I lo 



NATURE 



[y-iinc 6, 1872 



tion of the perturbations which each of these four planets undergo 

 by the action of the other tl ree.— A letter was read from Father 

 Secchi, containing a summary of observations of solar protuber- 

 ances from Jan. I to April 29, 1S72, containing a tabular expo- 

 sition of tlie results of observation-;, with a discussion of their 

 bearing upon the general quj^tion. — M. Delaunay presented an 

 extract of a letter from M. Ko.-ster on the magnetic disturbances 

 observed during the occurrence of auro.ras. — M. Coste com- 

 municated a no;e by M. Z. Gerbe on the segmentation of tlic 

 cicatricula in the ovum of plagiostomous fisties, in which the 

 author describes the evolution of the Kays in confirmation of the 

 opinion put forward by M. Coste that in the plagiostomous 

 fishes, as in reptiles and birds, it is the cicatricula alone that 

 undergoes segmentation. M. Coste also communicated a notes 

 by M. G. Pouchet, on blue colorations in fishes, in which the 

 author ascribes the blue colours presented by some parts of 

 certain fishes to the presence beneath the skin of oval or roundish 

 bodies which he calls ''iridising bodies." — A note by M. E. 

 Prillieux, on the inllucnce of congelation upon the weight of 

 vegetable tissues, was presented by M. Uucliartre. — M. A. 

 Riviere read a memoir on the oolitic or Jurassic formation of La 

 Vendee, accompanied by a geological map of that locality. — M. 

 H. Douville presented a note on the coal-bearing strata of the 

 banks of the Rhine, with especial reference to the distribution of 

 these deposits into an upper and lower formation, the deposi- 

 tion of which was separated by a great dislocation. — M. S. 

 Meunier presented a mineralogical investigation of the grey 

 serpentines, from which it results that these rocks consist 

 essentially of a mixture of magnetite, pyroxene, peridot, and 

 magnesite. — M. A. Leynierie communicated a note in reply lo a 

 recent communication by M. Garrigou on the unity of composi- 

 tion of the Pyreneei. 



May 27. — M. fSerrat presented a memoir by M. V. J. Bertou 

 on the determination of the limits between which a primary 

 number of a given form occurs. — M. Chasles presented a note 

 by Mr. A. Cayley on a fiattened quartic surface ; M. Ribaucour 

 a note on the developates of surfaces. — A note by M. C. Jordan 

 on the infinitely small oscillations of materi-il systems was pre- 

 sented by M. Vvon Villarceau. — M. Faye presented a reply by 

 M. Respighi to a recent note by Father Secchi on some pecu- 

 liarities of the constitution of the sun. — M. Le Verrier com- 

 municated a note by Father Denza on meteors observed in Pied- 

 mont on the evening of April 24, including the account of a 

 second meteor in addition to that seen at Agde by M. Perris. 

 The author also notices the occurrence of a fine aurora on May 9. 

 — M. Becquerel read a note on the cultivation of the vine in clay 

 soils, in which he indicated the conditions of temperature pre - 

 vailing in clay, silicious, and calcareous soils, and showed that 

 in the former the vine could only be successfully cultivated by 

 training it to a considerable height. — M. W. de Fonvielle pre- 

 sented a note embodying some fresh examples of the danger 

 arising from the vicinity of metallic masses during storms, and 

 M. E. Nasse forwarded a note on an instance of globular light- 

 ning observed at Brives on May 17. — M. Delaunay presented a 

 note by M. Frou on the laws of cyclones and tempests, and on 

 their geometrical representations. — A considerable number of 

 papers on chemical subjects was presented, namely, a memoir 

 on the iron contained in the blood and in food by M. Boussin- 

 gault, containing a great number of interesting details upon 

 this important subject ; a note by M. A. Wurtz on an aldehyde- 

 alcohol, C^ U" O'-', which he proposes to name aldol; a no'e by 

 M. G. Bouchardat on a new organic base, dulcitamine, 

 C- H'" NO'", derived from dulcite, presented by M. A. Wurtz; 

 a note by M. T. Schlreiing on the influence of vegetable mould 

 on the mobility of soils, communicated by M. Peligot ; a memoir 

 by Mr. F. Crace-Calvert on bleaching powder, presented by M. 

 Balard ; a note by M. B. Renault on a new process for obtaining 

 reproductions of drawings, also presented by M. Balard ; and a 

 note by M. Sidot on the production of a crystallised phosphuret 

 of iron, presented with some remarks by M. Daubree. — M. CI. 

 Bernard communicated a paper by M. Z. Pupier, containing an 

 experimental demonstration of the action of spirituous beverages 

 upon the liver ; the author's experiments were madeupon fowlsand 

 rabbits. — A note by MM. N. and E. Joly on the supposed Crus- 

 tacean, on which l.atreille founded the genus Frosophtoiiia, was 

 presented by M. Milne-Edwards ; the authors show that this 

 animal is a true insect probably allied to the Ephemerina. — M. 

 Blanchard communicated a note by M. S. Jourdain on the anurous 

 Batrachia with large and small tadjioles, in which the author 

 insists upon an an.'logy between the development of the former 



and that of insects. — M. de Vibraye communicated a note on 

 the spontaneous appearance in France of etotic forage-plants 

 consequent on the presence of the belligerent armies in 1870-71. 

 — M. P. Gervais presented a note on the m.immalia of which 

 the bones arc associated with the deposits of phosphite of lime 

 in the departments of Tarn-et-Gironne and the Lot. These bones 

 appear to belong to various epochs, the oldest belonging 10 the fauna 

 of the Paris gypsum, others to the Miocene or more recent times. 

 The genera represented are Anoplothcriuiii, Diilioliiiii ; Entdodon, 

 CaiiuHhcy'mni, Aiiiphitragiilus, PaLrothcriiiin, Rliiit h<-ros, llyo:- 

 mh/oit, Ciiiiis .' (paUrolycos, sp. n. ) and I'lT'ernt ! {,ai,tbigiia, sp. n.) 

 At Caylux there are Rodents allied to Thcn.loniys, wah remains 

 of Cluilicolhcriiim, Anl/iracol/unii?ii, and Antihpc! OtWiii'ii. — M. 

 Daubree made some remarks on the deposits from which the 

 fossils noticed by M. Gervais are derived. — M. de Vemeuil read 

 a note on the recent eruption of Vesuvius, which also formed the 

 subject of a communication from M. Guiscardi. 



Slnckhardt ; 

 Sportsmen i 



BOOKS RECEIVED 



-Experimental Chemistry, founded on the work i 



C. W. Heaton (Bell and Daldy). — Knaisack 

 1 the Field: E. Ward (Bradbury and Evansl. 



DIARY 



THURSDAY, June 6. 

 RovAL Institution, at 3 —On Heat and Light : Pi of Tyndall, F.R.S. 



Ron 



S7.-2: J. H. 



Antiquaries, at 8.30. —E.\ 

 Parker, C.B., K.S.A. 



LiNNHAN SociETV, at S.— On some recent forms of Lagcn<e Uom Deep-Sea 

 Dredglngs in the Japanese Seas : F. W. O. Rymer Jones.— Oa the Cuta- 

 neous Exudation of the Water Newt {Trtion cristatus) : Miss Eleanor A. 

 Ormerod. 



Chemical Society, at 8. 



FRIDAY^ June/. 

 Geologists' Association, at S. — On the Classification of the Cambrian 

 and Silurian Rocks : H Hicks.— On the Silurian Rocks of ths English 

 Lake District : Prof. A. Nicholson, ISI.D. 



SATURDAY^ June 8. 

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



RovAL Geograp 



MONDAY^ June I 

 Society, at 8.30. 



Pictures produced by 

 chel, B A., K.K A.S.— 



TUESDAY, June II. 



Photographic Society, at 8 —On some early Gla 

 the late Sir John Herschel, Bart. : Prof. A. S. Hei 



On the Photographic Manipulations undertaken at the last Eclip.'^e, practi- 

 cally described : Capt. Waterhouse, A-ssistant Surveyor General of India. — 

 Spectroscopic Observations in connection with the Cirbon Process : Lieut. 

 Abney, R.E.— On the Use of Uranium in Dry Plate Photography : Colonel 

 Smart Wortley. 



THURSDAY, June 13. 



Royal Society, at 8.30. 



Society of Antiquakies, at 8.30. 



Mathematical Society, at 8. — On the Surfaces divisible inti Si^iuares by 

 Curves of Curvature : Prof Cayley. — On Prof Cremona's Tran'ilorma- 

 tion between Two PUnes and Tables relating thereto: Mr. S. Kobsris. 

 —On a Manifold Correspondence of Two Planes : Dr. Hirst. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



Bad Greek or Good German ? 97 



Our National Industries 97 



The Highlands of Central India. By Lieut. M. T. Sale, R,E. 99 



Our Book Shelf 100 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Spectroscopic Nomenclature. — Prof. C. A. Yoi;ng 101 



Historical Note on the Method of Least Squares.— Prof. Asai-h 



Hall loi 



The Volcanoes of Central France.— E. L. Garbett 102 



Temperature of the Deep Sea 102 



Endowment of Professorships 102 



Glaisher's (Hall's Improved) Rain Gauge. By J. J. Hall. 



{With Diagram) 103 



Water Analysis.- 1 104 



Ra:hation at Different Temperatures. By Capt. J. Ericsson. 



i^W^ith Illustrations) 106 



Notes 108 



Anniversary Addm-ss to the Linnean Society. By Geo. Ben- 



tham, F.R.S Ill 



Scientific Serials 113 



Societies and Academies , . 113 



Books Received 116 



