96 



NA TURE 



\Nov. 22, i88: 



on diverting the flow of radiant molecules by means of the ex- 

 ternal a|)plioation of a magnet, the molecules were caused to 

 strike the upper floats only, n hen revolution took place. By 

 reversing the magnet, the path of the molecules was diverted 

 so as to strike the lower floats, and thus to reverse the rotation. 

 Radiant molecules are not attracted by one pole of a magnet 

 and repelled by the other, but tend to rotate round thenoith 

 pole in one direction and round the south pole in the opposite 

 direction. Hence, with a horseshoe mignet, they are deflected 

 in a line at right angles to the line that joins the tw > poles. 

 The mechanicnl effect of the impact of these radiant molecnle-; 

 was further shown by converging them by means of a concave 

 ncative pole to a focus in which was a small bundle of platinum 

 wires. These wires were rapidly raised to a white heat by the 

 vigorous though inaudible booibardment. Further, the impact 

 of radiant molecules on certain bodies produces phosphorescent 

 light ; thus they give to potash-glass a green and to lead-glass a 

 blue tinge. If in an exhausted tube an obstacle, such as a piece 

 of mica in the shape of a cross, be set up, a dark shadow of it 

 is thrown on the positive end of the tube, the part surrounding 

 the shadow beinj rendered phosphorescent by the impact of the 

 molecules. On suddenly removing the obstacle, the part that 

 was in shadow glows brighter than in surrounding luminous 

 space. This effect is due to the molecules acting suddenly on a 

 new and, as it were, untired surface. 

 Cambridge 



Philosophical Society, October 29. — The following officers 

 for the ensuing year were elected : — President, Mr. Glaisher ; 

 Vice-Presidents : Prof. Cayley, Prof. Stokes, Lord Rayleiih ; 

 Treasurer, Mr. J. \V. Clark ; Secretaries : Mr. Trotter, Mr. 

 Glazebrook, Mr. Vines ; New Members of Council : Prof 

 Humphry, Prof. Babington, Prof. Adams, Prof. Newton, Mr. 

 F. Darwin, Mr. Shaw, Mr. .Sedgwick. — The following papers 

 were communicated to the .Society : — On the effect of viscosity 

 upon the tides, by Rev. Osmond Fisher. — Note on Mr. Larmor's 

 communication on "Critical Equilibrium," by Mr. Green'iill. — 

 On some general equations which include the equations of hydro- 

 dynamics, by Mr. M. J. M. Hill. 



Edinburgh 



Mathematical Society, November 9. — Mr. J. S. Mackay, 

 F.R.S. : ., in the chair. — The opening address of the session 

 ■was delivered by Prof Tait, who chose for his subject "List- 

 ing's Topologie." — The office-bearers elected were : — President, 

 Thomas Muir, F.R.S.E. ; Vice-President, A. J. G. Barclay; 

 Secretary and Treasurer, A. Y. Eraser ; Committee : R. E. 

 Allardice, William Peddie, Robert Robertson, David Traill, 

 B.Sc. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, November 12. — M. Blanchard, 

 president, in the chair. — On the velocities acquired in the 

 interior of a vessel by the diverse elements of a fluid during its 

 discharge through a lower orifice, and on the simple means 

 possible to be employed in determining very approximately the 

 numerical residuums of slightly converging double series, by MM. 

 de Saint-Venant and Flamant. — Extract from a letter addressed 

 to M. Daubree by M. Nordenskjold on the results of his recent 

 expedition to Greenland. — On a tribasic oxalate of alumina, by 

 M. Mathieu-Plessy. — Note on the letter communicated to the 

 Academy by M. Martial, Captain of the Romanche, on his return 

 from Tierra del Fuego and neighbouring waters, by M. Alph. 

 Milne-Edwards. Soundings and dredgings were taken at 

 depths of 600 metres; a careful study was made of the 

 fauna and flora on the mainland, as well as of the Fuegian 

 aborigines, and 167 cases of collections were brought back, 

 including two skeletons of whales, and several living speci- 

 mens of animals and plants. On his return M. Martial deter- 

 mined the presence cf a deep trough about the twentieth 

 meridCin south of the equator, 7370 metres deep, near the ridge 

 of submarine banks discovered by the Challenger and Gazelle. — 

 Observations on the Pons-Brooks comet made at the Observatory 

 of Nice (Gautier-Eichens equatorial), and comparison with MM. 

 Schulhof and Bossert's ephemerides, by M. Perrotin. — On cer- 

 tain astronomical formulas of Han-en and Tisserand, by M. P. 

 Appell. — On the asymptotic lines of wave surfaces, by M. G. 

 Darboux. — On the functions of two independent variables ren- 

 dered invariable by the substitutions of a discontinued group, 

 by M. E. Picard. — Note on the n.ature of an algebraic relation 

 between two uniform functions of an analytical point {x, y), by 

 M. E. Goursat. — On an algebraic problem in the theory of 



elimination, by M. Cyparis.sos Stephanos. — A description of the 

 differential pyrometer patented in February, 1882, by M. E. 

 II. Amagat. — On an optical photometer, by M. L. SimonoflT. 

 — On the measurement of electromotor forces (two illustra- 

 tions), by M. E. Reynier. — On an electric sounding apparatus 

 for gre.at depths (four illustrations), by M. E. de la Croix. — 

 On a rapid method for determining the work absorbed or pro- 

 duced by a dynamo-electric machine, by M. Pierre Picard. — On 

 a new series of combinations of titanium, by M. A. Piccini. — 

 Qualitative research and quantitative analysis of zinc and lead in 

 iron ores, by M. A. Deros. — On the formation of considerable 

 quantities of alcohol in the fermentation of bread stuffs, by M. 

 V. Marcano. — Determination of the causes tending to diminish 

 the susceptibility of certain regions of the organism to the virus 

 of bacterian or symptomatic charbon, transforming a fatal into a 

 prophylactic inoculation, by MM. Arloing, Cornevin, and 

 Thomas. — On the source of the icnperfectly-oxydised sulphur 

 present in urine, by MM. R. Lepine and G. Guerin. — On the 

 development of the branchia of cephalopods, by M. L. Joubin. 

 — On the functions of the renal sac in heteropods, by M. L. 

 Joliet. — Remarks on the Crocodilus robustus, Vadl. and Grand., 

 of Madagascar, by M. L. Vaillaut. — On the osmotic force of 

 diluted solutions, by M. Hugo de Vries. — On the interpretation 

 of an experiment by Hales touching the function of vegetable 

 vessels, by M. J. Vesque. — Note on the direct observation of the 

 movement of water in plants, by M. G. Capus. — Remarks on 

 the saccharoid and serpentine limestones of the northern slopes 

 of the Pyrenees, by M. Dieulafait. — On the causes of abnormal 

 winters (five illustrations), by M. L. Teisserenc de Bort. — The 

 election was reported of M. Charcot in place of M. Cloquet in 

 the Section of Medicine and Surgery. 



CONTENTS PAGE 



The German Fisheries Commission 73 



Mascart and Joubert's "Electricity and Magnetism" 74 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Carpenter's " Energy in Nature " 74 



"Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society " ... 75 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



On Chepstow Railway Bridge, with Genei jl Remarks 

 suggested by that Structure. — Sir G. B. Airy, 



F R.S 75 



Physiology in Oxford. — Edward Chapman, M.A., 

 Fellow and Senior Tutor in Natural Science 



of Magdalen College, Oxford 76 



Green Sunlight. — Prof. William Swan ; Dr. Hyde 



Clarke 76 



Mangrove as a Destructive Agent. — Capt. W. J. L. 



Wharton, R.N 76 



The " Cloud-Glow " of November 9. —J. J. Walker . 77 

 Waking Impressions. — William Radford .... 77 

 Baryies from Chirbury.—C. J. Woodward . ... 77 

 " Salt Rain and Dew." — Harry N. Draper ... 77 



An Indian Weather Forecast 77 



Nordenskjdid's Greenland Expedition, III. By Baron 



A. E. Nordenskjeld 79 



The Rothamsted Grass Experiments. By Prof. W. 



Fream Si 



Palaeolithic Man — His Bead Ornaments. By Worth- 



ington G. Smith ( IVilh Illuslration) 83 



Is Iktis in Cornwall, and did Iron and Copper pre- 

 cede Tin ? By A TyXox (Willi Map) 84 



The Ben Nevis Observatory 86 



Notes 87 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Brorsen's Comet 88 



The Nautical Almanac 89 



The Ptiilosophical Society of Glasgow 89 



Researches on Spark Spectra. By Prof. W. N. 



Hartley 89 



Splenic Fever in the Argentine Republic. By Dr. 



C. S. Roy 91 



Suggestions for Facilitating the Use of a Delicate 



Balance. By Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S 91 



On the Development of Peripatus. By Dr. J. von 



Kennel 92 



University and Educational Intelligence 93 



Scientific Serials 94 



Societies and Academies 95 



