24 
NATCUKE = 
[Wov, 2, 1882 — 
reflex movements of the frog under the influence of strychnia, 
by G, L. Walton.—A contribution to our knowledge of the 
action of certain drugs upon bodily temperature, by H. C. Wood 
and E. T. Reichert.—Influence of Peptones and certain iu- 
organic salts on the diastatic action of saliva, by R. H. Chittenden 
and J. S. Ely.—On cerebral localisation, by S. Exner.—The 
physiological action of methylkyanethine, by G. L. Walton. — 
On the influence of variations of intra-cardize pressure upon the 
inhibitory action of the vagus nerve, by H. Sewell and F. 
Donaldson.—Preliminary observations on the innervation of the 
heart of the tortoise, by W. H. Gaskell.—Concerniug the in- 
fluence exerted by each of the constituents of the blood on the 
contraction of the ventricle, by S. Ringer (plate xix.).—The 
Supplement contains a li-t of works and papers on physiology 
published in 1881. 
The American Naturalist for October, 1882, contains :— 
Sketch of the progress of North American Ichthyology in the 
year 1880-81, |y W. N. Lockington.—On the methods of 
microscopical research in the zoological station at Naples, by 
C. O. Whitman.—On tle homologies of the crustacean ] mb, 
hy A. S. Packard, jun.—On the idols and idol worship of the 
Delaware Indians, by C. C. Abbott. 
Journal de Physique, September.—Dynamo-electric machines 
with continuous currents, by M. Potier.—Influence of a metal 
on the nature of the surface of another metal placed at a very 
small distance, by M. Pellat. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LONDON 
Mineralogical Society, October 24.—Anniversary Meeting. 
W. H. Huddleston, F.G.S., president, in the chair.—Nine new 
Members were elected.—The officers and Council were elected 
for the ensuing year, the only changes being the election of 
Messrs. T. D. Gibb, T. M. Hall, Jas. PAnson, and H. M. 
Plattnault, on the Council in place of Dr. Aitken, Professors 
Crum Brown and Hughes, and Mr. Louis, who retired in rota- 
tion.—It was resolved to hold the meetings of the Society at 
fixed dates for the ensuing year, viz, on December 13, 1882, 
February 15, May 15, and October 23 (Anniversary), the 
meeting for May to be held in Scotland.—The Report of the 
Council was read and adopted. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, October 25.—M. Blanchard in the 
chair.—Herr Wiedemann presented the first volume of a new 
work by him, ‘‘ Die Lehre von der Electricitaét.”—On the effect 
of a stroke of an inclined cue on a billiard ball, by M. Résal.— 
Separation of gallium (continued), by M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. 
—Contribution to the study of typhoid fever in Paris ; the pre- 
sent epidemic, from September 22 to October 19, 1882, by M. 
de Pietra Santa. There have been 2225 deaths this year (up to 
the latter date), more than during the whole of last year 2130), 
(628 in the last four weeks). All the twenty arrondissements 
have been affected, and all the eighty quarters, except the four 
American and that of St. Fargeau in the west and Salpétriére 
and Petit-Montrouge in the south. The seventh arrondissement 
has suffered most. M. Santa notics the unwholesome state 
of the houses. —On a bed of coal discovered in the province of 
Algiers, and on layers of white sand accompanying it, by M. 
Pinard. ‘This is near Bou Saada. The coal is at least equiva- 
lent in illuminating power and yield of gas to the best French 
and English coal, ‘The yield of coke varies between 62 and 66 
percent. The sand, which might be used for the finest glass, 
and is very abundant, is the product of disaggregation of im- 
mense banks of grit.—Results of modes of treatment adopted in 
1881-82, in the Alpes-Maritimes, for destruction of phylloxera, 
by M. Laugier. More than 200 hectares have been treated with 
sulphide of carbon and sulphocarbonate of potassium, and the 
results are very satisfactory.—Observations of the great comet 
(Cruls) at the Observatory of Marseilles, by M. Borrelly.— 
Spectroscopic observations on the same comet, by MM. Thollon 
and Gouy. On October 9, the sodium lines seen on September 
11, had disappeared ; the four ordinary carbon bands were pre- 
sent; the nucleus gave a narrow continuous spectrum with 
many dark and bright lines. On the 16th the violet band 
was almost gone, and the continuous spectrum considerably 
weakened. The disappearance of the sodium lines and others 
observed by M. Lohse shows that under ordinary conditions 
the spectroscope cannot give us.a complete analysis of cometary 
matter. If the temperature is sufficient to produce the emission 
spectrum of carbon compounds, it should be sufficient to pro- 
duce that of sodium ; but the facts are contrary. The authors 
incline to the electric theory of comets; in the case of a gaseous 
carburet traversed by the effluve from a Holtz machine, and 
holding fine metallic dust in suspension, tke carbon bands 
appear, but not the metallic lines.—Relations between the 
residues of a function of an analytic point (x, y), which is re- 
produced, multiplied by a constant, when the point (x, 7) describes 
a cycle, by M. Appell.—On the hyper-geometric functions of two 
variables, by M. Goursat.—Decomposition of a whole number — 
N into its maximum zth powers, by M, Lemoine.—Lunar in- 
ductien and its periods, by M. Quet.—On the automatic trans- 
mission and registration of messages of optic telegraphy, by 
M. de Brettes. A claim of priority.—On metallic thorium, by 
M. Nilson. He has reduced thorium by heating with odium, 
the anhydrous double chloride of thorium and potassium, and 
adding to the mixture chloride of sodium; all in an iron 
crucible. The specific gravity of the pure metal is about 11°00; 
the substance, as prepared by Chydenius (density 7°657-7°795), 
was probably impure. For atomic volume, M. Nilson gets the 
value 21°1 (coinciding with the atomic volumes of zirconium 
(21°7), cerium (21°1), lanthanum (22°6), and didymium (21°5)). 
—Determination of the equivalent of thorium, by the same. 
The equivalent is equal to 58°10, if that of oxygen =8 and that 
of sulphur = 16.—On_benzylene orthotoluidine and methyl 
phenanthridine, by M. Etard.—On the reduction of nitrates in 
arable land, by MM, Deherain and Maquenne. _ An earth loses 
the property of reducing nitrates when it has been heated or 
submitted to chloroform vapours. Earth that has lost the pro- 
perty through heat, reduces anew when a little normal earth is 
added.—On the convulsing action of curare, by M. Conty. 
Curare is not only a paralysing poison, but also in the first place, 
slightly convulsing ; nor merely a peripheric poison, but also, in 
certain measure, a poion of the nerve-centres.—On para- 
sites of the blood in impaludism, by M. Laveran. He has 
observed them in 300 cases.—Isanemones of summer in the 
North Atlantic, by M. Brault. These curves of equal velocity 
of wind coincide with the isobars.—On turriform constructions 
of earth-worms in France, by M. Trouessart. He observed 
them in gardens in Angiers, and found they were produced by 
Lumbricus Agricola. Darwin knew only of this production by 
a Perichaeta naturalised at Nice, from the east. M. Gautrelat, 
in a note, affirmed that M. Le Bon’s glyceroborate of soda is not 
a definite salt, but a mixture of monoborine (monoboric ether of 
glycerine), sub-borate of soda, and glycerine.—A map, by M. 
Durand Claye was presented, showing the increase of popula- 
tion in the department of the Seine, and adjacent parts of the 
department of Seine-et-Oise. The variations of growth are in- 
dicated by means of curves called zsof/éthes.—Some documents 
from M. de Lesseps, relating to construction of the hospital of 
Panama, by the Canal Company, were presented. 
CONTENTS Pick 
Hyprauiic EXPERIMENTS . - . © 6 2 © © ©» © we ew ee we CO 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR :— 
“« Weather Forecasts.’,—The BisHop of CARLISLE . « « + » «© 4 
The Comet.—Major J. HERSCHEL ; Geo. M. SEABROKE ; ARTHUR 
WATTS. 60 ae senics egl sile ste (os) te 0) ato ee 
The Burman.—Suway Yor; Dr. E. IBS DyvEor il. RAS) ces 
River ‘Thames—Abnormal High Tides —J. B. RepbmMaN . . .. 6 
Umdhlebi Tree of Zululand.—W. T. THisELtron Dyer, C.M.G.. 
F.R.S.; Rev. Dr. G. W. PARKER : Seo so Oe 
The Origin of our Vernal Flora.—J. E. Taytor .- ee 
On Coral-eating Habits of Holothurians.—Surgeon-Major H. B. 
GUPPY 6) i/o. so finns Rigi PD om met E 
Railway Geology—a Hint.—J. C. G. . An See 
Complementary Colours.—JosErH Jounn Murpny 
Paleolithic River Gravels.—C. EVANS + « . 2 e+ + © sw 
Lavoisier, PRIESTLEY, AND THE DiscoveRY OF OxyGEN. By G. F. 
RopWELE ae Jie see ec re eee te iss a ea 
A New DrepcinG ImpLEMENT. By A. Mitnes MARSHALL. . - + 12 
Wire Guns. By James A. Loncripcs. C.E. (With Diagrams) . . 11 
ew aN 
Mr. Forses’ ZooLOGICAL EXPEDITION UP THE NIGER. « + + + . Id 
Work IN THE INFRa-RED OF THE SPECTRUM. By Capt. W. DE Ww. 
Apnry, R.E., F.R.S. (With Diagrams) eer ere hits 
NOTES: ite) me edie ee enuted i tea karhs . I 
Our AsTRONOMICAL COLUMN :— 
Schmidt’s Cometary Object . . . © + + «© + « 20 
Comet neba@- Ai; dc). ele eae oy eae ae ed 21 
GeoGraPHIcaL Nores a te. eons! cio Sree vis aerials) aobse Fone aeeamne 
NorTIcE OF SOMK DISCOVERIES RECENTLY MADE IN CARBONIFEROUS 
VeRTEBRATE Patf#onTotocy. By T. Stock as: at ohio 
A Numericat EsTiMaTE OF THE RicipiTy OF THE Eartu. By G. 
HI. DARWIN: ESRsos) fs) bol jel) eee) Gaetan) fea enol) oli 22 
ScrentiFic SERIALS . - - © + - = « = © © = Se in te Peete se 
SociaTiEs AND ACADEMIES. . «+ + + + © + 
