500 
NATURE 
[March 22, 1883 
secondly, that the cutaneous muscles are derived from superficial 
layers of the common muscular stratum: Thirdly, the author 
considered the connection between muscle and nerve-supply, 
illustrating his remarks by diagrams.—A communication was 
read from the Rev. H. S. Gorham, F.Z.S., containing the 
descriptions of some new species of Coleoptera belonging to the 
family Erotylidz. Twenty-nine new species of this family were 
described, of which ten were from the Philippine Islands, three 
were from the Andaman Islands, two from Assam, two from 
the Malay district, six from Africa, and six from Peru. The 
species treated of belonged chiefly to the subfamilies Zxcaustiné 
and Dacnini, the author reserving the remaining subfamilies for a 
future communication.—Dr. Gwyn Jeffreys read the sixth part 
of his communications on the Mollusca procured during the 
Lightning and Porcupine Expeditions. This included an account 
of the specimens of the groups of Scéssevella, Trochus, Turbo, and 
part of Zztforina, referable altogether to seventy species. Four 
genera and twenty species were for the first time described as new. 
—A communication was read from Mr. H. O. Forbes, F.Z.S., 
describing a species of scarlet JZyzomela obtained in the Island 
of Boeroe, one of the Ceram group.—Mr. G, A. Boulenger read 
a paper on the Geckos of New Caledonia. The object of the 
author in preparing this paper was that it might serve as a guide 
to the identification of the Geckotidaee of New Caledonia, and 
at the same time bring the synonymy into order, To this end 
the author had compared the typical specimens in the Museums 
of Brest, Lisbon, Paris, and Brussels with those in the British 
Museum, and had given short descriptions of every species taken 
from typical or well-authenticated speciinens. The number of 
species of Geckotidze actually known from New Caledonia was 
fourteen: of these two were recorded for the first time, one 
being new to science. 
Geological Society, February 21.—J. W. Hulke, F.R.S 
president, in the chair.—Rey. John Birks, Capt. James Scott 
Black, John Bradford, Thomas Alexis Dash, Henry Lewis, and 
Thomas Morris were elected Fellows of the Society.—The fol- 
lowing communications were read :—On the relation of the so- 
called ‘‘ Northampton Sand” of North Oxfordshire to the 
Clypeus-Grit, by Edwin A. Walford, F.G.S.—Results of ob- 
servations in 1882 on the positions of boulders relatively to the 
underlying and surrounding ground in North Wales and North- 
West Yorkshire ; with remarks on the evidence they furnish of 
the recency of the close of the Glacial period, by D. Mackintosh, 
F.G.S. ‘The author entered into a consideration of the time 
which has elapsed since the close of the Glacial period, and 
stated the main results of his observations as follows :—1. That 
the average vertical extent of the denudation of limestone rocks 
around boulders has not been more than six inches. 2. That 
the average vate of the denudation has not been less than one 
inch ina thousand years, 3. That a period of not more than 
six thousand years has elapsed since the boulders were left in 
their present positions by land ice, floating-ice, or both.—Notes 
on the Corals and Bryozoans of the Wenlock Shales (Mr. Maw’s 
washings), by G. R. Vine. Communicated by Prof. P. Martin 
Duncan, F.R.S. 
Entomological Society, March 7.—Mr. J. W. Dunning, 
M.A., F.L.S., president, in the chair.—Three new members 
were elected.—Exhibitions : A specimen of Po/istes hebreus, 
Fabr., an East Indian wasp, captured alive in one of the London 
docks, by Mr. R. McLachlan ; Two British Ichneumons, and an 
orthopterous insect (Copiophora cornuta, De Geer) from Central 
America, by Mr. T. R. Billups; A preparation showing the 
structure of the thorax in a large beetle (Chalcolepidius porcatus, 
Linn.), by Dr. D. Sharp.—Paper read: ‘‘ Further additions to 
Mr. Marshall’s Catalogue of British Zchmeumonida,” by Mr. J. 
B. Bridgman. 
Physical Society, March 10,—Prof. G. C. Foster in the 
chair.—New Member, Major W. S. Boileau.x—Mr. Shellford 
Bidwell read a paper on a new method of measuring resistances 
with constant currents. It consists in placing a resistance-box 
in the arm of the bridge which afterwards has to contain the 
unknown resistance. A balance is effected by unplugging re- 
sistance in this box. The unknown resistance is then inserted 
in the same arm, and the balance restored by plugging resistance 
out of the box. The amount plugged out equals the unknown 
resistance.—Prof, F. Guthrie made a communication on liquid 
slabs. Films of liquid, spread out like a flattened drop on a 
solid surface, are found by the author to have a thickness which 
is a physical constant for the same liquid, provided the area is 
very great in proportion to the thickness. Sodium amalgam 
inserted in a mercury slab causes it to spread out further. Prof. 
Guthrie also finds that an electric current increases the diffusion 
of sodium amalgam through mercury in the direction of the 
current.—Mr, Baily suggested that, as the diffusion produces a 
current, an opposing current might be found to stop the dif- 
fusion. Mr, Stanley said the largest water-drop he had measured 
was one-fifth of an inch in diameter. 
EDINBURGH 
Mathematical Society, March 12.—Mr. J. S. Mackay, 
M.A., F.R.S.E., president, in the chair.—Prof. Chrystal, in 
his address on ‘Present Fields of Mathematical Research,” 
remarked at the outset that the times seemed peculiarly suitable 
for the foundation of such a society in Scotland where, as in 
England and America, the tide of mathematical research had 
certainly begun to flow. The direct effect of the work of the 
society would be to keep alive the interest of its members in 
mathematics, and especially, by division of labour, to benefit the 
teacher whose daily tasks leave him somewhat unfitted to under- 
take in moments of leisure the reading necessary to keep him 
abreast of the time. Further, such benefits would surely 
extend their influence to the improvement of secondary educa- 
tion in Scotland. The lines along which members might advan- 
tageou:ly work were then indicated in a suggestive sketch of the 
history in modern times of geometry and algebra. Descartes’ 
system of analytical geometry was the first great step, though 
for long it remained simply a series of solutions of special 
problems. The discovery and development of the calculus no 
doubt kept analytical geometry for a time in the background ; 
but there is every reason to believe that great progress in deve- 
loping geometrical methods was effected by Pascal, Desargues, 
Newton, and Maclaurin. With them originated the idea of 
projection, which was systematised into a powerful geometrical 
method by Mongeand his disciples, Poncelet, Chasles, Brianchon, 
and others. Monge also, however, established the analytical 
side of geometry, as well as the synthetic, upon an independent 
basis ; his work has been ably supplemented by Dupin and 
others, and more especially by Pliicker. The treatment by the 
latter geometer of the singularities of higher plane curves, his 
introduction of the abridged notation, and his invention of the 
system of line geometry, have been developed each into an 
extensive branch of mathematics. At the same time algebra 
has been differentiating itself into well-marked parts. The 
theories of forms, of equations, of substitutions, and of de- 
terminants have been greatly developed by Abel, Jacobi, 
Galois, Cayley, Sylvester, Jordan, Clifford, and others. The 
address concluded with a reference to the theory of transcendents 
and the closely-related properties of the complex variable. A 
hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Prof, Chrystal on the 
motion of Prof. Blyth of Glasgow, seconded by Mr. Muir of 
Glasgow. 
CONTENTS PAGE 
PATHOLOGICAL ANATOMY. . an eet celts: OL) 
Ensittace. By Prof. Joun Wricurson - eo) ete lol Pesenel cone rane eS 
Our Boox SHELF:— 
Adamson's ** Another Book of Asie peneipally relating to 
Natural History” .. . Poorer oC 
Lerrers To THE EDITOR :— 
Incubation of the Ostrich.—Grorce J. Romangs, F.R.S. . . . 480 
Difficult Cases of Mimicry.—ALFRED R. Watiace; R. MELDOLA 481 
On the Value of the ‘‘Neoarctic”’ as one of the Primary Zoological 
Regions.—ALFRED R. WALLACE . 482 
A Remarkable Phenomenon—Natural Snowballs. —Samurt HART 483 
The Late Transit of Venus.—Samuet HArT. .... .« - 483 
-Rankine’s “ Rules and Tables.”"—W. J. MILttar . . ens Cs} 
Meteors.—THOMAS MasHEDER; Henry CECIL. - .« 483 
Tue BririsH CIRCUMPOLAR ExPEDITION. By Capt. Dawson, R ane 484 
On THE NaTuRE OF INHIBITION, AND THE ACTION OF DRUGS UPON 
1T, IV. By Dr. T. LaupER BRUNTON, ERS): 485 
ben Nevis ORSEEUSIOER: By Crement LINDLEY Wracce (With 
Illustrations) . fous . 487 
HyproGen WHISTLES. “By FRANCIS Garton, FR. Ss) 401 
PRELIMINARY NOTE ON THE BAcILLUS OF TUBERCLE (Kocn). “By 
J: W; Crake. 492 
THe SHaPES OF Leaves, Ill. By Grant ALLEN (With Mlustrations) 492 
Norges. . . A  )>aaos 
Our AsTRoNoMICAL COLUMN !— 
The Observatory at Melbourne. : = ia 8 OD 
The Suppesed Variable Doradtis—a Spurious S Star PM ton oF ks 
The Comet of 1812. . . pe) te eae 
InsECTS VisITING FLOWERS . .« us) eee Boo Vs 
Us1VERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE a eee 2 og Peeps 
j SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES i. ae ; 
