90 



NATURE 



[May 30. 1872 



development of the group tlirough its intermediate forms. 

 Another interesting fact in connection with these fresh water 

 deposits is, that whilst the fossil fauna of Eastern Oregon 

 abounds in species identical or analogous with those of Nebraska 

 and Dacota, yet extensive fresh water deposits were met with in 

 Wyoming and tlie centre of the continent in which the fossil 

 fauna was of an entirely distinct character, although belonging to 

 the same geological epoch, the Miocene. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, May 13. — M. Chasles presented a 

 further scries of theorems relating to the theory of the obli'iues 

 of a curve — M. I>. Cailletet communicated a note on the in 11 u- 

 ence of pressure upon the bands of the spectrum, in which he 

 describes the increased resistance offered by compressed gases to 

 the passage of the electric spark and its influence on the luminous 

 ]ihciiomena produced, and stated that whilst the luminous inten- 

 sity of the bands of the spectrum is increased by pressure, when 

 the latter is extreme they disappear entirely, the spectrum be- 

 coming continuous. — M. Melsens forwarded a memoir on lightning 

 conductors with multiple conductors ; and M. Decharme a note 

 on the spontaneous ascensional movement of liquids in capillary 

 tubes, compared with the flow of the same liquids in the same 

 tubes under a constant artificial pressure. — A note was read by 

 M. Arnould Thenard on the decomposition of carbonic acid under 

 the influence of electricity. — M. Balard presented a note by M. 

 Amagat on the dilatation of moist gases. — M. Lamy commented 

 on a recent note by M. Personne on the presence of selenium in 

 sulphuric acid of French manufacture, and indicated that its 

 existence had been known for the last ten years. — M. Wurtz 

 also presented a note by M. Scheurer-Kestner upon the same 

 subject. — A no'.e was read by M. J. Boussingault on the deter- 

 mination of carbon combined with meteoric iron. — M. C. Robin 

 communicated a note by M. H. Byasson on the hydrosulphate 

 of chloral (sulphuretted chloral). — M. Bouchut pre5ented sume 

 investigations on the action of the bases and alkaloids obtained 

 from opium. — M. Robin presented a note by M. J. P. Megiiin, 

 on the development of the unarmed cestoid worms, in which he 

 described his observations on an undetermined species allied to 

 Tu-i/i.i pcrfoliala (Goeze), T. p/ka/a (Rud.), and T. mamillmia 

 (Mehlis), discovered by M. BaiUet and himself in the horse and 

 mule. He seems to think that all the stages of development of 

 this parasite are passed in the same animal. — M. Clos presented 

 a note upon a portion of the leaf in certain plants, to which he 

 gives the name of preUinh. — The Minister of Foreign Affairs 

 communicated a report received from the French Consul-General 

 at San Francisco, relating to an earthquake which occurred in 

 the county of Inyo on March 30. — A note on the siUcified plants 

 of Autun, with observations on the structure of Dictyo.xylon, by 

 M. B. Renault, was presented by M. Brongniart. — A letter from 

 M. Palmieri on the late eiuption of Mount Vesuvius, dated May 

 5, was read. 



Vienna 



Academy of Sciences, January 4. — Prof. L. Gegenbauer, of 

 Krems, forwarded a second memoir on the evaluation of definite 

 integrals. — Dr. F. C. Schneider noticed the production of a de- 

 tonating iodine-compound by treating oxyiodide of mercury with 

 solution of iodide of jiotassium containing iodine. The detonating 

 compound was formed as a crust over the residue of oxyiodide and 

 upon the sides of the glass in which the mixture had remained 

 for a fortnight ; its violently explosive qualities were discovered 

 on an attempt being made to remove it by means of a glass rod. 

 — M. J. Schlesinger deposited a sealed note on the formula 

 for the rapidity of outflow of water from tubes. — Prof von 

 Oppober announced the re-discovery on December 20, 1S71, 

 of the lost planet vFgina (91). — Dr. .Sigmund lixner presented a 

 memoir entitled "Further Investigations on the Structure of the 

 Olfactory Mucous Membrane in the Vertebrata," in which he 

 showed that the branches of the olfactory nerve in birds, mam- 

 mals, and in man, terminate in the same way as was previously 

 described Ijy him in the frog. The author regarded the glands of 

 the olfactory region as tubular, and not acinose. — Dr. A. Boue 

 communicated a reply to M. Blaek's remarks on his catalogue of 

 northern and southern lights, and M. H. Fritz forwarded a note 

 relating to the same subject. 



January 11. — Dr. L.J. Fitzinger communicated a memoir on 

 the natural family of the Pangolins (ALuus), and M. S. Adler 

 some mathematical demonstrations connected with the game of 

 dominoes. 



January 18.— A memoir by D. A. Seydler on the path of 

 Dione (106) was read. — Dr. F. O. Sofka commmicated six 

 short papers on various mathematical and physical suljjec's. 



BOOKS RECEIVED 



English.— Introduction to the Study of Pala;ontological HoL-iny: J. II. 

 Balfour (A. and C. liiack).— Fruit Trees, 2nd edition : W. Wardic (Lock- 

 woods). — Nature: A. Walker (Longmans). — Tlie Fallacies of Darwinism: 

 C. R. Bree, M.D. (Longmans.) 



Amekfcan. — Annual Record of Science and Industry for 1871, edited by 

 S. F. Baird. — The Lens, edited by S. \. Briggs, vol. i., No. 2. 



DIARY 



THURSDAY, Mav 30. 



RoVAl. SociF.TV, at S.3o.-The Bakeri.an Lecture: On t^e Structure and 

 Development of th,- Skull of thi Salmon: W. K. Parker, K.RS— On 

 Ammonia in the Urine in Health and Disease : Dr. Tidy and Dr. Wood- 

 man.— The Structure and Functions of the Rods of the Cochlea : Dr. 

 Pritchard. — Examination of the Gases occluded in Meteoric Iron front 

 Virginia : Dr. J. W. Mallet. 



Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30.— Ballot for the Election of Fellows. 

 FRIDAY, May 31. 



Royal Instit[JTION, at 3. — Old and New Art : E. J. Poyn'er. 

 SATURDAY, ivtizi. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— On the Chemical Actit 

 Roscoe, F.R.S. 



Government School of Mines, at 8. — On Geology : 

 MONDAY, June 3. 



Royal Institution, at 2. 



Entomological Society, at 7. 



Anthropological Society, at 8.— On the Artifi-ial Enlargement of the 

 Earlobe in the East : J. Park Harrison, M.A.— On the Westerly Drifting 

 of Nomads— the Fins: H. H. Howorth, M.A.— On Tumuli at Sapolia, 

 Russia : Baron de Bognschefoky. 



Victoria Institute, at 8, Anniversary Meeting. 



of Li-ht: Prof. 

 . Cobbold, F.R.S. 



Royal Institution, 

 E. B. Tylor, F.R.S. 



Zoological Society, 

 tion of a Femur, indi 

 • alts, Ov 



TUESDAY, Juni 

 at 3. — On Developn 



of Belief and Cu 



I descrip- 



at 9.— On Dinornis (Part XIX.) t 

 cative of a new genus of large wingless bird {Dri 

 . from a post-tertiary deposit in Queensland, Australia : 

 Prof (_)wen, F.R.S. — On the Anatomy of the Two-spotted Paradoxure 

 {XcitnUiiiii hinotata) : Prof. Flower. 



Society of Biblical ARCH.BOLoGy, at 8.30 — On the Political Condition of 

 Egypt before the Reign of RamesTS III.: Dr. August Eisenlohr. — Some 

 Mathematical Observations on the Dimensions of the Base of the Great 

 Pyramid, and the Royal Coffer: Solomon M. Drach.— The XXXVII. 

 Aamu in the Tomb of Chnum-Hotep, at Beni H.assan, identified with the 

 Family of Israel : Daniel H. Haigh. 



IVEDNESDAV, June 5. 



Geological Society, at 8. — Notes on Sand-pits, Mud Volcanoes, and Brine- 

 pits, met with during the Yarkand E.xpedition of 1870 : Dr. G. Henderson. 

 —On the Cervida: of the Forest-bed of Norfolk and Suffolk : W. Boyd 

 Dawkins, F.R.S— The Classification of the Pleistocene Strata of Britain 

 and the Continent by means of the Mammalia : W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S. 



Microscopical Society, at 8. — Remarks on the Homological Position of, 

 the members constituting the Thecated Section of the Rotatoria ; Chas. * 

 Cubitt.— -On a Micro-pantograph : Isaac Roberts. 



THURSDAY, Ju 



; 6. 



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

 Society of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 

 LiNNEAN Society, at 8. 

 Chemical Society, at 8. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



Botany IN the Oxford Natural Science School 77 



Mountaineering in th? Sierra Nevada. By Rev. T. G. Bjnnev, 

 F.G.S 78 



HlNKII 



Our Book Shelf 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Volcanoes of Central France.— E. L. Garbett— Rev. T. W 

 Webb, F.R.A.S 



The Approaching Transit of Venus.— J. J. Fahie 



Recent Climatic Changes.— Dr. John Rae, F.R.G.S 



A Scientific *' Bone Setter." — Joseph P. Thompson 



Pathological Legend ". — Prof. John Young, M.D 



The Vervain and Yellow Fever. — A. Ernst 



Electric Valentine 



Natural Science at Oxford 



The Mi'RCHisoN Chair of Geology 



Noe's Thermo-Electric Battery. By G. F. Rodwell, F.C.S. . 

 On the Measurement of Musical Inte;(vals. By E. Mercaruiei 



Discovery of a Large Bone Cave in Bavaria 



The Paris Siege B.\lloons 



Notes -. 



On Optical Phenomena Produced by Crystals submitted T' 

 Circular Polarised Light. By W. Spottiswoode, Treas.R.S. 



Botany. — The Leaves of Drosera— Nature of Diatoms 



Scientific Serials 



Societies and Academies 



Books Received 



Diary 



