NA TURE 



\_Dcc. 3, 1885 



plates, the proces?es developments from the ambulacral ]>lates. 

 In the Cidaridae, the muscular attachments are all on discon- 

 nected ridges, and there are no processes. In the Temno- 

 pleurid?e, Echinida:, Echinometrids, and Diadematida?, the 

 retractor muscles are attached to "processes" which are growths 

 of the poriferous portions of the ambulacral plates ; and the 

 protractor muscles and ligament of the radiales are attached 

 to the ridge which is developed on the inter-radial plates, and 

 is united by suture to the base of the "process." In the 

 Clypeastridas there are disconnected growths which cany the 

 jaws and have slight muscular attachments. In Clypeastcr there 

 are ten processes, each arising from an ambulacral plate ; and 

 there are no inter-radial structures like ridges. In Lagajiiun 

 there are five growths, each arising from a first inter-radial 

 plate ; hence these are the homologues of ridges. The 

 Clypeastridse may thus be divided into two groups, on account 

 of the presence of processes in one, and of the homologues of 

 ridges in the other. — Prof. Moseley communicated a paper on 

 the anatomy of Sphicvothirium by Mr. G. C. Bourne. The 

 author mentioned that while the general exterior features and 

 specific distinctions of the genus had been amply discussed, the 

 internal structures had hitherto received scant attention. Among 

 other anatomical peculiarities he describes a well-defined 

 stridulating organ in the male. This consists of a prominent 

 bolster-shaped swelling on the postero-external edge of the 

 second joint of the second pair of copulatory appendages. The 

 swelling occupies the entire margin of the joint, and shows a 

 number of chitinous cross ridges and furrows. On the opposite 

 interior surface of the last tergite are chitinous points. The former 

 rasp-like organ of the second accessory appendages when rubbed 

 rapidly against the latter produce a shrill note resembling that 

 emitted by the house cricket. A true auditory organ exists in 

 the antennai-y fossa beneath the eye. The tracheal system is 

 unlike the majority of that of the Diplopoda, rather resembling 

 that of Chilopoda and Insecta, though differing in the branched 

 spiral filament not taking origin directly from the stigmata 

 themselves. It appears that the trachea; of Sphizrotlwrunu are 

 a transition from those of thejulus type to those of the Scolo- 

 pendra type. It would thus seem that the character of the 

 trachea:, the curved alimentary tract, the numerous chitinous 

 pieces composing each segment, and the presence of a special 

 hearing organ on the head, mark off the family Glomerida; (to 

 which Spharotheriitm belongs) very sharply from the other 

 families of the Diplopoda. — jProf Moseley afterwards read ex- 

 tracts of letters from Mr. G. C. Bourne, who is now in the 

 Chagos Archipelago, and from Mr. Sydney Hickson in the Celebes 

 (Oxford graduates), and now investigating the natural history 

 of the regions in question. — There followed a paper, contribu- 

 tions to South African botany, Orchidese, part 2, by Mr. H. 

 Bolus, with additional notes by Mr. N. E. Brown. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, November 23. — M. Jurien de la 

 Graviere, President, in the chair. — Observations of the minor 

 planets made with the great meridian of the Paris Observatory 

 during the third quarter of the year 1S85, communicated by M. 

 Mouchez. — Researches on the functions of Wrisberg's nerve, by 

 M. Vulpian. — On a new theory of algebraic forms, by M. 

 .Sylvester. — On the sulphate of sparteine as a dynamic medicine 

 and cure for the irregular action of the heart, by M. Germain 

 See. This alkaloid (€,5 or Cj.,,H55N2), obtained in 1S50 by 

 Stenhouse from Spartinnt scoparitim, is found to be a sovereign 

 remedy for feeble, irregular, and abnormal pulsation. It also 

 instantaneously restores enfeebled circulation, while preserving 

 or increasing muscular vigour.— Action of lime (milk of lime) on 

 the vine attacked by mildew, by the Duchess de Fitz-James. The 

 author regards this preparation as the most practical, efficacious, 

 and economical for vines attacked by mildew in the south of 

 France. — Note on Lagrange's interpolating formula as presented 

 by M. Hermite in Crelle's Journal, vol. Ixxxiv., by M. Ben- 

 dixson. — Note on Koenig's theorem regarding the living force 

 animating a material system at a given moment, by M. Ph. 

 Gilbert. — Application of the cryoscopic method to the deter- 

 mination of molecular weights, by M. F. M. Raoult. It is 

 shown that by this method the molecular weight of any substance 

 may be determined with great certainty, provided such substance, 

 or one of its compounds, or one of its derivatives obtained by 

 substitution, be soluble either in water, acetic acid, or benzene. 

 It presents the further advantage that the results thus obtained 

 are susceptible of verification in several ways. — Researches on 



hypophosphoric acid (PH04,2HO or PH0O8.4ITO), by M. A- 

 Joly. — Heat of combustion of some substances of the fat seriesi 

 by M. Louguinine. The substances here studied with a view to 

 determining their heat of combustion ,ire : paraldehyde ; normal 

 propionic acid and anhydride ; normal propionic acid purified 

 and analysed by the author ; aldol. — Note on a new method of 

 chloridation, by MM. Albert Colson and Henri Gautier. Two 

 points are established : (i) that the perchloride of phosphorus 

 allows the introduction of a determined quantity of chlorine into 

 the homologues of benzene ; (2) that the chlorine liberated by 

 the perchloride of phosphorus acts on the benzenic hydrogen 

 only after being substituted for the hydrogen of the lateral series. 

 — On the presence of methylic alcohol in the products derived 

 from the distillation of plants with water, by M. M.aquenne. — 

 On the gutta-percha of Bassia (Bulyrospermum) parkii, G. Don, 

 and its chemical composition, by MM. Ed. Heckel and Fr. 

 .Schlagdenhaufifen. The gutta-percha obtained from this plant is 

 shown to be in every respect comparable to, and in structure 

 almost identical with, that yielded by the better-known Iso- 

 nandra gutta, Hooker. — On the pretended circulation in the 

 ganglionar cells of animal organisms, by M. W. Vignal. — Re- 

 marks on the acicular apparatus of some Echinidse of the Chalk 

 and Tertiary epochs, by M. Munier-Chalmas.— Note on a meteor 

 observed in Paris on November i8, by M. Stanislas Meunier. — 

 On the shower of meteors which may, perhaps, accompany the 

 transit of the earth through the descending nucleus of Biela's 

 comet on November 27, by M. Zenker. — .A second reply to M. 

 Charpentier respecting the functions of the several elements of 

 the retina producing the sensations of light, colour, and form, 

 by M. H. Parinaud. — Observations on 'MM. Martel and de 

 Launay's note on certain fragments of human crania and a 

 fragment of pottery found in the cave of Nabriguas, and said to 

 be contemporary with Ursus spehmis, by M. Emile Cartailhac. 

 The author, who has several times visited this cave, is satisfied 

 that it has been exposed to frequent inundations, and that, con- 

 sequently, the ground has been disturbed even since the be- 

 ginning of the Quaternaiy period. Hence, although man was 

 certainly contemporary with Ursits spelaus in the west of Europe, 

 he did not live in association with that animal, but probably 

 took possession of the Nabriguas and other similar caves after 

 its extinction in Neolithic times. The piotsherd in question has 

 been subjected to the action of fire, and is evidently of compara- 

 tively recent date, washed into the cave by the flood waters. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Etiology of Cholera 97 



A Manual of Telegraphy 98 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Shepard's " Elements of Inorganic Chemistiy " . . 98 

 Hands's " Numerical Exercises in Chemistry " . . . 99 

 Millar's " Introduction to the Differential and Integral 



Calculus " • 99 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Whole Duty of a Chemist. — Prof. William 



Odling, F.R.S 99 



A Stray Balloon.— Gen. Sir J. H. Lefroy, F.R.S. 99 

 "Evolution without Natur.al Selection." — Charles 



Dixon; George J. Romanes, F.R.S 100 



On Radiation of Heat from the Same Surface at 



Different Temperatures. — J. T. Bottomley . . loi 



The November Meteors. I!y 'W. F. Denning; Prof. 



A. S. Herschel ; Admiral Sir Erasmus Om.man- 



ney, F.R.S. ; Robert Leslie ; F. T. Mott ; E. F. 



Bates ; Percy T. Ingram ; James Smieton ; G. J. 



Symons, F.R.S 101 



The Late Sir William Siemens 104 



Notes 105 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Dearborn Observatory 107 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week, 1885, 



December 6-12 107 



Geographical Notes 108 



Explosions in Coal Mines. By Sir Frederick Abel, io8 



F.R.S 108 



The Royal Society. Address by the President, Prof. 



T. H. Huxley 112 



University and Educational Intelligence 119 



Scientific Serials 119 



Societies and Academies 119 



