Dec. 2, 1869] 
NATURE 
147 
accepted Mr. Etheridge’s statement as to the age of the Bristol 
beds, —2. The Physical Geography of Western Europe during the 
Mesozoic and Cainozoic periods, elucidated by their coral faunas, 
by P. Martin Duncan, M.B.Lond., F.R.S., Secretary. The 
author commenced with a notice of the typical species of the 
coral fauna of the deep seas which bound continents remote from 
coral-reefs, and then made some remarks upon the littoral corals. 
The peculiarities of reef, lagoon, and shallow-water species were 
then explained, with the relations of the two faunas to one 
another. The author then referred to certain exceptional species, 
indicated the genera, the species of which constitute the existing 
reefs, and contributed to form those of the past, and noticed the 
representatives of some modern genera in old reefs. He pointed 
out that a correspondency of physical conditions during the depo- 
sition of certain strata was indicated by their containing analogous 
forms—the presence of compound ccenenchymal species indicating 
neighbouring reefs, and their absence in places where simple or 
non-ccenenchymal Madreporaria are found being characteristic of 
deep-sea areas remote from the coral-seas. By applying the 
principles thus elaborated to the evidence as to the condition of 
the seas of the European area from the Triassic period to the pre- 
sent time, the author then showed what must probably have been 
the physical condition of this part of the world at different periods. 
—Prof. Alex. Agassiz accounted for the circumscribed area of 
many corals in the Atlantic from the young of many coral species 
attaching themselves within a few hours of their becoming 
pelagic. He traced to the great equatorial current which must 
have traversed the Isthmus of Panama and the Sahara in a pre- 
cretaceous period, the distribution of certain forms, which the 
rising of the Isthmus of Panama eventually checked. He thought 
that the limits of the depth at which true reef-building corals 
existed would be considerably extended in consequence of recent 
discoveries by means of dredging. He mentioned the formation 
of a reef at the present time off the coast of Florida, which 
threw light on the manner in which mudflats were formed, and 
the sea eventually filled.—Mr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys objected to the 
term deep sea being applied to a depth of ten fathoms only, 
when the tide in some places rose to that extent, and the lamin- 
arian zone extended to fifteen. He suggested fifty fathoms as a 
more appropriate measure. He remarked on the great vertical 
range of somesimplespecies of corals, suchas Caryophyllia, amount- 
ing to at least 150 fathoms from low-water mark. In deep-sea 
water it frequently was attached to various shells, suchas Ditrypa 
and Agorrhais. The only other simple coral of our seas was 
never found at a depth of less than seventy-five fathoms. The 
compound corals occurred only at great depths. Dr. Duncan 
drew a distinction between coral-reef areas and those in which 
different conditions prevailed. His argument had not so 
much been based on the depth of the sea as on the presence or 
otherwise of coral-reefs. The term deep sea had been given by 
Professor Forbes to depths of ten fathoms and upwards. For 
such depths as those explored at the present day no term short 
of ‘‘abyssal’’ was appropriate. Specimens illustrative of his 
paper were exhibited by Professor Huxley.—The President called 
the attention of the Fellows of the Society to a proposed memorial 
to the late Baron von Humboldt, and another to the late Prof. J.B. 
Jukes, in aid of which contributions were desired. He referred to 
cireulars and letters which were laid onthe table, and recommended 
these memorials to the favourable consideration of the Fellows. 
EDINBURGH 
Royal Physical Society, November 24.—This was the first 
meeting of thesession. Dr. Stevenson Macadam, the President, 
delivered an address on the subject of Chemical Geology, in 
which he stated that chemistry had much to do in the explana- 
‘tion of geological phenomena, and though not a believer in the 
chemical doctrine of volcanic action as generally understood, yet 
he trusted to show that the geologist must accept the hand of 
the chemist in climbing up to an intelligent explanation of 
geological changes on the surface of the globe. The day has 
now gone by for either Plutonists or firemen, or Neptunists or 
watermen, to hold undisputed sway in the interpretation alike of 
ancient and modern changes; and the-truth lies in the golden 
mean, and may be best sought for in the earnest endeavours to 
cull knowledge from all the contending elements. The first 
lesson which chemistry teaches us is to proceed cautiously and 
modestly to work. The geologist, with hammer in hand and a 
good share of physical force, is almost taught by the nature of his 
vocation to expect the same results from the same causes, opera- 
ting in much the same way, and he becomes bold in theory and 
difficult to dislodge in his opinion ; but the chemist is taught by 
the very nature of his science to proceed with slow and cautious 
steps, not only in experimenting, but also in theorising, and he 
learns soon that the same results need not necessarily proceed 
from the same causes, and that slight alterations in the mode of 
working may produce different results. More than that, the 
same results can be achieved by several modes of working. 
The President then alluded to chemical reaction as affecting 
geological phenomena ; the weathering of rock masses; the 
influence of water holding certain gases and salts in solution on 
mineral substances; the production of limestone and other rocks ; 
and the formation of coal. The effect of heat as well as water in 
the production of crystalline forms was alluded to, as well as the 
artificial formation of precious minerals, such as the ruby and 
sapphire. The cause of volcanic phenomena was neither solely 
connected with the existence of internal molten masses capable 
of being squeezed or blown through the external crust of the 
globe, nor to the presence of large quantities of the alkaline 
and other metals ready to be burned and ignited on the approach 
of water ; but the President believed that the spheroidal theory 
of the earth’s crust, propounded by himself years ago, coupled 
with the doctrine of the correlation of the physical forces, was 
sufficient to account for all yoleanic phenomena. The earth is con- 
stantly under magnetic and electrical disturbance, and knowing, 
as can now be proven, that the physical magnetism and elec- 
tricity can become heat, there seems no necessity for fancying 
the existence of reservoirs of molten matter waiting for ages to 
be discharged through the crust, or regions of uncombined 
chemical elements longing for water to quench their thirst. The 
President showed experimentally the passage of magnetism 
into electricity and heat, by means of large magneto-electric 
apparatus, which heated and fused various metals. The address 
concluded with reference to spectrum analysis, as indicating the 
composition of the sun and other stars, and as demonstrating 
that there is a brotherhood of matter and force throughout the 
universe. 
The following gentlemen were elected :—As foreign members 
on the recommendation of the Council—Mr. C. Hitchcock, State 
Geologist, Vermont, U.S. ; Premier Lieut. Dr. C. F. Lutken, 
assistant in the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen; Dr, O. A. 
Loweson Morch, University Museum, Copenhagen. As resident 
members—Mr, R. Scott Skirving, Camptown—proposed by 
J. M‘Bain, M.D., R.N.; Mr. H. Budge, C.A., 7, Hill Street 
—proposed by M. R. Brown. 
DUBLIN 
Statistical and Social Inquiry Society, Noy. 23.— Robert 
McDonnell, M.D., F.R.S., read a paper on Patronage and 
Purchase in making Hospital Appointments. Dr. McDonnell 
condemned the system of purchase, adducing many reasons for 
doing so. In discussing the question he avoided all personalities, 
not alluding to the practice of any one hospital, but relying 
solely on the importance of appointments being made, not on 
account of the amount of money that a candidate could produce, 
but on account of his general ability and merits, 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, November 22.—M. Becquerel com- 
municated an eighth memoir upon electro-capillary phenomena, 
in which he treated of respiration, and the nutrition of the tissues, 
and of the muscular currents and the current of the other tissues. 
The author stated his principle as follows : Two different liquids, 
separated by a tissue, that is to say, a porous body capable of 
being soaked by the liquids, give origin to electrical currents 
resulting from the recomposiiion of two electricities set free in 
the reaction of the liquid, the walls of the capillary spaces acting 
as solid conducting bodies. These currents the author denomi- 
nated electro-capillary, and the object of his paper was to 
demonstrate their action in the vital phenomena above men- 
tioned, in order to establish an electro-chemical theory of life, 
—The dispute about wine-heating was advanced a stage by the 
presentation of a note from M. Vergnette-Lamotte in answer to 
M. Pasteur’s last communication.—Of two astronomical papers 
by Father Secchi, the first related to the spectrum of the planet 
Neptune, and to some facts in spectrum analysis, and the second 
described a new arrangement for the observation of the spectra 
of the smaller stars, and referred also to the meteors of the 
14th November. The author stated that the spectrum of 
Neptune, like that of Uranus, presents bands of absorption 
which do not occur in the solarspectrum. Of the three principal 
bands, one occurs at the limit of the geeen and yellow, about 
