48 
NATURE 
[May 13, 1886 
outer frontal process formed the ale nasi, In respect of the two 
intermaxillary bones on each side, the presence of which the 
speaker assumed along with Prof. Albrecht, Dr Biondi deviated 
from the latter in so far as that he had found, not an outer and 
inner intermaxillary bone on each side, but an anterior and 
posterior. The incisor teeth, as also the supernumerary teeth, 
developed themselves only in the intermaxillary bone. Dr, 
Biondi illustrated his address by preparations, drawings, and 
photographs he produced.—Dr. Pohl-Pincus next gave a supple- 
ment to his address on the polarisation colours of the hair of the 
human head, adducing the reasons which determined him to lay 
down three types of colouring : the normal, the pathologic, and 
an intermediate type. It was nevertheless to be understood that 
a whole series of transitionary hues intervened between the two 
extremes. He further stated that, in accordance with his ex- 
perience, hair pathologically changed in its double refraction in 
consequence of stimulation from inflammation or from psychical 
excitement was long in returning to its normal condition. The 
speaker next described two experiments on a frog’s heart. When 
he removed from a frog the anterior part of the cerebrum, 
under avoidance of heavy bleedings, then set free the heart, and 
stimulated one or several sensory nerves of the body, he then 
observed that the systole of the heart was unchanged. During 
the diastole, however, there appeared on the surface a chess- 
board-like drawing, and the diastole itself was interrupted in the 
middle by an intermission. By stimulation of the vagus he was 
able to overcome this effect of the irritated sensory nerves. The 
second observation he communicated respected the local diastole 
which a considerable time previously had been noticed by others 
as well as by himself The occurrence of this diastole under 
local mechanical stimulation of the frog’s heart was always a 
very uncertain ‘one. Dr. Pohl-Pincus had now quite recently 
found that the local dilatation took place only when the stimula- 
tion was given during the second half of the systole. At the 
beginning of the systole, on the other hand, the stimulation had 
no effect whatever, and during the diastole it even gave rise to 
local systole. The effects of the local mechanical stimulation 
lasted some time, and, besides the local contraction or relaxa- 
tion, manifested itself in a heightening of the diastolic or 
systolic state on each occasion at the stimulated spot. 
Physical Society, April 2.—Prof. du Bois Reymond spoke 
on the irreciprocal conduction of electricity found by him in the 
electrical organ of fishes, and discussed the teleological signific- 
ance of this property for the capability of fishes to discharge strong 
electrical currents outwardly (NATURE, Vol. xxxiii. p. 407).—Fol- 
lowing up the address at the last sitting by Dr. Baur, Dr. Pein:t 
spoke on some othermore recent thermostats, in particular on those 
which effected the regulation by means of vapour pressure. In the 
closed short leg of a manometer was a small quantity of a fluid 
readily susceptible of evaporation ; above it was placed quicksil- 
ver, which also filled the long leg of the manometer. The short 
leg of the manometer with the fluid referred to lay in the bath, 
the temperature of which should be kept constant. Did the 
temperature rise above the desired degree, then the quicksilver 
of the manometer also mounted in consequence of the pressure 
of the vapour, and the flow of the gas to the flame got thereby 
in part shut off. The temperature than sank, the vapour con- 
densed, and the quicksilver in the manometer fell. To render 
the apparatus available at every over-pressure, the manometer 
was cut through and connected by a movable piece of tube. As 
the material best adapted for these flexible connections, the 
speaker recommended thin steel tube, which was coated over 
with lead, thereby rendering it easily pliable and not liable to 
any elastic after-effect. The regulation by means of the long 
manometer tube was accomplished in an electrical way by an 
electro-magnet. The details of the arrangement of the thermo- 
stats in question were illustrated in part by models, in part by 
drawings, As fluid for very low temperatures, a mixture of 
two hydrochloric ethers was used ; for higher temperatures, a 
mixture of ether and alcohol; for temperatures above 100° C., 
water; and for still higher degrees of temperature, other 
fluids. With respect to the efficacy of these thermostats, 
the speaker adduced that he was able to keep a water- 
bath for a considerable length of time constant to within 
0°02 C.—Dr. Konig laid before the Society a photometer 
sent to him from Messrs. Yeates and Son, of Dublin, which 
apparently far surpassed the Bunsen photometer. It consisted 
of two quadratic prisms of cast paraffin connected with each 
other on a longitudinal side. Between these two prisms was 
placed a silver leaf or a tinfoil leaf. When light from one source 
fell on the one prism, then it appeared clear white on account of 
the diffused reflexions. The light was able to penetrate to the 
other only through the metal sheet. The other prism therefore 
appeared dark. If a second light was ‘placed on the other side, 
then the other prism appeared likewise bright. By displace- 
ment on a scale the photometer could be brought into the posi- 
tion in which both sides appeared equally bright. The distance 
from each other of the two sources of light gave in that case 
the relation to each other of the intensities. The speaker pro- 
posed some arrangements which would render this photometer 
available for coloured light as well. Similar proposals for this 
purpose had already been made by Dr. Jolly.—Dr. Konig 
further made some supplementary communications on the case 
recently discussed by him of anomalous colour-seeing arising 
from alcoholism. After determining that the occurrence of a 
neutral point in the spectrum was a perfectly certain proof that 
the eyes in question perceived only two fundamental colours, he 
investigated the extension of the colour curves by the employ- 
ing of mixed colours, and thereby obtained important results, 
which he promised to communicate to the Society in a complete 
form in May or June next. 
BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 
“ Hand-book of Plant Dissection,” by Arthur, Barnes and Coulter (Holt, 
New York).—‘ Manual of Physical Geography of Australia,” by H. B. de 
la Poer Wall (Robertson, Melbourne).—‘* Journal of the Chemical Society,” 
May (Van Voorst).—“ Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tas- 
mania for 1885” (Tasmania).—‘‘ Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society 
of England,” April (Murray).—‘‘ Proceedings of the Bath Naturil History 
and Antiquarian Field Club,” No. 1, vol. vi. (Davies, Bath).—‘‘ The Topo- 
graphic Features of Lake Shores,” by G. K. Gilbert (Washington).—** Oils 
and Varnishes,” by J. Cameron (Churchill).— * Year-Book of Scientific and 
Learned Societies, 1886” (Griffin).—‘‘ Notes on Analytical Chemistry,” 2nd 
edition (Churchill).—‘‘ Mountain Ascents,” by J. Barrow (Low).—*‘ Dogs in 
Disease.” 2nd edition, by Ashmont (Low).—** Bulletin de la Société im- 
périale des Naturalistes de Moscou,”’ Nos. 1 and 2 (Moscou).—“ British 
Petrography,” part 4, by J. J. H. Teall (Watson, Birmingham).—‘* Mis- 
sionary Work among the Ojibway Indians,’ by Rev. E. F. Wilson 
(S.P.C. K.).—* Our Island Continent,” by Dr. J. E. Taylor (S.P.G.K.).= 
‘<4 Manual of the Diseases of the Elephant,” by J. H. Steel (Moore 
Madras).—‘ A Treatise on Elementary Statics,” by J- Greaves (Macmillan). 
CONTENTS PAGE 
The Chemistry of the Coal-Tar Colours. By Dr. 
F. R. Japp, F.R.S. poo ns. aie 25 
Japanese Homes . ee pee (Gola es eee See 26 
Acoustics, Light, and Heat. .......-+.+: 27 
Our Book Sheif :— : 
Chapman’s ‘‘ Cholera Curable.”—Dr. E. Klein, 
F,RYSi neg oh eae oe 
Gray’s ‘* Seaweeds, Shells, and Fossils” .. = i eee 28 
Hutton’s ‘“‘Modernised ‘Templeton’; or, The Prac ical 
Mechanic’s Companion”... ..+++-+: ss 28 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Foreign Fishery Boards.—Prof. E. Ray Lankester, 
FiRS. g:s0e @ soak Bo kG hee 
Fabry’s Comet and Barnard’s Comet.—T. W. Back- 
HhOuSe! oc eG He ek ee Nee ie ce oon eC 
«© Pumice on the Cornish Coast.” —Dr, H. B. Guppy 29 
The Velocity of Light, I. By Prof. Newcomb . St) 
Panclastite . : 2 = 2.28) 26 Goes) = oo er 
Mr. Verbeek on the Krakatao Dust-Glows. ... . 33 
The Parietal Eye of Hatteria. By W. Baldwin 
Spencer. (JZilustrated) - 5 3 300 = > ee 33 
Astronomical Photography. By MM. Paul et Prosper 
Henry. (Zilustrated) 9... = = = = > ee 35 
Notes. .¢ se 0 eee 6 eee Seles) Eee 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
The Flexure of Meridian Instruments . .. +--+ + 39° 
The Spectrum of Fabry’s Comet ...-+--+ ++ 40 
Two New'Comets. . « 2 = © @ueer% <0) lautcyesmnOnneimmEEh 
New Minor Planet . a cece) Shaw eee 
Astronomical Pnenomena for the Week 1886 
May 16222. os - cots ole, oe 
Geographical Notes .. 2. «2 = = sso eae 
The Sun and Stars, VI. By J. Norman Lockyer, 
FOR:S.. (Wdustrated) 2 3 a 
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers... .- 45 
University and Educational Intelligence .... - 40 
Scientince Serials . (.. 00. 4 lense ieee een 
Societies and Academies .....++-++-+ees 46 
Books and Pamphlets Received. ....-+--+++-> 48 
