476 
NATURE 
| March 15, 1883 
study of refrigeration of the human body in hyperthermic dis- } 
eases, especially typhoid fever, by M. du Montpellier. He 
indicates the useful effects of his cooling apparatus. —Researches 
on the division of acids and bases in solution by the method 
of congelation of the solvents, by M. Raoult.—On the rela- 
tions between covariants, &c. (continued), by M. Perrin.— 
On the theory of uniform functions, by M. Goursat.—Note on 
a point of the theory of continuous periodic fractions, by M. de 
Jonquiéres.—Remarks on a communication of M. de Char- 
donnet on the vision of ultra-violet radiations, by M. Mascart. 
He thinks the conclusions too absolute ; he showed some years 
ago that ordinary sight habitually perceives the whole ultra-violet 
solar spectrum as lavender grey, and some eyes see even further. 
—On the increase of intensity of scintillation of stars during 
auroras, by M. Montigny. (Already noted elsewhere,)—On the 
production of apatites and of bromised Waynerites with lime 
base, by M. Ditte.— Researches on thé action of zinc-ethyl on 
amines and phosphines; new method of characterising the 
nature of these bodies, by M, Gal.—On the products of decom- 
position by water of fluoborised acetone a, by M. [.andolf.—On 
neutralisation of glycolic acid by bases, by M. de Forcrand.— 
On a new base of the quinoleic series, phenol-quinoleine, by M. 
Grimaux.—Derivatives of strychnine, by M. Hanriot. He 
describes a new dinitro-strychnine, also diamido-strychnine.-—On 
sul) hocyanacetone, by MM. Vcherniac and Hellon.—Chloro- 
nitrated camphor, by M. Cazeneuve.—On the ice plant, by M. 
Heckel. His observations some years ago agree with those of 
M. Mangon.—Researches on the chromatophores of the Sepio/a 
Rondeletiit, by M. Girod. He regards the protoplasm of the 
pigmentary cell as the agent of extension ; the basilar cell pro- 
ducing contraction.—On the disease of saffrons known as Zacon, 
by M. Prillieux —On an inversion of temperature observed at a 
point of the Alps on December 27, 1882, by M. Henry. M. 
Broch noted a similar case near Christiania, where a rich banker 
has a chalet at a height of 408m. In winter the temperature 
there is often about zero, while at Christiania it is 10 or 15 
degrees below zero.—M,. Daubrée indicated the contents of a 
new publication from Lima, Azadles de Construcciones civiles y de 
Minas del Peri. 
March 5.—M. Blanchard in the chair.—The following papers 
were read :—Observations of the satellites of Neptune, of 
Uranus, and of Saturn, with the equatorial of the eastern tower 
of Paris Observatory, by MM. Henry; Note by M. Mouchez. 
A new objective having been put in the instrument (acquired in 
1849, under Arago) renders it the best instrument the Observa- 
tory has ever had. —Nebulz discovered, &c. (continued), by M. 
Stephan.—The prolific power of virulent agents that are 
attenuated by heat, and the transmission by generation of the 
attenuating influence of a first heating, by M, Chauveau. The 
attenuation does not involve any alteration of the vitality or pro- 
lific power of the agents deprived, by heat, of their infectious 
properties. It is also shown that the influence is not merely 
individual, but may appear in the properties of new agents 
arising through proliferation of the protoplasm which has been 
directly subject to it,—M. de Lesseps stated that he was about 
to go to the region of the North African Chotts for a month, to 
consider the investigations of M. Roudaire.—A letter from M. 
Nordenskjold referred to his intended departure for Greenland 
in August. He believes that vast regions covered with perpetual 
ice are a physical impossibility on our globe south of the 8oth 
degree of N. lat., and goes to the interior of Greenland to test 
this view.—On the importance of the 7é/e of inhibition in 
therapeutics, by M. Brown-Séquard. A morbid activity will 
disapjear suddenly, or nearly so, on irritation at some point (to 
be souzht) more or less distant from that at which the activity 
prevails. —Practical use of sulpho-carbonate of potassium against 
Phylloxera in the south of France, by M. Culeron—On the 
perturbations of Saturn due to the action of Jupiter, by M. 
Gaillot.—Observations of the great comet of September, 1882 
(Il. 1882), made at the Observatory of the Transit of Venus 
Mission at Martinique, by M. Bigourdan.—Observations of the 
new comet (Brooks and Swift) made at Paris Observatory (equa- 
torial of the western tower), by the same.—Observations of the 
same comet at Lyons Observatory with the 6-inch Brunner equa- 
torial, by M. Gonessiat. The comet appeared as a bright, 
nearly round nebulosity, with nucleus well condensed. In a 
clear sky, a straight tail of about 13’ long was observed. (M. 
Bigourdan es\imates the brightness as about that of a star of 
6th or 7th magnitude.)—On the approximation of sums of | 
numerical functions, by M. Halphen.—On the series of poly- | 
nomes, by M. Poincaré.—On the trajectories of differeut points 
of a connecting-rod in motion, by M. Léauté.—On the theory 
of electromagnetic machines, by M. Joubert. He calls atten- 
tion to the loss of work in continuous-current machines 
through change of direction of the current in the coils of 
the ring.—On a new collimator, by M. Thollon. The slit 
is made to take any direction, while its image remains 
fixed. This is effected by means of a total-reflection prism 
placed behind the slit, with its hypothenuse face parallel both to 
the axis of the collimator and to the slit.—Dissociation of the 
bromhydrate of pkosphuretted hydrogen, by M. Isambert.—On 
sulphuric chlorhydrate, by M. Ogier.—On chloride of pyro- 
sulphuryl, by the same.—Heat of formation of solid glycolates, 
by M. de Forecrand.—On the hydrocarbons of peats, by M. 
Durin. From an examination of fresh mosses, he thinks it 
probable (with M. Dumas) that the hydrocarbons of peat are 
not formed during vegetal decomposition, but that they existed 
already in the mosses which formed the peat.—Experiments 
proving that sanguineous concretions, formed at the surface ot 
an injured part of vessels, begin with a deposit of hematoblasts, 
by M. Hayen.—On the chromatophores of Cephalopoda, by M. 
Blanchard. He holds that they do not differ at all in general 
structure from those of fishes, batrachians, and esyecially 
saurians (chameleon). The chromatophore is a sort of amceba 
charged with pigment, living for itself and independent of the 
skin which imprisons it; it is, however, under the influence of 
the nervous system. The radiating fibres are mere fibres of con- 
nective tissue, and M. Blanchard has never (like M. Girod) 
found them to vary in form with the chromatophore.—On a 
flagellate Infusoria, ectoparasite of fishes, by M. Henneyuy. 
This was observed on trout. The name Bodo necator is given 
provisionally. —On the Gretacee of the coal formation of Rive- 
de-Gier, by M. Renault.—Selenetropism of plants, by M. 
Musset. Plants of phototropic sensibility were grown from 
seeds in pots in a very dark place; then, on three nights, exposed 
at a window to direct moonlight ; the stems bent over towards 
the moon, and followed it in its course. 
« BERLIN 
Physical Society, February 16.—Prof. Kirchhoff in the 
chair.—Prof. Krech described at length a spectrophotometer 
which he had made in 1872, and with which, in the years 1873, 
1874, 1875, and 1876, he had made a large number of observa- 
tions for verification of the theory of the apparatus and deter- 
mination of its errors. The theory of the instrument and the 
improvements proposed were fully gone into ; the experiments 
had been made before Herr Glau had described his spectropho- 
tometer. 
CONTENisS PAGE 
TuHE ZooLoGICAL STATION IN NapcLes. By J. T. CUNNINGHAM 453 
Eprtnc Forsst. By Prof. G. S. BoutGer Sa cae 455 
Perry’s ‘ Pracricat Mecuanics.”’ By Dr. J. F. Main 456 
Our Book SHELF:— 
Friele’s ‘‘ Der Norske nord-hass-expedition, 1876-1878."—Dr. J. 
Gwyn Jerraeys, F.R.S. . OR LANE SES g'cp a Rae ee 7, 
Penhallow’s ‘‘ Tables for the Use of Students and Beginners in 
Vegetable Histology”’ . ‘ 458 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR :— 
The Matter of Space. —Prof. A. S. HerscHet (With Diagram). 458 
Terrestrial Radiation and Prof. Tyndall’s Observations. —Dr. A. 
Wosikor! 63 27.6 eal aoa, cep eee eee ee. 
Diurnal Variation in the Velocity of the Wind.—E. Doucras 
ARCHIBALD. . + ~ war we Mw he tet, Dehn she FEA en Oe 
The Large Meteor of March 2, 1883.—W. F. Denninc; J. L. J. 461 
On the Movements of Air in Fissures and the Barometer.— A. 
STRAHAN OPE Ad dee 46 
Tue Pirr-Rivers COLLECTION . 461 
Joun RICHARD GREEN . Aero woe om oro mot cor Ae cle 
Tue Botany oF THE ‘CHALLENGER’ ExPEpITION. By W. 
Borrinc HEMSLEY a ee nein ene Sr acsane aes eae 
Tue Suares oF Leaves, II. By Grant ALLEN (With Illustrations) 464 
On THE NATURE OF INHIBITION, AND THE ACTION OF DRUGS UPON 
iT, III. By Dr. T. Lauper Brunton, F.R.S. 467 
NOMES) gp - met  eles mies he CREE Oe oO 468 
GroGRAPHY OF THE CAUCASUS. - + = = : 470 
Unsiversiry AND EpUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE . 472 
Screntrric'SRRIAIS: 2 s+ + 2 5 * © = * «© a 8 > ate 473 
Socmetigs AND ACADEMIES . - - + + + © © + + © # @ + 473 
