lOO 



NATURE 



{Dec. 3, 1874 



entire or sparsely serrulated. The third and subsequent pairs of 

 leaves partook of the form of the first pair, though seldom so 

 large. It was worthy of remark, that in plants with alternate 

 leaves, the leaves with their axial buds were generally about the 

 same size. In some few instances there were variations in the 

 size, especially in the | arrangement of the leaves on the 

 stem. In opposite leaved plants the rule was the other way ; 

 one bud or one leaf, either in the blade or petiole, being larger 

 or longer than the other. In the maples tliis was especially the 

 case. At times the petioles in some cases would be not more 

 than half the length of the opposite. He had found this especial 

 peculiarity, however, in no other species but A. Feiinsyk'iviicum 

 that he had been able to examine, wliich included mostin 

 common cultivation. It might be in A. spunlutn. Lam., which 

 he liad not been able to examine this season, and which he sup- 

 posed to be but a variety of A. rciiiislyvaiiicuni. 



Aug. 25. — Dr. Ruschenberger, president, in the chair. — Prof. 

 Leidy exhibited a living specimen of tlie freshwater ciliated 

 polyp, formerly described by him under tiie name of Pcctinatdla 

 mngmfica. Pectinatella is by far the largest of all the known 

 freshwater ciliated polyps, and, indeed, is not surpassed by 

 any of the marine forms known to us. It has not been deter- 

 mined whether the huge Pectinatella colonies start each from 

 a single individual, or are the result of the confluence of a 

 number of small colonies. On the approach of winter the 

 colonies die and undergo decomposition, in which process the 

 remarkable winter eggs or statoblasts are liberated. These are 

 provided with anchor-like spines, by which, as in the case of 

 the eggs of skates and sharks, they become attached to various 

 fixed bodies. In examining various common animals of our 

 household. Prof. Leidy had found a thread-worm infesting the 

 common house-fly. The worm is from a line to the tenth of 

 an inch long, and lives in the proboscis of the fly. It was 

 found in numbers from one to three in about one fly in five. The 

 parasite was first discovered in the house-fly of India, by the 

 English naturalist, Mr. H. J. Carter, who described it under the 

 name ol Fihiria miisciT, and suggested the opinion that it might 

 be the source of the Guinea worm, Filara jiicdiftensis, in man. 

 Mr. Carter states that he found from two to twenty of the worms 

 in one fly of three. Dr. Diesing referred the parasite to a 

 new genus with the name of Habronsma mitscir. The singular 

 position in which the worm lives suggests the many unsus- 

 pected places we have to search to find the parents or offspring 

 of our own parasites. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, Nov. i5. — M. Bertrand in the 

 chaii. — The following papers were read: — On a new class 

 of organic compounds, the carbonyls, and on the true 

 function of ordinary camphor, by M. Berthelot. The author 

 classes as carbonyls the three bodies, ordinary camphor, 

 oxide of allylene, and diphenylacetone. — Action of heat on 

 ordinary aldehyde, by M. Berthelot. — On the carpellary theory 

 according to the LiliaceDs and the Melanthacece, by M, 

 A. Trecul. — On wounds from trepanning and their dressing, by 

 M. C. Sedillot. — Observations on the November shooting stars, 

 by M. Leverrier. — On the age of the Pyrenean red sandstone 

 and relationship to the Saint-Beat statuary marble, by M. A. 

 Leymerie. — On electric induction, by M. P. Volpicelli. — Action 

 exercised by an electro-magnet on the spectra of rarefied gases 

 traversed by the electric discharge, by M. J. Chautard. The 

 author has hitherto examined only the spectra of metalloids. 

 The magnet appears to influence the number, position, fineness, 

 &c., of the spectral lines in a special manner for each element. 

 — Note on magnetism and on a new exploding fuse, by M. 

 Treve. — On the circulatory system of the Echinid.x>, by M. Edm. 

 Perrier. — Note on the manufacture of paper from,5ow^(' (Hi/'iscus 

 esculentus), and on the industrial uses of this plant, by M. Ed. 

 Landtin. — On the relationship existing between the chemical 

 composition of the air in the swim-bladder and the depth at 

 which the fish are taken, by M. A. Moreau. — Unwholesomeness 

 of the Seine in August, September, and October, 1S74, by 

 M. Boudet. — Method pursued in searching for the most effica- 

 cious substance for resisting Phylloxera at the viticultural station 

 of Cognac, by M. Max Cornu. — Effects produced by tlie first 

 frosts on the phylloxerised vines in the vicinity of Cognac, by 

 M. Maurice Girard. — A despatch was read from tlie French 

 Minister at Pekin, and a letter from M. Fleuriais, announcing the 

 safe arrival and installation of the Transit of Venus Expedition 

 in that city. — On two points in the theory of substitutions, by 

 M. C. Jordan. — On fluorene, by M. Ph. Barbier. The formula 



for this hydrocarbon is CogHn,. The author has examined many 

 of its derivatives. — On the marsupium of the eye of birds, by 

 MM. J. Andre and Beauregard. — New method for the antiseptic 

 occlusion of wounds, by M. Sarazin. — On the mutability of 

 microscopic germs and on the passive function of the organisms 

 classed a% fcniieiils, by M.J. Duval. — The carboniferous lime- 

 stone soil of the Pyrenees, by M. Henri Magnan. — The shooting 

 stars of November 1874, by M. Chapelas. 



Nov. 23. — M. CI. Bernard in the chair. — The following papers 

 were read : — Meridional observations of the minor planets made 

 at Greenwich Observatoiy (forwarded by Sir G. B. Airy, Astro- 

 nomer Royal) and at the Observatory of Paris during the third 

 quarter of the year 1874, communicated by M. Leverrier. — M. 

 H. A. Weddell communicated a botanical note on the algoli- 

 chenic theory. — Note on the gum-bearing Acacia of Tunis, by 

 M. Doumet-Adanson. — On new improvements in magneto-electric 

 machines, by M. Z. T. Gramme. — On the saccharine matter 

 contained in mushrooms, by M. A. Miintz. — Effects of potassium 

 sulphocarbonate on Phylloxera, by M. MouiUefert. — M. Max 

 Cornu presented a paper containing the continuation of his 

 researches for the most efficacious subst.ance for the destruction 

 of Phylloxera. — Experiments made on branches of vine immersed 

 in water containing various substances in solution, by M. A. 

 Baudrimont. — Facts relating to Phylloxera and to the submersion 

 of vines and cereals ; application of M. Naudin's process to vines 

 that cannot be submerged, by M. G. Grimaud. — On the stability 

 of the equilibrium of a heavy body reiting on a curved support, 

 by M. C. Jordan. — Influence of temperature on the coefficient of 

 capillary flowing of liquids, by M. A. Gueront. — On the product 

 formed by the addition of hypochlorous acid to propylene, by M. 

 L. Henry. — On the Actinia^ of the oceanic coasts of France, by 

 M. P. Fischer. — New researches on the organogenesis of Lopho- 

 spermiim i-i H/'eii!,hyM. Frcmineau. — M. E. Duchemin communi- 

 cated a note concerning the invention of the circuKar compass. 

 — During the meeting the perpetual secretary announced to the 

 Academy the safe arrival at Sydney of MM. Andre and Angot, 

 the members of the Transit of Venus Expedition who are to 

 observe this phenomenon from Noumea. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 



British. — Report of Ncwcastle-on-Tyne Chemical Society. — The Aerial 

 World: G. H.iitwig(Longmans).— Transits of Venus: R. A. Proctor, B.A. 

 (Longmansl.— Descent of M.-in (New Edition): Charles Darwin, M.A., 

 F.R.S. (J. Murr.iy).-Transactionsof the Institute of Engineers and Ship- 

 builders in Scotland. Report on Safety Valves. — Chambers's Information for 

 the People (W. and R. Chambers).— The Origin ol Civilisation and the Pri- 

 mitive Condition of Man: Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., F.R.S. (Long- 

 mans!.— Elements of Embryology: M. Foster, M.A., M.D., F.R.S., and 

 F. M. B.ilfour, B.A. (Macmtllan and Co.) 



American. — Relation between the Barometric Gradient and the Velocity 

 of the Wind: \Vm. Ferret, A.M. (Washington, U.S.)— Complete Works of 

 Count Rumford, vol. iii. (Boston, U S.)— Proceedings of the American 

 Society of Arts and Science (John Wilson, Boston). — Proceedings of the 

 American Philosophical Society (Philadelphia).— Annotated List of Birds of 

 Utah: H. W. Henshaw (Salem, U.S.)— Report of Explorations of 1873 of 

 the Colorado of the West : Prof. J. W. Powell (Washington).— Synopsis 

 of the Flora of Colorado : T. C. Porter (Washington). 



Foreign. — Correspondenzblatt des Naturforscher-Vereins zu Riga. — Ob- 

 servacions magneticas y Meteorologicas (Havana, Cuba). 



CONTENTS Page 



Saxbv's " Birds of Shetland " 81 



Marsh's "Man and Nature" 82 



Bkinklev's Astronomy 83 



Our Book Shelf 84 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Dr. Petermann's Letters to the Presidents of the Royal Geographical 

 Society in 1865 and 1874. — Clements R. Markham, C.B., 



F.R.S 8s 



The Present State of the Arctic Ice Barriers.— W. Mattieu Wil- 

 liams, F.CS 87 



Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park.— P. L. Sclater, F.R S.. . . 87 



Utilisation of Aquaria 87 



Discovery of Remains of Plants and Insects.— E. J. A'CoURT Smith 88 



Sounding and Sensitive Flames.— Prof. A. S. Herschel .... 88 



Science in Music 88 



The Tree-Alohs of South Africa. By Prof. W. T. Thistleton 



Dver {IVilh Illustrations) 89 



Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 



(Witli Illustration) i 91 



Notes 93 



The "Challenger" Expedition. By Prof Wyvii.le Thomson, 



F.R.S , 95 



Scientific Serials 97 



Societies and Academies 99 



Books and Pamphlets Received 100 



