ate >. ba? eae ge he, 
i a8 t ; > ie de a 
<i 
Pm 
76 
cording time by electricity. 2. Description of a Remontoir Clock 
invented by M. Groux. 3. Observations on certain districts in 
North Wales with reference to the final wasting and disappearance 
of the glaciers. In the last of these papers the author called 
attention to the evidence that Wales had in the glacial epoch 
heen occupied by a great ice sheet from which only the summits 
of the mountains had projected. Much of the so-called drift on 
them, he urged, was only moraine matter deposited and spread 
on slopes during the retreat of this ice-sheet, when it had shrunk 
up into true glaciers occupying the valleys. He described the 
distribution of this and the arrangement of seme of the moraines ; 
and in conclusion called attention to a very remarkable deposit 
consisting wholly or almost wholly of diatoms, which existed in 
many of the mountain lakes of North Wales. The diatoms in 
‘these were identical with species which came from Greenland. 
Norwicu 
Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ Society, Oct. 29.— 
A list of West Norfolk fungi was contributed by Mr. C. B. 
Plowright. It appears that Mr. Plowright has collected and 
identified no less a number than 600 species of fungi within a 
radius of fifteen miles round Lynn; these have all been 
gathered by himself, but he hopes, through the assistance of 
several gentlemen in other parts of the country, to extend the 
area included in the list, and add largely to the number of 
species, the total number of British fungi being about 3000 species, 
PHILADELPHIA 
Academy of Natural Sciences, May 7.—Mr. Thomas 
G. Gentry called the attention of the Academy to what he 
regarded as a rare and remarkable case of hybridism, which 
occurred between JMacacus nemestrinus, male, and A/acacus 
cynomolgus, female. After exhibiting an alcoholic specimen 
of the young, and a stuffed specimen of the mother which 
was clearly identified as A/acacus cynomolgus, he detailed the 
leading characters of the two parents. He stated that the 
male differed from the female in being more robust and of greater 
dimensions ; in the almost perfect smoothness of the face, which 
is of a pale flesh colour, while in the female it is black and in- 
vested with a close growth of short black hairs ; in the absence 
of a crest upon the head of the male, which is a prevailing cha- 
racteristic of the species (AZ memestrinus), and its presence in 
the female, which is a prominent feature of the species to which 
she belongs ; in colour ; and, lastly, in the unequal development 
of the caudal appendage, which in the male is about seven inches 
in length, and densely clothed with long hairs, while in the 
female it is twice the length, and nearly naked for more than 
two-thirds of its extent. 
May 14.—Mr. Thomas Meehan observed that on several oc- 
casions, he had offered some facts and suggestions tending to 
prove that what are popularly termed Pine needles are not 
properly leaves, but rather branchlets, which, through the real 
leaves becoming attached for nearly their whole length to 
the axis or stem, had of necessity taken on themselves the 
office of leaves. Ie now wished to offer two additional ob- 
servations in favour of the axial origin of these so-called 
leaves. In plants in general the leaves unfolded contempo- 
yaneously with the branches or axis. He could not call to mind 
an instance where the axis first extended to its full length before 
the leaves ventured to push forth from the nodes. ‘The axial 
buds usually remained dormant until this final length was ap- 
proached. When this occurred, or if anything happened to 
destroy the apex of the growing shoot, then the axial buds 
pushed into growth, and never to any great extent before. In 
the Pine family we had the following axial experience :—The 
buds which bore the needle were axial buds, situated at the base 
of the scale—the adnated leaf as he maintained. These buds 
remained nearly at rest until the axis had reached its full length, 
and in this respect coincided with the ax al buds of trees in 
general. A pine tree in the spring season presented the appear- 
ance of an immense chandelier, with its long axial shoots as the 
naked burners. In this respect it is apparent that, regarding the 
fascicles of pine needles as branchlets, the law of folial develop- 
ment coincidental with axial growth finds no exception in the 
pine family. The next striking consideration was one derived 
from the nature of the inflorescence. In vegetable morphology, 
the floral system of plants was made up of neither leaf nor axis 
separately, but conjointly of both. In the inflorescence of the 
pine, the male catkins each took the place of a fascicle. The 
axial bud at the base of the leaf scale, instead of a bunch of 
needles, developed as a spike of flowers. This spike or catkin 
is metamorphosed needks, If these needles were leaves merely, 
~ 
NATURE 
Lt "vin abet 
ee a es . 
ae he poe te as i “or ir li 
~ Be nd snd aes 
‘ b ae ale a vd ight <a > 
mee sf 00. 33 187 2 
we could hardly expect inflorescence to be formed from them 
It would be an exception to regular rule. But regarding the 
needles of the pine as rather axis than leaf, their development to 
flowers acords with general law; and he held that it was more 
philosophical to accept conclusions based on general law than to 
Tr for new laws to account for apparent exceptions to general 
rule. : i ¥ 
BOOKS REGEIVED. 
EnG.tsu.—Biblical Psychology: J. L. Forster (Longmans).—A Manual 
of Elementary Chemistry ; G. Fownes ; trth edition, revised and corrected 
by H. Watts (Churchill).—Principles of Psychology, 2 vols.: H. Spencer ; 
2nd edition (Williams and Norgate).—The Electro-thermology of Chemistry = 
T. W. Hall (Edmonson and Douglas) —Figures Made Easy: L. Hens! 
(Macmillan).—Easy Lessons in Arithmetic, Part I: Rev. B. Smith (I 
millan)——Records of the Rocks: Rev. W S. Symonds (Murray).—. 
dotal and Descriptive Natural History: A. Romer (Groombridge).—! ! 
Mary's Dream: A. F. L. (Groombridge).—Ivy, its History and Character- 
istics : S, Hibtera (Groombridge).—Buds and Blossoms (Groombridge).— 
On Building and Ornamental Stones: E. Hull (Macmillan). c 
Foreicn.—Lehrbuch der Physik: Dr. Paul Reis (Leipzig: Quandt 
Hiaindel).—Internationales Wérterbuch der Pflanzen-namen: Dr. W. 
(Triibner) —Through Williams and Norgate :—Optisch-akustische Vo 
schule; G, Mach.—Die Robbe und die Otter: J. C. G. Lucae.—Die 
wendung der Spectral-apparates: K. Vierordt. 
DIARY 
THURSDAY, Novemser 28. } 
Society or ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30—The Milites Stationarii considered ix 
Relation to the Hundred and Tithing of England: H. C. Coote, F.S.A 
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SocigTy, at 7. 
Victoria InstiTUTE, at 8.—Force and Energy: C. Brooke, F.R.S. 
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3. " 
ZootocicaL Society, at 8.30.—On the Osteology of the Marsupiali 
IV. Phascolomys. Bones of the trunk and limbs: Prof. Owen, F.R.S. 
—Contributions to Ornithology of Madagascar, I[I.: R. B. Sharpe. __ 
Society or Bisricat ARCH#OLOGY, at 8.30.—On a Cuneiform Inscription 
containing the Chaldean Account of the Deluge: G. Smith.—Address by 
Sir Henry Rawlinson. : 
Lonpon InstITuTION, at4.—On Elementary Physiology : Prof. Rutherford. 
ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, at 8.—Report on Anthropology at the 
Meeting of the British Association at Brighton: Col. A. Lane Fox. 0 
Some Implements bearing Marks Referable to Ownership Tallies an 
Gambling from the Caves of Dordogne: Prof. Rupert Jones, F.R.S. 
Discovery of a Flint Implement Station in Wishmore Bottom, near Sand- 
hurst : Lieut. Cooper King, R.N. 
InsTITUTION OF CiviL ENGINEERS, at 8.--Discussion on the Aba Sugar 
Factory. ‘ 
WEDNIF'SDAY, DECEMBER 4. ap 
GEoLocIcAL Society at 8.—On the Tremadoc Rocks in the Neighbour- 
hood of St. David's, South Wales, and their Fossil Contents: H. Hick 
F.G.S.—On the Phosphatic Nodules of the Cretaceous Rock 
Cambridgeshire: Rev. UO, Fisher, F.G S.—On the Ventriculitida of 
Cambridge Upper Greensand: W. Johnson Sollas. Observations on 
more remarkable Boulders of the North-west of England and the Welsh 
Borders: D. Mackintosh, F.G.S. 7 
Society oF Arts, at 8.—On the Manufacture of Horse-nails by Machinery ; 
J. A. Huggett. : 
Microscopicat Society, at 8. 
Lonpon INSTITUTION, at 7.—The Paraffin Industry: F. Field, F.R.S. 
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5. 
Linnean Soctety, at 8—On the Skeleton of the Afteryx: Tho 
Allis —On New and Rare British Spiders; Rev. O. P. Cambridge, M. 
Cuemicat Society, at 8.—On the Reducing Power of Phosphorous and 
Hypophosphorous Acids and their Salts: Prof. C Rammelsberg. 
Hvpophosphites: Prof. C. Rammelsberg.—On New Analyses of some 
Mineral Arseniates and Phosphates: Prof. A. H. Church. : 
CONTENTS Patis 
bey py ay AND PuTREFACTION. By Prof. WyviLtze THomsoN, ~ 
EXPLORATION oF THE Sout Porar REGIONS, Il. : 2 : * 3 3 
Reps RESEARCHES ON RapianT Heat. By W. F. BARRETT, 
LETTERS TO THE Eprror 1 eee ° aa R i 
On the supposed new Marine Animal from Barraud’s Inlet.—Prof. 
JAMES “BUAKE).. 4. isilins ealecde ious ee 
Misleading Cyclopedias —A. R. Watvacz, F.Z.S. . 
Rainbows on Blue Sky.—Dr.G. F. Burpger . . .. 
‘the Greenwich Date.—Rev. J. Pearson . . . s , 
Ocean Meteorological Observations —G. J. Symons . 
Earthquake.—E. J. Lowz, F.R.S. . . 2... 
The Buth of Chemistry. a. Wileeas bse cohen 
peep buISHA AND AtroriA. By Dr. Fraser. (With Diagram.) 
OTES . CE ACU ES eg Way eit o Soya 0 (6 0 up tae 
THE ORGANISATION OF ACADEMICAL STUDY IN ENGLAND . 
SOcIETIES AND ACADEMIES\(:/ssaihel aioe asses ae 
TARY) 00s o/c +) 0 Yop CD ee ta 
BOOKS RECEIVED)... <: 2's SES CEE Steele 
Yi 
Errata.—No. 159, p. 30: The foot-line of Fig. 1 is erroneously given 
** Metamorphosis of Tortoise-shell Butterfly,” instead of ** Metamorphosis 
of Sphinx Ligustri.”—No. 160, p. 55, 1st. col, line 36: For * Prof. 
Gcikie” read “ Mr. James Geikie.” 4 
