July 6, 1882] 



NA TURE 



237 



the sun's parallax by observation of Victoria and Sappho. I 

 have already commenced the preliminary work, and I anticipate 

 that much time will be devoted thereto in the ensuing autumn. 



Robert S. Ball 



SCIENCE IN BOHEMIA 

 A CORRESPONDENT, who was present at the recent 

 "■ meeting of the Bohemian Naturalists, sends us the fol- 

 lowing brief report : — 



The second meeting of Bohemian Naturalists and Physicians 

 was held during May 24-30 in Prague (NATURE, vol. xxvi. 

 p. 66). This meeting, in which over 600 members (some of 

 them coming from Poland) took part, seems to have proved 

 sufficiently that the above-named Slavic tribe (counting only 

 something over six millions of souls) is not less successful in 

 cultivating and promoting science in its own language, than other 

 small nations (Dutch, Swedes, &c. ). 



In the two general meetings the following addresses were 

 given : — By Dr. Schafarik, Professor in the Bohemian Univer- 

 sity, on the aims of chemical investigation, in which the subject 

 was treated from an unusually deep and philosophic point of 

 view ; and by Dr. Holub, on the importance of the medical pro- 

 fession in transatlantic countries. In this address the essayist 

 pointed out that the great power which had been obtained by 

 the English in transatlantic countries is especially due to the 

 investigations made by them from the scientific, commercial, 

 economical, and strategical point of view. Dr. Ilolub further 

 referred to other experiences of that kind, which he made in his 

 travels in South Africa, already known to the readers of Nature 

 (vol. xxiv. pp. 35-38). 



In the Section for Medicine, papers were read by the follow- 

 ing gentlemen : — Doctors Eiselt, Janovsky, Maixner, Drozda, 

 Thomayer, Chodounsky, Hlava, Wiktor, Zahor, Pelc, Bohm, 

 Belohradsky, Ehrmann, Carda, Krasinski, Chudoba, Mayzel, 

 Steffal, Wach. 



In the Section for Surgery, papers were read by Doctors 

 Schoebel, Obtulowicz, Janovsky, Janda, Kuniewicz, Michl, 

 Medal, Talko, Weiss, Bastyr, Jerzykowski, Ostrcil, Carda, 

 Michl, Matlakowski, Spott, Maixner, Skalicka. 



In the Section for Pharmacy, papers were read by Doctors 

 Belohoubck, Jandous, Fragner, and Stepanek. 



In the Section for Mathematics and Physics, Dr. E. Weyr 

 read a paper on the construction of a hyperboloid of oscula- 

 tion ; J. Vanecek, on general inversion ; V. Jaeger, on the 

 solution of equations of 4th degree ; K. V. Zenger, on a disper- 

 sive parallelopipedon, and on microscopes with endomersic 

 lenses ; Dr. Doubrava, on sensitive flames ; Dr. Becka, on 

 comets; F. Machovec, on the construction of certain curves; 

 Dr. Weyr, on the construction of rational curves in space, of 

 third, fourth, fifth, and sixth degrees ; B. Prochazka, generali- 

 sation of stereographic sections of planes of second degree ; A. 

 Sucharda, on movements of curved planes ; F. Toms, construc- 

 tion of section lines of tw r o conic sections ; F. Cechac, contribu- 

 tions to electrotechnics ; Dr. A. Seydler, on the use of quater- 

 nions for the solution of a certain mechanical problem ; Dr. V. 

 Strouhal, on the peculiarities of magnetic and galvanic steel ; E. 

 Dziewulski, electric conductivity of mixtures of alcohol and 

 water. 



In the Section for Natural Science, papers were read by Dr. 

 Celakovsky, on the sympodial constitution of vine-branches ; 

 J. Szyszylowicz, on the influence of light upon the transforma- 

 tion of matter in plants ; F. Bayer, on the asymmetry in the 

 shoulder-blade circle of frogs and some birds ; V. T. Vele- 

 novsky, on the flora of Bohemian chalk-formation ; Dr. 

 Palacky, on the relations of the American and Bohemian 

 flora ; F. Sitensky, on the turfs from the giant mountains ; K. 

 Cermak, on the stratification of the alluvium and diluvium in 

 certain parts of Bohemia, the fauna of these strata, and their depo- 

 sition over older formations ; Dr. Mayzl, on the division of cells ; 

 Dr. Fric, on the Sauria found in the permic formation of 

 Bohemia ; F. Safranek, on a new rock found near Tabor 

 (Bohemia); J. Korensky, on the diltrvial fauna from the rock- 

 cave near Tetin ; J. Kafka, on Bohemian bryozoa ; Dr. Wold- 

 rich, on the diluvial system of Central Europe ; G. Ossowski, 

 geology of Wolonia ; Dr. Novak, contributions to the fauna of 

 Bohemian Siluric formation ; J. Fric, contribution to the 

 ontogeny of Copepoda ; Dr. Kamienski, contribution to the 

 morphology of the urticularii ; J. Ssyszylowicz, conservation of 

 spores of plants during the winter ; K. Taranek, on rhizopoda 



and diatomaca:a of South Bohemian turfs; S. |Klnava, criteria 

 of modern petrology ; Dr. Celakovsky, comparison of indusia of 

 ferns and oval integumenta ; F. Safranek, on a new find of opals 

 and chalcedons near Tabor ; Dr. Vejdovsky, on the male of 

 Lemapoda selachiorum, and on Bohemian Planaria? ; Dr. 

 Hansgirg, on Bohemian Alga;, and on the movements of Oscil 

 lariae ; J. Ulicny, on Moravian Molusca ; Dr. Zulinski, on 

 mineralogical symbolics ; Dr. Palacky, on the flora in the 

 Bohemian chalk formation; C. Zahalka, geological map of the 

 environments of Jicin ; Dr. Kamienski, growth of plants in an 

 atmosphere not containing carbon dioxide ; F. Posepny, on the 

 disintegration of rocks ; Dr. Rostafinski, on the distribution of 

 Galician fishes, and on the formation of hormogonia. 



In the Chemical Section papers were read by Prof. Butlerofl", ' 

 on the oxidation of isodibutylene by potassium permanganate 

 (presented) ; Dr. Radziszewski, on physiological oxidation ; F. 

 Stolba, application of aluminium-metal in laboratories ; A. 

 Belohoubek, on crystallised hydrates of potassium ; Dr. B. 

 Brauner (Manchester), on the atomic weight of didynrium and 

 other researches, regarding the chemistry of rare earth-metals 

 (presented) ; F. Chodounsky, on fermentation ; Prof. Preis, on 

 sodium sulfarsenite ; Dr. Janecek, on the electrolysis of saline 

 solutions ; Dr. Wasowicz, on crotaconic acid ; Farsky, on 

 superphosphates ; K. Kruis, fermentation in spirit-refineries ; 

 M. Fischer, on the decomposition of collagenous substances ; J. 

 Stoklasa, on the geochemical conditions of Bohemian chalk- 

 formation ; Jal, on the estimation of hypophosphorous acid ; J. 

 Wiesner, on potassium-uranic chromates ; K. Sykora, on certain 

 coloured clays found in Bohemia , B. Rayman, on a new synthesis 

 of methyl-phenyles ; Farsky, chlorine as a nutriment of plants. 



In the Section for Archaeology and Anthropology, papers were 

 read by Dr. Woldrich, on the skulls of prehistoric domestic 

 dogs ; J. Ossowski, on the objects found in caves near Cracow ; 

 Dr. Berger, on fibulae found in Bohemia ; Dr. Kopernicki, on 

 the trepanation of prehistoric skulls in Bohemia ; B. Jelinek, on 

 the environments of Plesivec. 



In the Section for Pedagogy the following papers were read 

 or subjects discussed : — Dr. Hejzlar, how to teach physics and 

 astronomy ; F. Nekut, how to teach mineralogy ; J. Mrazik, on 

 the services rendered to pedagogy by medicine and natural 

 science ; J. Vanecek, necessity of teaching new geometry in 

 middle schools ; Dr. Kotal, on the treatises of natural science 

 used in middle schools ; J. Klika, how to popularise natural 

 science; Pokorny, on teaching of gymnastics. 



In an exhibition connected with the meeting many interesting 

 objects touching upon [Medicine and Natural Science were 

 exhibited. From the scientific excursions by which the meeting 

 was concluded only that into the well-known mine of Pribram, 

 under the direction of Prof. Krejci, may be mentioned. 



Only within recent years Natural Science began to be cultivated 

 in Bohemia in the Slav language, and this is especially due to the 

 establishment of a Bohemian Polytechnic School and recently of 

 a corresponding division in the University of Prague though the 

 last-named high school was founded already in 134S. 



INDIA-RUBBER PLANTS 



w 



R. W. T. THISELTON DYER brought before the 

 Linnean Society, June 15, an important communica- 

 tion on the caoutchouc-yielding Apocynacea; of Malaya and 

 Tropical Africa. After giving a general sketch of the structural 

 and physiological conditions of the occurrence of caoutchouc in 

 plants, the author pointed out that the plants which appeared to 

 yield it in commercial quautity in three widely-separated regions 

 all belonged to one tribe of Apocynacese, the Carisstu. In the 

 East Indies the "gutta singgarip" of the Malay Peninsula, the 

 "gutta soosoo " of Borneo, was the produce of a new species 

 Willughbeia, W. Burbidgei. Many other species of this and 

 allied genera also seemed to produce caoutchouc in quantity, 

 worth collection. In Central Africa Landolphia, which was 

 closely allied to IVillughbeia, but differed in possessing terminal 

 instead of axillary flowers, was the most important source. On 

 the Eat Coast caoutchouc was yielded by L. owariensis and L. 

 Jtorida, the latter a very ornamental plant. As the rubber exuded 

 from the cut stems, it was plastered by the collectors on the breast 

 and arms, and the thick layer, when peeled off and cut up into 

 squares, was called "thimble rubber." On the west coast the 

 most important species was L. Kirkii, the rubber of which could 

 be wound ff into balls or small rolls from the cut stems, like 



