296 
NATURE 
 [Aug. 7, 1873 
1 
the kind assistance of Sir E. Sabine, been provided with a set 
of magnetic instruments by which the connection of terrestrial 
magnetism with the most violent of our tropical storms may be 
thoroughly investigated. 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
THE Monthly Microscopical Fournal for this month com- 
mences with a paper by Mr. W. H. Dallinger and Dr. Drysdale, 
entitled ‘Researches on the Life History of a Cercomonad: a 
lesson in Biogenesis,”—in which they describe, as the result of a 
very thorough and long-continued series of observations, the life 
history of a new Cercomonad, which is thus summarised :— 
‘‘When mature, it multiplies by fission for a period extending 
over from two to eight days. It then becomes peculiarly amz- 
boid ; two individuals coalesce, slowly increase in size, and 
become a tightly distended cyst. The cyst bursts, and incalcul- 
able hosts of immeasurably small sporules are poured out, as if 
in a viscid fluid, and densely packed ; these are scattered, slowly 
enlaige, acquire flagella, become active, attain rapidly the parent 
form, and once more increase by fission.” They show also that 
the granules can withstand a temperature much higher than can 
the mature forms.—Dr. Royston-Pigott makes remarks on the 
Confirmation given by Dr. Colonel Woodward to the ‘‘ Colour 
test,” which comes into play in proving that spherical aberration 
is reduced to a minimum in objectives.—Dr. Dawson remarks 
on Mr, Carruthers’ views of Protataxites, the latter author having 
described it as a gigantic seaweed, called by him Mematophycus. 
Dr. Dawson gives further reasons for maintaining his original 
opinion that it is fphzenogamous.—Prof. Rupert Jones con- 
tinues his excellent papers on Ancient Water-flees of the Ostra- 
codous and Phyllopodous tribes (Bivalve Entomostraca). This 
is followed by an article on the pathological relations of the 
diphtheritic membrane and the croupous cast, by Mr. Jabez 
Hogg, which would have been'more in place ina medical journal. 
The Wenham-Toller controversy is maintained by the latter and 
some others, and there are abstracts of several interesting papers, 
with notices of Vol. III. of Stricker’s Histological Manual and 
Dr, Frey’s work on the microscope. 
foggendorff’s Annalen der Physikund Chemie; No. 4, 1873.—In 
this number appears the sixth of the series of papers on internal fric- 
tion of gases, by O. E. Meyer and F. Springmiihl. The authors, 
having formerly examined the transpiration of atmospheric air 
through capillary tubes, have further observed that of carbonic 
acid, of oxygen, and of hydrogen, and find the Poiseuille law to 
hold good for these gases also. In most of the experiments the 
gas streamed from one vessel into another containing the same 
gas at lower pressure ; but the case of a gas streaming into a vessel 
containing another kind of gas was also examined. The velocity 
of transpiration proved the same, and there was no counter- 
current of the second gas through the capillary tube, as in the 
case of diffusion. In an appended note the authors criticise some 
experiments of yon Lang.—Dr. Réntgen gives details of a care- 
ful determination of the relation of specific heat at constant pres- 
sure to that at constant volume, for the gases, air, carbonic acid, 
and hydrogen; the mean numbers obtained being 1:4053, 
1°3052, and 1°3852 respectively. The writer discusses these 
results in their bearing on the mechanical equivalent of heat, 
and the velocity of sound, and compares the work of previous 
experimenters on the subject.—The concluding part of a paper 
by F. Rudorff on solubility of salt mixtures appears in this 
number; and A. Potier replies to certain strictures, by Quincke, 
On some recent observations of his, as to reflection from metals 
and glass. Among the remaining matter may be noted an im- 
portant memoir by G. Rose (communicated to the Berlin 
Academy), on the behaviour of the diamond and graphite on 
being heated, The author describes and illustrates “the regular 
forms produced in the diamond through combustion, treats of the 
general heating effects where air is excluded and where it is not, 
the natural blackening of diamonds, the so-called carbonate, and 
connected topics.—A note by F. Zéllner, detailing further ex- 
periments to show that electrical currents are produced by cur- 
rent water (a statement which was questioned by Beetz a short 
time since), also deserves attention. 
Der Naturforscher, June 1873.—Among the more important 
papers in this issue we may note the account of Pettenkofer and 
Voit’s recent researches on the value of fat as a nutritive sub- 
Stance, They find that fat is very largely absorbed from the 
alimentary canal, but after long feeding with great quantities of 
fat the absorption becomes less ; also that (contrary toa common 
opinion), fat is much more readily decomposed into simpler pro- 
ducts than albumen, The decomposition of food-fat depends on 
that of albumen, on the amount of albumen present, and on the 
‘proportion of it fixed in the organs, to what is in circulation. 
The results given in this memoir have an important practical 
bearing. Another physiological paper treats of the influence of 
food on the structure of digestive organs: the experimenter, 
H. Crampe, thinks that the nature.of food, alone, affords no 
sufficient explanation of the differences found in these.—An 
article on the loss of free nitrogen in putrefaction describes 
some interesting experiments by Messrs. Konig and Kiesow. In 
physics and chemistry we find notes on the change of length 
and electricity produced by the galvanic battery, on the ac- 
tion of electricity on carbon compounds, on Dr. Gladstone’s 
new air battery. on the action of electrical force on non-con- 
ductors, &c.—There are two French astronomical papers, one 
on an attempt to measure the diameter of Sirius ; the other, on 
MM. Cornu and Baille’s new determination of the mean density 
of the earth. Geology, meteorology, and other branches of 
science, are also represented. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
Paris 
Academy of Sciences, July 28.—M.,'de Quatrefages, presi- 
dert, in the chair.—The following papers were read :—On the 
exponential function, by M. Hermite. —An examination of the 
theory of the thrust of earthworks against their sustaining walls, 
by M. de Saint-Venant. This was a criticism on M. Curie’s late 
papers on this subject.—On a proposed regular service of train 
transports between Dover and Calais, by M, Dupuy de Lome. 
The author, in conjunction with Mr. Scott Russell, has devised a 
method of transporting entire trains by means of large steamers. 
Part of the paper was devoted Sto a project of a new port west of 
Calais, as that place is useless for the purpose ; at Dover every- 
thing is ready for such a purpose, there being now 40 ft. of water 
at the end of the Admiralty pier at low tide. The proposed 
scheme would be able to carry 800,000 passengers, and 
870,000 tons of goods annually. —On electric cauterisation applied 
to surgery, by M. Sédillot—New researches on the solar 
diameter, by Father Secchi. The author had found the sun’s 
diameter, observed spectroscopically in the lines C and B, to 
be less than that given by the Nautical Almanac; he 
hence advocated the use of monochromatic images for making 
such determinations, and replied to some obiections of S. Respighi, 
who, on repeating these experiments, agreed with the almanac. _ 
—M. Ledieu’s paper on thermo-dynamics was continued.—On a 
new method of condensing liquefiable bodies}held in suspension 
in gases, by MM. Pelouze and Audouin.—On different forms of 
curves of the fourth order, by M. H. G, Zeuthen.—On the 
respiration of submerged aquatic vegetables, by MM. P. Schut- 
zenberger and F, Quinquaud.—On the structure of the cerebral 
ganglia of Zonites algirus, by M.H. Sicard.—On the planet 
Mars, by M. C. Flammarion.—On a new system of pneumatic 
telegraphy, by MM. D. Tommasi and R. F. Michel. 
eelleleoeoeoeleleleleleeeeeeee ee 
CONTENTS Pace 
GusTav Rose... 6 ageuers) « «+ +) + 0S eee 
Cnacuis’s ‘* MATHEMATICAL PRINCIPLES OF Puysics”. . » . « « 279 
HENSLEY’s “ SCHOLAR'S ARITHMETIC.” By Temple OrME. . . . 280 
Our Boox'SHELE . . agg as vee 6 oe enn 
LETTERS To THE Ep1ToR:-- 
Perception and Instinct in the Lower Animals.—G. J. Romanes . 282 
Comte on the Survival of the Fittest—J.D. Bern >... . . 283 
The Glacial Period —Ji-H ROBES. .... 1+: ) lisesi eee 283 
Telescope Tube for Celestial Photography.—H. C. Russert . . 284 
Colour of the Emerald-—Grevitte Witttams, F.R.S. . . . . 284 
InsTINcT, PERCEPTION, AND REASONING PowERS OF ANIMALS. By 
Dr. PALADILHE .« i ee 
Tue GrowTu or Satmon. By C. E. Frver (With Lilustvations), . 285 
Tue Graciat Drirts or Nortu Lonpon. By Henry WaLker, 
F.G.S. (With Maps) .." < geatges uc Ass oc acl nn 287 
FLIGHT NoT aN Acquisition. By Douctas A. SPALDING . . . , 289 
British ArcHoLoGicAL InstiTuTE.—“‘The Place of Exeter in 
English History.” By E. A. FREEMAN, D.C.L. . ... . . « 289 
NOTES!6! 606) 40. eI, Py Ms os ek a ee 
METEOROLOGY IN HAVANA .. . eee) OO eae, 204 
Screntiric SERIALS . Cee es MN eT air ie 8 Tc 
, a 
SocieTIEs AND ACADEMIES. . 4 5» ss 0 ea 
