469 
NATURE 
[April 6, 1871 


paratively limited duration, intermediate between the Tertiary and 
(Juaternary eras, when a freezing climate prevailed contem- 
poraneously over a great part of the globe? (2) Has he stated 
with sufficient distinctness the facts adduced in support of that 
opinion? (3) Do the arguments which he has brought forward 
prove the opinion to be erroneous ?—‘‘ Notes on the Sea Otter 
(Enhydra marina, Flem.),” by Pym Nevins Compton.—‘‘ On 
the Tailless Trout of Islay,” by Colin Hay and Peter M‘Kenzie. 
Mr. Peach, before reading the communication he had been en- 
trusted with, wished to say that a gentleman whom he met at the 
house of a mutual friend, mentioned the Tailless Trout of Islay, 
and as this excited Mr. Peach’s curiosity, the gentleman procured 
from Messrs. Hay and M‘Kenzie the bounteous supply now laid 
before you. The communication was kindly made in reply to 
questions put to them by Mr. Peach :—‘‘ The locality of the loch 
is about 1,000 feet above the level of the sea, and is on the estate 
of Mr. Finley of Elenlossit, Islay, and at its highest water is not 
more than an acre in extent. It is so shallow that a man could 
wade all through it ; the bottom loose stone quartz, same as the 
surrounding mountains, and we think it is the most elevated 
piece of water on the island in which trout exist. It is named 
Lochna Maorichean, meaning that a species of fresh water 
‘limpet’ or ‘whelk,’ is found on its shores, but we can say 
nothing about these, all we have gone there for was to capture 
some of its strange denizens ; as to its other productions, there 
are small tracts of weeds here and there lying on the surface of 
the water, with soft pulpy stems ; of the parasites of the fish or 
in the water we cannot speak.—Dr. J. A. Smith exhibited a 
specimen of the Cottus Granlandicus (the Greenland Bull-head), 
recently taken at the Firth of Forth.—Mr. David Grieve ex- 
hibited’ a photograph of the Queensland Cicada, or as it is 
popularly termed, Locust. 
MONTREAL 
Natural History Society, Feb. 27.—The President, Princi- 
pal Dawson, F.R.S., in the chair.—The President exhibited 
illustrations of new facts in Fossil Botany. The following is an 
abstract of his remarks :—‘‘ The first point mentioned was the 
occurrence in the Devonian Shales of Kettle Point, Lake Huron, 
of beds containing immense quantities of spore-cases, probably 
of Lepidodendron. These beds are referred by the Geological 
Survey to the horizon of the Genessee shales of New York, and 
are stated to be twelve or fourteen feet in thickness, and to ex- 
tend over a considerable area of country. Specimens in the 
collection of the Survey show that the bituminous matter which 
causes the combustible quality of the shale, is due entirely to the 
immense quantities of spore-cases present, which, under the 
microscope, appear as flattened discs scarcely more than one 
hundredth of an inch in diameter. Specimens of the trunks of 
Lepidodendron Veltheimainum and Calamites inornatus occur 
in the same beds. This is probably the oldest bed of fossil 
spore-cases known ; but in later geological periods similar beds 
occur, the Tasmanite, or ‘ white coal’ of Tasmania, which con- 
sists of spore-cases of ferns, being a notable instance. The 
author next referred to the discovery of specimens indicating the 
existence of three or four species of Tree-Ferns in the Devonian 
of New York and Ohio. He had received from Prof. Newberry 
of New York a specimen, showing the upper part of a stem 
with five leaf stalks attached to it. This he had named 
Caulopteris Lockwoodi, ‘Three other specimens collected by Prof. 
Newberry in Ohio indicated the existence of three distinct species 
belonging to two genera. The two most important had been 
named by Prof. Newberry Caz/opteris antigua and Protopteris 
Peregrina. They are from the Coniferous Limestone, and thus 
carry down tree-ferns to the bottom of the middle Devonian. 
One of them has the cellular structure and vascular bundles in 
such preservation as to show their microscopic structure, which 
is precisely similar to that of modem ferns.”—Mr. A. R. C. 
Selwyn, Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, read a 
paper ‘‘On the Occurrence of Diamonds in New South Wales,” 
by Mr. Norman Taylor, late of the Geological Survey of Vic- 
toria, and Professor Thompson, of the University of Sydney. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, March 27.—The hall was pretty 
well filled, and the correspondence was rather heavy. Letters 
from the provinces and from foreign parts were numerous,: as 
the insurgents had not taken possession of the Post Office, and 
communications were not stopped between Paris and the outer 
world, M. Faye presided over the sitting, which was as orderly 
as in former times. No trace of public emotion was to be seen 

in the hall where the scientific assembly meet. Numerous details 
were given of the meteor which was seen on the 17th inst, in 
southern France, and left behind an immense luminous track. 
These details were very welcome, as during the investment certain 
bold theorists maintained that falling stars, bolides, and meteorites, 
were produced by the same causes. New facts having been 
brought forward at the last sitting to show that atmospheric 
changes are produced in high altitudes and gradually manifest 
themselves in the vicinity of the air, M. Wilfred de Fonvielle 
sent a communication upon the truth and genuineness of 
this observation. He quoted letters he had received from M. 
Buys Ballot, the learned director of the observatory at Utrecht, 
when he was waiting for a fayourable wind in order to return to 
Paris by an aérial expedition during the investment. And he 
concluded by showing that the best way for ascertaining the state 
of things at a high level was to try scientific ascents. The 
Academy appeared to be much pleased with the idea, but it is 
impossible for it to recommend the application of the scheme as 
long as order is not established in Paris. M. Delaunay and M. 
Sainte-Claire Deville disputed as to the meaning of the thermometric 
measures which had been taken during the investment of Paris 
at the observatory at Montsouris and in the Jardin des Plantes. 
The distance of the two stations is something less than a mile, 
and the difference in altitude is about thirty feet. This circum- 
stance may account for the difference in the two sets of ob- 
servation, 


DIARY 
THURSDAY, Apri 6, 
LINNEAN SociETy, at 8.—On the stigmas of Profeaceez : G. Bentham, Pres. 
L. S.—On the generic nomenclature of Lepidoptera: G. R. Crotch. 
Cuemicat Society, at 8.—On Burnt Iron and Burnt Steel; W. Mattieu 
Williams.—On the formation of Sulpho Acids: Henry E, Armst ong. 
SATURDAY, Aprit 8. 
Roya Scuoot oF Mines, at 8.—Geology : Dr. Cobbold. 
TUESDAY, Apri 11. 
PuoroGrapuic Society, at 8. 
WEDNESDAY, Aprit 12. 
Society or Arts, at 8.—On Boiled Oil and Varnishes: C. W. Vincent. 
THURSDAY, Aprrit 13. 
Matiematicat Society, at 8, 


CONTENTS Pace 
Tue UrtitisatTion oF NaturAt History Museums For SCIENTIFIC 
INSTRUCTION IN GERMANY 0) «= ss 1) =) «1 5) Moule ie 
Tue Descent or Man. By Dr. P, H, Pye-Smirn. (With Iilus- 
1 a ee OETA OM AM A RF 
Our Book!SHELF S < (Sp. cite cv ve sal vab epi eog et 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR :— 
Chemical Research in England.—Prof. E, FRANKLAND, F.R.S. 
Dublin Observatory?) 6 SS Gt ae ee etaetet 6 
Morell’s Geometry.—J. R. Moret . . . « . ss 
On the Derivation of the name “* Britain.”—R, Epmonps. 
Records of European Research.—_M. Hatt. . . . 
Aurora Australis.—Dr. Jas. HecTor . ' q 
Ocean Currents.—J. K. LAUGHTON . . . . 
Draper's Experiment Simplified sy tales 
A Wind-direction Rain-gauge.—W. Lyatt . 
Entomological Queries. rb tein ahs S * he é 
Rain produced by Fires. —R. Russert « . . . ss - - 448 
Bict To EsTaBLisH THE METRIC SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 
FLOATING ISLANDS IN VICTORIA, Ss 6. go ce sw oe) en 
‘WILHELM VON HAIDINGER .f 6) ce eee Se > | =) pi ie): oleh i ee 
A Tusucar Postar Service. By W. H. Harrison. (With Iilus- 
Lrations)i<- “s,s, tap.) ei Leduc’ se sl > Jisar Ve ployee ieee 
INORES) (ee* 2s) ee ies” eke, OMe) Tereder ke, Oost’, Ue 
Tue First GERMAN NortH Pote ExrPepDITION ode ch a 
Report ON DEEP SEA RESEARCHES (continued). By Dr. W. B. Car- 
PENTER, F R.S., and J. Gwyn JEFFREYS, F.RS.. ..... . 
SCHINTIFIC/SERFAUS “5°. 7S" o's on © isi eye ety ee) 0) re 
SocigTigs AND ACADEMIES . . . + +. ¢ + © © «© © « «© © = 
YAR es Me Ta tte ver tet ie rs) ote 


NOTICE 
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