33° 
NATORE 
a_i 
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[ Fed. 1, 1883 
say that vortices do not exert some such residual, but uniform, 
effect on the fluid in which they exist, till second, third, and 
every other order of small quantities have been taken into 
account, and the theory of vortices in a perfect fluid worked out 
with the most final accuracy. 
At present, however, the Thomsonian theory of matter is not 
a verified one, it is, perhaps, little more than a speculation, but 
it is one that it is well worth knowing about, working at, and 
inquiring into. It may stand or it may fall, but if it is the case, 
as I believe it is, that our notions of natural phenomena, 
though they often fall short, yet never exceed in grandeur the 
real truth of things, how splendid must be the real nature of 
matter if the Thomsonian hypothesis turns out to be inadequate 
and untrue. 
I have now endeavoured to introduce you to the simplest concep- 
tion of the material universe which has yet occurred to man. 
The conception that is of one universal substance, perfectly 
homogeneous and continuous and simple in structure, extending 
to the furthest limits of space of which we have any knowledge, 
existing equally everywhere. Some portions either at rest or in 
simple irrotational motion transmitting the undulations which 
we call light. Other portions in rotational motion, in vortices 
that is, and differentiated permanently from the rest of the 
medium by reason of this motion. 
These whirling portions constitute what we call matter ; their 
motion gives them rigidity, and of them our bodies and all other 
material bodies with which we are acquainted are built up. 
One continuous substance filling all space: which can vibrate 
as light ; which can be sheared into positive and negative electri- 
city; which in whirls constitutes matter; and which transmits 
by continuity, and not by impact, every action and reaction of 
which matter is capable. This is the modern view of the ether 
and its functions. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE 
CAMBRIDGE.—Lord Rayleigh has resumed his course of 
lectures on Electrical Measurements. 
Dr. Gaskell’s lectures this term deal with the Physiology of 
the Circulation; Mr. Langley is lecturing on the Physiology of 
Muscle and Nerve, and the Histology and Pathology of the 
Secretory Organs. 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences, Nos. 
2-5, 1881-82.—Outlines of the geology of the North-eastern 
West India Islands, by Prof. Cleve. —The excavation of the bed 
of the Kaaterskill, New York, by Dr. Julien.—On the cell- 
doctrine and the bioplasson doctrine, by Prof. Elsberg.—The 
discovery of the North Pole practicable, by Commander Cheyne. 
—The volcanic tuffs of Challis, Idaho, and other western locali- 
ties, by Dr. Jullien.—The mammoth cave of Kentucky, by Mr. 
Stevens.—On the determination of the heating-surface required 
in steam pipes employed to produce any required discharge of 
air through ventilating chimneys, by Prof. Trowbridge.—On a 
peculiar coal-like transformation of peat, recently discovered at 
Scranton, Penn., by Prof. Fairchild.—The parallel drift-hills of 
Western New York, by Dr. Johnson.—Hypothetical high tides 
as agents of geological action, by Dr. Newberry.—The inter- 
national time-system, by Prof. Rees. The moral bearing of 
recent physical theories, by Prof. Martin.—The discovery of 
emeralds in South Carolina, by Mr. Hidden.—Obituary notice 
of Prof. J. W. Draper.—On the behaviour of steam in the 
steam-engine cylinder, and on curves of efficiency, by Prof. 
Thurston.—Stereoscopic notes, by Prof. Hines. —A new rever- 
sible stereoscope, by Mr. Stevens.—Diphenylamine-acrolein, by 
Prof. Leeds. 
Annalen der Physik und Chemie, No. 1, 1883.—On the radi- 
ometer, by E. Pringsheim.—A wave-length measurement in the 
ultra-red solar spectrum, by the same.—Fluorescence according 
to Stokes’ law, by E, Hagenbach.—The isogyrous surfaces of 
doubly-refractive crystals ; general theory of the curves of like 
direction of vibration, by E. Lommel.—On the heat-conducting 
power of liquids, by L. Graetz.—On the ratio of the specific 
heats in gases and vapours, by P. A. Miiller.—The product of 
internal friction and galvanic conduction of liquids is constant 
with reference to the temperature, by L. Grossmann.—On M. | 
Guebhard’s proposed method of determination of equipotential 
lines, by H. Meyer.—Further researches on the relation of mole- 
cular refraction of liquid compounds to thcir chemicai constita- 
tion, by H. Schréder.—On the preservation of oxygen gas in 
the zinc-gasometer, by J. Loewe. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LONDON 
Royal Society, January 11.—‘‘On the Skeleton of the 
Marsipobranch Fishes. Part I. The Myxinoids (A/yxine and 
Bdellostoma).” By W. K. Parker, F.R.S. Abstract. 
In their cranio-facial skeleton the Myxinoids are very remark- 
able ; where segmentation is perfect in other fishy types there 
they only exhibit a lattice-work of continuous growth; in the 
median region of the skull-base, where other types show but 
little or only temporary distinctness of parts, these fishes develop 
and retain large independent cartilages. 
The lamprey has a large superficial basket-work of soft car- 
tilage (extra-branchial), and its giil-pouches keep this related 
to the rest of the structures of the mouth and throat. But in the 
Myxinoids the basket-work is 7#’va-branchial, and corresponds 
to the system of segmented arches of the higher Cartilaginous, 
the Ganoid, and the Osseous fishes. But these non-segmented 
arches soon lose all relation to the branchial pouches. which are 
removed so far backwards that they begin under the /wentietk 
myotome ; whilst the end of the pericardium is under the fortieth. 
In seeking light upon the primordial condition of the Verte- 
brata, one naturally looks to such forms as the Myxinoids. For 
in these types, even in the adult state, there are neither limbs 
nor vertebree, and no distinction between head and body, except 
the beginning, in the head, of a cartilaginous skull ; a continuous 
structure—not showing the least sign of secondary segmentation, 
and by far the greater part of which is in front of the notochord, 
or axis of the organi-m. But here our gvadational work agrees 
with the developmental, for the continuous skull-bars constantly 
arise before the secondary cartilaginous segments that are found 
between the myotomes behind the head. Evidently, therefore, 
the early ‘‘ Craniata” grew supports to tke enlarged and sub- 
divided front end of their neural axis, long before anything 
beyond strong fibrous septa were developed between the muscular 
segments of the body. As for the linear growth, the greater or 
less extension backwards of the main organs—circulatory, 
respiratory, digestive, urogenital—that, in the evolution of the 
primary form, was a thing to be determined by the “surround- 
ings” of the type. ‘‘ Thereafter as ¢hey may be” was the 
tentative idea in this case. 
Certainly, in the Marsipobranchs and in their relations, the 
larval ‘‘ Anura,” we have the most archaic ‘‘Craniata” now 
existing ; in these the organs may be extended far backwards in 
a vermiform creature, as in these low fishes, or kept well swung 
beneath the head—the body and tail together forming merely a 
propelling organ, as is seen in Tadpoles, especially the gigantic 
Tadpole of Pseudis, 
Thus we see that in low limbless types there is no necessity 
for the development of more than fibrous “‘ metameres’’; but 
the vesicular brain, the suctorial lips, the branchial pouches, and 
the special organs of sense—these all call for support from some 
tissue more dense than a mere fibrous mat or web. In the 
Myxinoids we find that four special modifications of the con- 
nective tissue series are developed for the support of the properly 
cephalic organs, and for them only; thus these fishes are 
Craniata, but are not Vertebrata ; that is, if we stick to the 
letter, which of course we do not. 
At first some disappointment is felt, after careful study of 
these types, for, notwithstanding the low level in which they 
remain, they are mere specialised Ammocetes, keeping on the 
same ‘‘ platform” as the larval Lamprey; yet some parts of 
their organisation do undergo a marvellous amount of trans- 
formation, and are, indeed, as much specialised in conformity 
with their peculiar habits of life as any Vertebrates whatever, the 
highest not excepted. 
Yet, on the whole, the Msxinoids are a sort of Ammocetine 
type, whilst the transformed Ammoccete, the larval Lamprey, 
comes nearest to the untransformed Frog or Toad—the Zadfole, 
But the mere putting of this shows (suggests at any rate) what 
Josses the fauna of the world has sustained during the evolution 
of the Craniate forms; ow, the Myxinoids, Petromyzoids, and 
anurous Amphibia, must all be kept ‘‘ within call” of each 
other ; but the types thathaye been culled out between them 
