40 



NA TURE 



[Nov. 12, 1874 



memoir was based upon the examination of a large number of in- 

 dividuals belonging to seventy-nine specie?, chiefly from the So- 

 ciety's living collection, and contained a new arrangement of the 

 group based principally upon the arrangement of the carotid 

 arteries, and the presence or absence of the amlnais muscle, the 

 furcula, and the oil-gland. — A communication was read from 

 Mr. G. B. Sowerby, jun., giving the descriptions of five new 

 species of shells from different localities. — A comm.unication was 

 read from Mr. E. P. Ramsay, wherein he described five new 

 species of Australian birds, and of the egg of Chamydodera ma- 

 culata. The birds described were — Cypselus terrce-regime, 

 yElni-uJits maculosus, Ptilotis frcnata, Eopsaltria hiornata, and 

 Khipidiira supcrciliosa. 



Royal Microscopical Society, Nov. 4. — Chas. Brooke, 

 F.R.S., president, in the chair. — A paper by Dr. Jas. Fleming, 

 On microscopical leaf-fungi from the Himalayas, was taken as 

 read ; it was illustrated by drawings, and many of the species 

 described had been identified by Mr. M. C. Cooke as beinij 

 the same as those known in Europe. — A paper by the Rev. W. 

 H. Dallinger and Dr. Drysdale, in continuance of their series. 

 On the life history of Monads, was read by the secretary. It 

 minutely described a form repeatedly met witJi in macerations of 

 the heads of codfish and salmon, and traced the development 

 and reproduction in all stages, and was illustrated by drawings, 

 which were enlarged upon the black board by Mr. Chas. .Stewart. 

 The observations had extended over several years, and had been 

 conducted with the greatest care under various powers up to 

 ^V'l' The results of experiments vfere also given, and con- 

 clusively showed that exposure to temperatures of 220° and 

 300° F. had failed to destroy the germs of these organisms. 

 Some interesting living oljjects, stated to be larval forms of the 

 common cockle, were exhibited and described by Mr. Wood ; 

 but the similarity of these forms to some which were exhibited 

 at the previous meeting, and presumed to be Buctpliahis poly- 

 morphus, having been pointed out by Mr. Stewart, an interesting 

 discussion followed. Pcrryiix pidchcrima, Kitton, was exhibited 

 under one of the Society's instruments. 



Pakis 



Academy of Sciences, Oct. 26. — M. Bertrand in the chair. 

 — The following papers were read : — Note on Dr. Zenker's 

 cometary theory, by M. Faye. The theory commented upon 

 supposes that comets owe their movements in part to the attrac- 

 tive force of the sun and in part to the evolution of gases from 

 the surface of the comet by the action of the sun's heat. The 

 gases are supposed to consist of water vapour, and a hydro- 

 carbon, and the motion produced by their rapid generation from 

 the surface of the comet nearest to the sun is regaided as of an 

 opposite nature to that produced by gravitation. I\I. Faye dis- 

 sents from these views, and promises a further examination of the 

 question in a future paper. — Note on the average ration of the 

 French countryman, by M. Herve Mangon. The author con- 

 cludes, from a statistical inquiry into the subject, that the daily 

 ration of the French labourer is not sufficiently high, and that 

 for the welfare of the country this ration should be mcreased. — 

 On the composition and physical properties of the products from 

 coal-tar, by M. Dumas. The analyses and experiments were 

 undertaken by the author with a view to test the insecticidal 

 properties of coal-tar as applied to the destruction of Phylloxera. 

 The hydrocarbons appear to have the most energetic action, the 

 portion boiling below no" causing death in five minutes. — Pre- 

 sentation of the geographical programme forming part of the 

 new plan of studies for the colleges, by M. E. Levasseur. — On 

 the analytical theory of Jupiter's satellites, by M. Souilbrt. The 

 author had given, in a previous memoir, the formula; for calcu- 

 lating the inequalities of longitude and of the yadii vcctorcs of the 

 satellites. In the present memoir the problem has been solved 

 for the latitudes and the secular equations of the longitudes. — 

 Eighth note on theelectricconductivity of bodies which are imper- 

 fect conductors, by M. Th. du Moncel. — On the lermenlation of 

 applet and ptars, by MVI. G. Lechartier and F. Bellamy. The 

 experiments de-ciibed have been cirried on since 1S72, and are 

 ccmsidered by the authors as a veritable demonstration of Pasteur's 

 deduction from his theory of fermentation, that "the formation 

 of alcohol is due to the fact that the chemical and physical life 

 of the fruit-CfUs is continued under new conditions in a similar 

 manner to those of the cells of the ferment. " — Absorption of gas 

 by iron wire heated to redness and thinned by immersion in dilute 

 sulphuric acid during the operations of wire-drawing, by M. D. 

 Sevoz. The author has not yet determined the nature of this 



gas. — On the isomerism of acetylene perbromide and the hydride 

 of tetrabromirated ethylene, by M. E. Boiirgoin. The last- 

 named substance is obtained by the action of bromine and 

 water on bibromsuccinic acid, and is described as a crystalline 

 substance melting at 54'5'*. Perbromide of acetylene is a liquid 

 formed when acetylene is passed into bnmiine heated to 50^ 

 under a layer of water. The author considers acetylene per- 

 bromide to be an additive compound of the acetylene series, while 

 the other substance is derived by substitution from ethylene or 

 ethyl hydride. — Researches on the decomposition of certain salts 

 by water; second note, by M. tA. Ditte. The author has now 

 studied the decomposition bismuthous and bismuthic nitrates and 

 of antimonious chloride. — On electro-magnets ; a note by M. 

 Deleuil. This paper refers to the use of electro instead of 

 ordinary magnets for removing iron from the paste employed in 

 the manufacture of porcelain. — Researches on the fleece of 

 merino sheep, by M. A. Sanson. 



Geographical Society, Oct. 21. — President, M. Delesse.- 

 Dr. Hamy communicated the result of his researches on the 

 geographical distribution of the human race in Eastern Mela- 

 nesia. Pie showed that the penetration of the Papuan populations 

 by the Polynesians is much less exceptional than has been hitherto 

 believed. It has been long known that there has been a con- 

 siderable immigration of Tongans into Viti. Ouvea, in the 

 Loyalty Islands, was invaded at the beginning of this century 

 by Kanakes from the Wallis Isles, the eastern ciast of New 

 Caledonia containing a very large number of Melano-Poly- 

 nesian Metis, the yellow variety of M. Bougarel, who perhaps 

 found them on Isabella Island, in the Solomon group. The 

 recent discoveries of Captain IMoresby show the Polynesians 

 strongly established in the southern extremity of New Guinea. 

 According to M. J. Verreau they had penetrated as far as 

 Australia, where a small tribe having all the characteristics of 

 Polynesians has been established for about thirty years in the 

 neighbourhood of Cape Capricorn. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



British.— T.ibles for Travellers: Admiral Betliune (W. Blackwood).— 

 Out of Doors; Rev. J. G. Wood, M.A., F.L.S. (Longmans).- Charts o{ 

 Meteorological Data (Meteorological Office). — Remarks on Charts 

 Meteorological Data (Meteorological Office).— Insects Abroad: Rev. J. G 

 Wood, M.A., F.L.S. (Longmans).— The Races of Mankind, vol. ii. : Roberi 

 Brown, M.A. (Cassell, Fetter, and Co.) -The Earth as Modified by Humaj 

 Action : G. P. Marsh iSampson Low and Co.) — The German Arctic Exp© 

 dition of 1S73-74 : Capt. Koldeway (Sampson Low and Co.) — The Sheep' 

 W. C. Spooner, M.R.V.C. (Lockwood and Co.)-A Years Botany : France! 

 Anna Kitchner (Rivingtons).— The Safe Use of Steam. By an Engineei 

 (Lockwood and Co.)— Observations of Magnetic Declination : J. A. Brown 

 F.R..S. (H. S. King and Co.)— The Elements of Psychology : Robert laidini 

 (Macmillan and Co.)— Winter and Spring on the Shores of the Meditcr 

 ranean : James H. Kennet (J. and A. Churchill). — Physiological Chemistry 

 S. W. Moore (Smith, Elder, and Co.)-Philosophy of History: Hugt 

 Doherty, M.D. (Tritbner and Co.) 



Aj\lERtCAN. — Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. 

 xvi. Part IV.— Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. ii. 

 No. 3 — Address of Ex- President Joseph Lovering, American Institute fox 

 the Advancement of -Science at Hartford. 



CONTENTS PAca 



Sir John Lubbock at Biumingham 



The Natural Histokv of Spitzbercen and Nova Zembla . . . 

 H.hckel's DHVELorMENT OF RIan, II. By Dr. Pve Smith .... 



Ismailia {IVith Illustration) 



Letters to the Editor:— 



EiKlo%vnieut of Research.— George Darwin -27 



Tlie University of London. —Philip Magnus 



Gresham Lectures.— Maurice Lichtenstein 



Insects and Colour in Flowers.— F. T. Mott: Joseimi John 

 Murphy 



Locomotion of Medusidse. — George J. Romanes 



Suicide of a Scorpion. — G Bidie 



The Amu Expedition [Wi:k lilustratiom) 25 



Memorial to Jeremiah Horrocks 



Fertilisation of Flowers gy Insects, VII. By Dr. Hermann 



MULLER 



The Chemistry OF Cremation 



A New Material for Paper 33 



Notes 34 



The Exploration of the Arctic Regions. By Dr. Pktermann . 37 



Societies and Academies 



Books and Pamphlets Received 40 



