16 
4 
from Mr. S. Broughton :—It appears there is some dcubt as to 
the existence of ball discharge in thunderstorms. At the request 
of Mr. Baxendell I communicate an observation of such, seen 
during the approach of a storm, in 1854 or 1855, when walking 
from Altrincham to Timperley. Ovr the edge of a cloud near 
the east horizon a flash of lightning was seen, and a ball affa- 
rently the size of one from a Roman candle shot upwards through 
an arc of 20° or 30°. _I cannot say that it went to another cloud, 
but that would most likely be so, as my attention was taken up 
watching the progress of the electric ball.—E. W. Binney, V.P., 
F.R.S., said that shortly after the meeting of the Society on 
January 21, when he exhibited the singular fossil plants, which 
were quite new to him at the time, which he thought would 
have to be placed in a new genus, he had received excellent 
transverse and longitudinal sections of similar specimens from 
Professor Renault of Cluny, which were if possible in a more 
beautiful state of preservation than those found in the carbo- 
niferous strata of Lancashire. On February 4, Prof. W. C. 
Williamson, F.R.S., stated that these specimens were the 
branches or stems of the well-known genus Asterophyllites. Now 
the French professor states that he had described this fossil plant 
in a memoir read before the Academy in 1870, and that in his 
opinion it belonged to Sphenophyllum. I am not in possession of 
the facts from which the two learned professors came to such 
different conclusions, but I am inclined to consider the singular 
little stem as belonging to a new genus until the leaves of Spheno- 
phyllum ox Asterophyllites are found attached to it. When this 
comes to pass of course there can be no doubt on the matter, — 
The.President said that he had made another observation of the 
position of the freezing poin’ in the thermometer used in making 
the observations recorded in the Proceedings for April 16, 1867, 
and February 22, 1870. The gradual rise of the zero during 
twenty-nine years was shown by a diagram, the ordinates repre- 
senting divisions etched on the glass stem, each corresponding to 
thy of adegree Fahrenheit.—Mr, William H. Johnson, B.Sc., 
read a paper ‘‘ Ou the Influence of Acids on Iron and Steel,” in 
which he showed the general effects of acid; its effects on the 
weight ; on the breaking strain and elongation ; effect of pyro- 
ligneous acid ; effects of acids on copper and brass ; and of zinc 
on iron, 
Paris 
Academy of Sciences, March 17, M. de Quatrefages, pre- 
sident, in the chair.—The following papers were read: On the 
theory of the movement of Jupiter, by M. Le Verrier.—The 
transit of Venus—method for obtaining the moment of contact 
by photography, by M. Janssen. ‘The author suggests the 
use of a photographic plate cut in the form of a disc, and made 
to revolve. By this means a number of photographs can be 
obtained with very minute intervals of time between each expo- 
sure.—On the heat produced by the mixture of the hydracids 
with water and on the molecular volumes of their solutions, by 
M. Berthelot. The acids experimented on were the hydrochloric, 
hydrobromic, and hydriodic, ‘The author decides that these 
acids and their compounds give rise to similar amounts of mole- 
cular work,—On new applications of the principles of the navi- 
gation sluice to oscillating columns of liquid, by M. A. de 
Caligny.—On a shock of earthquake observed at Florence on 
March 12, 1873, by M. de Tchihatchef. The shock was observed 
at gh. 5m. p.m., it did not last more than half a second, and its 
direction was S.E. to N.W., bar. 725mm.—M. Secchi presented 
his memoir “On the Distribution of the Prominences on the 
Solar Disc, and on the study of the Spots,’—On barometic 
changes and their connection with magnetic variations, by M. J. A. 
Broun.—New experiments on singing flames, by M. I’. Kastner. 
—Observations on the theory of solar cyclones, by M. E. Vicaire. 
The author raised several objections to M. Faye’s theory 
of the sun, and promised to explain his own hypothesis shortly ; 
this, he said, was simply that of Wilson —On ‘‘ Spectrometry ;” 
Spectronatrometry, by MM. P. Champion, H. Pellet, and M. 
. Grenier. ‘The authors described an instrument for the spectro- 
scopic estimation of minvte quantities of sodium, ‘The principle 
depended on the comparisen of a sodium flame in which a 
known quantity of sodium was being heated with the flame 
coloured by the substance the sodium in which it was required 
‘9 know. The apparatus described was somewhat complicated, 
ut the principle upon which it worked was the use of a gradu- 
ated compensating wedge of coloured glass. M. Janssen made 
some observations on the proeess.—Obseryations on M. Gernez’s 
recent note on the crystallisation of supersaturated solutions, by 
M. Ch. Violette—On the methods of increasing the length of 
bones and stopping their growth, by M. Ollier. On the ana- 
tomy of Conatula rosacea, by M. Edm. Perrier. Ona deposit | 
of fossil mammiferze near Lapsista, Macedon, by M. Gorceix. 
«© On polyhedric concamerations,”,by M. G. Perry. 
DIARY 
THURSDAY, Marcu 27. 
Royvat Socrety, at 8.30.—The Radiation of Heat fron the Moon, the Law 
of its Absorption by our Atmosphere, ard of its Variation in Amount with © 
her Phases (Backerian Lecture): Earl of Rosse. 
SoctetTy of ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30.—Election of Fellows. 
Roya Inst: TuTION, at 3.—Coal and its Products; A. V. Harcourt. 
FRIDAY, Marcu 28. 
Roya INsTITuTION, at 9.—Force and Energy: Prof. Clifford, 
Quekert Cvuvsp, at 8. 
Roya CoLLece OF SURGEONS, 
SATURDAY, Marcu 29. a 
Rovat INSTITUTION, at 3.—Darwin’s Philosophy of Language: Prof. Max 5 
Miller. 
MONDAY, Marcu 31. 
Lonpon INsTITUTION, at 4.—Fungoid Organisms: Prof, Thisclton Dyer. 
TUESDAY, Aprrit tr. 
Royat Inst1TuTION, at 3.—Forces and Motions of ‘the Body: Prof. 
Rutherford. * iF 
ANTHROPOLOGICAL SocieTy, at 8.—Notes on the Collection ‘of Peruvian 
Skulls and Pottery lately received from Consu! Hutchinson: Prof, Busk 
and Dr, Barnard Davis.—On the Natives of Vancouver's Island: Richard 
King.—Ona Human Skull from Birkdale, Southport: T. M. Reade. 
Society oF BipiicaAL ARCHZOLOGY, at 8.30. 
Zootocicat Sociery, at 8.30.—On the Brain and a portion of the nervous 
system of Pediculus capitis: Dr. J. S, Bowerbank.—Notes on the genera 
of Turtles (Ofacofodes) and especially on their skeleton and skulls: Dr. 
J. E. Gray—Descriptions of thres new species of Flying Squirrels: Dr. _ 
A. Giinther. ‘ 
ASIATIC SOCIETY, at 3. 
at 4.—Extinct Mammals: Prof. Flower. 
WEDNESDAY, Aprit 2. 
Society or Arts, at 8.—Ou Economy of Fuel for domestic purposes: 
Capt. Douglas Galton, C.B. M 
Lonpon InstiTuTION, at 7.—Courts of Special Commercial Jurisdiction : 
N. H. Paterson 
Roya Mickoscoricat Society, at 8.—On a new Cadlidina with the result 
of experiments on the desiccation of Rotifers: H. Davis.—On the Deve- 
lopment of the Sturgeon’s facial arches: W. K. Parker. 
THURSDAY, Aprrit 3- 
Cuemicat Society, at 8.—A way of exactly determining the specific gravity 
of Liquids; Dr. H. Sprengel—On Cymene from various sources: Dr. — 
C. R. A. Wright —Researches on the action of the Copper-zinc couple 
organic bodies, If — On the iodides of Amyl and Methyl: J. H. Gladst 
and A. Tribe.—Contributions from the Laboratory of the London Institu- 
tution, No. XI.—Action of the acid chlorides on Nitrates and Nitrites: 
Dr. H. G. Armstrong. . 
Linnean Society, at 8.—On new Indian Fishes: Surgeon-Major F. Day. 
—On the Fungi of Ceylon: Rev. M. J. Berkeley and C. E. Broome, 
Royat InstiTUTION, at 3 —Coal and its Products: A. V. Harcourt. — 
BOOKS RECEIVED 
Encuisu.—Celestial Objects for Common Telescope. 3rd edit.: Rev. 
T. W. Webb (Longmans).—Elementary Treatise on Wave Theory of Light. 
3rd edit. : H. Lloyd (Longmans).—The Childhood of the World: E. 
(Macmillan). 
CONTENTS 
University OArs. By ArcuipALD MacLaren . 
‘THOMSON AND Tatt’s NATURAL PHILOsorHy . « 
TYNDALL’s Forms OF WATER < 2 s = ss 5 
Ove Book SHELF. capes aes ee 
LETTERS To THE EpttoR:-- 
Existence of Man in the Miocene—Sir Jonn Lunpock, 
M.P., F.R S. 
Th rt 
oe ee 
ee ee 
Adaptation 1o External Conditions —G. H, Lewes Pig eon 
Anticipaticns of Natural Philosophy, —W. H. Brewer , Dr. James 
Ross; C. J. Monro. . ost ot 2 ee 
Fossil Cryptogams.—Prof. W. C. Witttamson, F.R.S, . . 
Leaf Arrangement.—Rey. Grorcr Henstow, F.LS.. . .- 
___ Flight of Projectiles.—Serg -Major Ropert Reip . . . - 
SURVIVAL OF THE FITZESEO ese iss ee 
Sus-WEALDEN ExpLoraATION. .- Uigetis Ew” acs, ee 
Tue New PuysiococicaL Lasoratories, Bertin.— Dr. 
Jones, F.RS (With Plan). . . . + > Aare >. 
On THE SpecTROScope AND ITS AppLications, VI, By J. 
Lockyer, F.R.S. (With Illustrations) . . . « » « 
Pror. Flower’s HUNTERIAN LECTURES. . . . + « + 
PERCEPTION IN THE LoWER ANIMALS. «. . . 
WOTRs:.. 2. + + aeeeen) tee go hy pre, bea! 
SOCrETIEs AND ACADRMEBSEaeN sss (6. WO Jett 
DIARY. 54 6. - a - 
Norman 
. 
. 
. 
