30 
NATURE 
[Mov. 4, 1869 
PHILADELPHIA. 
American Philosophical Society.—We select the following 
extracts from the reports of the recent meetings of this Society :— 
Prof. Trego has communicated an extract from a letter from 
Mr. Davidson of the Coast Survey, to Mr. D. B. Smith of 
Germantown, detailing the method employed to obtain the 
recent determination of longitude and the velocity of the electric 
current between Cambridge and San Francisco. 
“*T give you the first written news not only of our telegraph 
longitude success, but of the success of my plan for determining 
the time of transmission of clock signals from my clock to Cambridge 
and back, over 7,000 miles of wire, through 13 repeaters and a 
multitude of relays. Through the liberality of the Western 
Union Telegraph Company, I had two trans-continental lines 
placed at my use, and last night I succeeded beautifully. My 
circuit was as follows. My clock breaks the local circuit every 
second, depriving the helix A of its electricity, and the magnet 
of its magnetism. This relieves the armature B, which is drawn 
away by a spring, and the pen C makes its record on the 
revolving cylinders of the chronograph. At the same instant 
the main current to Cambridge and back is broken by the 
insulated prolongation of the armature at D, and the break 
transmitted to Cambridge and back, through 7,000 miles of 
Cambridge 
MAIN LINE 7,000 miles. 
Insulated 2 
prolongation Le 
of armature { Main line. 
San Fran- 
cisco relay. 
Local cir- E 
cuit (9 
Local bat- 
tery 
Earthat San 
| EARTH AT SAN FRANCISCO } Francisco. 
C. Sending pen. I. Receiving pen. 
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONOGRAPH. 
wire, to my relay E, which relieves the armature F, and the 
local circuit is broken ; the helix G deprived of its electricity and 
the magnet of its magnetism, relieving the armature H, which is 
drawn away by a spring, and the pen I makes the record on the 
revolving cylinders of the chronograph. These two pens are on 
the same horizontal line. Our experiments show that it took 
0°87 of a second to traverse the above circuit. I also made 
experiments through to Buffalo, Chicago, Omaha, Cheyenne, 
Salt Lake, and Virginia, and back. All successful. As this 
experiment was not contemplated by the programme of the longi- 
tude experiments, I have the satisfaction of seeing my ingenuity 
successfully proved.” 
Prof. Kirkwood has communicated through Mr. Chase a discus- 
sion of the periodicity of the Sun’s spots. We shall return to 
this communication. 
Mr. Dubois presented a specimen and analysis of silver ore, 
accompanied with the following note from the Assay Office, 
United States Mint :— 
“*In the Report of the British Commission on International 
Coinage, lately published, we find an extract from the Journal des 
Debats, of November 13, 1866, stating that the German assayers 
had found the average fineness of French gold coins of that year 
to be 898 thousandths, and a fraction. It adds that this is an 
unworthy source of gain to Government, whose ambition it 
should be to have the coins correct. The Moniteux of Novem- 
ber 20 (official organ) replies, that this is as near to standard as 
can be expected from the defects of practical operation; and 
that it is the duty of Government to prevent these ‘ill-founded 
criticisms.’ Our own assays, for many years, have proved a 
deficiency in the French coins, averaging about one-thousandth. 
The apology of the A/oniteur has no just foundation. Both 
at this Mint, and at San Francisco, the gold coins are kept 
close to the mark, scarcely varying the tenth of a thousandth ; 
as is proved by annual assays, and by foreign reports. British 
coinage is equally exact. 
“This fact affords an argument against the project of 
International Coinage. If we work to 900, and France to 899 
or less, and both pass alike, the difference is against us,” 
DIARY. 
THURSDAY, Novemser 4. 
LinnEAn Society, at 8.—On some Brazilian Plants from the neighbourhood 
of the Campinas: J. Correa de Mello. On two Indian Plants: N. Dalzell. 
On the Occurrence of a Luminous Insect near Buenos Ayres: R. Trimen. 
CuHeEmicat Society, at 8.—Discussion on Dr. Williamson’s Discourse on the 
Atomic Theory. 
FRIDAY, NoveMBER 5s. 
Geotocists’ AssocrATION, at 8.—Comparative Anatomy as applied to 
Geology: Dr. C. Carter Blake, F.G.S. 
MONDAY, Novemser 8. 
Lonpon INsTITUTION, at 4.—Elementary Physics: Prof. Guthrie. 
Roya GEOGRAPHICAL Society, at 8.30.—President’s Address, Journey to 
the Yellow River: Mr. Elias. 
TUESDAY, NoveMBER 9. 
ETHNOLOGICAL Society, at 8.—On the Chinese Race; their Language, 
Government, Social Institutions, and Religion: Mr. Gardner. 
WEDNESDAY, NovEMBER 10. . 
GroLocicat Society, at 8.—Australian Mesozoic Geology and Palzon- 
tology: C. Moore, F.G.S. On some Plant and Insect-beds in New 
South Wales: C. Moore, F.G.S. Further Evidence of the Affinity between 
Dinosauria and Birds: Prof. Huxley, F.R.S. On the Dinosauria of 
the Trias, with observations on the Classification of the Dinosauria: 
Prof. Huxley, F.R.S. 
Royat Microscopic Society, at 8.—On High Power Definition, with 
Illustrative Examples: Dr. G. W. Royston Pigott, F.R.A.S. On the 
Structure of the Scales of certain Insects of the Order 7hysanura: 
S. J. McIntire. 
THURSDAY, NoveMBeER It. 
Lonpon InstiTuTION, at 7.30.— On Architecture, 
Building: Prof. Robert Kerr. 
ZOOLOGICAL Society, at 8.—On the Anatomy of the Aard-Wolf (Proteles 
cristatus: Prof. Flower, F.R.S. 
ann MATHEMATICAL Society, at 8.—General Meeting at Burlington 
ouse. 
or the Fine Art of 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
EnGiisH.—Chemistry: Prof. Attfield (Van Voorst).—Scenery of England 
and Wales; D. Mackintosh, F.G.S. (Longmans).—Practical Chemistry : 
Harcourt and Madan (Clarendon Press).—The Three Kingdoms of Nature : 
R. S. Haughton (Cassel!).—Flora of Middlesex : Trimen and Dyer (Hard- 
wicke).—Natural Philosophy in Easy Lessons: John Tyndall (Cassell).— 
Vegetable Physiology: Dr. Lankester (Cassell).—Our Bodies: E. A. 
Davidson (Cassell).—Scientific Chemistry: F. S. Barff (Groombridge).— 
Science of Heat : T. A. Orme (Groombridge).—Mechanical Philosophy: R. 
Wormell (Groombridge).—How Crops Grow (Macmillan).—Travels in Central 
Africa: Mr. and Mrs. Petherick (Tinsley).—New Tracks in North America : 
W. A. Bell (Chapman and Hall).—Intelligence of Animals: E. Menault 
(Cassell).—Picture Natural History (Cassell).—Gold Fields and Mineral Dis- 
tricts of Victoria: R. Brough Smyth (‘l'ritbner and Co.).—The World of the 
Sea: A. Frédol (Cassell).—Prehistoric Times: Sir John Lubbock, Bart. 
(Williams and Norgate).— De la Rue and Co.’s Red Letter Diaries for 1870. 
—WNatural History of British Moths: E. Newman (Tweedie). 
AMERICAN. —The Mississippi Valley: J. W. Foster. — Production ot 
Precious Metals: W. P. Blake.—Parsons on the Rose.—System of Mine- 
ralogy: Dana and Brush.—Guide to the Study of Insects; A. S. Packard. 
(Through Triibner and Co.) 
Foretcn.—Echinides : Cotteau et Triger (with atlas). — Ueber Ratrachier : 
Keferstein. —Protozoe Helvetica: W. A. and C. von F. Ooster.—Die Ellip- 
tischen Functionen : Hattendorff—Lecons de Chimie: Alfred Riche.—Der 
Cultur-Ingenieur ; vol. ii. part 2.—Die Chinacultur auf Java: van Gorkom.— 
Handbuch der Edelsteinkunde : Schrauf.—Die internationale Einigung durch 
das metrische System: C. Bopp.—Landwirthschaftliche Zoologie : Giebel. 
—Bibliothéque des Sciences naturelles (Zoologie): Gervais et Sauvage. 
Erratische Bildungen im Aargau: Mithlberg.—Bergbaukunde (2 vols.): 
Lottner(posthumous).—Zur Kenntniss der Bryozoen : Nitsche,—Viertelj ahrs- 
schrift flr Offentliche Gesundheitopflege : vol. i. part 3.—Dictionnaire tech- 
nologique: Kumpf et Mothes (vols. i. ii), (Through Williams and Norgate : 
Asher and Co.). 5 
CONTENTS. Ge 
GorTHE: ApHortsms ON NAtTuRE. By Prof. Huxtey, F.R.S. . . 9 
ON THE FERTILISATION OF WINTER-FLOWERING PLants. By A, W. 
Bennett, F.L.S. (With Illustrations) . RCO) sae ON es 
PROTOPEASMPAT THEPANTIPODES 8 gfe ee cise en eae mS 
Tue Recent Toray Ecuirse in America. By J. NormMAN Lockyer, 
FE.R.S. (With Illustrations.) Cua oder cada. ap eB ate = 
Mapsen’s DanisH ANTiQuiTiEgs. By Sir J. Luspock, Bart., F.R.S. 15 
Newman's British Motus. By W. S. Dattras, F.L.S (With 
Illustrations) at. arama 16 
OUR BOoKSHELES: 9 is ee ee Sa ®t; 
ScrtENCE-TEACHING IN ScHoots. By the Rev. W. Tuckwe_t . . . 18 
Tue vate Proressor GraHam. By Prof. Witiiamson, F.R.S. 
(Uist Gortryast) ae ek ee Ge ie se > ee ee 
MEETING OF THE GERMAN NATURALISTS AND Puysicians AT INNS- 
BRUCK. JBy7A (GEIR WE URES iy rie BES NS eT Ry mee) ae 
Triassic DinosAurta. By Prof. Huxrey, F.R.S... . . . . + + 23 
CoRRESPONDENCE :—The Suez Canal. T. Login, C.E. . . . . + 24 
Iino Serapetneg 6 der. ct bet soho) ot eacuaes Gignac Guo. 0) ‘0 25 
AsTrRonomy.—Astronomical Congress at Vienna. . 26 
CHEMISTRY.—Abstracts of Papers by Bettendorff, Paterno, Peligot, &c. 27 
Puysics.—Magnus on Heat Spectra. . . ots 28 
PuysioLocy.—Pettenkofer on Cholera, &c. . . . 2 1 es + es e 28 
Siolehestie oP NN NAN A SiG g a te a o Geo a oo Se) 
Diary Sk Cee cera ae be Oe a EO Ck Che CL eG Ae ar he ce | she) 
BOOKS RECEIVED) ges ¥ yds) ale, dal aa) Gene ne ee TS) 
