. Fan. 23, 1873] 
! 
of or additions to the substances of which they were originally 
ee ee eS ye eee Oa 
a ? ' i ws ian 
NATURE are 
an | 
435 
composed. This paper, of course, bears indirectly on the vexed 
question of the nature of Hoz00n, 
Poggendorf’s Annalen der Physik und Chemie, No. 1. The 
first paper in this number is by A. Wiillner, being a continua- 
tion from vol. exliv. of his researches ‘*On the Spectra of the 
Gases in Geissler’s Tubes.” The present paper gives an account 
of some researches undertaken by the writer along with Dr. 
Winkelmann to account for the origin of the different kinds of 
spectra, the band spectrum, the line spectrum, and the conti- 
nuous spectrum. The spectrum experimented on was that of 
nitrogen, the media being air, hydtogen and oxygen respec- 
tively. The next paper is an abstract of a memoir by Prof, 
Lemstrém, of Helsingfors University, on the intensity of the 
flow of a voltaic current, which is followed by one in the 
department of acoustics, by J. J. Oppel, on two remarkable 
circumstances in connection with what he in a former paper 
called ‘‘ Reflexionstone ” or ‘‘ Gitterténe.” The next paper is 
the first portion of the second part of Herr W. Sellmeier’s paper 
on the subject of the vibration of molecules, which is followed 
by the continuation of E. Ketteler’s elaborate memoir on the 
influence of astronomical movements on optical phenomena. 
The next paper is an attempt by L. Lorenz, of Copenhagen, to 
discover the means of determining in absolute terms, degrees of 
heat, and to show more clearly the relation in which heat and 
electricity stand to each other, which is connected to jsome 
extent with the paper which follows by S. Subic, on tempera- 
ture constants. A few short papers conclude the number. 
No. 12. The first article in this number is a long one by Dr. 
R. Bornstein, on the theory of Riihmkorff’sinduction apparatus, 
which is followed by the conclusion of the second part of 
Sellmeier’s paper on the vibration of molecules. The next 
article is a criticism, by F. C, Henrici, on a paper read by Tom- 
linson to the Chemical Society, on the action of sulid bodies on 
supersaturated solutions. E. Reusch contributes an article on 
the doctrine of twin-crystals, and J. Hervert one on transverse 
vibrating flames. V. Dvérak contributes an account of some 
experiments to test Airy’s theory of the Talbot bands. Among 
the shorter papers is one by F. Zollner on the reversion 
spectroscope. 
Mittheilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Bern aus 
dem Fahre, 1871.—The first part of this goodly sized volume is 
occupied with the proceedings of the Scientific Society of Bern 
for 1871. The following are some of the longer papers which 
make up the bulk of the volume. The first is the continuation 
from a former volume of Dr, Cherbuliez’ Historical Résumé of 
Researches on the rate at which sound is propagated through 
the atmosphere ; the same gentleman contributes some historical 
notices concerning the mechanical theory of heat. Considerable 
space is given to the continuation and conclusion of Dr, H, 
Wydler’s contributions to a knowledge of the indigenous plants 
of Switzerland ; and L. Fischer contributes a long list of the 
‘cryptogamic plants to be found in the neighbourhood of Bern. 
One of the longest and most interesting articles is by E. Schaer, 
being contributions to the chemistry of the blood and of ferments ; 
the first part treating of the influence of cyano-hydrogen and 
phenol on certain properties of the blood corpuscles and various 
ferments ; and the second part on the action of cyano-hydrogen 
and phenol on yeast and on mould-fungi. This is followed by a 
paper by Dr. A. Forster on the colouring of smoky quartz or 
topaz. The concluding paper in the volume, which is accom- 
panied by a well-constructed map and graphic tables, is by A. 
Benteli, who attempts to estimate the amount of moisture preci- 
pitated by the atmosphere in the seven chief river-districts of 
Switzerland. The volume is altogether highly creditable to the 
Society whose transactions it records. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LonDON 
Royal Society, Jan. 16.—A ‘‘ Note on an Erroneous Exten- 
sion of Jacobi’s Theorem” was read by Isaac Todhunter, M.A., 
F.R.S, 
Sir G. B. Airy read an additional note to his paper ‘‘Ona 
supposed Alteration in the Amount of Astionomical Aberration 
of Light produced by the Passage of the Light through a con- 
siderable thickness of Refracting Medium.” 
Some months since, he said, I communicated to the Royal 
Society the result of observations on y Draconis made with the 
water-telescope of the Royal Observatory (constructed expressly 
for testing the quality of the coefficient of sidereal aberration, 
whether the tube of a telescope be filled with air, as usual, or 
with water) in the spring and autumn of 1871. Similar ob- 
servations have been made in the spring and autumn of 1872, 
and I now place before the society the collected results. It will 
be remembered, from the explanation in the former paper, that 
the uniformity of results for the latitude of station necessarily 
proves correctness of the coefficient of aberration employed in 
the Nautical Almanac, 
Apparent Latitude of Station 
1871. Spring ‘ : 4 5 5r 28 34°4 
Autumn . r A 51 28 33°6 
1872, Spring ' c 3 > 51 28 33°6 
Autumn 51 28 33°8 
I now propose, when the risk of frost shall have passed away, 
to reverify the scale of the micrometer, and then to dismount 
the instrument. ~ 
Mathematical Society, Jan. 9.—Dr. Hirst, F.R.S., presi- 
dent in the chair.—Papers were read by Mr. S. Roberts, 
V.P., on parallel surfaces ; Prof. H. J. S. Smith, on the greatest 
common divisors of the minor determinants of a rectangular 
matrix of which the constituents are integral numbers, and on 
an arithmetical demonstration of a theorem in the integral cal- 
culus (these two communications were founded upon a paper by 
the author, published some few years since in the ‘* Philosophical 
Transactions.” Prof. Wolstenholme, on the summation of cer- 
tain series (read in the author’s absence by the secretary), This 
was concerned with the obtaining of a series closely related to 
Vandermonde’s well-known series, ; thus, Vandermonde’s series 
being— 
nm (w—1 
(2 + 6), = 6, + "b,_-) a, + SO i a Fs 0 Gy 
then the series discussed might be written— 
n (n—1 
(a + 4), = 6, + w(6-1),-1 4 + a (6-2), —9 (@ + Is 
n(m —1)(z—2 
ee 2) (6—3),—s(@+2)3+-.. +(@+n—-1), 
Amongst the presents received were three War Department 
weather maps, Signal Service, U.S. army, Washington, Friday, 
November 22, 1872, constructed for 7.35 P.M., 4.35 P.M., and 
II P.M. 
Chemical Society, Dec. 16, 1872.—Prof. Frankland, F.R.S., 
president, in the chair.—‘‘ Notes on various Chemical Reac- 
tions,”’ by Dr. Davies, contained observations on the formation of 
the sulphides of copper and barium, also some notes on the 
separation of nickel and cobalt—Mr. H. Grimshaw communi- 
cated the results of his researches on ethyl-amyl and its deri- 
vatives. After the president had made some remarks on the 
thoroughness with which this research had been carried out, a 
communication from Dr. Schorlemmer on ‘‘ The heptanes from 
Petroleum,” was read. This paper contained, among other 
matter, an interesting account of the separation of isomeric hep- 
tylenes by means of hydrochloric acid—A paper by Mr. T. 
Cornelley on the “‘ Vanadates of Thallium,” was then read. It 
contained descriptions of several new and complex vanadates of 
Thallium.—Mr. Kingzett communicated to the society the results 
of his experiments on the conversion of sodium chloride into 
sodium sulphide by the action of hydrosulphuric acid; and 
finally, Mr. P. Braham exhibited some ingenious apparatus 
which he had arranged for the prosecution of physical researches 
under the microscope. 
Photographic Society, Jan. 14.—James Glaisher, F.R.S., 
president, in the chair.—The President delivered a lecture on 
the application of photography for registering magnetical and 
meteorological phenomena, pointing out that no other method 
of registration was sufficiently delicate for the purpose; the 
lecturer explained that the magnetical records were obtained by 
a mirror arrangement fitted to the moving magnet, and in this 
way a pencil of light was reflected upon sensitive paper wound 
round a cylinder, which revolved once in twenty-four hours, 
thus securing a wave line representing the magnetical currents of 
the earth during the day. Meteorological records required less 
complicated apparatus. The photo-chemical process employed 
was also explained. Dr. E. J. Gayer read a paper ‘On In- 
