“Oct. 30, 1873 | 
_ known, and, without doubt, consists of two atoms of phosphorus, 
_ united with five atoms of oxygen, whereas Berzelius only found 
three atoms of oxygen to two of the rare metal in vanadic acid. 
How is this discrepancy to be explained? We have here to do 
either with an exception to the otherwise general law of iso- 
morphism, so that we may have identity of crystalline form, 
_ without any analogyin chemical composition, or Berzelius’s experi- 
‘ments and conclusions respecting the constitution of this vanadic 
acid are incorrect. By experiments on the properties of vanadium 
and its compounds, made with much larger quantities than it fell to 
the lot of the Swedish chemist to work with, it was shown that 
_ something had been overlooked by him. It was proved that the 
substance which he supposed to be a metal was not a metal at all, 
_ but an oxide, and that vanadic acid really contains more oxygen 
than he believed it to contain. And what is remarkable is that 
this quantity of oxygen, which had been overlooked, is exactly 
the quantity which is needed in order to make the constitution of 
yanadic acid identical with that of phosphoric atid. We have to 
take out of each atom of Berzelius’s metal one atom of oxygen in 
order to get the true vanadium, so that the real atomic weight of 
_ this element is less than that given to it by Berzelius by the 
atomic weight of oxygen, 67°3— 16 = 51°3. Thus the chemical 
constitutions of phosphoric and of vanadic acids are represented 
by the formulse P, O;. V, O;. The law of isomorphism re- 
mains unassailed, and the goddess (Vanadis is a cognomen of 
the Scandinavian goddess Freia) who was found wandering as a 
waif and a stray amongst her companion elements, has been re- 
stored to her natural friends, and now forms a recognised 
member of a family group. 
To sum up, my aim in the foregoing remarks has been to 
show that if freedom of inquiry, independence of thought, disin- 
terested and steadfast labour, habits of exact and «ruthful ob- 
servation, and of clear perception, are things to be desired as 
tending to the higher intellectual development of mankind, then 
original research ought to be encouraged as one of the most 
valuable means of education. And that on this ground alone, 
and independent of the enormous material benefits which such 
studies confer on the nation, it is the bounden duty not only of 
the Government, but of every educational establishment, and of 
every citizen of this country who has the progress of humanity 
at heart, to promote and stimulate the growth of original research 
amongst us, 
| HELVETIC SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 
‘THE fifty-sixth annual meeting of this society was held on the 
18th, 19th, and 2oth of August last, at Schaffhouse, under 
the presidency of Dr. Stierlin, and is described as having been 
a highly animated one. We shall note a few of the more im- 
portant papers presented; for particulars of which we are 
indebted to the Archives des Sciences. 
In the section of Physics and Chemistry, M. Soret described a 
method for studying ultra-violet spectra. It consists in placing 
a thin fluorescent lamina (sulphate of quinine, ¢.g. between two 
is formed,and observing, with sufficient inclination of the eyepiece 
the image of the ultra-violet spectrum then developed on the 
lamina. Prof. Kopp read a paper on bresiline and its deriva- 
tives. The Deacon process of manufacturing chlorine was the 
subject ofa paper by M. Hurter, which gave rise to lively dis- 
cussion. Dr. Heim, who has been observing the sounds of cas- 
cades, find they all give the note C sharp, or F. 
In Geology, Dr. Schalch had a paper on the volcanic rocks of 
Hohzau. These are in two groups, that of basalts, and that of 
phonolites. They form isolated cones surrounded with thick 
deposits of volcanic tufa, the nature and arrangement of which 
indicate that the eruptions happened at successive intervals about 
the end of the tertiary epoch. M. Favre showed a section of the 
Vaudois Alps made at Pleiades, near Vevey aux Ormonts ; in 
which he distinguishes three zones, consisting of superior Jurassic 
and Necomian, and different portions of Eocene, strata. Nr.Heim 
exhibited a new method of geological representation of a country ; 
it consists in a series of sections, on the same scale, coloured and 
fixed vertically at equal distances on a geological map. He also 
made some observations on the zone of contact of crystalline 
rocks and sedimentary strata in Eastern Switzerland and the 
Bernese Alps. M. Lang announced the early publication, by 
the Alpine Club of a glacier-register, in which information will 
be given as to dimensions, from progress, &c., of glaciers, At the 
NATURE 3 561 
first general séance Prof. Heim gave a valuable vesum? of the various 
theories of glacial motion. At the second, Prof. Desor presented 
a memoir on worainic landscapes, by which he denotes those 
indicating a former extension of glaciers. ‘The most striking 
types are at the southern base of the Alps. There is discernible 
a zone consisting of a succession of verdant hillocks, sometimes 
aligned, sometimes separate ; these are found to be composed of 
the débris of old formations bruised and triturated, and clearly 
indicating glacial action, A good example occurs at the base of 
Monte Campo di Fiori. 
At the general opening s¢awce Prof. Forel gave an account of 
his researches on the deep-water fauna in Lake Leman, of which 
he enumerates some thirty species. He had also studied the 
fauna of the lakes of Neuchatel, Zurich, and Constance. His 
conclusions are briefly these :—There are in the lakes three dis- 
tinct fauna : (@) a littoral, extending to 15 or 20 metres depth ; 
(4) a deep fauna, from 20 to 300 metres; and (c) a pelagic 
fauna. All the forms of the deep fauna have analogous or simi- 
lar forms in the littoral fauna ; but the converse does not hold, 
At the same level the deep fauna are the same. A few species 
found between 30 and 100 metres are not found at 300 metres. 
but all the types at 300 metres are found between 30 and 100 
metres. There are local and seasonal differences. The deep 
fauna are best studied between 30 and 60 metres. In comparing 
different lakes the general characters of deep fauna are the same, 
but special characters vary. 
In the section of zoology and botany. M. Bugnion described 
some sensitive organs found in the epidermis of Proteus and 
Axolotl. They are considerably developed in the former (1460 
were counted in one specimen), and are disposed in linear groups 
of three or four along certain nerves of the head, and the lateral 
nerve to the end of the’tail. They resemble the cyathiform 
organs discovered by M. Leydig in 1850, in the epidermis of fishes. 
Dr. Cartier gave a paper on the sensitive hairs of crocodiles. 
In the medical department Prof. Karsten, of Vienna, made a 
communication on zecrodiosis in which he pointed out that Bac- 
teria, Vibriones, and microcosms, &c., are not to be regarded as 
organic species, properly so called ; the phenomena of animal re- 
roduction have never been observed in them, They are pathor 
ici! products, which grow in the interior of vegetable or ani- 
mal cells, but which do not penetrate these when once developed 
as parasites. 
In the department of Pure Mathematics the principal 
paper was one by Prof. Schwarz on a new example of a con- 
tinual function which does not admit of derivatives. This 
paper will be found 27 evfenso in the Archives. 
This is the third time in its history that the Helvetic Society 
has met at Schaffhouse, the former occasions having been in 
glass plates) before the eyepiece of a spectroscope, where the image | 
1825 and 1847. The next annual session is to be held at Coire. 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
Stlsungsberichte der Kénigl. Béhmischen Gesellschaft der 
Wissenschaften in Prag. Jan. 1871 to June 1872. (3 numbers). 
—Among the more valuable matter in these numbers may be 
noted some contributions to palzontological botany; more 
especially a paper by M. Feistmantel describing the various 
fruit-forms met with in Bohemian coal formations. (As pub- 
lished separately, the paper contains several excellent plates). 
The same author communicates also full accounts of the flora in 
coal-measures at the foot of the Riesengebirge, and at Merklin. 
—M. Dvorak describes some curious experiments on individual 
differences between the two eyes, and between different parts of 
the retina of thesame eye. He shows that two non-simultaneous 
impressions, each affecting one eye, appear simultaneous, when 
the time-interval is of a certain length ; this interval he measures 
with suitable apparatus.—In chemistry we have a note by 
Prof. Stolba, giving a new method of preparing borofluoride of 
potassium, and an account of the properties of this substance.— 
Dr. Weyr investigates mathematically the distance-action of 
electrical solenoids on material plane surlaces ; anda note by 
M. Domalip furnishes experimental proof of certain laws deduced 
by M. Dub as to the dependence of magnetic moment on the 
dimensions of a magnetic bar.—There are also papers on the 
fauna of lakes in the Bohmerwald, on basaltic formaticns, and 
on several points in mineralogy and pure mathematics. 
Bulletin de V Académie Royale de Belgigue, No. 8, 1873.—In 
this number is described a recording #ctcoregraph, devised by 
| M. Van Rysselberghe, and which seems to have some merit ; 
