588 
MacPherson, M.A., was also read, on the aboriginal names of 
rivers in Australia philologically examined. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, October 27.—M. Jurien de la 
Graviere, President, in the chair.—On Dr. Speerer’s views re- 
garding the solar spots and protuberances, by M. Faye. In a 
paper recently contributed to the Pro-eedings of the German 
Astronomical Society, M. Spcerer adopts the view that the 
faculee and spots are due to the currents of hydrogen which 
forms the solar chromosphere. But to the ascending currents, 
the cause of which is unexplained, is attributed a descending 
current which, by penetrating amid the facule to the body of 
the sun, gives rise to a spot. The hydrogen thus drawn in 
reascends round about the funnel of the spot, and, by mingling 
with the ascending currents, effects a complete circulation. 
The author points out that these ideas are completely analogous 
to his own, and would be identical, had M. Spcerer studied the 
mechanical cause of this remarkable circulation, which is here 
attributed to the irregular velocities of the horizontal currents 
producing on the solar surface gyratory movements with a ver- 
tical descending axis like those of the terrestrial streams and 
atmosphere.——A comparative study of the actions of walking 
and running, together with the mechanism of the transition 
between these two movements, by MM. Marey and Demeny. 
In this paper, which complements the author’s previous com- 
munications on animal kinematics, numerous differences are shown 
to exist between slow and rapid pace, the latter being character- 
ised by moments of complete detachment from the ground and by 
other equally important features scarcely visible to the naked eye, 
but which are now clearly revealed by the chronophotographic 
and dynamographic processes. The paper is furnished with six 
diagrams illustrating the contrasts between both motions and the 
transitions from one to the other.—Considerations on the 
nervous system of the gastropods, by M. H. de Lacaze-Duthiers. 
In supplement to previous papers on several aberrant types of 
gasteropods, the author here continues his analysis of the facts 
connécted with the central nervous system of these organisms. 
Special care is taken to distinguish between the groups of ganglia 
of primary importance from others which, notwithstanding their 
size and numbers, really play only a secondary part in the 
nervous system of the gasteropods.—Wheat culture at Ward- 
recques, Pas-de-Calais, and at Blasinghem, Department du 
Nord, in 1886, by MM. Porion and Dehérain. In continuation 
of previous reports of the results of experiments carried on for 
many years in the north-west of France, the authors here 
announced that the most profitable varieties of wheat are those 
which, besides yielding the largest returns, are best able to sup- 
port strong manures without lodging. Preference above all is 
given to the square-eared variety (4/ @ éi carré), which they 
hope may be brought into general use in order to meet the | 
growing competition of foreign growers.—Observations of Fin- 
lay’s comet made at the Lyons Observatory (Brunner equatorial 
o'16m.), by M. Gonnessiat.—Observations of the same comet 
made at the Observatory of Nice (Gautier equatorial), by M. 
Perrotin.—Note on the errors of division in Gambey’s mural 
circle, by M. Périgaud. These errors being once clearly 
determined, the author considers that the Gambey circle with 
the new mercury bath allowing a continuous observation 
of the Nadir, may be advantageously used in astronomic re- 
searches where great precision is required.—On a question con- 
cerning the single points of plane algebraic curves, by M. E. B. 
Guccia.—On the glycerinate of soda, by M. de Forcrand. In 
this paper the author completes the study of the glycerinate of 
soda, begun by E. Letts in 1872, and subsequently prosecuted 
by M. Berthelot.-—On the preparation of the sulphur of calcium 
with violet phosphorescences, by M. A. Verneuil. By the 
application of the principles laid down by M. E. Becquerel in 
his researches on phosphorescence, the author has succeeded in 
effecting the synthesis of this substance, which has been long 
known in commerce, but the preparation of which had hitherto 
remained a secret.—On the comparative volatility of the methylic 
compounds in the various families of the negative elements, by 
M. Louis Henry. In this paper the author restricts his in- 
quiries to the monocarbonic derivatives, and more especially to 
the methylic derivatives. He finds that, at equal atomic weight, 
the diminution of volatility determined in methane by the sub- 
stitution of a negative element for hydrozen, is all the 
greater the more this element is removed from hydrogen.— 
Law determining the position of the embryo in insects, by M. 
NATURE 
Paul Hallez. From his studies of Aydrophilus piceus and 
Locusta viridissima, the author arrives at a general law appli- 
cable to insects and probably also to other classes, which he thus 
formulates :—The cellule ovum is disposed in the same direction 
as the maternal organism, with a cephalic and a caudal 
pole, a right and a left side, a dorsal and ventral face 
coinciding with the corresponding faces of the embryo.— 
Contributions to the natural history of the Orthonectidz, by M. 
R. Koehler. During his researches on Amphiura sguamata at 
the Zoological Laboratory at Cette, the author has found on these 
animals both male and female of the curious parasite, Rhopa- 
lura, already studied by Giard and Julin.—On the exhalations 
of carbonic acid in infectious diseases determined by aérial and 
non-aérial microbes, by M. S. Arloing.—Geological constitution 
of the district of Croix-Rousse (Lyons), by M. Fontannes. 
The tunnel 2400 metres long now in progress under the terrace 
between the Rhone and the Saone at Lyons has afforded an 
opportunity of studying the geological features of the district, 
which appears to consist mainly of Pliocene sands overlying 
gneiss with remains of .Wastodon arvenensts, above which follow 
Pliocene alluvia with Zvephas meridionalis, Quaternary alluvia, 
and Glacial deposits (moraines, loam, &c.). 
BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED 
“* Food-Grains of India,” by A. H. Church (Chapman aad Hall).—‘*‘ Elec- 
tricity in the Service of Man,” by Wormell and Perry (Cassells).—‘* Hand- 
book of Acoustics,” by T. F. Harris (Curwen).—‘ Beobachtungen der 
Russischen Polarstation an der Lenamiindung,” il. Theil. Meteorologische 
Beobachtungen, by A. Eigner.—‘‘ Geometrical Drawing for Army Candi- 
dates,” by H. T. Lilley (Cassells).—‘t The Gas Engine,” by D. Clerk 
(Longmans).—‘‘ General Biology,’’ by W. T. Sedgwick and E. B. Wilson 
(Holt and Co., New York).—‘t The Encyclopedic Dictionary,” vol. v. 
part ii. (Cassells).—‘‘ Loisette’s Art of Never Forgetting Compared with 
Mnemonics,” by F. Appleby.—‘‘ Modern Petrography,’”’ by G. H. Williams 
(Heath and Co., New York). 
CONTENTS PAGE 
Scientific Worthies, XXIV.—John Couch Adams, 
(With Steel-Plate Engraving)... .. +. « « = =) 505 
The British Museum Birds .% .. | . os seeeyou 
The Vital Statistics of Glasgow ........- 568 
The Fresh-Water Fishes of Europe ....... 569 
Our Book Shelf :— 
Ellis’s ‘‘ Papers in Inorganic Chemistry” . 569 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Our Guns.—W. Mattieu Williams ...... 569 
Photographs of Stellar Spectra.—Prof. Edward C. 
Pickering Cm cs oh SE 
The Late American Earthquake and its Limits.— 
Prof, J.-P: (O? Reilly, 3 2-5 ~ « s-s 
Algebraic Notation of Kinship.—Charles Davison 571 
Physiological Selection. —Edmund Catchpool . 571 
American Vines.—E. W. Claypole....... 571 
Scopelus miilleri.—Francis Day. ........ 571 
The Sense of Smell.—Rev. George Henslow . . 572 
Humming in the Air caused by Insects.—Rev. 
Leonard Blometield’ .. ~ = \. © i) sneeenne 
The Hong Kong Observatory .......... 572 
The Rainfall of the Cape Colony. By Thomas 
Stewart . 2.4 + 6 we» [ict + ay a co) fe) oe 
Ferdinand Stoliczka 2... 2. <1 on) =) =) et ete 
The Iron and Steel Institute < 2 0 2 2 <))s)- semen Siveen | 
Notes. sce. ws ee Sad Boe a) ee) 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
M. Thollon’s Map of the Solar Spectrum ..... 579 
Comet Finlay <2 05% 2) © © 1 « «) elke heer | 
New Minor Planet”. 200: = c=) tenn 
INiew SGometire es 1 (opie es. repel oo nih Neo 
dhe) Pulkowa\@bservatory/ 7. 6 (ee) + uslete emer 
Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1886 
October 17=23 ee ee ey ch ot el 
The New Element, Germanium ......... 580 
Australasia” 2 <4 Ye seis de ee seule, oe 
On the Occurrence of Cellulose in Tuberculosis . 581 
Disinfection by Heat .... 581 
On the Fractionation of Yttria. By William Crookes, a 
F.R.S. (desiradted) 3 2 Sa. 8 6 + ee 
Scientific'Serials;... <0:.- % 2 2 «os enn 
Societies and Academies. .........:.. Som 
Books and Pamphlets Received ........ 588 
(Occanas 1886 
; 
f 
