Feb, 16, 1871] 
NATURE 
317 

of reptiles and of their ornithic affinities. Mr. Seeley remarked 
on the similarity of the internal cavity of the skull to that of Zch- 
thyosaurus. Some of the external characteristics differed much 
from what he was acquainted with in other Dinosaurian skulls, 
which more closely resembled those of ordinary lizards. He 
considered that the affinities of Dizosaurs were in the direction 
of Zeleosaurus, from which the position of what were supposed 
to be the optic nerves in this skull materially differed. On the 
whole, he was not at once prepared to accept this skull as that of 
an Iguanodon. Mr. Hulke briefly replied, and observed that he 
had limited his speculations to those which legitimately arose 
from the facts before him. The following specimens were ex- 
hibited to the meeting :—Specimens from the Keuper Marls and 
Rheetic beds near Gainsborough ; exhibited by Mr. F. M. Burton, 
¥.G.S. Examples of the borings of two species of Pholas; ex- 
hibited by Mr. E. Charlesworth, F.G.S. 
Zoological Society, February 7.—Mr. G. R. Waterhouse, 
Vice-President, in the chair.—The Secretary read a report on 
the additions to the Society’s Menagerie during the montk of 
January, amongst which were particularly mentioned a specimen 
of the kakapo, or night-parrot of New Zealand (Strigops habro- 
ptilus).—Mr. J. E. Harting exhibited and made remarks on a fine 
specimen of the red-breasted goose (Azser rujicollis) lately killed 
in England.—Mr. H. E. Dresser exhibited some specimens of 
rare European birds’-eggs, amongst which were those of A/ficro- 
nisus brevipes and Reguloides superciliosus.—Mr. E, Ward exhibited 
a skin of a white variety of the tiger (Feds gris), obtained from 
an animal killed in the Mirzapore district.—Mr. W. B. Teget- 
meier exhibited a specimen of an eel, believed to be new to the 
fauna of Great Britain. It had been obtained from fresh-water 
in the Scilly Islands, and was referred by Dr. Giinther to a variety 
of Anguilla vulgaris, called A. cuvieri by Kaup.—A commu- 
nication was read from Dr. Robert O. Cunningham, containing 
notes on some distinctive points in the osteology of Rhea ameri- 
cana and Rhea darwinii.—Mr. J. E. Harting read a paper on 
the Arctic collection of birds presented by Mr. John Barrow to 
the University Museum, Oxford, and drew attention to some 
interesting facts in connection with the geographical distribution 
of birds in northern latitudes. —A communication was read from 
Professor Carl J. Sundevall, containing an account of the birds 
obtained in the Galapagos Islands, during the voyage of the 
Royal Swedish frigate Azgenia.— Mr. R. B. Sharpe read a paper 
on the birds of Angola, founded on collections made in that 
country by Mr. J. J. Monteiro and Mr. Charles Hamilton, being 
his third communication on this subject.—Mr. J. Verreaux pointed 
out the characters of a new species of Promerops from Natal, 
which he proposed to call Promerops gurneyi.Dr. J. E. Gray 
communicated a description of P/atasterias, a new genus of Astro- 
pectinide from Mexico.—A communication was read from Mr. D. 
G. Elliot, containing the description of a new species of pheasant 
of the genus Zxp/ocamus from Burmah, proposed to be called Zw- 
plocamus andersonit.—Dr. John Anderson pointed out the characters 
of three new species of squirrels (.Sciw7ws) recently obtained by him 
during the Yunan Expedition. Dr. Anderson also gave an account 
of a new Cetacean which he had lately discovered in the Upper 
TIrrawaddi, and which he proposed to call Orcela fluminallis. A 
third communication from Dr. Anderson contained a note on the 
occurence of the remarkable parasitic Crustacean Saccalina in 
the Bay of Bengal. The species, which had been found on the 
common swimming crab of that district (Zialamita crenata) 
did not appear to differ from that which is found on Carcinus 
menas on the shores of Great Britain. 
Royal Institution, February 6.—Monthly General Meeting. 
Sir Henry Holland, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the chair. 
Henry Edward Colvile, Esq.; John H. Dallmeyer, Esq. ; 
Duncan Davidson, Esq.; Warren William De la Rue, Esq. ; 
James N. Douglass, Esq.; Mrs. Gibbs; Abraham Goodall, 
Esq., F.R.C.S.; Alexander Macfarlan, Esq. ; Robert Turtle 
Pigott, Esq., F.R.G.S.; Robert Sabine, Esq. ; Charles South- 
well, Esq. ; Henry Stilwell, Esq. ; Richard Valpy, Esq. ; Mrs. 
Jacob Waley, were elected members of the Royal Institution. 
The presents received since the last meeting were laid on the 
table, and the thanks of the members returned for the same. 
Entomological Society, February 6.—Mr. A. R. Wal- 
lace, President, in the chair.—Pastor Kawall, of Pussen, Kur- 
land, was elected a corresponding member.—Mr. Bond exhibited 
Pachinobia alpina, Gelacha borcella, varieties of Thera juniperata, 
and Larentia cesiata, and portions of web of Hyponomenta padi 
over a yard long, all from Perthshire ; also photographs of eggs 
of bird parasites, taken from slides prepared by Mr. Norman. 


He likewise exhibited a curious instance of monstrosity in 
Vanessa Atalanta, the butterfly still retaining the larval head. 
—The Rey. H. S. Gorham exhibited Oxytelus fulvipes of Erich- 
son, a new British beetle—Mr. Miiller exhibited specimens of 
oak-galls from Tangiers, collected by Mr. Blackmore.—Prof. 
Westwood exhibited a minute species of Corixa from India, 
destructive there to the eggs of the most valuable freshwater 
fish ; also drawings of a species of Coccide injurious to the 
leaves of an exotic Cypripedium. The male shield consisted of 
a small disc, with six raised radiating lines produced into spines. 
—Mr. Butler read a descriptions of a new genus, and of seven 
new species of Pierine. 
MANCHESTER 
Literary and Philosophical Society, January 24. — Mr. 
E. W. Binney, president, in the chair.—Mr. Brothers exhibited 
a drawing from the fine photograph of the solar Corona, taken 
by him at Syracuse, during the late total eclipse of the sun.—Dr, 
Joule, F.R.S., read the following letter, dated January 21, 1871, 
which he had received from Mr. William H. Johnson, of Bow- 
don :—“ Since the last meeting of the Philosophical Society I 
have made some further experiments on the ‘ Effect of cold on 
the strength of iron.’ In these I have maintained a nearly fixed 
temperature, and thus avoided to a great extent the error 
occasioned by the rise in temperature, consequent on sudden 
torsion. January 11. A piece of a charcoal wire rod, °237in. 
diameter, gave the following results :— 
1st. 
At about 40° F. . . 20 twists . 
Adjacent 6” at tempera- 
ture of meltingzinc . 10 twists . 
2nd. 
; 3rd. 
. Ig twists . 
- 17 twists. 
g twists. . 72 twists. 
4th. 5th. 
Twisted very slowly, surrounded by salt 
ADC) SOO Weir we eeu Nc 1a teelOa. Uist: 
Adjacent 6” atabout go°F . + I5 twists . 
The twisting under salt and snow was performed so slowly, 
each experiment lasting a quarter of an hour or more, that 
the temperature cannot have been affected by the torsion. 
The same care was taken at the temperature of 40° F, 
The great diminution of strength at the melting point of zinc is 
remarkable. I take the liberty of communicating these results 
to you, as unfortunately I shall be away at the next meeting, and 
thus shall not have an opportunity of seeing you.” Mr. Brock- 
bank remarked that these experiments did not affect the con- 
clusions stated in his paper, read at the last meeting. He be- 
lieved that the strength of iron under torsion was most affected 
by the heat developed by the twisting, and that the cooling mix- 
ture employed by Mr. Johnson would have the effect of making 
the wire stand a greater number of twists by counteracting the 
excessive heat produced by the torsion. Mr. Brockbank exhi- 
bited a drawing of the machine used by him in h’s experiments on 
the strength of cast iron at different temperatures.—‘‘ Experi- 
ments on the Oxidation of Iron,” by Prof. E. Crace Calvert, 
Ph.D., F.R.S., &c. Some two years since Sir Charles Fox in- 
quired of me if I could give him the exact composition of iron 
rust, viz., the oxidation found on the surface of metallic iron. I 
replied that it was admitted by all chemists to be the hydrate of 
the sesquioxide of iron, containing a trace of ammonia ; to this 
he answered that he had read several books on the subject, in 
which the statements referring to it differed, and from recent 
observations he had made, he doubted the correctness of the ac- 
knowledged composition of iron rust. He further stated that if 
he took a bar of rusted wrought iron, and put it in violent vibra- 
tions, by applying at one end the fall of a hammer, scales would 
be separated which did not appear to him to be the substance I 
had described. This conversation induced me to commence 
a series of experiments which I shall now detail. I first care- 
fully analysed some specimens of iron rust, which were procured, 
as far as possible, from any source of contamination. Thus 
one of these samples was supplied to me by Sir Charles Fox, as 
taken from the outside of Conway Bridge, the other secured by 
myself at Llangollen, North Wales. These specimens gave the 
following results when submitted to analysis : 
. 16 twists. 

Conway Bridge. Llangollen. 
Sesquioxide ofiron. . 93°094 . 92°900 
Protoxide of Iron . . . 5°8I0 . 6177 
Carbonate ofiron .. . 0'900. . 0'617 
Silica o'196 . o'r2I 
Ammonia . ( Trace Trace 
Carbonate of lime 0°295 
These results clearly show the correctness of Sir Charles Fox’s 
foresight, that the composition of the rust of iron is far more com- 
