404 
silica, ferric oxide, aluminium, sodium, potassium, calcium, 
magnesium, and traces of iodine, lithium, copper, ammonia, 
manganese, phosphoric and boric acid, but no arsenic.— 
Priestley’s experiment repeated with aquatic animals and 
plants, by M. N. Gréhant. The experiment here referred to con- 
sists in placing under an air-tight vessel small mammals, such as 
mice, until the atmosphere becomes vitiated by the absorption 
of oxygen and liberation of carbonic acid; then, if a sprig of 
mint be introduced and the vessel exposed to the sun, after a 
certain time a mouse again introduced will breathe and live 
freely, the carbonic acid having been decomposed by the chloro- 
phyll under the influence of the light and replaced by oxygen. 
An analogous experiment is here described with fish, and the 
leaves of an aquatic plant (Potamogeton /ucens) introduced into 
receptacles filled with water.—Atmospheric phenomena ob- 
served at Palermo during the recent eruption of Etna, by M. A. 
Riced. These light-effects are compared with those following 
the eruptions of Krakatdo and Ferdinandea, their less“ brilliant 
character being attributed to the smaller quantity of vapours 
discharged by Etna.—The telluric currents, their nature, and the 
part played by them in the production of meteorological pheno- 
mena, by M. J. J. Landerer. In this paper, which is supple- 
mentary to the communication made to the Academy on Octo- 
ber 17, 1881, the author gives the further results of the studies 
which he has now prosecuted for several years at Tortosa on the 
telluric currents and their various relations to terrestrial mag- 
netism, the trade-winds, the solar spots, and the like. 
BERLIN 
Chemical Society, June 21.—A. W. Hofmann, Vice-Pre- 
sident, in the chair.—Prof. Scheibler described in a long and 
very interesting paper his new methods of obtaining a product 
rich in phosphorus from the crude slag produced in Thomas’s 
process. Whilst formerly the slag was extracted with dilute 
hydrochloric acid, and a precipitate rich in phosphorus obtained 
by adding lime to the solution, the present price of hydrochloric 
acid rendered it desirable to simplify the process. It was at 
first attempted to do this by a fractional solidification of the 
fused slag, the portion first solidifying containing little phos- 
phoric acid, whilst the liquid portion separated from it furnishes 
an excellent material for manure. An essentially better method 
consists in adding the lime to the iron, not all at once, but first of 
all about two-thirds of the necessary quantity; the slag pro- 
duced is then removed, the remainder of the lime added, and the 
process completed. The first lot of slag obtained in this way 
contains about 31 per cent. phosphoric anhydride, and 58 per 
cent. lime, whilst the second lot contains but little phosphorus, 
though it is rich in iron, of which it contains 24 per cent., the 
first slag having only 1°8 per cent. The second slag is returned 
to the furnaces used in the production of crude iron. The ad- 
vantages of the method are a shortening of the blowing opera- 
tion, the possibility of increasing the charge, a more complete 
removal of the phosphorus, less loss of iron, and considerable 
saving of lime. Further advantages are that the first portion of 
the slag forms a valuable manure, whilst the second portion is 
used again in the furnaces. The paper concludes with a discus- 
sion of the importance of this more complete separation of the 
phosphorus from iron ores for agricultural purposes. —W. Will 
exhibited an aromatic ketone obtained from the root of Peoria 
Moutan, and which has been more closely examined by Prof. 
Nagai, of Japan. Its composition is 
{ COCHs (1) 
C,H, OH (2). 
locu, (4) 
—There were two papers by J. Traube: (1) on the size of 
maximum-drops of the ordinary alcohols and fatty acids, and 
their aqueous solutions ; and (2) on the dependence of the size 
of drops on external influences.—K. Polstorff has found that 
East Indian holarrhena contains conessine, and he considers 
that this alkaloid is identical with MHaines’s wrightine.— 
Kk. Heumann and E. Mentha have studied the behaviour of 
monochlorazo- and hydrazobenzene to acids; the latter 
yields chlorazobenzene, parachloraniline, and aniline.—Piutti 
has obtained a new asparagin from vyetch sprigs; _ its 
aqueous solutions are dextrorotatory, and its compounds have 
the same rotatory power as the corresponding compounds of 
ordinary asparagin, but the rotation is always in the opposite 
direction. —T. Salzer described a new method of obtaining 
pentathionic acid by oxidising a solution of sodium thiosulphate 
with iodine in the presence of potassium arsenite.—M. Lange de- 
NATURE 
; 
[August 26, 1886 
scribed a new synthesis of mixed azo-dyes from aromatic dia- 
mines.—G. Ciamician and P. Silber have studied the action of 
pyrroline on alloxan, and have described the properties and 
derivatives of pyrrolalloxan, C,H,N,0,, which results from the 
reaction.—J. Schmid showed that the colouring-matter of fiset- 
wood (ius cotinus, L.), is not identical with quercitine, and that 
itis present in the plant asa glucoside (/zstiz) ; he described the 
preparation and the ethyl- and acetyl-derivatives of fisetin. 
STOCKHOLM ) 
Geological Society, April 1.—Prof. W. C. Brogger gave 
an account of the volcanic rocks extending between Langesund, 
in the Christiania Fjord, and Lake Mjésen, in Central Norway, 
founded on earlier and his-own researches, the latter extending 
over many years. He had come to the conclusion that the 
whole basin was due to an erosion of the earth’s crust, which 
had forced up the volcanic matter. The oldest of these, the 
augite porphyry, had been discharged in the form of lava 
streams over the Devonian surface of the earth. The more 
recent ones had not reached the surface, but had hardened at 
lower depths, and had become disclosed at a later date.— Herr 
A. E. Tornebohm described the remarkable coal-bearing rock 
which was discovered by Igelstrom some twenty years ago in 
the crystalline slates of the fundamental rock at the Nulla 
Mountain, in the province of Varmland. His microscopical 
researches went to show that the coal had been introduced into 
the rock whilst the formation of feldspar was still in progress. 
2 
BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 
“Proceedings of the American Association, 34th Meeting ’’ (Salem), 
“Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,’’ August (Churchill).—“ Pro: 
ceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,” 2nd series, vol. i 
part x (Cunningham, Sydney).—‘‘ Journal of the Royal Microscopical 
Society,’’ August (Williams and Norgate).—‘‘ British Petrography,” part 7 
by J. J. H. Teall (Watson, Birmingham).—‘‘ Political Science 
terly,” vol. i. parts x and 2(Ginn and Co., Boston).—‘ Avifauna Italica,” 
by E. H. Gighioli (Firenze).—‘‘ Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,’ 
vol. lv. parts 268 and 269.—‘‘ Annual Report of the Department of Revenue, 
Settlement, and Agricul ure, 1884-85’ (Madras).—“‘ Schriften der physik- 
alisch-6konomischen Gesellschaft zu Kénigsberg i. Pr.” —‘‘ Pond Life: 
Insects,” by E. A. Butler(Sonnenschein).—‘‘ Papers in Inorganic Chemistry,’ 
by G. E. R. Ellis (Rivingtons).—‘ Report on the Meteorology of India i 
i 
EEE 
1884” (Calcutta).—‘‘ Indian Meteorological Memoirs,” vol. iti. part 1, vol. 
iv. part x (Calcutta).—‘* Bergens Museums Aarsberetning, 1885 ” (Bergen). — 
CONTENTS PAG 
The Physiology of Plants ............+ 38r 
A Plea forithe Rain-Band). 27.7. <= 3). -) cineca | 
Our Book Shelf :— T 
““A Manual of Surgery” 3... : a0) «fees en 2 
Cochin’s “ L’Evolution et Ja Vie”. :.. . 4 « = s NgOaE 4 
Cameron’s ‘‘ History of the Royal College of Surgeons - 
in Ireland, &c. "71. 3 <- (ie) 2) «ee or 
Letters to the Editor :-— iH 
Physiological Selection and the Origin of Species.— = | 
Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S.; S.A. Mitra. . . 384 
Red Sunsets and Volcanic Eruptions.—Prof. A. tf 
Ricco : ...6 . 20h ass 5) . 0! 2 
The Bright Clouds and the Aurora,—T. W. Back- » 
House 35 se we ve aye yh coke (en 
Cloud Effect. —E. Brown .. 38m 
The Crag Deposits on the North Downs.—Rev. A. 
Irving... 
Actinotrocha of 
Herdman. i. 
George Busk, F.R.S. 
British Association, Section B: Discussion on the 
Nature of Solution. By Prof. William A. Tilden 
The Recent Volcanic Eruptions in New Zealand. 
By Dr. James Hector, F.R.S. 
the British ‘Coasts. —Prof. ‘Ww. : A. 
; By Prof. ‘Geo. 16: Allman, 
In Quest of the Origin ofan Epidemic ...... 393 
The Origin of Varieties. By Francis Galton, F.R.S. 395 
Notes! (Ls) /s /«: duissusleudelofuerqemiepseuen opie) oes cmen 
Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1886 
August 29—September4...........-. 398 
Geographical Notes! . = 3). 0 Se) 6) | + en 
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers .... 39 
Progress of Chemistry and Mineralogy. ..... 400 — 
Scientific Serials) 20.) ep sie) (os) o>) coe 
Societies and Academie BUCO BORON fcr ck Oo 
Books and Pamphlets Received ......... 
“| 
(With a Map)... 389 | 
