series, as compared with Dr. Bastian’s already recorded results, 
were due to the fact that the material used consisted partly of rind. 
Dr. Bastian thought that this might be the case, and accord- 
inzly another infusion was prepared in which no rind was em- 
ployed. As before, the fresh acid infusion of turnip was 
divided into two parts, one of which was neutralised by 
liquor potassee. Of four retorts, three were charged with un- 
neutralised liquid, the fourth with neutral. Of the three, 
two were treated with cheese; to the third no addition was 
made. They were prepared in every respect as before. In 
each case the drawing-in of the glass in the blowpipe flame was 
again noticed before the neck of the retort was broken. 
(a.) Unneutralised infusion with cheese.—This infusion showed 
oilescence, even after twenty-four hours. Oathe 23rd it had 
become decideily turbid, and was opeaed. The liquid was 
feetid, and its reaction acid. It swarmed with Bacteria. 
(6.) Zhe same.—The retort was opened on the 31st, its con- 
tents having shown a slight turbidity for several days previously. 
The liquid was slightly fcetid, ani it contained characteristic 
Bacteria, which, however, were few in number. 
(c.) Neutral infusion without cheese. —The retort was opened 
on Dec. 31, the fluid having been slightly turbid for several 
days. The liquid was acid, and slightly feetid, but still retained 
the odour of turnip. A drop contained a few Bacteria, about 
0'003 mm. in length, which exhibited oscillatory movements. 
(d.) Unneutralised infusion without cheese. —The liquid contained 
a white mass which lay at the bottom, and was so tenacious that 
it could be drawn out into strings with needles. This consisted 
entirely of Bacteria and Leptothrix, embedded in a hyaline ma- 
trix. There were also Bacteria in the liquid. 
THIRD SERIES—(Dec 27th.) 
It appeared to me desirable to ascertain whether the condition 
of the internal surface of the glass vessels exercised any influence 
on the result. I therefore heated two retorts to 250° C., 
keeping them at that temperature for half an hour, and 
closed them while hot in the blow-pipe flame. These Dr. 
Bastian charged by breaking off their points under the surface of 
a neutral infusion of turnip with cheese, freshly prepared for the 
purpose, without employing any of the rind. The retorts were 
boiled and sealed in the same way as before, excepting that 
whereas one was boiled only five minutes the other was boiled 
ten minutes. The specific gravity of the infusion used was 1013. 
A third uncalcined retort was charged with some of the same 
infusion containing no cheese. This was also boiled for ten 
minutes. 
I was out of town from the 28th to the 30th, and therefore did 
not examine the retorts until the 31st. Dr. Bastian informed me 
that on the 28’h, twenty-one hours after preparation, the liquids 
in both the calcined retorts were distinctly turbid, the tempera- 
ture of the water bath being 32° C.: and that sixty-six hours 
after preparation, whilst the turbidity was much more marked, 
each flask also contained what appeared to be a ‘‘ pellicle,” which 
had formed and sunk. At this period the fluid in the third flask 
had also become very decidedly turbid. 
(a.) Neutral turnip infusion with cheese inicalcined retort, boiled 
ten minutes.—The retort having been tested in the way previously 
described, was opened on the 31st. The liquid was very fcetid, 
had an acid reaction, and contained much scum. It was found 
to be full of Bacteria, whilst Leptothrix existed*in abundance 
in portions of the scum, together with granules of various sizes 
_which refracted light strongly. 
(6.) The same boiled five minutes.—The state of the liquid was 
the same as that just described. 
(c.) Neutral infusion without cheese, boiled ten minutes—retort 
not calcined.—In this liquid the rods and filaments were much 
less numerous. In other respects its characters were the same. 
In each case before opening the retort it was again observed 
NATURE 
181 
that a portion of its neck became drawn in when exposed to the 
blow-pipe flame. 
As rezards the results of the foregoing experimeats, it is un- 
necessary for me to say anything as to their bearing on the ques- 
tion of heterogenesis. The subject has already been frequently 
discussed in your columns. 
The accuracy of Dr. Bastian’s statements of fact, with re- 
ference to the particular experiments now under consideration, 
has been publicly questioned. I myself doubted it, and ex- 
pressed my doubts, ifnot publicly, at least in conversation. I_ 
am content to have established—at all events to my own satis- 
faction—that, by following Dr. Bastian’s directions, infusions can 
be prepared which are not deprived, by an ebullition of from 
five to ten minutes, of the faculty of undergoing those chemical 
changes which are characterised by the presence of swarms of 
Bacteria, and that the development of these organisms can pro- 
ceed with the greatest activity in hermetically-sealed glass ves- 
sels, from which almost the whole of the air has been expelled 
by boiling. J. BuRDON SANDERSON 
University College, Jan. 1 
The Recent Star-shower at Sea 
IN case no oth-r account should reach you of a meteoric 
shower witnessed by the officers and military passengers of H. M. 
troopship Zaar on the night of Wednesday , November 27, 
1872, 1 send notes collected from several accounts. 
‘The vessel was at the time about 7° south and 4° west of the ~ 
Bermudas, in longitude 68° 50’ W., latitude 25° 30'N. Between 8 
and 10 P.M. by one witness, between ro and 12 P.M. by another, 
that is, between 12h. and 16h. Greenwich mean time, there was 
a nearly uninterrupted succession of shooting stars—from all parts 
of the sky, says one, from about E.N.E. to W.S.W., says 
another. The gentleman who gives the earlier hour estimates 
their number as from 25 to 50 per minute ; the gentleman who 
gives the later at about 3 in 2 minutes. They were not counted 
or accurately observed by any one, but this discrepancy perhaps 
justifies the belief that the thickest part of the stream wa; passed 
through by the earth at the earlier hour. Sunset would have been 
soon after 5 ; thus it was dark with no moon before the earliest 
hour named, 
I cannot learn that they were seen in Bermuda; but the 
weather was cloudy. debts Be b 
Bermuda, Dec. 17, 1872 
Curious Auroral Phenomenon 
On the nights of the 4th and 5th of this month a curious 
phenomenon, presenting much resemblance to an aurora borealis, 
was noticed here. 
It had the character of a faint, steady light, rather red than 
yellow, extending over the horizon, which here in that direction 
is bounded by the sea-line, from N. W. to N.N.E.; while under- 
neath it, that is between it and the horizon, was a rim of dark, 
smoke-like appearance, such as I have more than once seen in 
undoubted auroras. The smoky line occupied to a height of 
about three degrees above the horizon ; the light to ten or twelve 
at most. On both nights it became visible about 9 p.M:, and 
disappeared shortly after rr P.M. 
My house being situated rather more than 309 ft. above the 
sea and commanding a perfectly open view over it, I had a 
good opportunity of noticing this appearance: which was also 
observed and commented on by several other inhabitants of the 
town. On the night of the 6th I thought I could distinguish 
something of the kind, but the increasing light of the moon and 
a sea-fog coming on, rendered the fact uncertain. 
The barometer was high, 30° 20”, the wind slight and from 
the east, the weather cool. 
It may be worth adding that the water of the Black Sea being 
but slightly salt, its phosphorescent phenomena are proportion- 
ally insignificant. Hence I do not think that the light in 
question could have been any way reflected from the sea-surface. 
No electrometer or instrument of the kind exists at Trebizond, 
but the uncomfortable sensations of which many people com- 
plained, and, I may add, the abundant sparks from my Tom’s 
back—I ruffled it by way of trial on purpose—seemed to imply 
