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May 29, 1873] 
NATURE 
95 
‘ SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
Poggendorff’s Annalen der Physik und der Chemie. No. 3, 
-1873.—This number commences with a paper by Dr. Oudemans, 
_ jun, on the influence of optically inactive solvents on the rota- 
tory power of optically active substances. The author, employ- 
‘ing a Wild polaristrobometer and lime-light, experimented with 
_cane-sugar, cinchonin, brucin, phlorizin, and other substances, 
with water, chloroform, alcohol, ether, &c., as solvents. He 
unexpectedly found that the specific rotatory power of cinchonin 
in various mixtures of alcohol and ehloroform had not values 
entirely intermediate between those of cinchonin in either solvent 
separately (which are f 212° and f 228°). It rises to a maxi- 
237° in a mixture of 10 per cent. alcohol and 
90 per cent. chloroform. He further compared theinfluence of 
different solvents on the specific rotatory power of active sub- 
_ stances, with their solvent action, and he considers the greater 
values of the former property correspond with a greater solu- 
bility of the active substance. The numerical results are given 
in full.—Julius Thomsen continues his ‘ Thermochemische 
Untersuchungen,” examining, in this paper, the affinities. of 
the constituents of water, of sulphuretted hydrogen, of 
ammonia, and of carburetted hydrogen. He finds that while 
there is development of heat in the formation of marsh gas, 
there is absorption in the formation of ethylene and acetylene, 
from carbon and hydrogen. The author gives a résumé of re- 
- sults from the series of researches here terminated (the affinity of 
hydrogen to the metalloids), which presents some points of con- 
siderable interest.—In the next paper Prof. Lubimoff of Moscow 
calls attention to an error current in most text-books on physics. 
The field of view in a Galilean telescope is stated to depend on 
the size of pupil of the observer’s eye, and to be measurable by 
the angle under which this will appear from the centre of the 
object-glass. This, he says, gives a value five or six times 
smaller than the actual, which is directly dependent on the size 
of aperture of the object-glass. He explains and illustrates his 
new theory at some length.—F. Riidorff contributes the first 
part of a paper on the solubility of saline mixtures, and Ed. 
‘Ketteler continues his mathematical inquiry into the influence of 
astronomical motions on optical phenomena.—Among the ex- 
tracted papers may be specified those by Edlund on galvanic re- 
sistance, by Braun on direct photography of the solar protube- 
rances, and by Baumhauer on hygrometry in meteorological 
observatories. 
Der Naturforscher for April 1873, contains a large amount of 
varied and interesting scientific matter. In Physics and 
Chemistry, there are short accounts of M. Jamin’s researches on 
condensation of magnetism, Dr. Mayer’s on measurement of 
sound, M. Cornu’s new method of determining the velocity of 
light, Herr Feddersen’s paper on thermo-diffusion of gases, Herr 
Nasse’s on the nitrogen in albumenoids, Clerk-Maxwell’s 
lecture on action at a distance, &c. Herr Nasse finds that, in 
the albumen-molecule, one portion of the nitrogen is combined 
loosely, another much more intimately, and he sets himself to 
determine the proportion of loosely-combined to the entire 
nitrogen-contents, in various albuminous substances. His obser- 
yations have an important physiological bearing. In biology 
proper, we may note a paper giving the results of Herr 
Stohmann’s recent study on animal nutrition. This author en- 
deavours to formulate mathematically the digestibility of food 
stuffs. P. Secchi’s recent communication on the solar pro- 
tuberances and spots is given, and there is a meteorological 
paper on the temperature of air in woods and in the open, de- 
scribing experiments by Herr Ebermayer. We may further call 
attention to a note on Baranetzky’s experiments on the period- 
icity of outflow of sap in plants, a phenomenon he finds based 
on tlie periodical action of light. Geology, geography, 
technology, &c., are also represented in this serial, and the 
weekly ‘‘ Kleinere Mittheilungen” furnish a number of well- 
selected scientific data. % 
. | SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LoNDON 
Geological Society, May 14.—Mr. Joseph Prestwich, F.R.S., 
vice-president, in the chair.—The following communications 
were read.—‘* On the genus Paleocoryne, Duncan and Jenkins, 
and its affinities,” by Prof. P. Martin Duncan, F.R.S.—In this 
paper the author referred to certain minute fossils from the Car- 
boniferous rocks of Scotland, described by himself and Mr. 
. 
3 Py 7 
Jenkins in a paper read before the Royal Society, as belonging 
to the Hydroida, and most nearly resembling the recent genus 
Bimeria, Wright. He stated that numerous specimens since 
received threw some further light on the nature of these fossils, 
and showed especially that in all probability the base is not 
really cellular, but that the cellular appearance is produced by 
the growth of the real base of the polype over the cells of the 
Fenestella on which it grows.—‘* Notes on Structure in the Chalk 
of the Yorkshire Wolds,” by Mr. J. R. Mortimer.—In this 
paper the author described a peculiar structure observable in 
chalk from Yorkshire and elsewhere, giving it a striated appear- 
ance. This structure had been ascribed by Dr. Mackie and 
others to slickensides. The author adduced reasons for doubt- 
ing the mechanical origin of these striations, and argued that 
they are of an organic nature. He ascribed them to corals, and 
remarked that similar strice occur in all limestone formations. — 
“ On Platysiagum sclerocephalum and Paleospinax priscus, 
Egerton,” by Sir P. de M. Grey-Egerton, Bart., M.P., F.R.S. 
—The two species of fossil Fishes noticed in this paper were 
described by the author in the 13th Decade of the Memoirs of 
the Geological Survey, published in 1872. They are both from 
the Lias of Lyme Regis. He now described some new specimens 
which add to our knowledge of their characters. An example of 
Platysiagum shows the position of the dorsal fin, which is placed 
very far back, occupying a place opposite to the ihterval between 
the ventral and anal fins, and the form of the trunk, which is 
of nearly uniform depth from the occiput to the base of the 
dorsal fin. The structure of the dorsal fin was described in 
detail, The new specimen of Paleospinax priscus shows espe- 
cially the position of" the second dorsal spine, which is placed 
over the 50th.vertebra, the first being on the 16th, the fish thus 
most nearly approaching the existing Cestracten, which it also 
resembles in its dentition. In other respects it seemed to be most 
clearly allied to Acanthias.—‘‘ On a new genus of Silurian Aste- 
riade,”. by Mr. Thomas Wright, F.R.S.E.—The specimen 
described showed the outline of a small Starfish, with a large 
disc and short rays, in a slab of Wenlock Limestone from Dud- 
ley. The outline of the ten rays was described as marked 
out by the border of small triangular spines, the other plates of 
the disc and rays being absent. Each ray was terminated by a 
stemlike multiarticulate process as long as the ray, from towards 
the extremity of which spring slender lateral processes, giving it 
a tufted appearance. This Starfish, which is in the collection of 
Dr. Grindrod, is named by the author Zrichotaster plumiformis, 
Zoological Society, May 20.—Dr. E. Hamilton, vice-pre- 
sident, in the chair.—Lord Arthur Russell exhibited specimens 
of, and made remarks upon, the different varieties of the Carp 
(Cyprinus carpio) cultivated in the German fish-ponds.—Mr. 
Sclater offered some remarks upon the most interesting animals 
obseryed in the Gardens of some of the continental Zoological 
Societies which he had lately visited —Dr. E. Hamilton read a 
note confirmatory of the extraordinary fecundity of the Chinese 
Water-Deer (Hydropotes inermis).—Mr. H. E. Dresser exhibited 
some rare birds from the Ural, amongst which were the Smew 
(Mergus albellus) in down, nestlings of the Rustic Bunting (Z- 
beriza rustica) and several specimens of Lilljeborg’s Sa/icaria 
magnirostris, which last he believed to be identical with Acroce- 
phalus dumetorum of India.—Sir Victor Brooke, Bart., read a 
paper on the African Buffaloes, which he considered might be 
reduced into two species, Budalus caffer and Bubalus pumilus, 
Of these the latter exhibited two varieties in the western and 
eastern points of its range, while the former appeared to extend 
from the Cape up the eastern coast to Abyssinia without any 
material variation.—Mr. St. George Mivart, F.R.S., read a 
memoir on Zefilemur, Cheirogaleus, and other Lemurine forms, 
to which were appended remarks on the Zoological rank of the 
Lemuroidea in the natural system.—Messrs. Sclater and Salvin 
communicated a paper on some Venezuelan Birds collected by 
Mr. James M. Spence, amongst which were examples of two 
species believed to be new to science, and proposed to be called 
Lochmias sororia and Crypturus cerviniventris.—A communica- 
tion was read from Mr. R. Swinhoe, on the White Stork of 
Japan, which he referred to a species different from the Ciconia 
alba of Europe, and proposed to call C. doyciana.—Mr. H. E. 
Dresser read some notes on certain oriental species of Eagles 
(Aguila). 
Royal Horticultural Society, May 16.—General meeting, 
—Viscount Bury, M.P., president, in the chair.—The resigna- 
tion of the Assistant-Secretary was announced.—The Rey. M. 
J. Berkeley, who was then called to the chair, commented on the 
Tt 
