168 
NATURE 
made some remarks on cleistogamic flowers of Hoya carnosa, 
producing fertile seed. 
Institution of Civil Engineers, December 5.—Sir W. G. 
Armstrong, C.B., F.R.S., president, in the chair.—The paper 
read was “On the Sinking of two Shafts at Marsden, for the 
Whitburn Coal Company,” “by Mr. John Daglish, M. Inst. C.E. 
EDINBURGH 
Royal Society, December 4.—The Right Hon. Lord Mon- 
i i i i i , In opening the 
tooth session of the Society, gave a brief historical statement of 
its origin.—Obituary notices were read of Mr. Darwin, Prof. 
Emile Plantamour of Geneva, Mr. Charles D. Bell, Dr. Wm 
Robertson, Sir Daniel Macnee, Mr. David Anderson of Morton, 
Mr. John M’Cull ch, Mr. Samuel Rayleigh, and Prof. Spence. 
—The Rev. Dr. W. R. Smith exhibited specimens of Dr. A. 
Gueébbardt’s electro-chemical method of figuring equipotential 
lines, which had been sent him by the author. —The Astronomer 
Royal for Scotland communicated a telegram from J. R. Hind, 
of the Wautical Almanac, correcting the time of ingress of Venus 
upon the sun’s disc, 
PaRIs 
Academy of Sciences, December 4.—M. Jamin in the 
chair.—The President presented to M. Dumas the medal struck 
in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of his election tothe Academy, 
and M. Dumas spoke in acknowledgment-—Presentation of 
tome iii. of the third part of the ‘‘ Recueil des Memoires, Rap- 
ports et Documents relatifs 4 Observation du Passage de Venus 
sur le Soleil, en 1874,” by M. Dumas.—Résumé of measurements 
of the Daguerrian photographs of the Venus transit in 1874 by 
the French Commission, by MM. Fizeau and Cornu. About 
fifty selectep photographs from the four stations were measured 
by two observers or controlled by an equivalent operation. 
The 94 results represent 33,840 independent points. In a 
table are shown the values of the ratio of the distance between 
the centres to the sum and the radii for all the photographs 
measured.—Memoir on the vision of material colours in motion 
of rotation, and on the respective velocities, estimated in figures, 
of circles, one diametrical half of which is coloured and the 
other half white; velocities corresponding to three periods of 
their motion, from the extreme velocity to rest, by M. Chevreul. 
—On a letter of M. Spcerers relative to a peculiarity of solar 
mechanics, by M. Faye. If there were surface currents from the 
solar poles to the equator (as Dr. Siemens’ theory requires), the 
spots should be carried in the same direction. But M. Spcerer’s 
observations for twenty years, and those of Laugier, Carrington, 
and others, agree in showing displacement of spots in latitudes to 
be either #i/ or insignificant ; ; and if there is any such tendency 
in spots far from the equator, it is rather towards than from the 
poles. The retardation observed in surface rotation towards the 
poles, M. Faye attributes to ascending and descending movements 
in the internal mass.—Notice on a new optical apparatus for the 
study of iter by MM. Tcewy and Tresca. It consists of 
three parts (1) at the observer’s end a reticule of horizontal wires 
viewed by a lens, before which is a total reflection prism 
throwing lateral light along the optic axis ; the eyepiece has also 
movable wires for measurement ; (2) at the opposite end, an ob- 
ject holder, with stretched horizontal wires, illuminated ; (3) in 
the middle, a lens with silvered surface, but transparent at the 
centre. and of such a focus that it reproduces in’ the plane of 
the reticule before the eyepiece, "either. the image of one set of 
wires by reflection, or that of the other by transparence.—On 
rouge’ or ma! rouge of pigs, by M. Pasteur. This disease, called 
by Dr. Klein (L Satan 1878) prxeumo-enteritis of the pig, has de- 
stroyed more than 20,000 pigs this year in the Rhone Valley. 
M. Pasteur considers Dr. Klein quite mistaken as to the nature and 
properties of the parasite, which is of figure $ form, and like the 
microbe of chicken cholera, but finer, less visible, and quite 
different physiologically. He has founda method or protective 
inoculation.—Researches on the presence of nitric acid and am- 
monia in water and snow obtained in Alpine glaciers by M. 
Civiale, hy M. Boussingault.—Order of appearance of first vessels 
in the leaves of Cruciferee ; demonstration of the distinctly basi- 
petal ramification in these leaves, by M. Trécul.—On the con- 
nections (enchainements) of the animal world in primzeval times, 
by M. Gaudry. He gives a sketch of the first part of a pro- 
jected w rork on this subject. —Chemical studies on maize (con- 
tinued), hy M. Leplay. This relates to potash and lime-base 
in organic combination with vegetal acids or tissues of maize, 
= oe ae 
> 
[Dec. 14, 1882 
—On the gallicolar Phylloxera, by M. Henneguy.—On the pen- 
dulum, by M. Lipschitz.—Formula for determining how many 
prime numbers there are not exceeding a given number, by M. de 
Jonquiéres.—On a mode of transformation of figures in space 
(continued), by M. Vanecek.—On the transmission of an oblique 
pressure, from surface to interior, in an isotropic and homogeneous 
solid in equilibrium, by M. Boussinesq.—On the effect of oil 
calming the agitation of the sea, by M. Bourgois. Oil affects the 
breaking of the waves, but not sensibly the undulations them- 
selves.—-Method for determination of the ohn, based on the in- 
duction by displacement of a magnet, by M. Lippmann.—On 
the terrestrial induction of planets, and particularly on that of 
Jupiter, by M. Quet. The planets probably contain iron. With 
equality of magnetic powers, Jupiter would (next to the sun) 
exercise the greatest induction onthe earth, because of its great 
volume and rapid rotation ; but if its magnetic power were, ¢.¢., 
ten times that of the sun, variations of the compass might reveal 
some of the principal periods of that planet. The compass 
might, within certain limits, show to what point a planet is rich 
in iron or magnetic substances. —On the currents produced by 
nitrates in igneous fusion, &c. (second note), by M. Brard. He 
describes an electrogenerative fuel, which, in any hearth, yields 
both heat and electricity ; and an electrogenerative hearth in 
which these agents may be generated with any fuel_—On a 
method of transformation of tricaleic phosphate into chlorinated 
compounds of phosphorus, by M. Riban.—On a new hydro- 
carbon, by M. Louise. ‘This is named benzyleme sitylene, CgHy 
(C,H,) (C. H)3. It is got by making benzyl act on mesitylene in 
presence of anhydrous chloride of aluminium.—On an unalter- 
able linseed powder prepared for poultices, by M. Lailles. The 
oil is eliminated.—On cerebro-spinal ganglions, by M. Ranvier. 
—On the microsporidia or porospermida of Articulata, by M. 
Balbianii—The migrations of the puceron of red galls of the 
country elm, by M. Lichtenstein.—Researches on digestion in 
cephalepod molluscs, by M. Bourquelot.—Geological history of 
the syssidere of Lodran, by M. Meunier.—Reply to a note of 
M. Musset, concerning the simultaneous existence of flowers and 
insects on the mountains of Dauphine, by M. Heckel. 
CONTENTS 
Ancient Scottish Lake Dwe tines. By Sir Joun Lupsock, 
WIS 6 ool a a oO 0 Go GO Gb a loe0 4 
Our Boox SHELF :— 
Ward’s ‘‘Sportsman’s Handbook to Practical Collecting, Pre- 
serving, and Artistic Setting up of Trophies and Specimens ” 
Miss Ormerod’s “‘ Diagrams of Insects Injurious to Farm Crops” 
Picou’s ‘“‘ Manuel d’Electrometrie Industrielle” . . . . « 
Holley’s ‘ Falls of Niagara and other Famous Cataracts ”” .- . 
LETTERS TO THE EpiroR:— 
Priestley and Lavoisier.—C. Tomitnson, F’/R.S. . rch” / 
The Forth Bridge.—HerBertT TOMLINSON . . . + = + + «© I47 
Intra-Mercurial Planets—Prof. Stewart’s 24*orrd. Period, Le- 
verrier’s and Gaillot’s 24°25d., and Leverrier’s 33°0225d. Sidereal 
Periods Considered.—A. F. GoppaRD . . . . . + ws « 
An Extraordinary Meteor.—B. R. BRANFILL. . . . «+ + « 
British Rainfall.—G. J. Symons, F.R.S. . we 
Swan Lamp Spectrum and the Aurora, —J. Ranp Garon Yip o 
The Aurorax—J. RanD CaPRON . ~ «= + « «+ « « « 
Fertilisation of the Speedwell—ArTHUR RANSOM . 
Shadows after Sunset.—Prof. DIER «. . - - + + «+ « + « 
Complementary Colours.—CHas. R. Cross . . . .... - 
An Extraordinary Lunar Halo.—S. A.Goop. . ......, 
“Lepidoptera of Ceylon.”,—L. RrgevEaANDCo.. . . ... - 
Tue Comer. By A. Ainstte Common; FRANK StaPLeton (With 
Tilustrations) . . rae = Rstlgg 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF New AND RARE Dans IN THE Zoonocich 
Socrety’s Livinc Cottection, X. . 151 
Tue Transit oF VENUS. By the DuKE eaeeeee Dr. R S. Bare, 
F.R S., Astronomer Royal of Ireland; Dr. W. Donerck; J. L. E, 
DREYER; CLEMENT LINDLEY WraGGE; W, F. Denninc; D. 
Tram; Henry Cecit; R. LAncpon (With sii te 
Norges. .. 0) focile. sig Bin. 0; gn) de), Xs) Vick ta Re ROMS) 
Our Kerroncmcen Conn MNi— 
‘Gomet 682/205) si.) fe (ect otietal eS Cen canta -OMts? Dn) Miele tenn 
Cometsr8B2e) oy ice et ye, cent eet ot SRI nde, =o Yo, a EY 
Ol YUNA oe Db oO Oo oo 5 0 5 8 a6 6 6 pee 
Tue Roya. Sociery, II. Anniversary Address by Dr. WILt1AmM 
SPoTTISWOODE, Pres.R.S. 55 hee 162 
ONIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE OIC TES cu ary/ 
SocteTres AND ACADEMIES .. .- « - eee a) eres + 167 
148 
149 
149 
149 
149 
149 
150 
150 
150 
150 
150 
154 
159 
