136 
in the movement of the land during the earthquakes of 1848 and 
1855, which amounted to 9 ft. elevation at Palliser Bay and was 
not perceptible at Porirua, while there is good reason to believe 
that in Blind Bay there was a marked depression. The elevation 
of the Billy Rock in this harbour, and the depression of the 
Hapuku Rock at the Astrolabe since the publication of the 
Admiralty Charts, was also advanced a; evidence that unequal 
movements have takea place on a small scale, and of course such 
may be cumulative throuzhout long periods. 
Sept. 25.—Re‘erring to the skeletons of the huia which were 
exhibited, Dr. Hector pointed out that the great difference in 
the length of the beaks in the male and female huias is due only 
to the prolongation of the horny mandible of the latter, the jaw 
bones being the same size in both sexes. This is not like the 
kiwi, in which the apparent excess in the length of the beak in 
the female is really produced by the lengthened bones of the 
face. Anatomically, the kiwi has the shortest beak of any known 
bird of its size. The strong mucular crest on the skull of the 
male huia at once distinguishes it, however, and supports the 
view that the male beak is used as an adze, and the female as a 
probe. 
Paris 
Academy of Sciences, Dec. 9.—M. Faye, president, in 
the chair.—MM. Littré and C. Robin presented their Medical 
Dictionary to the Academy together with a short descriptive 
note. —M. de Saint- Venant read the second portion of his paper 
on the division of the force of a vibratory movement into those 
due to simple oscillatory movements of various periods and 
amplitudes.—M. Jamin read a note on the distribution of 
Magnetism, This was a criticism on M, Treve’s paper on this 
subject, read at the last meeting. The author disagrees with 
his statement that the poles of a magnet are displaced when an 
armature is applie1.—M. Pasteur promised on a future occasion 
to reply to the observations of MM. Béchamp and Estor, made at 
the last sitting.—M. Claude Bernard then answered M. Bouil- 
laud’s criticism on his late paper on animal heat : he defends the 
generally received theory that animal heat is produced in the 
capillaries ; he denied that he sta‘ed it to be produced in the 
liver ; and argued against Lavoisier’s o!d theory that it arose 
solely in the lungs. M. Bouilland replied, and defended 
Lavoisier’s theory, which he considers to be proved beyond 
doubt. M. Milne-Edwards then spoke on the subject: he 
alluded to the experiments of his brother, William M. Edwards, 
which proved that carbonic anhydride continued to be evolved 
from the lungs of an animal when it was deprived of oxygen, 
thus showing that the former gas was brought by the blood into 
the lungs, and not formed in them by the act of inspiration. 
A letter from Father Secchi, dated Rome, November 22, was 
then read. It related to the solar sp>ts and diameter: he has 
observed the diameter on th? lines B and C, and finds that each 
gives different results ; this he explains thus :—Z gives the solar 
diameter without the chromosphere, C the diameter plus the 
chromosphere.—M_ E. Belgrand read a paper on the floods of 
the Seine and its affluents ; after which MM. Is. Pierre and Ed. 
Puchot read some observations on several groups of isomeric 
substances derived from the alcohols of fermentation. Tne 
authors draw attention to the remarkable resemblances and 
differences in certain isomeric bodies, ¢,g. many isomers differing 
immensely in boiling-point, odour, and density at the boiling- 
point, have the sime density exactly at o..—M. Burdin read 
a paper entitled a‘‘ G'ance at the immense part played by ether 
in Nature,” a paper relating to the luminiferous ether.—The 
following gentlemen were then appointed judges of the Mon- 
toyon Prize for Medicine and Surgery for 1873 :—MM. Cloquet, 
Nelaton, Cl. Bernard, Bouillaud, Robin, Sédillot, Andral, 
Larry, Mine-Edwards, The following were appointed to award 
the Montoyon Statistical Prize: -MM. Ch. Dupin, Mathieu, 
Boussingault, Morin.—A Report on M. Alph. Milne-Edwards’ 
researches on the anatomy of the semules was then read, and 
it was decided that the memoir should be inserted among those 
of foreign savazt/s.—Memoirs were received from M. Rosmann 
onanalytical researches on rocksas regards their consti-uents which 
are absorbable by vegetables ; it was sent to the section of Rural 
Economy.—On the destruction of the Pj oxeva from M. Erb, 
and M. Balissat : sent to the Phy//oxera Commission.—A note 
from M. Berrelly giving an account of the discovery and obser- 
vations of planetoid 128 at Marseilles was then read, and fol- 
lowed by a paper on Geometry of N dimensions by M. 
Jordan; and by a note from M. Quet on the force of a 
vibrating system. —M. Sainte-Claire Deville presented a note 
on the thermic effects of Magnetisation by M. J. Moutier, 
which was followed by the conclusion of M. Th. du Moncel’s 
paper on the accidental currents which are produced in a tele- 
graphic wire, one end of which remains insulated in the air.—A 
very short note on electro-magnetism was then received from M. 
Tréves, and M. Wurtz presented a paper on dibenzyldicarbonic 
acid by M. Franchimont,—M. H. Byasson’s paper on — 
the splitting up of the molecule of chloral-hydrate under 
the influence of heat and glycerine was then read. At 
110° the chloral-hydrate begins to split up int» chloroform, 
hydrochloric acid, and allylic formiate.—M. A. Commaille read 
a paper on parathionic and thio-amylic acids. These acids, 
the last of which isisomeric with sulphamylicacid, are foundinthe 
mother liquors of coralline.—M. de Quatrefages presented a — 
paper on a new species of chondrostome found in the waters of — 
Rouergne by M. dela Blanchére. The systematic name of the ~ 
new species is Chondrostoma Persei.— A note on the eye of the 
Germon, by M. Em. Morceau, was then read, and followed by 
a note on the immediate cause of the variations of the magnetic 
elements of the earth, by Father Sanna Solaro, who suggests 
that the ordinary diuraal variations are due to the movement of 
the sun acting on the statical electricity of the whole mass of the 
earth and its atmosphere. This movement continually displaces — 
the resultant of the electric actions, and the instruments follow — 
this movement. The perturbations are produced in the same 
manner.—A note on a Turonian colony in the Senonian stage 
of Saint Martory (Petites Pyrénées), by M. Leymerie, was 
then real.—A note on the origin of the planetary week and 
on Plato’s spiral, by M. Sédillot, followed. i 
BOOKS RECEIVED 
EnGutsu.—The Eruption of Vesuvius, 1872; R. Mallet (Asher and Co.), 
—The Natural History of Plants, vol. 2: H. Raillon (L. Reeve and Co).— — 
Report of the Meteorological Observations inthe North-western Provinces 
of India, 1871: M. Thomson.—Travels in Indu-China and the Chinese 
Empire: L. de Carné (Chapman and Hall). 
FortiGn.— Memorandum des Travaux de Botanique, 1772-1871; E, 
Morren (F, Hayez).—Histoire des Sciences et des savants depuis deux 
siécles: A. de Candolle (H. George).—Zeitschrift fur Biologie Band 8, 
Heft. 3.—(Through Williams and Norgate).—Das Leben der Erde: Hum- 
mel.—Grundrisz der Physik u. Meteorologie: Dr, J. Muller.—Untersu- 
chungen uber das Wesen des Lichts und der Farben: D. Warmann.— 
Physikalische u. chemische Untersuchungen Ul: u. Hummel. 
DIARY : 
THURSDAY, December 19. 
Rovat Society, at 8.30.—Magnetical Observations in the Britannia and 
Conway Tubular Iron Bridges: Sir G. B. Airy, Pres. R.S.—Un the 
Organisation of the Fossil Plants of the Coal Measures, Part iy.: Prof. — 
W. C Williamson, F.R.S.—Observations on the Temperature of the 
Arctic Sea in the Neighbourhood of Spitzbergen: Capt. Wells, R.N- 
Linnean Society, at 8 —On the General Principles of Plant-construction ¢ 
Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S. 
Cuemicay Sociaty, at 8—On the Polymerides of Morphine and their — 
Derivatives: E| Ludwig Major and Dr. C.R.A. Wright —Analysis of 
Water of the River Maiaunddy: E. Nicholson.—Communications from 
the Laboratory of the London Institution: Dr. H, E. Armstrong —On 
the Formation of Crystallised Copper Sulphide, &c,: J. L. Davies. 
SATURDAY, Decemser 28. 
Roya Instirurioy, at 3.—On Air aad Water: Prof. Odling, F.R.S. 
—~ Ol 
CONTENTS Pacs 
Arctic EXrLORATION «+ + 6 6 ee 6 6 te ew we 
ForESTRY IN ITS EcONOMICAL BEARINGS . « . « 4 «6 » « « « EB 
DANA ON CORALS. «6s ee oe te wt oe 
Ouz Book Seutr. . ss 6 +s 0 i «sb 5) cw 
Lerters To THE Epitor:— 
The late Met-ocic Shower.—Prof. H. A. Newron; Father 
Danza ; Prof. Asarw Hatt ; Prof. D. Kirk woop; S. BARBER ; 
J. RANDERSON: ... 0) 5) Js. pu a Pale |e 
The De Novo Production of Living Things.—Dr. H. CHARLTON 
Bastian, FR S. 0. os ee 0 8 es + fee) 
The Ocean Rainfall.—S. H. MicbeR «sw. sw 6 ee TBR 
Ocean Meteorslogical Observations . . . . «+ sw » we 1230 
Rainfall at Barbadoes —Hon. Rawson W Rawson . . . » « 124 
Treatise on Probabitity—T. T. WitkinsoN 
On THE SprecTRoscore AND ITs AppLicaTions. By J. NorMAan Be 
Lockver, F.R.S_ (With Illustrations). . . 1. s 6 se 425 
pyle nei hg ExuiBiT1on IN GLAscow. By Joun Mayer, ig 
(Oe eae hn ae ae 8 
Tue Risinc or Austratia. By S H. WinTLE . . . 3 42 eg 
Tue CoLourep Stars asour Kappa Crucis . . .. . . . « 190 
NOTES «oe eo te 8 5) eee ele) le © lnis loo (elle 
Screntiric SERIALS . Pe ta, ae oe | 6s ie 
SocigTIES AND ACADEMIES .. . ay hey be - oh 
Booxs RECEIVED... ss Se wise, he ake) ae et 13¢ 
DIARY soo! 5 te) 9) Eat Weel Got ete Vato) gel 1attetanemmnna 
