522 
NATURE 
[March 17, 1870 
be the first striated blocks observed near Paris. M. Elie de 
Beaumont made some remarks upon these blocks. —M. A. 
Trécul communicated the fourth part of his remarks upon the 
position of the tracheze in the ferns and on the ramification and 
radicular propagation of the rhizomes of some of those plants.— 
M. Duchartre presented a note by M. E. Prillieux on the influ- 
ence of blue light upon the production of starch in chlorophyll. 
The author remarked that the production of starch was generally 
supposed to be due to the action of the yellow rays, and that 
blue light had no such effect. He considered that the results 
upon which this opinion was founded were due to the greater 
brilliancy of the yellow light, and by exposing a plant of 
Spirogyra deprived of starch to a more brilliant blue light, he 
found that formation of starch took place. —M. Duchartre also 
communicated a note by M. C. Cave on the free central placenta 
of the Primalacee, in which the author adduces as a further 
proof of the axial nature of that organ, that, on examination, the 
parts of recent formation are found to be outside the medullary 
sheath.—M. Auguste Duméril described some peculiar organs of 
the branchial apparatus in the Rays belonging to the genus Cetha- 
Toptera. These organs are the prebranchial appendages dis- 
covered by M. P. Panceri in C. giorvna, which M. Dumeril had 
detected in the large Indian C. Kwh/it. He stated that they 
occurred in no other fishes.—M. Pouchet noticed a transforma- 
tion of the nests of the house martin (Aivundo wrbica), and 
maintained that the nests of birds, instead of being, as generally 
supposed, constructed in the same way from century to century, 
really undergo certain progressive modifications of structure. 
In the case of the house martin, he stated that within 
the last forty years that bird has adopted a new form for 
its nests. The old nests are in the form of the quarter 
of a hemisphere, with a very small circular aperture for entrance. 
The improved nests, according to M. Pouchet, are in the form 
of the quarter of a hemi-ovoid with the poles much elongated, 
and the entrance is by a long transverse slit.—A second note on 
the tracheze and differential characters of the lungs in birds, by 
M. Campana, was presented by M. C. Bernard. The author 
described the various modes of interbronchial communication, 
the mode of insertion of the pneumatic receptacles upon the lung, 
and the structure of the parenchyma of the organ.—M. Milne- 
Edwards communicated an extract from a letter from the Abbé 
David, giving the diagnosis of a new species of Crossoptilon (C. 
cerulesceus) discovered by him at Sse-tchuaro.—A note by M. 
Demarquay, on the reproduction and union of divided tendons 
was communicated by M. J. Cloquet. The author maintained 
thatthe regeneration ofa divided tendon is effected by the prolife- 
ration of the elements on the inner surface of its sheath, ina 
manner analogous to the reproduction of bone by the periosteum. 
M. Dupuis preSented some remarks on the confusion which has 
often occurred between the physicist, J. A. C. Charles, and the 
geometrician, J. Charles, and communicated some particulars 
relating to the biography of the two Academicians. 
SYDNEY 
Royal Society of New South Wales.—Mr. F. B. Miller, 
F.C.S., one of the assayers of the Sydney Royal Mint, described 
the practical results of his method for separating silver and gold 
directly by the use of chlorine gas, a process of which an 
account was given to the Chemical Society rather more than a 
year ago. At the Sydney Mint 6,820,198 ounces of gold have 
been received for coinage from the date of its establishment in 
May 1855 to December 31, 1868. The average composition of 
this gold would be about 94% per cent. of gold, 5 per cent. of 
silver, and } per cent. of base metals ; the gross amount of silver 
contained in the gold would be about 334,190 ounces, so that 
about 24,750 ounces of silver pe: annum have been lost to the 
colony for the want of a simple process of refmage. The gold 
now obtained in Queensland, as also that now brought from 
New Zealand, contains a much larger proportion of silver, so 
that the present loss to the colony is more nearly 42,000 ounces 
per year. The experience of the Sydney Mint proves that on 
the average there is a marked deterioration in the gold proceeding 
from Victoria, where the fineness is 96 percent., northwards 
through New South Wales, where the average is 93} 
per cent., to Queensland, average 87} per cent. The silver 
can now be readily separated by passing a stream of chlorine 
gas into the melted gold for about an hour and a half, 
as it lies in a crucible heated in an ordinary melting furnace. 
The chlorine is at first rapidly absorbed, and the process 
is completed when a brownish yellow yapour appears. The 
chlorine is conveniently evolved from a self-acting generator, 
and 2,000 ounces of gold are readily refined in five hours, by 
three melting furnaces, 98 per cent. of the gold being delivered 
ready for coinage on the same day. The gold thus refined is 
perfectly tough, and contains only about one-half per cent. of 
alloy. The ultimate loss of gold is found to be only 19 parts 
in 100,000; the loss of silver is 240 in 100,000. The cost of 
refinage, including the above loss, but excluding rent of premises 
and expenditure, 1s five farthings per ounce. The silver is ob- 
tained in the form of fused chloride, and is reduced to the 
metallic state by plates of zinc combined with slabs of the 
chloride into a galvanic arrangement, devised by Dr. Leibriss. 
In twenty-four hours the chloride is completely reduced to the 
state of spongy silver, and 1,400 or 1,500 ounces could thus be 
readily treated ina day. No acid is required, and the zine con- 
sumed is only 25 per cent. of the chloride reduced. The whole 
process, having been thoroughly tested at the time, is to be 
brought into active operation at once. It is already employed 
by some of the banks in Australia and New Zealand. 
DIARY ; 
THURSDAY, Marcu 17. 
Roya Soctety, at 8.30.—On the Law which Regulates the Relative 
Magnitude of the Areas of the Four Orifices of the Heart: Dr. Herbert 
mess — On the Estimation of Ammonia in Atmospheric Air: H. T. 
rown, 
Roya INSTITUTION, at 3.—Chemistry of Vegetable Products: Prof. Odling. 
Linnean Society, at 8.—The Flora and Fauna of Isle Ronde, near 
Mauritius: Sir Henry Barkly.—On Alge found in the North Atlantic 
Ocean: Dr. Dickie. 
ZooLoGIcAL SOCIETY, at 4. 
CHEMICAL Society, at 8.—On Artificial Alizarine: W. H. Prekin, F.R.S.— 
On the Combination of Carbonic Anhydride with Ammonia and Water: 
Dr. Divers. 
NuMIsMATIc SoclETy, at 7- 
Society of ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30.—On Ancient Round Barrows: Dr. 
Thurnam. 
FRIDAY, Marcu 18. 
PHILOLOGICAL SocIETY, at 8.15. 
Royat INSTITUTION, at 8.—On the Subway to France ; J.F. Bateman, F.R.S. 
SATURDAY, Marcu 19. 
Roya InstT1TUTION, at 3.—The Sun: J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S. 
MONDAY, Marcu 2t. 
Lonpon INsTITUTION, at 4. 
Royat Asiatic SocreTy, at 3. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL Sociery, at 7. 
TUESDAY, Marcn 22. 
Rovat InsTiTuTION, at 3.—Nervous System : Prof. Rolleston, M.D.,F.R.S. 
ETHNOLOGICAL Society, at 8.—On Current British Mythology and Oral 
Tradition ; Mr. Campbell of Islay. 
INSTITUTION OF Civic ENGINEERS, at 8. 
Royat MepIcALt AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY, at 8.30. 
WEDNESDAY, Marcu 23. 
Gero ocists’ ASSOCIATION, at 8. 
Society oF Arts, at 8.—On Surface Decoration: W. Pitman. 
GEoLocicaL Society oF Lonpon, at 8.—On the Discovery of Organic 
Remains in the Caribbean series of Trinidad: R. J. Lechmere Guppy, 
F.L.S., F.G.S. — On the Paleontology of the Junction-beds of the 
Lower and Middle Lias in Gloucestershire: Ralph !Tate, F.G.S.— 
On the Geology of the district of Waipara River in New Zealand: T. 
H.C. Hood, F.G.S. 
THURSDAY, Marcu 24. 
ZooLocicaL Society, at 8.30.—On the Birds of Veragua: Osbert Salvin. 
—Exhibition of a metamorphosed Axolotl : W. B. Tegetmeier.—On two 
rare eps of Pheasants recently added to the Society's Collection: 
Mr. Sclater. 
CONTENTS 
On FLoatinc MarttTer anv BEAms or LIGHT. 
ip ech es eT 5 one or taco 5 499 
Herepitary Genius. By Atrrep R. WALLACE, F.R.G.S.  . . . 501 
Spectrum ANALysis. By Prof. H. E. Roscoz, F.R.S.. . . . - . 593 
@uRNBOOK’SHELE (2. Set mle te ley se) fe) ee) ee oO 
LETTERS TO THE EpIToR:— 
The Geological Calculus —W. Boyp Dawkins, F.R.S. . . . « 505 
On the Diffraction Spectrum and Wave-lengths.—JAMES STUART . 506 
PaGE 
By Prof. TyNDALL, 
The Valuation of Liquid Town Sewage—W. Hore . . . - . « 506 
Transactions of Scientific Bodies — 9) 5 i -y)- = de) eee) = Og 
Sir W. Thomson and Geological Time.—Dr. C. M. InGLEBy. . . 507 
How large seems the Moon ?—GrorGe C. THOMPSON. . . «. + 507 
Cuckows’ Eggs.— Francis G. BINNIE . . . -. . + - . . 508 
Mr. Ruskin ON RIVER CONSERVATION . . Sw eo SOS 
CapTain Frep. Brome. By Prof. G. Busk, FERS. 
Bee, See can ns Ses: 
Tue GeoLocy or THE Hoty Lanp. By Arcu. Grikig, F.R.S. (With 
Map) oes 4 a5 See oe ies 6! 6 eS) 
NOTES: “0 eyes, nce ey de te Ue Ko, ce) ce ete Ae Ie Le > gi 
SGIENTIRIG SERIALS (ic ceyuece ge) co uke ees On r= Gs 
THE GE THRE OF THE ENGLISH Peopte. By Prof. T. H. Hux ey, 
(aCe Ly Sipe hee Ser Ol Meo pm Ge Go os Bh 
Astronomy, Botany, Puysics, AND PHysIoLocy + 515—510 
SociETIES AND“ACADEMIES. 2. 2 5 . 5 sss «© «© © is) ue O27 
1D) 7.6) Sach AONE choo cq-d Oo Ga o no 4 3 . 522 
1 
