594 
NADORE 
| April 7, 1870 
increases with the temperature.—M. A. Trécul presented the 
sixth portion of his memoir on the position of the trachec in 
ferns, in which he described the ramification of the petioles 
in various plants of that group, including several species of 
Asplenium, Aspidium, and Polypodium. — A note was read 
on the organs and phenomena of fecundation in the genus 
Lemanea, by M. Sirodot. The Zemanee, although among 
the highest of the fresh-water Algee, were described by M. 
Rabenherst in 1868 as producing “spores germinating without 
fecundation.” The author described what he regards as anthe- 
ridia in two species (Z. catenata and L. fluviatilis), and im- 
dicated the mode of fecundation as observed by him.—M. 
Ducharter communicated an abstract of two Greek papers by 
M. Koressios, in which the author expressed the opinion that 
the disease now ravaging the vines in France attacks them from 
the roots, and recommended a certain mode of treatment.—M. 
Leymerie presented, through M. Elie de Beaumont, some 
observations on the conclusions lately put forward by M. 
Magnau, with regard to the lower cretaceous formation 
of the Pyrenees. He maintained that there is no evidence of 
the existence of the Albian stage in the Pyrenees, and also 
objects to the admission of the Muschelkalk as existing in the 
Zechstein in the departments of the Tam and Aveyron. The 
same author addressed a note on the fragmentary state of the 
higher summits of the Pyrenees, in which he maintained that 
the broken state of the rocks forming these summits must be 
due to the effects of the force exerted during their elevation, 
and concluded therefrom that the summits of these and other 
mountains cannot have lost much of their original heights by 
subaerial action. M. Elie de Beaumont made some remarks on 
the permanence of artificial earthworks, as confirmatory of the 
author’s views.—Papers on medical subjects were also read. 
PHILADELPHIA 
American Philosophical Society, February 4.—Pliny E. 
Chase presented tables of rainfall, and described them. The 
most interesting deductions were, as far as related to Philadelphia, 
that the spring and summer will be alike, and the autumn and 
winter alike. The tables are for 45 years up to date, from 
observations at the Pennsylvania Hospital. Dr. Brinton made 
observations on the zealous and long-continued studies of the 
language of the Choctaw Indians, made by the missionary Mr. 
Byington, who died a year ago. Dr. Brinton has a list of over 
75 works, including the Bible, printed in'Choctaw. Mr. Bying- 
ton’s Choctaw Grammar has been revised four times, and at his 
death he had progressed with his fifth revision. The MS. of 
this work was in Dr. Brinton’s hands, and was presented to 
the Society for publication. 
February 18.—Prof. Cope read a paper intitled, ‘‘ Fourth 
contribution to the Fauna of the Miocene period in the United 
States.” He exhibited the periotic bones of a large whale from 
the miocene of North Carolina, which had been discovered by Prof. 
W. C. Kerr, State Geologist. The part of the skeleton found 
consisted of the left side of the cranium to the temporal fossa, 
mandible, and many vertebra, ribs, &c. It was found 30 feet 
below the surface in the bank of a stream. It represented a 
type near the true Balene, but partaking of the characters 
of the Balenoptere. One peculiarity was the enormous thick- 
ening of the supraorbital process of the frontal, which was 17 
inches deep. This individual was 17 inches deep. Vertebree of 
two other individuals were found in other places, and a complete 
vertebral column of the same extended across a stream 20 miles 
distant from Kerr’s specimen. Vertebrz taken from the last, 
referred it to the same species. This specimen was 50 or 60 
feet long, and extended across the stream in such a way as to 
serve as a foot-crossing when the water was very low. The 
species was named JZesoteras kerrianus. Prof. Cope mentioned 
the discovery of the genus Sws for the first time in the United 
States, in the neighbourhood of Squankum, N.J. He said it 
agreed with the occurrence of the dugong noticed by himself 
and the rhinoceros by Marsh in giving an Asiatic character 
to that extinct Fauna. The hog he called Sus vagrans, and 
said it was as large as the common 5S. scrofa. He called atten- 
tion to the abundance of the species of the Pythonomorpha in the 
United States, and described two new species from New Jersey, 
viz., Mosasaurus fulciatus and Mf. varthrus. The first with 
round curtra and an additional rib on the asquadratum, the 
second with depressed ceutra, and a quadrate bone more like 
that of AZ dekayi than JZ. depressus. We said he knew 27 
species of AZosasauroids. In the last work on the subject, only 
three species were described. 
DIARY 
THURSDAY, Apriv 7. 
Roya Socrety, at 8.30.—On_supra-annual Cycles of Temperature in 
the Earth’s Surface Crust: Prof, Piazzi Smyth.—Researches in Animal 
Electricity : Dr. C. B. Radcliffe. 
Society OF ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30. 
Linnean Society, at 8.—On new species of Annelids, &c.: Dr. Baird — 
On Algz from the North-Atlantic Ocean: Dr. Dickie. 
Royav InsTITuTION, at 3.—Chemistry of Vegetable Products: Prof. Odling. 
CHEMICAL Society, at 8.—On the Analysis of Deep-sea Water: Dr. 
John Hunter.—On the refraction equivalents of the aromatic Hydro- 
carbons and their derivatives: Dr. J. H. Gladstone —On an acid 
Feed-water from the Coal-fields of Shellarton, N.S., and the results of 
its use: Prof. How. 
Lonpon INSTITUTION, at 7.30.—Geology : Dr. Cobbold. 
FRIDAY, Apri 8. 
Royat InstrTuTIon, at 8.—Pedigree of the Horse: Prof. Huxley. 
RoyaLt ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, at 8. 
QvueEKETT MicroscoricaL Society, at 8. 
SATURDAY, Aprit 9. 
Roya INSTITUTION, at 3.—The Sun: J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S. 
MONDAY, Aprit 11. 
Lonpon INnsTiTuTION, at 4.—Chemistry: Prof. Bloxam. 
Royat GEOGRAVHICAL SOCIETY, at 8 30. 
Roya INSTITUTE oF BriTISH ARCHITECTS, at 8. 
TUESDAY, Aprit 12. 
ETHNOLOGICAL Society, at 8.—On the Danish Elements in the population 
of Cleveland: Rev. J.C. Atkinson.—On the Ancient Tribal System of 
Ireland: H. M. Westropp.—On the Brain in the Study of Ethnology: 
Dr. Donoyan. 
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, at 8. 
INSTITUTION OF CiIviIL ENGINEERS, at 8.—Dressing of Lead Ores.— 
Maintenance and Renewal of Railway Rolling Stock: Mr. R. Price 
Williams. 
WEDNESDAY, Apri 13. 
Royat GeEoLocicaL Society, at 8.—On the Fossil Remains of Mammals 
found in China: Prof. Owen, F.R.S., F.G.S., &c. — Further Dis- 
covery of the Fossil Elephants of Malta: Dr. A. A. Caruana. Com- 
municated by Dr, A. Leith Adams, F.G.S.— Brief preliminary Notes on 
a large Coal-measure Reptile from the Low Main Coal Shale: T. P. 
Barkas, F.G.S. 
Royat Microscoricat Society, at 8. 
THURSDAY, Apric 14. 
MarHEMATICAL Socrety, at 8.—On the Mechanical Description of a 
Nodal Bicircular Quartic: Prof. Cayley. 
BOOKS RECEIVED 
EnGuisu.—Birds of Marlborough: E, F. Im Thurn (Marlborough, Per- 
kins ; London, Simpkin and Marshall). 
ForeiGn.—Die Alterthiimer unserer heidnischen Vorzeit, vols. i. and ii. 
(Mayence, V. V. Zabern).—Journal fiir Ornithologie, Jan. 1870.—Om Vege- 
tationsforholdene ved Sognefjorden: A. Blytt (Christiania, J. Dahl).— 
Lichenes Danie, eller Danmarks Laver: J. G. Deichmann Branth og E. 
Rostrup (Copenhagen, Gads). — Undersogelser over Christiniafjordens 
Dybvandsfauna: G. O. Sars (Christiania, Dahl).—Zeitschrift fiir Parasiten- 
kunde, vol. ii. pt. i. (Jena, Mauke).—Naturwissenshaftliche Reisen im tro- 
pischen Amerika: Dr. Wagner (Stuttgart, Cotta).—Archivio per la Zoologia 
l’Anatomia e la Fisiologia, Series ii. vol. i. (Turin, Loescher).—Reisen im 
Archipel der Philippinen: Dr. Semper, Molidien (Wiesbaden, Kreidel).— 
Through Williams and Norgate. 
CONTENTS 
Pace 
Tue Socrery oF ARTS ‘CONFERENCE. .—. . . . . ) 1 8 + 575 
Our Nationat Drink. By Dr. Benjamin H. Paut. 2. . - 576 
Qur: Book//SHEUF. qi is Sie) yelp teuits) Beulbe Ee fon Sole ere ema, 
THE CABUSEIOR WATER unl tome fn on Senn Geen eae . 578 
MAGNETIC AND SUN-SPOT PHENOMENA FOR FEBRUARY, 1870 . - 579 
Tue Existence OF MAN IN THE TERTIARY EpocH ... . . . 580 
MopiFICATIONS IN THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF THE NEST OF THE 
PMN) Me Oo OF Geo gest onolso Oo SG o Ree 
THe ROTUNDILY ON) CHE SOAR TH elke iets per Tene) tele ae mae 
LeTTers TO THE EDITOR :— 
On Prof. Tyndall’s Exposition of Helmholtz’s Theory of Musical 
Consonance-—SEDLEY Maynor |. us 6 4 eens) de) Se 
Apparent Size of Celestial Objects.—W. R. Grove, F.R.S. . . 582 
An After-Dinner Experiment. —Prof. J. J. Sy-vesTeR, F.R.S. . . 582 
The Principle of the Conservation of Force and Mr. Mill's System 
of Logic.—J..S. Stuart GuENNIE . . . 2 . . s =~ ~- 583 
Dust and Germs of Life—F.L.S. . .. . 583 
Catkins of the Hazel—Marcus M. HartoG.,... 583 
Ancient British Lone Barrows. II, (W2th [lustrations.) 583 
a fol Cerne Gee TOES EL CeISNIO cROR Ors so so Go saa 5 Dh 
REMARKABLE SPECTRA OF CoMPoUNDS OF ZIRCONIA AND URANIUM. 
A MEE(CS Soya WA ida oo 0 ph list te - 588 
THE RELATION OF THE STATE TO SCIENCE eee - 589 
SCIENTIRIC/SERFALS co) oe). eo fey ele) Yo set ens icin fone gee 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES). % & bb % je  @ © = I fe &t pl menage 
IDEARY: — 2 a) sete gee ce sce) Vel egies Uc i sno anata: ne mS + 504 
Errata.—In No. 21, page 539, first column, line 2r from bottom: for 
“Perth,” read ‘‘ Pesth.”—In No. 22, page 557, first column, line 3 from 
bottom ; for “Sir Sidney Smith,” read “Mr. Sidney Smith.” 
