428 



NATURE 



[Sept. 19, 1872 



form is poured drop by drop on its surface. — Observations on a 

 note by Trot. Respighi on the'solar protuberances, by S. Tacchini. 

 Tlic author asserts tliat no dependence can be placed on tlie de- 

 tails of any drawings of the prominences except when made with 

 a telescope of large aperture. —M. Treve, in a paper on the magnet, 

 mentions some experiments from which he deduces that the 

 "transformation" of a b.ir of soft iron into a magnet requires a 

 mechanical work and a molecular action of a kind as yet unknown. 

 — '■ 0)i the compressibility of Air and Hydrogen at high tempera- 

 ture " by M. Amgat. The author asserts that up to 320° these 

 gases follow the law of Mariotte. M. Berthelot followed, on*the 

 distribution of a base between several acids in solutions. "On 

 the aptitude of certain gases to acquire persistent active proper- 

 ties under the inlUience of electricity " by M. Chalrier. The 

 author finds that hydrogen when acted on by electricity possesses 

 the power of uniting directly with the nitrogen of the air and of 

 reducing newly precipitated oxide of silver, even after it has 

 travelled some distance from the point where the electricity 

 was allowed to act on it. M. G. Lechartier, in a paper 

 on the reproduction of pyroxene and peridot, stated that 

 he had succeeded in preparing these minerals by heating mixtures 

 of their constituents. — M. P. Bert followed with "Experimental 

 researches on the effects of changes of barometric pressure on the 

 plienomena of life." In a very interesting paper of great practi- 

 cal importance as regards miners and divers working under great 

 pressure, the author cited the case of an English compflny who 

 in a single year lost ten divers out of twenty-four three of these 

 died suddenly on coming to the surface, /.e-., at the moment of 

 sudden release! from a high pressure and seven after several 

 months of sulfering from paralysis also died. The author con- 

 cludes (from a series of experiments of cats and dogs) that up to 

 five atmospheres two or three minutes should be allowed for the 

 pressure to decrease, above that much more time must be 

 allowed, and at nineteen atmospheres five minutes per atmosphere 

 at least is required. If the pressure is allowed to decrease more 

 rapidly than this death is ceitain. — "Comparative researches on 

 the absorption of Gases by the blood : estimation of Ha:mo- 

 globin," by M. N. Grehant. The author describes a method of 

 estimating llivmoglobin by observing the quantity of carbonic 

 oxide the blood will absorb. Application of Meteoric 

 Metamorphism to the study of the black crust of grey 

 meteorites, by M. S. Meunier. — M. A. Cheux describes a 

 white Aurora Borealis observed at La Baumette near Angers 

 on August 8, 1S72, and says that great disturbance was ob- 

 served on the sun on the morning of the 9th ; he gives a view 

 of the sun showing twenty-four spots. — Extracts from two letters 

 from Messrs. Guiscardi .and H. de Saussure relative to the late 

 eruption of Vesuvius. — Appearance of a meteor in the depart- 

 ment of Vienne, July 23, 1S72 (extract of a letter from M. Dau- 

 brt'e). This was the meteor of which portions fell in the Canton 

 of St. Amand, Loir-ct-Cher, Vienne is forty kilometres distant from 

 the places where the two portions of the meteorite fell. — M. 

 Tellier read a note on the supersaturation of water. Water may 

 be cooled 3'^ or 4*^ below zero in a glass vessel and still remain 

 liquid in which state it may be violently agitated but a very 

 sudden blow often causes its solidification. M.J. Gerard exhibi- 

 ted photographs of the interior of an aquarium. 



Aui^usl 26. — M. Faye, president. — Determination of the mu- 

 tual actions of Jupiter and Saturn to serve as a base for the re- 

 spective theories of the two planets, by M. Le Verrier. — In a 

 note on the action of carbon and iron on carbonic anhydride at 

 a high temperature, by M. Dumas, the author refutes a statement 

 lately made by M. Durunfaut that these bodies do no not react 

 un'ess hydrogen is present. — Mr. C. Peters announced the dis- 

 covery of two new planets, 122 and 123. The planets are of the 

 1 1 '5 and 12th magnitudes respectively. — New researches on the 

 propyl compounds, by MM. Is. Pierre and E. Puchot. — In new 

 experiments on spontaneous generation, by M. Donne, the author 

 supports the well-known views of M. Pasteur. — Elementary 

 theory of simple integrals and of their periods, by M. Max 

 Marie. — On the physical constitution of the sun, by M. E. 

 Vicaire. The author returns to the old theory of a comparatively 

 cold nucleus which he regards as most probably liquid. He con- 

 siders that the tremendous explosions of which the sun is the 

 seat could not occur from the midst of a mass of dissassociated 

 gases. — Notes were received from M. Brachet relating to the 

 improvement of microscopes ; from M. Lanale, relating to aerial 

 navigation; from M. Clarke, relating to cholera; from M. 

 Roussett, relative to certain questions concerning medicine. — On 

 the spherical representation of surfaces, by M. A. Bibancour. — 



letter from M. Gasparis, on a new mechanical theorem. — On 

 ozone and hydric peroxide {can o.xyg^/iA'). M. E, Le Blanc 

 sent a note rel.ating to the paper by the Messrs. Thcnard in No. 

 8 Compks Rcndus, 1872. The author states that in 1S54 he dis- 

 covered that ozone acted on water with the production of hydric 

 peroxide. — Industrial employment of ozone for the destruction 

 of the empyreumatic taste of whisky, and in the manufacture of 

 vinegar, by M. Widemann. The author established a factory at 

 Boston, U.S., where whisky was thus treated at the rate of 

 1 2,000 gallons per week. He also converted maize whisky into 

 vinegarbydilutingit with seven volumes of water, and then treating 

 it in the same way. — On the divisions of a base between several 

 acids in solution, dibasic acids, by M. Berthelot. — Action of 

 cupric sulpliate on normal urine, by M. Ramon de Luna. — M. P. 

 Bert communicated a seventh note on the influence of change of 

 barometric pressure on the phenomena of life. — On noctilucine, 

 by Mr. T. L. Phipson. Noctilucine is the substance which is 

 secreted by the various animals which are phosphorescent in the 

 dark. The autlior believes that the same substance is secreted 

 by certain plants {Agaricus, Euphorbia, c&c. ) and that it is also 

 produced by the fermentation and decomposition of various 

 vegetable and animal matters. The spectrum of this substance 

 lies entirely between the lines E and F of the solar spectrum. 

 — On the iodide of nitrogen, by Husson, fds. — M. Le Verrier 

 presented observations of the August meteorites, from Greenwich, 

 Lisbon, and at Volpeglino. — M. Chapelas announced, respecting 

 the meteorites of the Sth, gth, loth, and iith of August, that 

 the mean hourly number was 33 '5, a decrease of 6 '4 on last year. 

 The number for 1S72 was only about one third of that for 1S48. 

 — A new communication from M. Pigeon, on the typhus of 

 horned beasts, was submitted to the examination of M. Bouley. 



PAMPHLETS RECEIVED. 



English. — The Le.^d and Zinc Mines of the Mendips : H. B. Woodward. 

 —What Determines Molecular Motion, the Problem of Nature : J. Crolt— 

 A Letter to the Marquis of SaUsbury on the Public Health Bill : W. Child. 

 — The Building and Ornamental Stones of Great Britain and Foreign 

 Countries : E. Hull. — British Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 Report of Committee on Science Lectures and Organisation, Past and Pre- 

 sent. — Quarterly Magazine of the Brighton Grammar School. Part IL — 

 Science and Art, a .Sermon to the Memory of F. D. Maurice : LI. D. Bevan. 

 —Economy of Fuel in the Blast Furnaces for Smelting Iron : \. L. Bell.— 

 Quarterly Weather Report of the Meteorological Office, January to March, 

 1871.— The Vomiting of Pregnancy : E. Munro.-On the use of the Stetho- 

 scope of Obstetrics : K- Munro. — A Puzzle in Rain and Air. — Proceedings of 

 Geologists' Association, July.— Quarterly Jourial of Education, July. — 

 College of Physical Science, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Prospectus for Session 

 1872-73 —A Discu.ssion of the Meteorology of the part of the Atlantic lying 

 north of 30^ N. Lit. for the eleven days ending February 8, 1S70.— Charts 

 and Diagrams to accompany ditto. 



.. American anu Colonial.— Canadian Naturalist, July.— Indiana Journal 

 of Medicine: 'f. M. Stevens, Vol. Ill, No. 2.— Abstract of Reports of the 

 Surveys of the Geographical Operations of India for 1870-71. — Abstracts of 

 .Specifications of Patents (Victoria! applied for from 1854 to 1866, No. i. — Metals: 

 VV. H.Archer —Report of the Coalfields.Western Part of Victoria.— Reports ol 

 .Surveyors and Registrars for Quarter ending March 11, 1872, Victoria. — 

 Noteson the Post-Pliocene Geology ol Canada : J. W. Dawson— The Popular 

 Science Monthly, Nos 1-4.- The Australian Mechanic, No. 7, July, 1872. 

 —Eighth Report of the Board of Visitors to the Observatory, Victoria. — 

 Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard. — Notes on the 

 Ornithological Reconnaissance of Kansas, Wyoming, and Utah : J. A, Allen. 



FoRHlGN.^Zeitschrift fiir Biologic, Vol. viii.. No. 2. — Bulletin de la 

 Societe d' Anthropologic de Paris. — Classification de 250 maticres tannantes : 

 M. Bernardin. — Memorie della Societa degli spettroscopisti italiani. — 

 Materiauxpourlafanne Beige, 2™*^ part. — Myriopodes: F. Plateau — Ofversigt. 

 af kongl. Vetenskaps Akademiens Forhandling, Nos. 3, 4. 7. — Atti della 

 reale accademia dei Lincei, tom. 25, Ann. 25, 1871-72. — Verhandlungen dcs 

 naturhistorischen Vereins, Riga, Vol. i, 2, 1872. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Potato Disease. II. {With Ilhistraiions') -jog 



Gladstone's Life of Faraday. By W. F. ISakkett 410 



Letters to the Editor:— 



American Stone Arrowheads-— John Evans F.R.S 413 



Botanical Terminology.— F. E. Kitchener, F.L.S 4<3 



Huiton's Trigonometrical Tables, for Arcs expressed as portions of 



the Radius.— J. W. L- Glaisher 414 



The Hassler Extedition 414 



Cai'tain Hall's Arctic Expedition 415 



The Blind Fishes of the Mammoth Cave and their Allies." 



ByF. W.Putnam 415 



Pasteur's Nkw Process for the Manufacture of Beer. {With 



Diagram) 418 



M. Chevreul 420 



Notes 420 



The British Association Meeting : — 



Section A —Sectional Proceedings 422 



Section C. — Sectional Proceedings 423 



Section D. — Sectional Proceedings 424 



Societies and Academies 427 



Pamthlets Received . , . . : 428 



