NA TURE 



\_Nov. 26, I 



aspect, enclosing angular fragments ot various schistose, vol- 

 canic, and limestone rocks ; and in the latter Mr. Thomson 

 detected the familiar aspect of carboniferous shells and 

 corals. Having once obtained this clue, it was not diffi- 

 cult to find other beds at higher and lower levels, containing 

 similar traces of carboniferous fossils, thus fixing tliese mas- 

 sive beds of sandstone as undoubtedly of Lower Permian 

 age.— Mr. J. Young, F.G.S., read a joint piper by himself 

 and Mr. David Robertson, F.G.S., on the Polyzoa and other 

 minute organisms found in the carboniferous limestone shale at 

 Hairm^res, East Ivilbride.— Mr. D. Bell described some reniark- 

 able glacial mounds .'ecn in the nirighbourhood of Balquhidder, 

 . on the hne of railway between Callander and Killin. At Kinsg- 

 Lubnaig and Callander. Mr. Bell next cilled attention to 

 another series of mounds presenting similar features, which 

 occur in the "side-glen" called "Glen Buckie," or the Calair 

 Burn, that opens out southward from Balquhidder and leads on 

 to Glenfinlas in the Trossachs. He then referred to some points 

 connected with the silting up of lakes, as presented by Loch 

 Lubnaig and Loch Voil, which were once in all probability 

 united. 



Boston, U.S. 

 Natural History Society, March 4.— The president in the 

 chair. — Mr. Bouve introduced the subject of Dr. Genth's theory 

 of the meiamorphism of corundum, which has lately been pub- 

 lished, and explained the meaning of the terms "metamor- 

 phism"and "pseudomorphism" as used in mineralogy. — Dr. 

 T. Sterry Hunt then spoke on Dr. Genth's researches on corun- 

 dum and its associated minerals. The speaker, while praising 

 the industry and chemical skill displayed in the paper of Dr. 

 Genth. insisted upon the importance of some clear definidoni as 

 to replacement, alteration, and association in the mineral king- 

 dom, for the lack of which he conceived the learned author, in 

 common with many others, had fallen into errors, and had been 

 led to conclusions wholly untenable. He then explained the 

 nature of pseudomorphs. He had not only carefully studied 

 Dr. Genth's |iaper, but through the courtesy of that gentleman 

 had examined with him the extensive collection of S])ecimens 

 upon which the conclusions announced by Dr. Genth had been 

 based, and while bearing testimony to his accuracy and skill as 

 a chemist and mineralogist, maintained that all of the pheno- 

 mena in question were nothing more than examples of association 

 and envelopment. All the facts regarding the corundum- 

 bearing veins described by Dr Genth have their parallels in 

 the granitic veins with beryl and tourmaline, so common in 

 Montalban, or White Mountain rocks of North America, and 

 in the calcareous veinstones, with apatite, pyroxene, phlogopite, 

 and graphite, of the Laurentian rocks, both of which classes of 

 veins have else^vhere b^en described by the author. 

 Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, Nov. 9. — M. Bertrand in the chair. 

 — A telegraphic despatch from M. Janssen, announcing the safe 

 arrival of the Transit of Venus Expedition at Nagasaki, was read. 

 — M. Alph. de CanduUe presented a copy of his Report for 

 1873-74, published as president of the Physical and Natural 

 History S jciety of Geneva. — The following papers were read : — 

 Researches on the dissociation of crystalline salts, by MM. P. A. 

 Favre and C. A. Valson. — Method employed in seeking the sub- 

 stance the most efficacious against Phylloxera at the viticultural 

 station of Cognac, by M. Max Cornu. — Memoir on the secular 

 inequalities of the major axes of the planetary orbits, by M. Emile 

 Mathieu. — On some geometrical constructions applicable to 

 mirrors and lenses, by RI. J. Lissajous. — Preparation and pro- 

 perties of dioxymaleic acid, by M. E. Bourgoin. This acid is 

 prepared by healing Kekule's bibromomaleic acid with silver 

 oxides and water — 



CsHoBrPs -f 2H2O2 = 2HBr -h CgHjO,., 

 The new acid is colourlesss crystalline, soluble in water and 

 alcohol, hardly soluble in ether. It presents the triple character 

 of a dibasic acid, a diatomic alcohol, and an unsaturated acid. 

 Its isomer, " tricarbonic acid," oblained from cyanoform, is a 

 tribasic ac d. — Trial of comparison iietween the principal systems 

 of aerial navigation, by M. Duroy de Briugnac. — On the volca- 

 noes of the lale of Java and their relation with the pentagonal 

 ridge, by M. Alexis Perrey. — Studies relating to Phylloxera. 

 Experiments made on branches of vines immersed in water 

 holdLi'.g various substances in solution, by M. A. Baudrimonr. — 

 A letter from Mdme. Janssen was read, giving details of 

 the effects of the recent typhoon at Hong Kong. — On a 

 fjrmula for transformin:; el'iptic fu'C'ions, by M. Bri^s-hi. 



1 



— On the laws of the vibratory motion of tuning-forks ; 

 second note by M. E. Mercadier. — On electrost tic induction 

 currents, by M. Neyreneuf — Action of the electric current 

 on the organs of sensation, by Dr. T. L. Phipson. — Reply 

 to recent note by M. Gernez on supersaturation, by M. Lecoq 

 de Boisbaudran. — New observations relating to the circular 

 compass, by M. E. Duchemin. — Bisulphide of carbon and 

 nitric oxide lamp ; application to photography, by MM. B. 

 Delachanal and A. Mermet. The photographic intensity of this 

 lamp is stated to be superior to that of magnesium, to be twice 

 as great as that of the oxyhydrogen iight, and three times as 

 great as the electric light. Unlike the electric and magnesium 

 lights, the flame is steady and not liable to sudden extinction.^ 

 On the chemical nature of the substances which ni the organism 

 give the cross by polarisation, by MM. Dastre and Morat. — Note 

 relating to the inundations of the valley of the Po in 1872, by 

 M. Dausse. — At the beginning of the meeting M. Leverrier 

 presented to the Academy chaps, xix. and xx. of his "Re- 

 cherches Astronomiques, " and a complete theory of the motions 

 of Uranus. 



Geographical Society, Nov. 4. — M. Delesse, president. — 

 The Secretary announced that the Abbe Petilot, a missionary 

 who has explored the Mackenzie River, has prepared a map of 

 that litde known region. — A letter was read from M. de Lesseps, 

 who states that he has by no means given up the project of a 

 Trans-Asiatic railway. His son has been exploring the Hima- 

 layas, and reports on the different routes by which the iron road 

 could be carried. — M. Foucher de Careil presented the Society 

 with a copy of his work entitled " Leibnitz and Peter the Great." 

 The author points out three geographical discoveries which he 

 declares are due to Leibnitz. He shows that it was by his advice 

 that Peter the Great sent out the expedition under Behring, 

 the discoverer of the strait which bears his name. The author 

 also mentions three memoirs by Leibnitz on the determination of 

 longitude according to the variation of the compass, a discovery 

 with which Gauss was credited nearly a century later. — M. 

 Simonin gave details of a journey which he made through the 

 north of the United States, and especially in the region of the 

 Great Lakes. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



British.— .4 Course oC Qualitative Chemic il Analysis : Wm. G. Valentin, 

 new edition (J. and A. Churchill). -Histology and Histochemistry of Man: 

 Heinrich Krey. Translatd bv Arthur E. I. Barker (J. and A. Churchill).— 

 Post-Tertiary Entomostracaof Scotkand : G. S. Br.dy, C.M.Z.S., Rev. H. W. 

 Crosskey, F.G.S., and David Robertson, F.G.S, (Palaeontological Society). 

 —Bacon's Thoughts, Philosophical and Medical: lohn Dowson, M.D. 

 (H. K Lewis).— Erasmus Darwin: John Dovv^on, 11. D. (H. K Lewis).— 

 Journal of the Society of Telegraph Engineers : Major Frank Bolton and 

 Geo. E. Preece (Spon).— DenUil Pathology and Surgery: S. J. A. Salter, 

 M.B, F.R.S, (Longmans). -Doctrine of Energy: D. D. Heath, M.A. 

 (T,oiigmans) — Manchester Historical Recorder (John Heywood, Man- 

 chester). 



American. — Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture, 1872 (Washing- 

 ton, U.v)— Bulletin of the liuf&lo Sjciety of Natural Sciences (Warren, 

 Johnson, and Co., Bufl'alo, U. S. )— Catalogue of Plants (Army Dcparlment, 

 Washington, U.S.)— Report of Ornithological Specimens (Washington, U.S.) 



Foreign. — Cours de Geologic Compar^e : Stanislaus Meunier (Firmin 

 Didot and Co )— Experimentalphysik : Dr. Adolf F. Weinhold (Leipzig).— 

 Degli Studi Fisici di Ambrogio Fusinieri (Foligno). — Uber die Abhangigkeit 

 des KlimatUchen characters der Winde : Dr. W. Koppen (St. Peters- 

 burg). 



CONTENTS Pace 



The English Arctic Expedition 6i 



Obstacles to Scientific Research 62 



The Second German Arctic Expedition (M^/VA///ttj/»-a^iW«) . . 63 



Dkavson's " Proper Motion of the Fixed Stars," Etc 66 



OuK Book Shelf 67 



Lbtters TO THB Editor :- 



Roval Aericultural Soietv and the Potato Disease.— Prof. W. T. 



Thiselton Dver. F.L S 67 



Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park. — Viator ; C. Traill ... 6/ 

 Note on the Development of the Columella Altris in the 



Amphibia. By Prof, T. H. Huxlev, F. R.S 6S 



On Mirage, II. By Prof. J, D. EvhRETT, D.C L. {With Illustra- 

 tion) 6g 



On the Geographical Distribution of the Fallow Deer in 



Present and in Past I ime. By L. H. Jeitteles 71 



The Late Sik William Jakdine . 74 



Lectures to Women on Physical Science, II 74 



Notes 75 



Scientific Serials 77 



Societies and Academies 78 



