552 



NA TURE 



[April J, 1887 



possessed on the under side of the epidermis very beautifully 

 developed grooves {Leislcii) forming a reticular system with 

 spiral longitudinal and transverse lines. The hairy parts of the 

 skin were influenced in their structure by the hairs, which like- 

 wise stood in spiral series, and had but very indistinct reticula- 

 tions in the intermediate spaces. 



Physical Society, March 4. — Prof von Helmholtz in the chair. 

 — Dr. Pringsheim reported on a further research into the chemical 

 action of light on mixed hydrogen and chlorine gas [Chlorknall- 

 gas). This investig.ation respected the peculiar inductive action 

 of light observed by Bunsenand Roscoe, during which the forma- 

 tion of hydrochloric acid was not effected, although the mixture 

 of chlorine and hydrogen absorbed light, and at all events be- 

 came changed, seeing the further influence of the like quantity 

 of light at the end of the induction produced a chemical com- 

 bination of the gases. In a former research [viile Nature, 

 vol. xxxiii. p. 287), Dr. Pringsheim showed that during the in- 

 ductive action of the light an increase of volume in the gas 

 mixture took place. If by means of electric sparks he illuminated 

 the gas mixture in a glass globe above water, and shut off by a 

 water index, then, on subjection to the first and each following 

 spark up to the fourth, there occurred each time only an increase 

 of volume which rapidly passed away ; with the fifth and follow- 

 ing sparks the effect was an increase of volume succeeded by a 

 diminution ; the latter a proof that hydrochloric acid was now 

 formed and absorbed by the water. The speaker demonstrated 

 at length that the assumption of a thermic influence as the cause 

 of the increase of volume was excluded. On the contrary, he 

 argued, there could here be a case only of chemical change in 

 the gas mixture. It was probably an intermediate condition we 

 had here to deal with, which of course refused explanation from 

 the contemplation of the two gases CI and H. Seeing that 

 aqueous vapour was also present in the glass globe, the part it 

 played in the reaction was now examined, and the fact was 

 established that its presence was absolutely indispensable in 

 effecting the chemical light effect. Dry chlorine and hydrogen did 

 not unite into hydrochloric acid under the influence of the light ; 

 or the process was in such a case effected only very slowly. In 

 all probability, therefore, the induction would have to be ex- 

 plained on the ground that intermediate products with larger 

 volume were formed from the molecules CICI, HH, and HHO, 

 products whose chemical nature it had not yet been possiVjle to 

 determine. — Prof Neesen made some supplementary communica- 

 tions respecting the tuning-forks filled with quicksilver, and 

 stated that they had been constructed at an earlier date by Herr 

 Konig. — Prof von Bezold described a simple method of pre- 

 senting complementary colours by means of prisir, lens, and a 

 special screen. — Prof Vogel produced three fluids in three flat 

 phials — one yellow and two blue fluids— which he made use of 

 in demonstrations regarding colour-mixture in order to dispel 

 the belief which prevailed very largely amongst the public that 

 yellow and blue when mixed yielded only green. Phial i con- 

 tained "acid yellow " (Sduregelb) ; phial 2, solution of ammoni- 

 acal copper ; phial 3, aniline blue, i and 2 superimposed on 

 each other gave green ; i and 3 a fiery red. 



Chemical Society, February 14. — Prof H. Landolt in the 

 chair. — F. Tiemann gave an account of Kiliani's research, 

 according to which arabinose-carboxylic acid has the same 

 composition as gluconic and galactonic acids. Arabinose is 

 regarded as an aldehyde of normal pentahydroxypentane. — 

 Amongst the other papers m.ay be mentioned : — A contribution 

 to our knowledge of secondary and tertiary quinones, by R. 

 Nietzki and F. Kehrmann. — Tetramidobenzene and its deriva- 

 tives, by R. Nietzki and E. Hagenbach. — Substitution of the 

 amido-group in aromatic compounds, by the groups ,SH and 

 SO3H, the change being effected by means of a new diazo- 

 reaction, by P. Klason. — The six toluenedisulphonic acids, by 

 the same. — The constitution of pyrene and its derivatives, by 

 E. Bamberger and M. Philip. — The action of chlorine on acet- 

 o-naphthalide, by P. T. Cleve. 



February 28. — A. W. Ilofmann, President, in the chair. — G. 

 Kraemer gave an .account of the work done by himself in 

 conjunction with W. Bottcher on the constituents of mineral 

 naphtha. They have examined naphthas from Tegernsee, 

 Pechelbronn, and Oelheim, and find they consist of a mixture 

 of hydrocarbons which are not acted on by concentrated sul- 

 phuric or nitric acid, and of such as are dissolved by the 

 acids with formation of sulphonates and nitro-derivatives ; also I 



small quantities of acids. The indifferent hydrocarbons are 

 distinguished by their low specific gravity ; they constitute the 

 greater portion of the naphtha, and they consist partly of 

 paraffins and partly of hydrocarbons isomeric with the olefines ; 

 these are called naphthenes. The authors consider the non- 

 aromatic hydrocarbons which are soluble in acid to be derived 

 from the naphthenes by condensation, in the same way as naph- 

 thalene, anthracene, iSrc, are derived from benzenes. The 

 authors also discuss the question of the origin of mineral 

 naphtha. — Amongst the other papers may be mentioned : — 

 J. VV. Briihl, on J. Thomsen's theory of the heat of formation of 

 organic substances. — C. Gottig, on a new hydrate of soda. — 

 Claisen and Lowman, on a new method of producing benzoyl- 

 acetic ether. — A. Piutti, synthesis of trimesic ether. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED 



Smithsonian Report, 18S4, part 2 (Washington).— Supplement to Har- 

 monies of Tones and Colours Developed by Evolution : F. J. Hughes 

 (M. Ward and Co.). —Researches into the Etiology of Dengue (Chicago).— 

 On the Influence of Fluctuations of Atmospheric Pressure on the Evolution 

 of Fire Damp (Vienna).— On a Seismic Survey made in Tokio in 1884-85: 

 I. Milne.— tjber die Liasischen Cephalopoden des Hierlatz bei Hallstatt: 

 G. Geyer (Fischer. Wien).— Mind, April (Williams and Norgate). — lahrbuch 

 der k.k. Geologischen Reichsanstalt, 36 Band, 4 Heft (Holder, Wien). 



CONTENTS PAGE 



A Naturalist in South America, 1 529 



Coleoptera of the British Islands 531 



British Stalk-eyed Crustacea and Spiders .... 532 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Lydckker : "Catalogue of the Fossil Mammalia in 



the British Museum (Natural History) " 532 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Iridescent Clouds. — James C. McConnel .... 533 

 Aino Hairiness and the Urvolk of Japan. — F. V. 



Dickins 534 



Units of Weight, Mass, and Force. — Rev. Edward 



Geoghegan 534 



The Earthquake in the Riviera. — Clement Reid . 534 



Scorpion Virus. — Prof C. Lloyd Morgan .... 535 

 The Supposed Myzostoma-cysts m Autedon rosacea. — 



Dr. P. Herbert Carpenter, F.R.S 535 



On some Observations on Palceobotany in Goebel's 

 " Outlines of Classification and Special Morphology 



of Plants. "—Prof. W. C. Williamson, F.R.S. . 535 



A Sparrow chasing Two Pigeons. — E. A. C. ... 536 

 Top-shaped Hailstones. — Alexander Johnstone. 



(Illustrated) • 536 



A Peculiar Radiation of Light. — Robert D. Gibney 536 



The Chemical Society's Anniversary Meeting . . 536 



The Institution of Naval Architects 53S 



Stromeyer's Strain-Indicator. [Illustrated) .... 540 



William Babcock Hazen. By Prof Cleveland Abbe 541 



Sir Walter Elliot, K.CS.I., LL.D., F.R.S 543 



Notes 544 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Baron D'Engelhardt's Observatory 546 



New Red Star 546 



The Parallax of 2 1516 546 



Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1887 



April 10-16 546 



Geographical Notes 547 



On Certain Modern Developments of Grahams 

 Ideas concerning the Constitution of Matter, II. 



By Prof T. E. Thorpe, F.R.S 547 



Societies and Academies 549 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 552 



