140 
carburets chosen on purpose with a view to determining certain 
general relations. —On the ammonia present in the ground: a 
reply to MM. Berthelot and André, by M. Th. Schloesing. 
The points in dispute are re-stated, and the author deals fully 
with the chief objections urged by MM. Berthelot and Andre 
against his view that generally speaking the ammonia passes 
from the atmosphere to the earth.—Note accompanying M. 
Silvestri’s report on the eruption of Mount Etna on May 18 and 
19, by M. Daubrée. It is noticed that the present lava-stream, 
like that of 1883, flows from the crevasse which was opened on 
the flenk of the volcano in the direction from north-east to south- 
west in the year 1875. But it rises at an elevation of about 
1400 metres some 7 kilometres above the town of Nicolosi, 
which has thus so far escaped destruction.—On the influence of 
magnesia on Portiand cements, by M. G, Lechartier. The 
author’s extensive researches amongst public buildings and struc- 
tures of all sorts fully confirm the conclusion already arrived at 
by Rivot regarding the destructive effects of the magnesia 
present in these cements. The more they are exposed to the 
direct action of water, the more rapid is the process of decay.— 
Observations of the new comet Brooks III., made at the Obser- 
vatory of Nice with the Gautier equatorial, by M. Charlois.— 
Note on the theoretic calculation of the composition of vapours, 
their coefficients of expansion, and vaporising heats, by M. M. 
Langlois. The formulas which in the author’s theory give the 
specific heats of the gases or vapours are as under :— 
Atm. v 
Molecules at 1 an Gat w iE a = Ac, 
” 2 Grae 
9 3 C= $dAa 
” 4 eC & Aa 
where a is the coefficient of expansion of the vapour, V the 
volume oceupied by 1 kilogramme of this vapour under the 
pressure 7, The complete theory will be explained at the next 
Congress of the French Association at Nancy.—On the diffusion 
of heat and physical isomorphism, by M. L. Godard. The 
property of being athermochroic, hitherto supposed to be pecu- 
liar to pure common salt and sylvine (natural chloride of potas- 
sium), is shown to be also characteristic of the isomorphous and 
anhydrous chlorides, bromides, and iodides. These substances 
have the same chemical formula and crystallise in the same 
system, and thus is once more confirmed the analogy presented 
by the physical properties of isomorphous bodies.—Law of the 
product corresponding to the maximum of useful work in an 
electric distribution, by M. Vaschy. It is shown that Jacobi’s 
law (product = 3) is inapplicable to the case of a dynamo- 
generator whose electromotor force is a function of the current 
traversing it.—On the cyclonic whirlwind of May 12: influence 
of the Guadarama mountain-range on its progress through the 
Iberian peninsula (second note), by M. A. F. Nogués. The 
fresh impulse given to this Atlantic cyclone by contact with the 
cold dry upland currents in the neighbourhood of Madrid show 
that under special conditions the central Spanish plateau may be 
compared to certain tropical regions. producing in Spain meteoric 
phenomena analogous to those of the torrid zone.—On the 
heats of combustion of the fatty acids and of some fatty 
substances derived from them, by M. W. Louguinine. Com- 
pleting his previous studies on the heat of combustion of the 
fatty acids and their derivatives, the author here treats of 
caprylic, nonylic, lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids, and of 
the trilaurine and trimyristine glycerines.—On the dissociation of 
the carbonate of lime, by M. H. Le Chatelier.—On a new 
gaseous body, the oxyfluoride of phosphorus, with the formula 
PhF1,0,, by M. H. Moissan.—On the direct chloridation of 
methylbenzoyl, by M. H. Gautier.—Action of oxygenated water 
on benzoic acid in the presence of sulphuric acid, by M. Hanriot. 
Having previously shown that oxygenated water reacts on the 
benzenic hydrocarburets in sulphuric solution, transforming 
them to phenols and diphenols, the author here extends this 
reaction to the aromatic acids, and especially to benzoic acid.— 
On jaborine, by MM. Hardy and Calmels.—Absorption of the 
bicarbonates of potassa and lime by the roots of beetroot during 
the first year’s growth, and their transformation to organic acids 
in combination with the potassa and lime diffused throughout 
the different parts of the plant during vegetation, by M. H. 
Leplay.—On the superficial measurement of the underground 
parts of plants, by M, Aimé Girard. A method is proposed by 
NATURE 
I 
— 
[Fune 10, 1886 
which the superficial development of vegetable roots may be 
approximately determined within about y’5 above or below the 
reality.—Fresh observations on the Jurassic bilobites, by M. 
Stan. Meunier. Several new forms of these curious fossil 
vestiges are described, tending more and more to show that they 
are of organic origin, and not merely animal footprints.x—On 
the existence of the Lower Eocene formation in the Chalosse 
district, and on the position of the Bos d’Arros strata, by MM. 
Jacquot and Munier-Chalmas. 
BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 
“Report of the Second Hudson’s Bay Expedition, 1885.”—‘‘ Charts 
showing the Ocean, Monthly and Annual Temperatures of Hudson’s Bay 
Region and Eastern Canada, September 1884 to October 1885,” by A. R. 
Gordon.—‘‘ Algebraical Exercises and Examination Papers,” by H. S. Hall 
and S. R. Knight (Macmillan).—‘‘ Annalen des k.k. Naturhistorischen 
Hofmuseums,” Band i., No. 2 (Hilder, Wien).—‘‘ Indice Alfabético de la 
Mince epee Popular Ilustrada de Ciencias y Artes,” by F. Gillman (Gras, 
Madrid).—‘‘ Embryologische Studien an Medusen, Atlas,’’ by E. Metschni- 
koff (Hilder, Wien).—‘ Report of the Metropolitan Board of Works, 1885.”” 
—‘‘ Electric Transmission of Energy,” by C. Kapp (Whittaker and Co.).— 
‘* Physiology of Plants,” by S. H. Vines (Cambridge University Press).— 
“A West Indian Sanitorium and a Guide to Barbadoes,” by Rev. J. H. 
Sutton Moxly (S. Low).—‘‘A Year in Brazil,” by H. C. Dent (K. Paul).— 
““ 4 Year with the Birds” (Blackwell, Oxford).— Microbes, Ferments, and 
Moulds,” by E. L. Trouessart (K. Paul).—‘‘ Catalogue of the Birds in the 
British Museum,” vol. xi.—‘ Catalogue of the Fossil Mammalia in the 
British Museum,” Part 3, by R. Lydekker.—‘‘ A Book of Duck Decoys,” 
by Sir R. Payne-Gallwey (Van Voorst).—‘‘ Report of Experiments in the 
Manufacture of Sugar at Magnolia Station, Lawrence, La., Season of 1885- 
86," by G. J. Spencer (Washington).—‘‘ Principles and Methods of Soil 
Analysis,” by E. Richards (Washington).—‘‘ Methods and Machinery for the » 
Application of Diffusion to the Extraction of Sugar from Sugar-Cane and 
Sorghum.” by H. W. Wiley (Washington).—‘‘ Proceedings of the Windsor 
and Eton Scientific Society, 1885” (Oxley, Windsor).—‘* Hydrophobia, M. 
Pasteur and His Methods,” by Dr. T. M. Dolan (H. K. Lewis). 
CONTENTS 
The.43-Ton Gun Explosion)... 2 3 <0) «ee 
Geology of Turkestan: > 2... 5 006 < © Jeera 
The Naturalist’s Diary. By Prof. John Wrightson 119 
Our Book Shelf :— : 
Cambridge’s ‘‘ Scientific Results of the Second 
Yarkand Mission?’ ... ss. sue © 0) + fons 
Letters to the Editor :— 
The Thomson Effect.—Prof. P. G. Tait. . ... 120 } 
Power in Laboratories. —David P. Todd. (///us- 
trated) 2s ves Ya SE ee SEE tel tee en 
Scientific Nomenclature.—G. Griffith ...... 122 
Nera: —Wmy He Dall) 2 2 2 ie ie rant 
‘Plants and their Defences.",—Dr. E. Huth . . . 122 
A Remarkable Hailstorm.—Dr. A. Ernst .... 122 
Visitation of the Royal Observatory ....... 122 
The Past Winters 9. 045 is 206 <6: 2) 6: cee ey te 
The AstronomicaliDay . 5.02 2. . = ©) 0s) ee 
Facilities for Botanical Research. By Prof. F. O. 
Bower). 2 cs 5 © eee: oe) te 0) le: 1c ollie) nett a 
lt new CmtOMCMGEOMTCEO TH ONO Oro 6 oo BEE 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
Gomet (Brooks lltpeei cm sumevcey wom ciaierate me) SOMME 131 
Comet Brooks Ts = sss ee: jc) ye. lotic 1e) fe | iol otto enn 
Spectroscopic Determination of the Motion of the 
Solar System in Space . 131 
Publication of the Zone-Observations of the ‘Astrono- j 
mbsche Geseluschafl (Wie Ye (es 0) te he = stem 
The Madras Observatory... ..... «+ « ©) 290 
Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1886 4 
June D310), ce es 5 he -e s iot 0) ola 
Biological Notes :— i 
Development of Ophiopholis and Echinarachnius. . 132 ’ 
The Leeches of Japan... we ss 2 wee ee 6 1327 
New Element of the Blood and its Relation to Coagu- 
Ei) Vn COnOMONORG Ed Seo His o-oo 0 Go it 
On Recent Progress in the Coal-Tar Industry, IJ, 
By Prof. Sir Henry E. Roscoe, M.P., F.R.S. . . 133 
Societies and Academies. . .....+ +... 135 
Books anil Pamphlets Received ..-.....++-. ‘I40 
Se a ae ek ha 
