Feb. 7. i8i<4j 



NA TURE 



351 



Anthropological Institute, January 22 — Anniversary meet- 

 ins*. — Prof. Flower, F. K.S., president, in the chair. — The fol- 

 lowing gentlemen were elected officers and Council for the 

 year 18S4 : — President: Prof. W. H. Flower, F. U.S. ; vice- 

 presidents: Hyde Clarke, lohn Evans, F.R.S., Francis Gallon, 

 F.R.S.. Lieut. -Col. H. H. Godwin-Austen, F.R.S., Major- 

 Generai Pitt-Kivers, F.R.S., E. B. Tylor, F.R.S. ; director: 

 F. \V. Kudler, F.G.S. ; treasurer: F. G. H. Price, F.S.A. ; 

 Council: J. Beddoe, F.R.S. , S. E. B. Bouverie-Pusey, E. W. 

 Brabrook, F.S.A., C. H. E. Carmichael, M.A., W. L. Distant, 

 C. I. Elton, B.A., A. W. Franks, F. R.S., J. G. Garson, M.D., 

 Prof. Huxley, F.R.S., Prof. A. M. Keane, B.A., A. L. Lewis, 

 Sir J. Lubbock, Bart., M.P., R. Biddulph Martin, M.P., Henry 

 Muirhead, M.D., J. E. Price, F.S.A., Lord Arthur Russell, 

 M.P., Prof. G. D. Thane, A. Thomson, F.R.S., Alfred Tylor, 

 F.G.S., M. J. Walhouse, F. R.A.S.— The President delivered 

 an address on the aims ar.d prospects of the study of anthro- 

 pology, which we gave last week. 



Edinburgh 



Royal Society, January 21. — Robeit Grey, vice-president, 

 in the chair. — Prof. Crum Brown communicated a paper on 

 distant vision, by Dr. Maddox. Dr. Maddox finds that accom- 

 modation for a distant object in the case of most persons is 

 naturally connected uiih a slight convergence of the optic axes, 

 so that the intersection of the optic axes is nearer than the object 

 looked at. At a certain distance, different in different persons, 

 and probably varying in the same person from time to time, the 

 optic axes naturally cjnverge at the distance focused for. When 

 a nearer otjject is looked at, the point of intersection of the optic 

 axes is beyond the object. Li ordinary vision these differences 

 between the distance of conver^jence and of accommodation are 

 not observed, because the effort for single vision easily over- 

 comes them, and forces the optic axes into the pDrtion corre- 

 sponding to the accommodation. — Mr. John Aitken read a paper 

 on the dark plane in dusly air, a full report of which was given 

 in our last issue. — Mr. Aitken also read a note on the recent 

 sunsets. 



Cambridge 



Philosophical Society, January 28. — On the microscopic 

 structure of a boulder from the Cambridge Greensand found 

 near Ashwell, Herts, by Prof. Bonney. — On critical or appa- 

 rently neutral equilibrium, a note on Mr. Greenhill's paper, 

 Camb. Phil. Proc, 1883, by Mr. J. Larmor. — On the normil 

 vibrations of a thin isotropic shell, bounded by confjcil 

 spheroids, by Mr. W. J. Ibbetson. — On the isochromatic curves 

 of polarised light seen in a uniaxial crystal cut at right angles to 

 the optic surface, by Mr. C. Spurge. — Tables of the number of 

 numbers less than n and prime to it, and of the sum of the 

 divisors of «, and the corresponding inverse tables up to 

 « = 3000, by Mr. J. W. L. Glaisher. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, January 21. — M. RoUand in the 

 chair. — Reflections on M. P. Bert's last communication regarding 

 his new method of anajsthesis in surgical operations, by M. 

 Gosselin. Although somewhat inconvenient in practice, the 

 author still considers that the innovation presents certain ad- 

 vantages, while supplying a fresh argument to those who recom- 

 mend moderate and progressive inhalation, rather than a large 

 dose admmistered all at once. In his reply M. Bert submits 

 that the objections raised to his method on the ground of the 

 cumbrous nature of the apparatus are greatly exaggerated in the 

 case of public hospitals. He further urges that it appears to be 

 the only process in » hich surgeons are relieved of all personal 

 responsibility in administering anesthetics. — On the preparation 

 in large quantities of artificial virus (bacilli of splenetic blood) 

 attenuated by rapid heatnig (continued), by M. A. Chauveau, 

 Here the author explains the conditions essential to the successful 

 performance of this important anJ difficult operation. The sub- 

 ject is treated at length under the following heads : — (i) on the 

 degree of heat required for the complete attenuation of the arti- 

 ficial virus; (2) on the heating process ; (3) on the practical value of 

 this .system of prophylaciic inoculation. —Extract from a letter by 

 Baron Norden-kjbld on the remarkable optical effects observed 

 during the last two months at sunset and sunrise in Sweden, pre- 

 sented by M. Daubree. The author suggests that the pheno- 

 menon cannot be attributed exclusively to the dust discharged 

 during the recent eruptions in Sunda Strait. Small particles or 



dust contained in the snow which fell near Stockholm at the end 

 of last December were found on analysis to contain a considerable 

 quantity of carboniferous matter, which burnt in the dry state 

 with a flame, and left a reddish residuum containing oxidised 

 iron, silica, phosphorus, and as much as o'5 per cent, of cobalt 

 and nickel. — Observations of the Pons-Brookscjmet made at the 

 Brunner 6-inch equatorial (o-i6om.). Observatory of Lyons (con- 

 tinued, by M. V. Gonnessiat. — On the multipliers of linear 

 differential equations, by M. Halphen. — On the approximate 

 values assumed by an integral polynome when the variable 

 quantity varies within definiie limits, by M. Laguerre. — Note 

 on the shading of a sphere, by M. J. Cotillon. The author here 

 attempts a reproduction of the shaded sphere traditionally said 

 to have been constructed at the Ecole Polytechnique on the 

 theoretical indications supplied by Monge. — On the electric 

 conductibility of greatly diluted saline solutions, by M. E. 

 Bouty. M. Berthelot, who insists on the importance of 

 the results obtained by M. Bouty, points out that, according 

 to the new law established by his nuajerous experiments, the 

 electric resistance of greatly diluted solutions is determined, not 

 by the atomic weight, but by the chemical equivalent of the 

 bodies. — On the repulsion of two consecutive portions of the 

 same electric current, by M. Izarn. — On the development of the 

 nacreous crystals of sulphur, by M. D. Gernez.— Determination 

 of the equivalent of chromium by means of the sesquioxide of 

 its sulphate, by M. H. Baubigny.— Telegraphic despatch re- 

 garding the liquefaction of hydrogen addressed to M. Debray 

 by M. Wrohleu-ski. On this communication, which was 

 worded : "Hydrogen cooled by boiling oxygen has been lique- 

 fied by ex|.ansion,'' M. Debray offers some remarks, and shows 

 how it entirely confirms the remarkable observations made by 

 M. Cailletet on the expansion of hydrogen. — On the products of 

 reduction of erythrite by formic acid, by M. A. Henninger. — 

 On an aromatic diacetone, by M. E. Louise. — Quantitative 

 analysis of the moisture of amylaceous substances (starch, fecula, 

 &c.), by M. L. Bondonneau. — On the classification of the plumi- 

 cole Sarcoptida; (sub-family of the Analgesiiia;), by MM. E. L. 

 Trouessait and P. Megnin.— On the Cipolino marble of Facials', 

 Loire-Inferieure, by M. Stan. Meunier. From a careful study 

 ot this remarkable calcareous formation theauth.ir considers that 

 even more than the blue marble of Antrim it may be regarded as 

 a type of metamorphic rock by contact.— On the nature of the 

 deposits observed in the water of contaminated wells, by M. 

 E. Gautrelet. To the organisms examined under the microscope 

 the author gives the name of Stercogona tetrastoma, and for 

 several reasons concludes that they are the true typhic microbe. — 

 On the remarkable atmospheric disturbances produced by the 

 Krakatoa eruotion, by M. E. Renou. — On the twnlight effects 

 observed on December 27 on the summit of the Pny de Dome, 

 by M. AUuard. — The recent remarkable sunsets and sunrises 

 compared with those obsei-ved in various parts of Europe during 

 the summer of 1831, by M. A. Angot. 



January 2S. — M. RoUand in the chair.— Spectral study of the 

 groujj of telluric bands in the brightest rejcions of thesolarspectrum, 

 which were discovered by Brewster and collectively called a by 

 Angstrom, one illustration, by M. A. Cornu. A protracted study of 

 the bandlets of lines :n this mysterious a band has suggested a 

 practical method for distinguishing by simple inspection the lines 

 of telluric from those of solar origin. It has also enabled the 

 author to establish the intimate relation between this group and 

 the A and B Fraunhofer bands, while the origin of the group 



itself must be referred to absorption by the oxygen of the air. 



Remarks on Faraday's electrochemical law in connection with 

 the law discovered by M. Bouty regarding the conductibility of 

 grratly diluted saline solutions, by M. Wurtz.— On the atmo- 

 spheric disturbances attributed to the Krakatoa eruption, and on 

 the stonn of January 26, by M. C. VVolf. The storm was 

 announced the day before by great oscillations of the magnetic 

 curves, especially those of the declinometer. The most reinarl;able 

 feature attending it was its sudden cessation about one o'clock a.m. 

 when the velocity of the yale fell at once from 38m. to 12m. per 

 second.— On the physical disturbances that have taken place 

 during the la-t few months, by M. Faye.— On the period of 

 most Irequ-nt occurrence of solar spots in recent times, accordino- 

 to the data supplied by M. R. Wolf of Zurich, by M. Fayet 

 The maximum (424) seems to have been reached during the first 

 six months of 1882.-— Remarks on the official topographic chart 

 of Algeria, scale i : 50,000, the first twelve sheets of which have 

 been presented to the Academy, by M. F. Perrier.— On the em- 

 ployment of titrate mixtures of anaesthetic vapours and air in the 



