20 



NATURE 



[May 2, 1872 



effects of light and perhaps of electricity. — M. Bellanger for- 

 warded a note on the change which takes place in the boiling 

 point of water when mixed with more volatile fluids. — M. Faye 

 presented a note on the photographic studies of the sun which 

 have recently been undertaken at the observatory of the Infante 

 Don Luiz, at Lisbon. — A letter from Father .Secchi on some 

 peculiarities of the constitution of the sun was read ; as also a 

 note byM. \V. de Fonvielle on the hypothesis of the magnetisation 

 of the sun. — M. V. Raulin presented a note on thepluviometric 

 observations made at Athens from 1859 to 187 1, including 

 tables of monthly mean rainfalls and other data. — A note by M. 

 de Lafollye, on a mode of determining copper by means of 

 cyanide of potassium, was read. This is a volumetric process 

 perfonned by adding a standard solution of cyanide of potassium to 

 a solution of a salt of copper coloured blue by ammonia, until 

 the complete decolorisation of the latter. — M. E. Ferriere pre- 

 sented a note on the action of sulphuric ether upon iodides, 

 in which he states that, by the addition, of sulphuric ether to the 

 solution of an iodide, the iodine is gradually entirely set free. 

 He ascribes this action to the slow but continuous formation of 

 an unstable hydriodic ether. — M. Wurtz communicated a note 

 on the synthesis of orcine, by MM. G. Vogt and A. Henninger. 

 This body was obtained by the authors by the action of potash in 

 fusion upon the sulpho-conjugate acid of chlorinated toluene. — 

 M. C. Robin presented a note by M. Rabauteau, on the physio- 

 logical properties possessed by the various proximate principles 

 of opium. — A note by M. Sanson, on the hybrids produced 

 between the hare and the rabbit, was communicated by M. 

 Milne-Edwards. The author stated that the production of fertile 

 hybrids between these two species had certainly been effected in 

 1868 by M. E. Gayot, who had furnished him with individuals of 

 the sixth generation, representing two varieties which have been 

 established and called by the breeder the Liporidi ordinaiyf and 

 the Liporide longiic-soie. The former is identical with the 

 rabbit in its specific characters ; the latter closely approaches 

 the hare. — M. Milne-Edwards also presented a note by M. 

 A. F. Marion on Rotatoria parasitic upon A^ehalui. The author 

 noticed the occurrence upon Nebalia st>-aiissii of a Saccobdella dis- 

 tinct from that observed by Van Beneden and Hesse on N. gcof- 

 froyi. — A note by M. li. Sicard on the respiratory apparatus of 

 Zonites atgirus was also presented by M. Milne- Edwards ; as also 

 a note on the termination of the vertebral column in the Pleuro- 

 nectidae by M. H. E. Sauvage. — M. de Quatrefages communi- 

 cated a note by M. E. T. Ilamy on the proportional development 

 of the humerus and radius in man, in which the author noticed 

 the relative lengths of these bones at various ages, and gave a 

 table showing the gradual and very considerable diminution in 

 the proportional lengthof the radius to thehumerus on reaching the 

 adult condition. — M. F. Garrigou presented a note on the unity 

 of composition of the Pyrenees proper, and the chain commonly 

 called the Pdites Pyrinies. He maintained that no distinction 

 can be drawn between them. — M. de Quatrefages communicated 

 an extract from a letter by M. E. B. des Essards on sea shocks. 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, March 7. — Prof. E. 

 Hering, of Prague, transmitted a memoir by M. F. Hofmeister, 

 contaming investigations upon the connective tissue in the testes 

 of the Mammalia.— Prof. V. Graber, of Graz, transmitted a pre- 

 Imiinary report on the propulsory blood apparatus of insects, 

 and on the occurrence of a true elastic hbrous net in the 

 Hymen, pirra. — Prof. L. Gegenbauer, of Krems, forwarded a 

 memoir entitled " The Universalised Dirchlet's Integral ; " and 

 Dr. A. Boue delivered a discourse upon geological chronology. 



March 14. — Prof. L. Gegenbauer transmitted a memoir on 

 Definite Integrals. — Dr. F. Wallentin communicated a memoir 

 on the Serial Development of Functions, and its employment in 

 Algebraic Analysis, as well as in the Integration of Differential 

 Equations. — A paper on the Destruction of the ncnnis facuilis 

 and its consequences, by M. Schauta, was presented by Prof. 

 Biiicke. The experiments were made on two young rabbits. — 

 Prof, von Lang communicated a note by Prof. Handl, on the 

 absolute intensity and absorption of light. — M. E. Priwoznik 

 presented two communications, of which the first containeil a 

 chemical investigation of the coating formed upon an antique 

 bronze implement found in an old Celtic grave, near Hallstatt ; 

 and the second the results of a series of experiments made upon 

 the formation of the sulphides of copper, silver, tin, nickel, and 

 iron, to which the former investigation gave rise. The crust 

 which covered the bronze consisted of three layers, of which the 

 outermost and thickest was formed of blue sulphide of copper ; 



the second was blackish-gray, and composed of disnlphide ot 

 copper with 15 per cent, of tin; and the tliird, or innermost, 

 was formed of a black powder containing 23 2 per cent, of tin, 

 together with the accidental constituents of the bronze, arsenic, 

 antimony, and nickel. 



BOOKS RECEIVED 



English — Coralfi and Coral Islands: J. D. D-ina (S. Low, Son, and Co.). 

 — Introduction to -Biology: H. Alleyne Nicholson (Blackwoods).— Natural 

 Philosophy: E Atkinson (Longmans).— .Mountaineerin;; in the Sierra 

 Nevada: C. King (S Low. Son, and Co ).— Lecture Notes to Chemical 

 Students, Vol. li , Organic Chemistry : E. Frankland. and edition (Van 

 Voorst). — The Principle and Practice of Canal and River Engineering : D. 

 Stevenson, jnd edition {A. and C. Black). 



American. — Gateways to the Pole: S. Bent (Studley, S. Louis). 



DIARY 



THURSDAY, Mav a. 



Royal Sociktv, at 8.30.— On a new Great Theodolite (illustrated by the 

 instrument) to hr. used on the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India, with 

 a short Note on the Performance of a Zenith Sector employed on the same 

 work: Col. Strange, F.R.S.— On some Elementary Principles in Animal 

 Mechanics— V. and VI.: Rev. Prof. Haughton, F.R.S. 



Society of Antiqi;aries, at 8.30. — Exhibition of Early Christian Rings : 

 C. D. E. Fortnum, F.S.A. — Vortigem, not Hengest, the Invader of Kent : 



U ^ ^_„.- CCA I? .T -i" T 1: „. T- l~, . W t^ 



of Tumuli at Trevalga: W. C 



H. C. Coote, F.S.A.— Eicav, 

 Borlase, F.S.A. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8— On AUbertia edulis : Senor Correa de Mello. 



Chemical Society, at 8.— On the Manjfactiire of Iron and Steel : E. Riley. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— On Heat and Light: Prof. Tyndall, F.R S. 

 FRIDAY, May 3. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— On Optical Phenomena produced by Crystals 

 when submitted to Circularly Polarised Light : W. Spottiswoode. 



Geologists' Association, at 8. — On Columnar Basalts : J. Curry —On a 

 Visit to the Diamond Fields of South Africa, with Notices of Geological 

 Phenomena by the wayside : J. Paterson. 



SATURDAY, May 4. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Star-Depths : R. A- Proctor. 



Government.School of Mines, at 8. — On Geology : Dr. Cobbold, F.R.S. 

 MONDAY, May 6. 



Entomological Society, at 8. — On the Longicom Fauna of Nicaragua: 

 H. W. Bates. 



Anthropological Institute, at 8.— Peculiarities of the Australian Cra- 

 nium : Mr. Bradley.— A Scaphoid Skull : Dr. Bernard Davis, F.R.S.— The 

 Basque Race: Rev. W. Webster and Mr. Menleath. — Marm, its Names 

 and their Origin : Mr. Jeffcott.—Quecnsland Dialects : Mrs. Barlow. — 

 Preservation of Australian Dead : Mr. M" Donald. 



Royal Institution, at 2. — General Monthly Meeting. 

 TUESDAY, May 7. 



Zoological Society, at 9. — On Dinomis (Part XVIII.) containing a de- 

 scription of the pelvis and bones of the leg of Dinomis gravis : Prof. 

 Owen, F.R.S. — Appendix to a List of Birds known to inhabit the Island of 

 Celebes: Viscount Walden. — On the habits of the Swallows of the 

 genus Pro^HC, met with in the Argentine Republic, with notes by P. L. 

 Sclater: W. H. Hudson. 



Society of Biblical Arch.«ology, at 8.30. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— On the Development of Belief and Custom 

 amongst the Lower Races of Mankind : E. B. Tylor, F.R.S. 



lYEDNESDAY, May 8. 

 Geological Society, at 8. — Notes on Atolls or Lagoon Islands: S. f. 



Whitnell— On the Glacial Phenomena of the Yorkshire Uplands: J. R. 



D.ikyns.— On Modern Glacial Action in Canada : Rev. W. Bleasdell, M.A. 



—On a Sea-coast Section of Boulder Clay in Cheshire : D, Mackintosh. 

 Society of Arts, at 8— On the Use of a Revolving Rabble in the common 



Puddling Furnace : F. A. Paget. 



THURSDAY. May 9. 

 Royal Institution, at 3 —On Heat and Light ; Piof. Tyodall, F.R.S. 

 Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 

 Mathematical Society, at 8. 



CONTENTS Pag. 



The Civil Engineers' Banquet 1 



The Eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2 



Science Primers. By the Rev. W. Tuckwell 3 



Our Book Shelf 4 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Law of Total Radiation.— Hon. J. W. Strutt 5 



Solar Halo.— Dr. C. M. Inglebv 5 



Help us to Save our Birds.— Thomas II. Potts s 



The State and Science 6 



Brilliant Meteor.— J. Edmund Clark 6 



On the Sulphurous Imi-uritv in Coal Gas. By A. Vernon Har- 



court, F.R.S 7 



Experimental Illustrations in Musical Tone. By E. B. Tylor, 



F.R.S 7 



Proposed Ouservatory in New Zealand. By W. M. Maskell . 8 



A New Mode of Taking Casts 8 



The Nebula round ., Argus. By the Rev. T.iR. Robinson, F.R.S. 



( (FiV/i Illustrations) 8 



B.ottanv Dolmens and Lines. By Capt. S. P.Oliver, R.A. 



(lyith Illustrations.) 9 



Notes . . 13 



History of the Names Cambrian and Silurian in Geology. By 



T.Sterry Hunt, F.R.S 13 



Scientific Serials 17 



Societies and Academies 18 



Books Received 30 



DlARV 30 



