428 
NATURE 
| March 1, 1883 
F.R.S., Prof. F. Fuller, M.A., Mr. R. T. Glazebrook, M.A., 
F.R.S., Mr. R. J. Lecky, F.R.A.S., Prof. O, J. Lodge, D.Sc., 
Mr. Hugo Miiller, Ph.D., F.R-S., Prof. J. Perry. New 
Member: Prof. Blyth of Anderson College, Glasgow.—Prof. 
Sylvanus P. Thomson explained his new graphical method of 
showing Jacobi’s law of maximum rate of working, and Siemens’s 
law of efficiency for dynamo-electric machines. This has been 
fully explained in the Phz/osophical Magazine and in the Cantor 
lectures on Dynamo electric Machinery, delivered by Prof. 
Thomson. Prof. W. G. Adams pointed out ‘the advantages of 
a graphic system of the kind. 
The Institution of Civil Engineers.—February 20, Mr. 
Brunlees, president, in the chair. The paper read was on 
** Covered Service-Reservoirs,” by Mr. William Morris, M. Inst. 
C.E. (of Deptford). 
EDINBURGH 
Royal Society, February 5.—Prof. Jenkin, F.R.S., vice- 
president, in the chair.—Emeritus Professor Blackie, ina paper on 
scientific method in the study of language, maintained that the 
true way to learn a foreign Janguage was to learn it in the way a 
child learns its native language—conversationally ; and that this 
method should be adopted for the teaching of the dead lan- 
guages as well as for modern ones. Simple sentences express- 
ing facts with which the pupil is in direct contact, the grammati- 
cal rule for construction being given after the construction is 
practically mastered by repetition, should lead by insensible 
gradations to more complicated sentences and ideas. The paper 
finished with some characteristic remarks about quantity and 
accent in Latin and Greek, which called forth criticism from 
Prof. Butcher and Mr. Marshall, Rector of the High School.— 
Prof. Tait, in a short note on the mirage problem, mentioned 
that he had come across a paper in Gorgonne’s Azmna/en criti- 
cising Biot’s great paper upon the subject. Thinking that pos- 
sibly he might have been forestalled in some of his theorems, 
he had looked into the paper, the author of which, however, in 
attacking Biot, had given a construction which, if applied to the 
case of ordinary desert-mirage, would give a direct instead of 
an inverted image. Mr. Sang, in his criticisms on the paper, 
maintained that such mirage as was said to have been observed 
by Vince was impossible. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, February 19.—M. Blanchard in the 
chair.—The following papers were read :—Observations of 
small planets, made with the large meridian instrument of the 
Paris Observatory, during the fourth quarter of 1882, by M. 
Mouchez.—Results of experiments made in the workshops of 
the Chemin de fer du Nord, on M. Deprez’s electric transport of 
work to a great distance, by M. Tresca (See p. 399).—Note on 
the theorem of Legendre cited in a note inserted in Comptes 
vendus, by Prof. Sylvester.—Report on a memoir of M. Rosen- 
stiehl, entitled ‘‘ Researches on the Colouring-matters of Mad- 
der,” by M. Wurtz. JZzter alia, M. Rosenstieh] has found a 
new mode of formation of purpurine (decomposition of pseudo- 
purpurine by heating with alcohol at 40°), and his discovery of 
the composition of pseudopurpurine (which is really a trioxy- 
carboxyl-anthraquinone) throws much light on several facts that 
were obscure. Madder contains only three glucosides, giving 
respectively. pseudopurpurine, carboxyl-alizaric acid, and mun- 
jistine, or carboxyl-xanthopurpuric acid.—M. Hospitalier pre- 
sented a note on the influence of the mode of coupling of 
dynamo-electric machines in experiments on transport of 
force to a distance.—Observations of the new planet (232) 
Palisa, made at the Paris Observatory, by M. Bigourdan, —Ob- 
servations of the great comet 4 1882, made with the Brunner 
equatorial of Toulouse Observatory, by M. Baillaud.—On a 
curious modification of the nucleus of the great comet, by M. de 
Oliveira Lacaille. On the evening of January 8 the nucleus was 
seen to be much elongated and subdivided into four small nebu- 
losities in a line, with centres like stars of the 12th magnitude. 
At 9.30 a.m, next day there was a change in the relative position : 
the first nebulosity being more separated, and the second having 
taken its place, &c.——On the observation of the transit of Venus 
of 1882 at the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California, 
by Mr. Todd. He got 147 photographs, of which 125 are well 
fitted for micrometric measurement.—On the uniform functions 
of a variable connected by an algebraic relation, by M. Picard.— 
On the relations between co-variants, &c. (continued), by M. 
Perrin.—On the functions of several imaginary variables (con- 
tinued), by M. Combeseure.—On a question of diyisibility, by 
M, de Polignac.—On the equilibrium of the elastic cylinder, by 
M. Schiff.—On crystals observed in the interior of a bar of 
cemented Swedish iron, by M. Stoltzer. These crystals of steel 
are not regular octahedra like those of pig-iron and iron.—On 
the immediate analysis of pozzuolanas, and on a rapid process 
for testing their hydraulic properties, by M. Landrin. The 
rapid process is attack with hydrochloric acid, and trial of the 
insolubles with lime-water. There is no possible comparison 
between the action of pozzuolanas and of their insolubles on 
lime-water.—On sulphocyanopropionine, by MM. Tcherniac 
and Norton.—On allotropic arsenic, by M. Engel. When 
arsenic is isolated by the wet or dry way under about 360’, it is 
amorphous, dark grey, brown, or black, and unalterable in 
moist air ; and its density is between 4°6 and 4°7. Heated to- 
360°, it changes into arsenic with a density of 5°7,—the steel- 
grey arsenic of laboratories, which crystallises when formed 
from condensation of arsenic vapour about 360° or more.—On 
benzoyl-mesitylene, by M. Louise.—Researches on mesitylene, 
by M. Robinet.—Toxical power of quinine and of cinchonine, 
by M. Bochefontaine. The former has more active physio- 
logical properties than the latter. Both are convulsive, cin- 
chonine more than quinine, and quinine is distinguished by its 
yomitive effects and depressing action on the central nervous 
system.—On the value of intercrossing of the movements of 
cerebral origin, by M. Couty. This intercrossing is not con- 
stant, and has not the value that has been attributed to it.— 
Vision of ultra-violet radiations, by M. de Chardonnet. The 
spectrum of the crystalline lens corresponds exactly to that 
ot the visible spectrum, From observations of persons with 
the lens removed, the author concludes that the retina is 
sensitive to ultra-violet radiations that come to it (as well 
as visible radiations), at least to about the line S. Thus 
the crystalline lens alone limits the visible spectrum. The 
absorption of the long ultra-solar spectrum of the elec- 
tric arc probably fatigues the eye.—Researches on the pro- 
duction of monstrosities by shocks imparted to hens’ eggs, 
by M. Dareste. He produced tremors, and so monstrosities, 
by means of a beating apparatus used by chocolate-makers.—On 
the generation of cells of renewal of the epidermis and of epi- 
thelial products, by M. Retterer.—On M. Merejkowski’s Sucto- 
ciliates (second note), by M. Maupas.—On the structure of 
simple subterranean branches of adult Psilotum, by M. Bertrand. 
—On the conservation of solar energy, by M. Duponchel. He 
infers from peculiar circumstances of our epoch that the sun-spot 
period which has varied in the neighbourhood of ten years for 130 
years, will;be extended to fourteen for the present and the two fol- 
lowing periods. The first maximum will be in 1885.—Imitation of 
diffraction-spectra by dispersion, by M. Zenger.—The second 
part of M. Griiner’s geological description of the coal basin of 
the Loire was presented (with analysis) by M. Daubrée. 
CONTENTS Pace 
RecEnT ARMOUR-PLATE EXPERIMENTS . . « + = « 405 
Smoke ABATEMENT. By Dr. E. FRANKLAND, F R.S. 407 
Nortu African Erunotocy. By A. H. Keane . - . 408 
Our Book SHELF:— 
‘*The Electric Lighting Act, 1882". . ... . 410 
LxeTrers To THE Epiror:— 
Ben Nevis Observatory.— Davin MitnE HomME. . «~~ ~~ 418 
Indian Archegosaurus.—RicHarD LYDEKKER . . . . . «|. 412 
A. W. AupDEN; 
The ‘ Vampire Bat.’’—THos. WorKMAN ; 
GrorGce J. RoMANEs, F-RiS. .. 2 ~ - - ws ws GS 41 
Hovering (? Poising) of Birds.—Dr. Huserr Airy; Rev. W. 
CreweENnDIRyiite oh ae a. thee a fete ea 
The Auroral ‘* Meteoric Phenomena’’ of November 17, 1882 — 
T. W. BackxousE; ALFRED Batson A See a 
Aurora. PSB MB res VS SS is oe ee le, Ce ee 
Divrna VARIATION OF THE VELOCITY OF THE WIND ON THE OPEN 
SEA, AND NEAR AND ON LAND. By ALEXANDER BucHan (l/h ith 
Diagram) ioe ae ee ed pee, et ine a) SS 
EPHEMERIS OF THE GREAT Comet, 41882. By Prof. E. Frispy . 415 
ILLusTRATIONS OF NEW OR RarE ANIMALS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL 
Sociery’s Livinc Cotnection, XI... 2. « » = (4) % - &) = S4ES 
Tue Evectric LIGHT ar THE Savoy THEATRE. . . - - -.- ~ 418 
On THE NaTuRE OF INHIBITION, AND TH® ACTION OF DRUGS UPON 
iT. By Dr. T. Lauper Brunton, F.R.S. (With Diagrams) 419 
Nores sagen epee ee SR Ae On ES 422 
Our AsTRONOMICAL CoLUMN?— 
Ceraski’s Variable Star, U Cephei_ - é 424 
The Total Solar Eclipse of 1901, May 17 . 424 
The Variable Star, S Virginis saa 424 
The Binary Star, ¢ Cancni 424 
GEoGRAPHICAL NOTES . . . + - = + =] 424 
Tue OPENING OF THE Fin Bury TECHNICAL COLLEGE 425 
ScrenTiric SERIALS. . - . + «= SS ddl eee Oma 426 
SocimTrEs AND ACADEMIES .- 426 
