Persia; by Ur. Tholozan. — 

 Results obtained by application of sulphide of carbon to vines 

 attacked by phylloxera, by M. Allies. — Discovery of a new 

 planet by Mr. Watson (telegram from Mr. Joseph Henry). — 

 Discovery of two satellites of Mars by Mr. Hall, at Washington, 

 by Mr. Henry. — On a stellar system in rapid proper motion, by 

 M. Flammarion. The stars in question (which are considerably 

 apart) are 7510 B.A.C. and 2810 2 (the second is double). 

 They move in the same direction and with nearly the same 

 velocity, which exceeds much the ordinary average of proper 

 motions. The direction of motion is nearly opposite to that of 

 the sun's translation in space. — On the characters of flames 



<^harged with saUne powder, by M. Gouy. The observations 

 ^eem to show that there is at the base of the flame a very thin 

 jayer, where the temperature is much higher than in the flame 

 'tself. — Researches on the chromates, by M. Etard.— Cerebral 

 anaemia and congestion produced mechanically in animals, by 

 attitude or by a gyratory movement, by M. Salathe. Rabbits 

 kept in a vertical position, with head up, showed, after some 

 time, symptoms of syncope, also convulsions. Respiration and 

 heart-beats finally ceased. Reversal of position quickly restored 

 the animal. Centrifugal force (the animal being rotated on a 

 board) gave much more rapid cerebral ansemia or congestion, 

 according as the head or feet were towards the centre of the 

 board's motion. While it took about ten minutes to produce 

 death by cerebral anaemia thus, it generally took at least double 

 to produce it by congestion. — On the coloration of the optic 

 elements in the Locusta ziridissima^ by M, Chatin. There 

 is a considerable similarity to the same parts in Crustacea. 

 — Phenomena which accompany metamorphosis in the Libd- 

 luta dt'piessa, by M. Jousset de Bellesme. It is by swal- 

 lowing air and storing it in its alimentary canal that the 

 Libellula obtains the force necessary to accomplish most of its 

 transformations (displacement of the wing, &c. ). The mecha- 

 nism is probably general in this class of animals. — Observations 

 on falling stars of the month of August, by M. Chapelas. The 

 number observed is the smallest since 1S37. — On the heat which 

 may be liberated by movement of meteorites through the 

 atmosphere, by M. Govi. — The upper Devonian limestones of 

 the north of France, by M. Gosselet. — On the physiological 

 balance and its applications, by M.Grandeau. This instrument 

 is to represent by curves the gains or losses of weight of any 

 matter (soil, plant, animal, &c. ), placed in one of the scales. 

 M. Gosselin submitted for inspection a new dLinimeter, consisting 

 of a small wooden rule suspended by a wire connected to a non- 

 central point in it. A certain weight is placed at the end of the 

 longer arm, and a piece of the body to be examined is hung from 

 the shorter arm so as to give horizontal equilibrium. Then this 

 piece is immersed in water and the weight on the longer arm is 

 displaced till equilibrium is restored. The weight then indicates 

 the density by its position on the scale. 



CONTENTS Pagr 



Tkh Zoological Record 357 



Arctic Metkorology 358 



Our Book Shblf : — 



Hugo's " Theorie Hugodeciniale ; ou, la Base sdentifique et defini- 

 tive de I'ArithmoIogistiqiie universelle " 359 



Batalin's " Mechanik der Bewegungen der, Insektenfressenden 



Pflanzen" 359 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Relations between Sun and Earth.— Dr. Wm. Hunter .... 359 



The Telephone.— Dr. Paget Higgs 359 



Museums.— L. C Miall : W. J. S 360 



Rainbow Reflected from Water.— Robert Sabine 361 



The (ireenland Foehn. — W. Hoffmhver 361 



On the Supposed Action of Light on Combustion. — C. Tomlinson 361 



Evohition by Leaps.— Paul Henry Stouoe 361 



Zygcena Filipendula;.— N. M. Richardson 361 



Drosera— Wright Wilson (tF;//4///«.</»-<i//<»i) 361 



The Radunt Centre of the Perselds.— W. F. Denning .... 362 



Fish Commensals of Medusa:.— Prof. Theo. Gill 362 



Science lu Spain.— Francisco GiNEz de LOS Rios 363 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Rotation of Saturn 363 



The Comet of 1812 3fi3 



The Companion of Sirius 364 



Satellite of Mars 364 



Biological Notes : 



The Development of the Nerves in Vertebrates 364 



Insect Aid in Fertilisation of Flowers 364 



Insectivorous Plants 364 



Spontaneous Movements in Plants 364 



Discovery of Oxygen in the Sun by Photography, anb a New 

 Theory of the Solar Spectrum. By Prof. Henry Draper 



(With Illustrations) 364 



The Natural History of the Jenissei 367 



Temperature and Humidity of the Air at Different Heights 369 



The Chronometers OF Switzerland 369 



The British Association 370 



Reports 370 



Section A. — Mathematical and Physical ' . . 374 



Section B. — Chemical Science 377 



Section C— Geology 378 



Section G. — Mechanical Science 382 



The French Association at Havre 383 



English Names op Wild Flowes and Plants. By the Rev. W. 



tuckwsll 385 



Notes ^ 388 



Scientific Serials 391 



Societies and Academies .391 



