PM entition of both jaws nearly complete, with other bones of 
- other specimens. The wording of the description is intricate 
~ and short. 
A PAPER “entitled “ A Study of North American Noctuide, 
by A. R. Grote, was read on July 2 before the Buffalo Society of 
Natural Sciences, declaring that six new genera (Ufeus, Able- 
_pharon, Ommatostola, Argillophora, Harveya, Spilolom7) and 
_ twenty-seven hitherto undescribed species (Agrotis, 7 ; Ufeus, 2; 
Mamestia, 1 ; Dianthoecia, 1; Oncocnemis, 3; Hadena, 1 ; Om- 
matostola, 1; Cucullia, 1; Xylina,1; Heliothis, 6; Argillo- 
phora, 1; Harveya, 1; Spiloloma, 1), occur in the N, American 
Tnsect Fauna. 
Sir Henry RAwLinson’s presidential address at the last 
_ anniversary meeting of the Geographical Society has been pub- 
lished in a separate form by Messrs. Clowes and Sons. We are 
glad to see it reproduced in a handy and well-printed form, for 
it contains a masterly summary of the progress of geographical 
_ knowledge during the past year. 
WE have received the prospectus of what promises to be a 
handsome and valuable work, ‘‘ The Fenland, Past and Present: 
its History, Geography, Geology, Natural History, Scenery, 
Antiquities, Climatology, Drainage, Agricultural Produce, and 
Sanitary Condition ; illustrated with Wood Engravings, Maps, 
_and Diagrams; by Samuel H, Miller, F.R.A.S., Fellow of the 
- Meteorological Society; and Sydney B. J. Skertchley, F.G.S., 
H.M. Geological Survey.” It will be published by Leach and Son, 
Wisbech ; and Longmans, Green, and Co. London. Under the 
head ‘‘Fenland,” the authors include that area of low, once 
marshy lands, in which the rivers Witham, Welland, Nene, and 
Ouse interlaced, including nearly 2,000 square miles, and roughly 
bounded by a line drawn from Lincoln by Bourn and Peter- 
borough to Cambridge on the west ; from Lincoln to Skegness 
on the north ; from Cambridge and St. Ives to Brandon on the 
south ; and from Brandon to Lynn on the east (thus including 
Boston, Sleaford, Spalding, Croyland, Thorney, Wisbech, 
March, Huntingdon, Ely, besides the border towns.) 
A VERY deserving institution has recently been established in 
Cincinnati, under the title of the Cincinnati Acclimatisation 
Society, its object being to effect the introduction of such foreign 
birds as are worthy of note for their song or their services to the 
farmer or horticulturist. The society announces that during 
last spring it expended 5,000 dols. in introducing fifteen ad- 
ditional species of birds, and that it had already successfully 
accomplished the acclimatisation of the European sky-lark, 
which is stated to be now a prominent feature of the summer 
landscape in the vicinity of Cincinnati. Among the species 
which it is proposed to introduce is the European titmouse, con. 
sidered abroad as one of the most successful foes of insects 
injurous to vegetation. 
THE addditions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Harnessed Anntelope ( Zvagelaphus seriptis), 
a Double-crested Pigeon (Zopholemus antarticus), two Senegal 
Touracous (Corythaix fersa), two Chilian Tinamous (2LAynchotus 
perdicarius), a White-fronted Dove (Leptoptiva jamtaicensis), a 
Glossy Ibis (Zéis falcinellus), a Mauge’s Dasyure (Dasyurus 
mauget), a Barbary Ape (Macacus nuns), and others, 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie Neue Riche, Band xci. 
Heft 2 und 3, June 14. This number begins with communication 
No. 83 from the Griefswald Laboratory, the subject of which is 
Phenathren, by M. Hayduck. The author describes several of 
_ the compounds of this body.—From the same laboratory we 
have a notice on the compound C,,H,S,, byC. Pauly. —B. Rathke 
contributes a paper on the chloro-sulphides of carbon, and an- 
NATURE 
315 
other on the compoundsof the amides with that body, Oneof these 
chloro-sulphides has the formula CSC 4— perchloromethylmer- 
captan, another the formula CSCl,, several of their compounds 
are described. The same author also contributes a short paper 
on the changes nitro-compounds undergo in sulpho-acids, — 
Messrs, Maunder and Tollens communicate a paper on 8 Bibro- 
mopropionic acid, in which they give an exhaustive account of 
this body and its compounds.—Messrs. Caspary and Tollens 
have _conyerted 8 Bibromopropionic acid into acrylic acid 
and give an account of the process, and of the salts of acrylic 
acid.—Mr. B, Tollens communicates a paper on the constitution 
of the allyl and acryl derivatives. —Prof. Max. von Pettenkofer 
hasa paper on ‘‘ Nourishment in general, and on flesh extract 
as an essential portion of human nutriment in patticular.’’— 
Messrs. Lieben and Paterné have a paper on the dry distillation 
of calcic formate.—J. Wislicenus communicates a paper on the 
optically active lactic acid of flesh extract, and on paralactic acid. 
The same author also communicates some observations on ethyl- 
lactic acid. The next paper is by C. E. Groves on the formation 
of naphthaquinone by the direct oxidation of naphthalene, 
which has already appeared in the March number of the Chemi- 
cal Society’s Journal. Messrs. Hlasiwetz and Kachler, in a 
postscript to their paper on a new derivative of sulpho-carba- 
minic acid, mention the discovery of the body in question by 
Zeise in 1842. H. Ranke finishes the number with some experi- 
a proofs of the possibility of the spontaneous combustion of 
ay. 
Reale Instituto Lombardo di Scienze e Letiere Rendiconti, serie ii. 
vol. vi. Fascicoli x.—We notice papers on elolates fuscus, by 
Prof. Emelio Cornalia ; on the Italian earthquake of March 12, 
by A. Serpieri ; on some geological theories, by G. Cantoni ; 
on the inversion of currents in electromotors, by A. Ferrini. 
Besides these there are papers on Manzoni and on Kant’s philo- 
sophy, the first by A. Buccellati, and the second by C. Cantoni. 
Fascicolo XI. contains only social papers, none of scientific 
interest. In Fascicolo XII, S. A. Lemoigne contributes a 
paper on the mechanism of rumination, and J. A. Serpieri one 
on the earthquake of March 12; S. A. Cantoni has a paper 
on the molecular movements of gases, The rest of the number 
is devoted to the section of moral and political science, 
In the Annali de Chimica applicata alla Medicina for June 
is a paper on the cremation of the dead, which practice 
is strongly advocated. The author, who is anonymous, states 
that in Belgium 7,500 hectares (1 hectare = 2°47 acres) are un- 
productive of food, through being used as cemeteries. He estimates 
the value of this land at from 38 to 40 millions (lire ?). 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LoNDON 
Royal Horticultural Society, July 16.—Scientific Com- 
mittee.—Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the chair.—A letter was 
read from the locomotive superintendent of the Brighton Railway 
stating the results of the company’s experience in using a mixture 
of chalk with coal for fuel. It was found that used for any other 
purpose than that of saving the fire-bars from Welsh coal (for 
which it is admirably suited) or for reducing the area of heating 
surface it increases the ordinary consumption of fuel considerably. 
—The Rev. M. J. Berkeley showed female flowers of Zychnis 
diurna, in which the calyx was reduced by arrest of development 
to a mere rim. 
August 6.—General Meeting—W. B. Kellock in the chair, — 
The Rey. M. J. Berkeley commented upon the fruits and vege- 
tables exhibited. He mentioned the remarkable improvement 
in the quality of W. Indian pines owing to the introduction from 
England of the better cultivated kinds.—Prof. Thiselton Dyer 
pointed out that a curious cucurbit which had lately been intro- 
duced, rather as a curiosity than for any useful purpose, under 
the name of Sooly Qua, was a form of Luffa egyptiaca, the 
common washing gourd. Another cucurbit known as the'Toong 
Qua appeared to be identical with Benincasa cerifera.—A new 
method of propagating ipecacuanha had been devised in India 
by Mr. Jaffray, and promised to be of great importance. It 
simply consisted in striking the leaves upright in pots. These 
produced roots and the most superficial of these eventually pro- - 
duced buds.—As an interesting fact bearing upon the distribution 
of plants, an extract of a letter from Mr. Moseley, naturalist on 
board H.M.S. Challenger, was read. A vessel laden with 
grapes was wrecked on the coast of Bermuda a short time ago.- 
