May 26, 1870] 
NATURE 
75 
(Hirundinide) of Africa, and pointed out their characters and 
geographical distribution. Particular attention was drawn to 
the affinities of the African //irundinide with those of the New 
World, and also to the representation of various species by 
smaller races or sub-species throughout the AZthiopian region. 
Thirty-eight species of swallows were enumerated, of which 
number thirty were stated to be peculiar to the continent of 
Africa, and two to Madagascar and the adjacent islands. Two 
species only were common to India and Africa, and the remain- 
ing four were, migratory throughoutthe Palearctic and Aithiopian 
regions.—Dr. O. Finsch, C.M.Z.S., communicated the descrip- 
tion of a new species of penguin in the collection of the Counts 
Turati, of Milan, which he proposed to call Dasyrhamphus 
herculis.—Messrs. P. L. Sclater and O. Salvin read descriptions 
of seven new species of birds collected by Dr. Habel during a 
recent expedition to the Galapagos Islands. These new species 
were mostly from Bindloes Island and Abingdon Island, which 
had not been visited by former explorers, and belonged princi- 
pally to a peculiar group of Fringiliide, containing Geospiza and 
its allied forms, which is characteristic of the Galapagoan 
Archipelago.—Mr. P. L. Sclater, F.R.S., read a paper on some 
new or little known species of South American birds, amongst 
which was a new woodpecker, proposed to be called AZelanerfpes 
ulcher, from New Granada.—Prof. Flower, F.R.S., commu- 
nicated some additional notes on the specimen of the common 
fin whale (Physalus antiguorum) recently stranded in Langston 
Harbour.—Prof. Newton read a paper ‘‘on Cricetus megricams 
as an European species,” and exhibited a specimen of this 
mammal which had been lately killed in Bulgaria by Mr. T. 
E. Buckley, F.Z.S., and had been presented by him to the Cam- 
bridge Museum, 
LEEDS 
Philosophical and Literary Society, May 3.—At the an- 
nual meeting, being the close of the fiftieth session of the Leeds 
Philosophical and Literary Society—Dr. Heaton, the retiring 
president, in the chair—it was announced that the following gen- 
tlemen had been elected as officers, council, and members for 
1870-71 :—President, John Deakin Heaton, M.D., F.R.C.P. ; 
Vice-Presidents, C. Chadwick, M.D., F.R.C.P., Thomas Nun- 
neley, F.R.C.S. ; Treasurer, Henry Oxley ; Honorary Secre- 
taries, Thomas Wilson, M.A., Richard Reynolds, F.C.S. ; 
Honorary Curator in Geology, J. G. Marshall, F.G.S. ; Hono- 
rary Curators in Zoology, Edward Atkinson, F.L.S., T. C. All- 
butt, M.A., M.D., F.L.S., F.S A. ; Honorary Curator in 
Ethnology and Works of Art, &c., Thomas Nunneley, F.R.C.S.; 
Honorary Librarian, John Deakin Heaton, M.D., F.R.C.P. 
The above officers, and the following gentlemen, compose the 
Council :—John Edwin Eddison, M.D., E. Filliter, M. Inst. 
C.E., F.G.S., T. M. Greenhow, M.D., Joshua Ingham Ikin, 
F.R.C.S., Rev. J. H. M‘Cheane, M.A., John Manning; T. 
W. Stansfeld, Rev. H. Temple, William Sykes Ward, F.C.S., 
Rev. Canon Woodford, D.D., General Curator and Assistant 
Secretary, Henry Denny, A.L.S. 
Paris 
Academy of Sciences, May 16.—The following mathe- 
matical papers were read :—Researches on pencils of right lines 
and normals, containing a new exposition of the theory of the 
curvature of surfaces, by M. A. Mannheim, communicated by 
M. Bertrand; anote on a peculiar property of the cassinoid with 
3 loci, 7° - 2 mp cos 3 @2= £1, byM. Allegret; and a note on the 
solution of theproblem consisting in finding three whole numbers, 
such that the square of the one shall equal the sum of the 
squares of the othertwo. M. Bertrand also presented a report 
ona memoir by M. Moutard on the theory of partial differential 
equations of the second order.—M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran pre- 
sented some remarks on the spectra of nitrogen, in which, after 
noticing his observations on this subject, he concluded that the 
changes of the spectra of this, and probably of other bodies, 
depend upon variations of temperature rather than of pressure, a 
circumstance which ought to lead to great caution in the astro- 
nomical application of spectrum analysis. —M. Regnault presented 
a note on the maximum of density and the temperature of conge- 
lation of solutions of alcohol in water, by M. F. Rossetti. These 
temperatures decrease in proportion to the amount of alcohol in 
solution. —M, Leray communicated a theory of the elasticity of 
media deduced from the principle that equal currents crossing in 
all directions exist in the midst of ether when not influenced by 
surrounding bodies ; and M. Delaurier presented a description of 
a battery for ringing telegraphic bells—A communication from 
Father Secchi, containing the rectification of a numerical error 
in his last paper, was read, and in connection therewith 
M. Fizeau communicated some remarks on the displacement of 
the spectral rays by the movements of the luminous body or of 
the observer. A memoir on the theory of the tides, by M. 
Roumiantzoff, was read; also annte by M. Trémaux on some 
questions relating to the movements of the planets. —M. Guyon 
presented a note on a meteorological observation made by the 
washerwomen of the south coast of Spain. The observation was 
that with a southerly wind linen put out to dry always acquires 
a yellow colour; the author accounted for it by assuming that 
this coloration is due to impalpable dust conveyed from the 
African deserts.—M. A. Wurtz described a process for obiain- 
ing solid cresole, and some curious properties possessed by that 
body.—M. F. M. Raoult communicated a note on the composi- 
tion of the gas of the burning spring of Saint Barthélemy (Isére) 
It consisted chiefly of marsh gas, 98°81 per cent. by volume, 
with small quantities of carbonic acid, nitrogen, and oxygen 
probably accidentally mixed with it—M. Guyot presented a note 
on the examination of ammonia and nitric acid by means of 
rosolic acid and bromomercurate of potash.— M. Belgrand com- 
municated a general account of the contents of his great work on 
the basin of Paris in prehistoric times, which has lately been 
published by the municipal administration of Paris. —M. Farez 
recommended the employment of silicate of potash for the 
purpose of giving solidity and cohesion to friable fossil bones. — 
M. Brongniart presented a report on a memoir by M. B. 
Renault, on some silicified plants of the neighbourhood of 
Autun.—A note was read from M. Marey, admitting that Dr. 
Pettigrew had the priority over him with regard to the figure of 
8 described by the wing of an insect during flight; and M. A. 
Dumeril presented a note by M. S. Legouis on the pancreas of 
the osseous fishes and the nature of the vessels discovered by 
Weber. ‘The author described three forms of pancreas occurring 
in osseous fishes, which he called the disseminated, diffused, and 
massive pancreas ; the vessels discovered by Weber are the excre- 
tory ducts of the first two forms. The Plagiostomi have a pancreas 
resembling that of the higher animals.—A note from M, 
Didierjean was read, calling attention to the fact that milk is a 
preservative from the poisonous effects produced by lead upon 
the workmen who are engaged in the preparation of its com- 
pounds. —M. FE. Decaisne presented a note on the use of the 
sewing machine and its influence on the health of workwomen. 
He considers that the ill effects of working with the sewing 
machine have been greatly exaggerated, and that the health of 
women working with the machine is quite as good as that of 
needlewomen. 
BERLIN 
German Chemical Society, April 25.—H. Limpricht pub- 
lished a paper on oxyde of toluylene, to which he ascribes the 
formula C H, O C (C, H;) 2. —M. Topsoi sent in a paper on pre- 
paring concentrated bromhydric acid, and a table on the boiling 
points of hydrobromic acids of different concentration.—A. Claus 
reports on the constitution of acroléine, looked upon by Kolbe as 
an acetone, on account of its transformation by hydrogen into 
isopropylicacid. This Prof. Claus denies to be the case ; thealcolol 
obtained forming no acetone by oxidation.—W. Henneberg has 
found a source of error in using Pettenkofer’s apparatus for de- 
termining the products of respiration ; the respiration of people 
approaching the apparatus influencing the amount of carbonic 
acid.—H. Schiff has found that acetic acid and oil of bitter 
almonds form cinnamic acid when treated with a minute quantity 
of HCl or Zn Cl,. A larger quantity of these substances trans- 
forms the acid into metastyrol.—A. Oppenheim recommends the 
action of bibromide of copper for transforming organic iodides 
into bromides. With an alcoholic solution of this salt and 
iodide of allyle, the transformation is instantaneous, proto- 
iodide of copper being precipitated at ordinary temperatures. An 
aqueous solution acts in the same way at a higher temperature, 
By the transformation of the bibromide into the protoiodide of 
copper, however, bromine is liberated, which will combine with 
non-saturated bromides. The method is, therefore, only appli- 
cable to saturated compounds.—C. Rammelsberg reported on 
isomorphous mixtures of selenium and sulphur. 
May 9.—V. Meyer, in order to decide whether the hydrate 
of chloral is a molecular combination—thus, C Cl, - C = 
O H+H,O—or whether the water enters into the atomic con- 
stitution of the body—thus, C Cl,—C H (O H),—has tried 
its action on chloride of acetyl, H,O is thereby separated, 
