370 
INN IO Sai 
[ Fed. 3, 1870 
the present, be principally, if not entirely,confined to the Phalanide, 
Mr. W. H. Dall remarked that while passing over the Portage 
to the Yukon River, in Alaska, when the temperature was below 
zero of Fahrenheit, he shot a Canada jay, which had in its mouth 
the caterpillar of an Arctian; aiterwards, when the thermometer 
was sixteen degrees below zero, he found one of the same cater- 
pillars crawling upon the snow. On the middle of the frozen 
river, whenever the sun shone for a short time upon the crust, 
he saw upon the snow a species of Zefisma or Podura in great 
abundance, although the cold was intense. The caterpillar of 
Vanessa Antiopa was twice noticed alive during the winter, and 
the perfect insect was seen at Nulato, May 20th, when the 
nightly temperature was below freezing. 
December 3.—The president in the chair. Dr. C. T. Jackson 
presented, in the name of Mr. Daniel McCain, specimens of 
native carbonate of magnesia from Greece, California, Maryland, 
and Kansas. These minerals are used by the Union Stone Com- 
pany in making calcined magnesia, which is one of the ingre- 
dients of their artificial stone, serving, when combined with 
chloride of magnesium, as the binding material. Dr. Jackson 
gave a detailed account of the method of making the artificial 
stones, and of casting bas-reliefs, busts, and ornamental mould- 
ings. He said the processes had been so improved that now 
artificial grindstones made of quartz-sand and of emery had 
been constructed, which were as solid and durable as any natural 
stone. The emery wheels made of these materials are vastly 
better than those made with a paste of vulcanised indiarubber, 
since they do not glaze, but wear away in such a manner as to 
always expose fresh particles of emery. He regarded this new 
manufacture as of great value for architecture and the mechanic 
arts, and as showing the importance of the mineral native car- 
bonate of magnesia, which had been before used only for the 
manufacture of Epsom salts, of which a limited supply only is 
wanted. Professor N. S. Shaler offered some remarks on the 
relation of the rocks in the vicinity of Boston. 
PHILADELPHIA 
American Philosophical Society, January 7.—Mr. Pliny 
E. Chase made some observations on the comparison of different 
mechanical equivalents. He stated that recent determinations, 
by the different methods of Thomson and Farmer, fix the mecha- 
nical equivalent of light, in a wax candle burning 126} grains 
per hour, at 13° foot-pounds per minute, the equivalent of one 
grain being 6°213 foot-pounds. According to Dubourg, the 
heat evolved during the combustion of one grain of olive oil in 
oxygen is sufficient to heat 9682 grains of water 1°C. Accord- 
ing to Favre and Silbermann, one grain of oil of turpentine, 
burnt in oxygen, would heat 10,852 grains of water 1° C. It 
may therefore be presumed that the total heat given out by the 
combustion of one grain of wax is about sufficient to raise 
10,000 grains of water 1° C., or 18,000 grains 1° F, This repre- 
sentsamechanical equivalence of (18,000 x 772 7,000 =) 1985143 
foot-pounds, which is 319°5 times as great as the corresponding 
equivalent of the light given out during the combustion. Tyndall, 
in his lecture on Radiation, states that the visible rays of the 
electric light contain about one-tenth of the total radiated heat. 
The relative Juminous intensity of an electric lamp would, there- 
fore, appear to be about 31°95 times as great as that of a wax 
candle. This ratio resembles that of solar to terrestrial super- 
ficial attraction, and the connection of electric and magnetic cur- 
rents with solar radiation is so evident, that additional experi- 
ments, to furnish materials for a great variety of similar com- 
parisons, seem desirable. While it is possible that the resemblance 
im the present instance may be accidental, the numerous har- 
monies which exist between the manifestations of cosmical and 
molecular forces render it at least equally possible that it may 
have a weighty significance. 
Academy of Natural Sciences, August 3, 1869.— 
Protessor Cope called attention to a thin slab of shale contain- 
ing foot impressions of vertebrate animals found some time ago 
by Professor Gabb, from the subcarboniferous slate in Schuylkill 
County. The position of the slab was about 300 feet above the 
conglomerate. The impressions found by Dr. Isaac Lea some 
years back were from a position about 700 feet below the con- 
glomerate, and, therefore, more ancient. Professor Cope thought 
that the impressions found by Dr. Lea were neither reptiles nor 
fishes, but air-breathing vertebrates—Batrachians. But these 
tracks were different from most Batrachia, showing slender digits 
and long tarsus. The fore-feet are smaller than the hind. They 
are probably referable to a Salamandroid animal, 
DIARY 
THURSDAY, FEBrvary 3. 
Roya Soctety, at 8.30.—On the Fossil Mammals of Australia. Part IIT. 
Diprotodon Australis Ow. : Prof. Owen, F.R.S.—Note onan Extension 
of the Comparison of Magnetic Disturbances with Magnetic Effects, 
inferred from Observed Terrestrial Galvanic Currents, and Discussion of 
the Magnetic Effects Inferred from Galvanic Currents on Days of 
Tranquil Magnetism: The Astronomer Royal, F.R.S. 
Linnean Society, at 8.—Revision of the genera and species of capsular 
gamophyllous Lzliacee: J. G. Baker, F.L.S.—On a new form of Cepha- 
lopodous Ova: Dr. Collingwood, F.L.S. 
ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30.—On some Ancient Oaken Coffins discovered in 
Northumberland: T. W. Snagge, Esq. 
CHEMICAL Society, at 8. 
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4. 
PHILOLOGICAL SociETy, at 8.15. 
Roya Institution, at 8.—Verona and its Rivers: Prof. Ruskin. 
ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, at 8. 
GxOLoGIsTs’ ASSOCIATION, at 8. 
MONDAY, Fesruary 7 
Roya Institution, at 2—General Monthly Meeting. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SociETY, at 7. 
MeEpiIcaL Society, at 8. 
Lonpon InsTITuTION, at 4. 
TUESDAY, Fesruary 8. 
Royat InstiruTion, at 3.—On the Architecture of the Human Body: 
Prof. Humphry. : 
Royat Mepicat AND CHIRURGICAL SocIETY, at 8.30. 
INSTITUTION OF CiviL ENGINEERS, at 8.—Discussion upon Mr. Harrison's 
Paper “‘ On Railway Statistics and Expenditure.” 
PHOTOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, at 8.—Anniversary Meeting. 
ETHNOLOGICAL Society, at §.—On the discovery of Flint Flakes under 
a Submerged Forest in West Somerset: W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S.— 
On Remains of Pre-historic man in the neighbourhood of the Crinan 
Canal, Argyleshire : Rev. R. J. Mapleton. 
Royat Microscoricat Society, at 8.—Anniversary Meeting. 
ARCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, at 8. 
WEDNESDAY, FrEsRuaARY 9. 
GeotocicaL Society, at 8.—The Fossil Corals of the South-Australian 
Tertiaries. Prof. P. Martin Duncan, F.R.S., Sec. G:S.—Note on a 
very large undescribed Wealden Vertebra: J. W. Hulke, F.R.S.— 
Additional Observations on the Neocomian Strata of Yorkshire and 
Lincolnshire, with Notes on their Relations to the Beds of the same Age 
throughout Northern Europe: J. W. Judd. 
Society or ArTs, at 8.—On Loss of Life at Sea: Mr. J. W. Wood. 
THURSDAY, Fesrvuary tro. 
MATHEMATICAL Society, at 8.—Quartic Surfaces: Prof. Cayley. 
ZooLoGicaL Society, at 8.30.—Ona new Cervine Animal from the Yang- 
tze-Kiang: R. Swinhoe.—On the Size of the Red Corpuscles of the 
Blood of Moschus, Tragulus, Orycteropus, Ailurus, aad some other 
mammalia, with historical notices: G. Gulliver. 
BOOKS RECEIVED 
EnGLisH.—The Body and its Health: E. D. Mapother (Falconer, 
Dublin).—Our Domestic Fireplaces: F. Edwards (Longmans).—Handbook 
of Ferns: K. M. Lyell (Murray).—Transactions of the New Zealand 
Institute, 1868 (Triibner). 
ForeiGN.—29 Monographie du Genre Ostrea Terrain Cretage Atlas: 
Coquand (Williams and Norgate).—Fortschritte der Physik im Jahre, 1866: 
Quincke Schwalbe and Wangern (Williams and Norgate).—Anthropolgie der 
Natur volker T. Waik (Williams and Norgate).—Physiologie des Menschen: 
E. Larisch (Williams and Norgate).—Einleitung in die Physik: Karsten, 
Harms, and Weyer (Williams and Norgate) —Histoire Generale de Paris. 
Planches: E. Belegrand.—Gebirgsschichten aus mikroskop. Bacillarien 
unter und bei der Stadt Mexiko: C. G Ehrenberg. -Ueber die Macula 
Lutea des Menschen, &c: Fr. Mukel.—Anatomisch. System. Beschreibung 
der Alcyonarien: A. Kolliker.—Recherches sur la Faune de Madagascar : 
P. L. Polle, D. C. Van Dan.—Des Mollusques fossiles de la craic de 
Lemberg: E, Favre.—Recherches sur les Animaux Vertebr. vivant et 
fossiles: P. Gervais. : 
CONTENTS PAGE 
THE ATMOSPHERIC GERM THEORY @ © 2 @ on 0) es @ 35K 
ENGLISH SPORT IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. By THE Rev. 
(CHARLES ROBINSON eae tenons eins niet em 
Popucar Lectures ON Puystotocy. By Georce Henry LEWES . 353 
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY IN FRANCE. (W7th Illustrations.) . . 353 
Our Book SHELF. (With Jllustration.) 4 Oo - 355 
Mr. Batss’s ADDRESS TO THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY . . . ~ 357 
Tue GresHam LEcTURES He oro ae od. a + 358 
Letters To THE EpIToR:— 
Where are the Nebule?—HeERBERT SPENCER . 
OL sD bo. 4 =Ee) 
Kant’s View of Space.—Prof. J. J. Sy-vester, F’.R.S.; Dr. C. M. 
INGLEBY Foe Gs Bo Ooo se 522 oo 360 
Dust and Disease.—Horace WALLER, F.R.G.S. . . . . . « 361 
Scenery of England and Wales.—D. MackINTOSH . . . . . . 361 
Correlation of Colour and Music.—C. J. Monko. . . . « « . 362 
Blight/of Birds:—) eke ee me ae Ue cen ee SOT 
Turdus Whitei.—W. Brpcoo Oo deovon a oo doa a aio 
SLHETSARS UND) he. de) ne eee een Ss aS 
Fig Os on A wdc od oa 3 2k 
5 0 4 9 2 
SOcIE 5 o ae a she 
Diary, Books Received eee 370 
