92 



NATURE 



{lilay 27, 1880 



turtles, by Prof. H. G. Seeley, F.R.S. — On the occurrence of 

 the Glutton [Gulo liiscus, I.inn.) in the forest-bed of Norfolk, 

 by E. T. Newton, F.G.S. Remains of the Glutton have hitherto 

 been obtained only from cave-deposits. The author has lately 

 received from Mr. R. Fitch, of Norwich, a portion of the lower 

 jaw of this animal obtained from the forest-bed of Mundesley, 

 Norfolk. The specimen consists of about two inches of the left 

 ramup, bearing the first true molar and the hinder half of the 

 fourth premolar in place. The jaw is smaller than in average 

 specimens of the recent Glutton, but presents all the characters of 

 the species as described in detail by the author. — A review of 

 the family Diastoporidx, for the purpose of classification, by 

 George Robert Vine. Communicated by Prof. Duncan, F.R.S. 

 — On annelid jaws from the Wenlock and Ludlow formations of 

 the West of England, by G. J. Hinde, F.G.S. 



Entomological Society, May 5. — H. T. Stainton, F.R.S., 

 vice-president, in the chair. — Mr. Peter Inchbald, of Hovingham, 

 York, was elected a member of the Society. — Mr. W. C. Boyd 

 exhibited a very pale specimen of Nyssia hisfidaria, taken at 

 Cheshunt. — Mr. M. J. Walhouse exhibited some Geodephagous 

 beetles, which were found only on the summits of some of the 

 highest mountains in India. — Mr. W. L. Distant exhibited a 

 long series of specimens of the Madagascar homopteron Ptydiis 

 goudo'.i, Benn., to illustrate the extreme variability of the species. 

 The series showed a gradation from melanic to albinic forms, 

 and one specimen was asymmetrical in the markings of the 

 tegmina, thus exhibiting the characters of two varietal forms, an 

 occurrence which Mr. Distant stated was not altogether excep- 

 tional in extremely variable species of the order Rhynchota. — 

 Mr. T. R. Billups exhibited two living specimens of Carabtis 

 atiratus, which had been found in the Borough Market. In 

 reference to a prediction by Mr. Wallace that a sphinx moth 

 would be found in Madagascar with a proboscis of sufficient 

 length to reach into the nectary of Anagi-acum sesquipcdah; Mr. 

 Pascoe stated that he had heard a rumour that such an insect 

 had been discovered, and endeavoured without success to find 

 any corroboration of the statement from members of the Society. 



MissE. O. Ormerod made some remarks as to the contents of 



a work which she had edited and presented to the Society, and 

 which contained the meteorological observations taken by Miss 

 Molesworth for a period of forty-four years. Some attempt was 

 made to contrast the meteorological conditions with the dominant 

 phases of plant and animal life during that period. 



Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, May 10. — A paper 

 upon the data of ethics, with special reference to Mr. Herbert 

 Spencer's views, was read by Prof. Wace. 

 Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, May 17. — M. Edni. Becquerel in the 

 chair. — The President presented the new editi jn of the works of 

 Laplace, with letter from Laplace's granddaughter. — The fol- 

 lowing papers were read : — Meridian observations of small 

 planets at the Greenwich and Paris observatories during the first 

 quarter of iSSo; communicated by M. Mouchez. — On s.accha- 

 rine, by M. Peligot. It is dextrogyrous, like ordinary sugar; 

 its rotatory power, in Laurent's polarimeter, represented by 

 93° 5' (sugar, 66° iS'). Saccharine from starch-glucose, and 

 that from crystallised levulosate of lime, showed the same rota- 

 tory power. The essential character of saccharine is its relative 

 stability and its inertia towards agents which act on other mat- 

 ters of the sugar group. It is much more easily got from 

 crystallised levulosate of lime than from inverted sugar or starch- 

 glucose. — Researches on the proportion of carbonic acid in the 

 air ; second note by M. Reiset. lie made (ninety-one) fresh 

 experiments in the country from June to November last year, 

 day and night, and the average obtained was 2g"jS CO„ m 

 volume, for 100,000 dry atmospheric air at 0° and 760 mm. ; 

 (this closely agrees with the figure 29^42 he got in 1872-73). He 

 describes a new absorption apparatus, with the aid of which six 

 or seven hours was sufficient to ascertain the yield of 600 litres 

 of air. 2S'9i was the average proportion of COo for the day, 

 30"84 for the night. The maxima were in times of fog and 

 mist ; the average of twelve such cases was 31 '66 ; the absolute 

 maximum, 34'I5, in a dense fog on September 3. He questions 

 the accuracy of the method by which MM. Levy and Allaire 

 found variations last year ranging from 22 to 36. — On the Fureus 

 dam, by M. de Lesseps. The dam of the Chagres (40 m. high) 

 should be built on this type, and not cost over 25,000,000 fr. — M. 

 Peters' death was announced. — On some nutritive effects of alka- 

 line substances in moderate doses, fiom experimentation on man 

 ia good health, by MM. Martin Damourette and Hyades. The 



substances tried were bicarbonate of soda (3 gr. daily) and Vichy 

 w.ater from the spring Elizabeth de Cnaset (0-5 to I lit. a day). 

 So taken, they are trophic agents, and they diminish uric acid 

 largely (though the former causes gastric disorders). — Position 

 of the comet t of 18S0, determined at Bordeaux Observatory, by 

 M. Rayet. — On the transcendants which play a fundamental ;t)/t' 

 in the theory of planetary perturbations, by M. Callandreau. — 

 On the number of cyclic groups in a transformation of space, by 

 M. Kantor. — The tensions of saturated vapours have different 

 modes of variation according as they are emitted above or below 

 the point of fusion, by M. de Mondesir. The passage through 

 the point of fusion always gives a variation at least four or five 

 times greater than that found in two liquids in an equal thermo- 

 metric range. — On the interversion of temperatures of the air 

 with the height, by M. Andre. This is shown to occur (under 

 like conditions) within much shorter vertical distances than those 

 indicated by M. Alluard. — On the freezing mixtures formed of 

 an acid and a hydrated salt, by M. Ditte. In .such a mixture 

 the cooling is not due to simple dissolution of the salt ; there is 

 ab\'ays a double decomposition, conformably to the law of maxi- 

 mum work. The salt containing much w ater, this separates out, 

 and the change of state absorbs the heat liberated by the reac- 

 tion, borrowing from the liquid itself the surplus of energy 

 necessary to its complete accomplishment. Hence results a con- 

 siderable lowering of temperature. — Influence of alkaline or acid 

 media on the life of crayfish, by M. Richet. Acid or basic 

 liquids are not poisonous in the direct ratio of their acidity 

 or basicity. With equal weight nitric acid is five times 

 more toxical than sulphuric acid, and twenty-five times more 

 than acetic acid. Generally bases have a mora hurtful action 

 than acids. The least toxical is baryta ; a crayfi?h will 

 live two or three hours in water containing 3 grs. of it 

 per litre. Soda and lime are fatal in two or three hours 

 in proportion of I '5 grs. per litre; potash in one of I gr. 

 Ammonia, however, is the most poisonous of all ; in the propor- 

 tion of o'S gr. per litre, its action is almost instantaneously fatal. 

 It is thirty times more toxical than baryta, and fifteen than soda. 

 — On some of the conditions of cortical excitability, by M. 

 Gouty. The movements caused by faradisation of the brain 

 seem to vary like the less complex contractions caused by faradi- 

 sation of the central end of the sciatic, pointing to a common 

 origin of the two orders of movements in the same bulbo -medullary 

 elements. : — Local and general anaesthesia produced by bromide 

 of ethyl, by M. Terrillon. The substance seems especially 

 suited for short operations not requiring complete muscular reso- 

 lution. It acts rapidly, is less dangerous than chloroform, and 

 the awaking is not disagreeable. — Variations of urea in poisoning 

 by phosphorus, by M. Thibaut. — Influence of the fattening of 

 animals on the constitution of fats formed in their tissues, by M. 

 Muntz. In animals submitted to a fattening process the fat is 

 always poorer in solid fatty matters. — On the fixity of composi- 

 tion of plants ; analysis of Soya hispida, or Chinese oleaginous 

 pea, by M. Pellet. — On' the respiratory and circulatory apparatus 

 of some larvas of diptera, by M. Viallanes. The he.irt of insects 

 is at first a simple tube open only at its two ends. So long as it 

 has no lateral orifices it is completely arterial. 



CONTENTS Page 



Mathematical Journals. By J. W. L. Glaishek, F.R.S. ... 73 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Edwards's " Six Life Studies of Famous Women" 75 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Lord Rosse's Telescope.— Lord RosSE, F.R.S. : Otto Stkuve . 75 



Brain Dynamics.— Geokge J. Romanes, F.R S 75 



The Inevitable Tesl for Aurora.— PlAZZl Smyth 76 



Vari.abilityof6oCancri.— John Birmingham 76 



Notes of ihe Cuckoo.— John Birmingham 76 



Fall of Dust 76 



Monkeys in the West Indies.— D.G. G.: John Imray .... 77 



The Recent Volcanic Eruption in Dominica —Edmu.md Watt . . 77 

 Cup Stones. Cup- Marked Stones, or Cups and;Rings — R. Morton 



Middleton, Jun 77 



A Double Egg.— T. Allwood 78 



Comparative Anatomy OF Man, II. By Prof. Flower, F.R.S. . . 78 

 On Systematic Sun-Spot Periodicity. By Prof. Balfoi;r 



Stewart, F.R.S So 



Primitive Man (IVilh Ulushntwns) »2 



The Hvdrografhic Depart.ment £6 



Notes S6 



Our Astronomical Column ; — 



The Late Prof. Peters 68 



Minor Planets 89 



Comet i83o, II 89 



Physical Notes _ 89, 



Geograihical Notes "'90 



University and Educational Intelligence V 



Societies and Academies '. » 



