354 
NATURE 
[ Fed. 8, 1883 
electric machines, and on electric lights, by M. Potier.—On 
electric shadows and on various connected phenomena, by M. 
Righi.—On the surface of the wave, by M. Doyen.—Demons- 
tration of the principle of Archimedes for bodies immersed in 
various gases, by M. Terquem. 
Atti della R. Accademia dei Lincet. Transunti, Vol. xvii., 
fasc, 1.—On attenuation of the carbuncular virus, by S. Perron- 
cito.—On the tenacity of the carbuncular virus in its forms of 
spores, or of Bacillus.anthracts, by the same —On the presence 
of yttrium in the sphene of syenite of Biellese, by S. Cossa.— 
New Sicilian fungi, by Srs. Passerini and Beltiami.—On some 
unpublished propositions of Fermat, by M. Henry.—On the 
action of chloride of cyanogen on the potassic compound of 
pyrrol, by Srs. Ciamician, and Dennstedt. 
Vol. xvii. Fasc. 2,—On a class of triple systems of orthogonal 
surface, by S. Bianchi.—Observations of the Venus transit at 
the Observatory of Campidoglio, by S. Respighi—Reports on 
prize competitions. 
Reale Istituto Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere. Rendiconti. 
Vol. xv. Fasc. xviii—On compensatory hypertrophy of the 
kidneys, by S. Golgi.—On drunkenness in Milan (continued), by 
S. Verga. 
Fasc. xix.—Prof. Giacci’s ‘‘ Fundamental theorem in the 
theory of the canonical equations of motion,” by S. Morera.—On 
drunkenness in Milan (continued), by S. Verga.—On olivil and 
some of its transformations, by Srs. KOrmer and Carnelutti..— 
Congenital pachydactylia from a psychical impression in the 
mother, by S. Scarenzio.—Observation of the transit of Venus 
at the Royal Observatory of Brera, on December 6, 1881, by S. 
Schiaparelli.—Bacteria of anthrax in the foetus of a heifer that 
died of the disease, by S. Sangalli. Discussion with S. Golgi. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LONDON 
Royal Society, February 1.—‘‘On the Affinities of Thyla- 
coleo,” by Prof. Owen, C.B., F.R.S., &c.—Since the appear- 
ance of Part IV. of the ‘‘ Fossil Mammals of Australia” in the 
Philosophical Transactions for 1871, the author has omitted no 
opportunity of promoting the acquisition of additional evidences. 
The application of a grant by the Legislature of New South 
Wales, in aid of further exploration of the Limestone Caverns 
in Wellington Valley, having been confided to Ed. P. Ramsay, 
F.L.S., the results have furnished the author with additional 
evidences, including those which form the subject of the present 
communication. Aftera brief exposition of the state of the ques- 
tion at the date of the previous paper, a description is given of 
the complete dentition of the upper and lower jaws of a mature 
marsupial lion. This is followed by descriptions of the anti- 
brachial bones and ungual phalanges of the same extinct animal, 
the characters of those parts of theskeleton being compared with 
the same parts in feline mammals and in the existing kinds of 
diprotodont marsupials. The paper concludes with a description 
of an entire mandible ; and the conclusions to be drawn from the 
shape and position of the articular condyles, which harmonise 
with those deducible from fragmentary fossils previously de- 
scribed, go nearly to complete the reconstruction of what the 
author deems to be the most extraordinary of the extinct pouched 
quadrupeds of Australia, 
The paper was accompanied by drawings of the natural size 
of the fossils described. 
In the subsequent discussion the author remarked on the cor- 
respondence of spelean phenomena, the proportion of the remains 
of the old British lion in bone caves of this country being paral- 
leled by that of the Australian carnivore in the antipodean caves, 
They were the retreat of the destroyer in both localities ; and the 
fragmentary, gnawed condition of the remains of the prey, with 
usual immaturity of the captured kangaroos of great size, the 
Diprotodon australis, e.g., afforded an instructive analogy. 
‘Preliminary Note on a Theory of Magnetism based upon 
New Experimental Researches.” By Prof. D. E. Hughes, 
F.R.S. 
In the year 1879 (Proc. Roy. Soc., vol. xxix. p. 56, 1879) I 
communicated to the Royal Society a paper ‘‘ On an Induction 
Currents Balance and Experimental Researches made therewith.” 
I continued my researches into the molecular construction of 
metallic bodies, and communicated the results then obtained in 
three separate papers (Prec. Roy. Soc., vol. xxxi. p. 5255 vol. 
Xxxii, pp. 25, 213, 1881) bearing upon molecular magnetism. 
To investigate the molecular construction of magnets, required 
again special forms of apparatus, and I have since been engaged 
upon these, and the researches which they have enabled me to 
follow. 
From numerous researches I have gradually formed a theory 
of magnetism entirely based upon experimental results, and 
these have led me to the following conclusions :— 
mri. That each molecule of a piece of iron, steel, or other 
magnetic metal is a separate and independent magnet, having its 
two poles and distribution of magnetic polarity exactly the same 
as its total evident magnetism when noticed upon a steel bar- 
magnet, 
2. That each molecule, or its polarity, can be rotated in either 
direction upon its axis by torsion, stress, or by physical forces, 
such as magnetism and electricity. 
3. That the inherent polarity or magnetism of each molecule 
is a constant quantity like gravity; that it can neither be 
augmented nor destroyed. 
4. That when we have external neutrality, or no apparent 
magnetism, the molecules, or their polarities, arrange themselves 
so as to satisfy their mutual attraction by the shortest path, and 
thus form a complete closed circuit of attraction. 
5. That when magnetism becomes evident, the molecules or 
their polarities have all rotated symmetrically in a given direction, 
producing a north pole if rotated in this direction as regards the 
piece of steel, or asouth pole if rotated in the opposite directionn. 
Also, that in evident magnetism, we have still a symmetrical 
arrangement, but one whose circles of attraction are not 
completed except through an external armature joining both 
poles. 
The experimental evidences of the above theory are extremely 
numerous, and appear so conclusive, that I have ventured upon 
formulating the results in the above theory. 
I hope ina few weeks to bring before the Royal Society the 
experimental evidence which has led me to the conclusions I 
have named; conclusions which have not been arrived at 
hastily, but from a long series of research upon the molecular 
construction of magnetism now extending over several years. 
Linnean Society, January 18.—Sir John Lubbock, Bart., 
F.R.S., president, in the chair.—E. A. L. Batters, A. J 
Burrows, E. F. Cooper, Prof. J. A. Harker, and G. Lewis, 
were elected Fellows of the Society.—Mr. H. Grooves called 
attention to a specimen of Ranunculus ophioglossifolius obtained 
in Hampshire, and therefore new to Britain.—There was 
exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Jas. Romanis, a live specimen of 
Pieris Rape, which had been found fluttering on the window of 
his house a few days previously.—A paper was read on the fall 
of branchlets in the aspen (Populus tremula) by Samuel G. 
Shattock. He shows that in this tree and some few others—in 
contradiction to the majority of exogenous trees—a process takes 
place termed ‘‘cladoptopsis” by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley 
many years ago. In the small branchlets only disarticula- 
tion is effected by a swollen ring of corky tissue at the 
base, somewhat as in the ordinary fall of leaves.—Mr. A. G. 
Bourne gave a contribution on the anatomy of Polynoina, 
pointing out that the Polynoé grubiana, wery common in the 
Mediterranean, is only a variety of the P. c/ava, Montague, 
of our own coasts. The latter itself has certain constant cha- 
racteristics, and others much more variable.—Prof. P. Martin 
Duncan read his observations on the Madreporaria, fam, Fungi- 
dze, with special reference to the hard structures. Edwards and 
Haime described the synapticula as constituting an essential 
family structure, and also the absence of endothecal dissepi- 
ments, Dr. Duncan describes that the ridges of the continuous 
synapticula with canals between them is limited by solid and 
also perforate septa, and he delineates the structures. The 
synapticula are shown to have no relation to the ornamentation 
on the ridges of the septa. The basal wall is shown to be of 
synapticular origin, and the foramina in it to relate to the growth 
of these binding structures. 
Physical Society, January 27.—Prof. Clifton, president, in 
the chair.—New Member, Mr. Hugh E. Harrison.—Prof. G. 
Carey Foster read a paper on the determination of the chm, in 
which he desoribed the various methods which have been used 
and proposed in determining the B.A. unit of resistance. He 
also described a method of his own, proposed in 1874, and 
recently tried with good results. The method consists in 
balancing the E.M.F. set up in a coil of wire by spinning it in 
the earth’s magnetic field, against the E.M.F, of a battery or 
