236 



NATURE 



\yuly 8, 1S80 



Mr. Wooclall. — On an isoiihotnl binocular microscope, by Mr. 

 S. Holmes. — On the theory of microscopic vision, by Prof. 

 Abbe.— Amongst tlie objects exhibited were new turnLiblcs by 

 Dr. Matthews; >li(Ics illustrating invertebrate embryology, by 

 the Naples (leolu ;;ical Station ; anil several new forms of micro- 

 scopes ami apparatus by Mr. Cris]). 



rillLADIXrltlA 



Academy of Natural Sciences, February 17, — Germination 

 of aeorn-^, by Mr. T. Meehan. 



March 2. — Report on plants introduced by means of the Inter- 

 national Exhibition of 1876. 



March 9. — Dr. 11. Allen on the mammary glands of bats. 



March 16. — Carcinolojjical notes, No. 4, by J. .S. Kingsley. 



March 23. — On the gestation and generative apjiaratus of the 

 elephant, by U. C. Chapman, M.I). 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, June 28. — M. Edm. Bccquerel in the 

 chair. — The death of 1\1. l.is^ajous was announced. — The fol- 

 lowing papers were read : — Researches on the determination of 

 wave-lengths of calorific r.iys at low temperatures, by MM. 

 Desains and Curie. A beam of dark heal was sent through a 

 slit to a grating of fine wire, opposite which was a roeli-salt 

 lens ; beyond this lens the calorific image was formed, and 

 examined with a thermopile. The residls mainly agree with 

 those of M. Mouton (by another method). — On the he:U of 

 vaporisation of anhydrous sulphuric acid, by M. lierlhelol. 

 This'vaporis.ition, about iS", absorbs — J'O- — On some general 

 relations between the chemical mass of elements and the licat of 

 formation of their combinations, by M. lierthelot. — On M. 

 Breguct's regulators with vanes, by M. Villarceau, M. lircguet 

 has recently made three apparatus for Lisbon Observatory for 

 determination of personal cijuations, and the mean errors of 

 isochroni-iui are, respectively, a fifteen thousandth, an eighteen- 

 thousandth, and a forty-thousandth. It is hoped to go fuitlicr. 

 — On a new species of the genus Dasyurus, from New CUiinea, 

 by M. Milne- lulwards. This is named D. fiiscits ; it comes 

 nearest the Anst ralian P. halliietitiis. — Craniology of African negro 

 races; doliclioceiihalie races, by MM. (^ualrefagcs and Ilaniy. — 

 Possible causes of variation in the results of anthracic inocuh^tion 

 of Algerian sheep ; inlluenee of iufectant .agents ; applications 

 to the theory of immunity, by M, Chauveau. — Results obtained 

 in treatment of vines with sulphocarbonato of iiotassiuni, by M. 

 Mares.— On the hcallhiuess of the Isthmus of Panama, by M. 

 dc Lessens. Many ]iersons affected by yellow fever have landed 

 there without restriction, but the fever has not at all sjjread. 

 M. de I.esseps' opinion that quarantines coidd not prevent 

 epidemics from spreading where their spread vv.as favoured by 

 atmospheric conditions, was called in question by M. rH)uley. 

 — On a new form of galvanometer, by M. GostynsUi. Propor- 

 tionality is gained to nearly 90", 'I'he bobbin is continuous, or 

 without slit for jiassnge of an astatic system. A U-piece of 

 aluminium \\ire hung by a cocoon fibre supports two astatic 

 .systems of the same hind, crossed at 45' and connected. A 

 small mirror above the aluminium wire rellects the divisions of 

 a semieylindrical scale. — On an apparatus for registering the 

 law of motion of a projectile, &c. (continued), by M, Seberl. 

 This relates to the case of the iirojectile meeting a sudden 

 resistance, as when entering sand. A plan for recording the 

 law of motion in the entire bore of the gun consists in having 

 two guides and runner.s in the projectile ; one runner is free, anil 

 on reaching the end of its course it removes a stop holding the 

 other, which then begins its motion. The resistance of the air 

 in part of the course might sinularly be measured.— On the 

 existence in tobacco-smoke of prussie acid, of an alkaloid as 

 poisonous as nicotine, and of various aromatic princiiiles, by 

 MM. I.e Hon and Noel. The alkaloid seems identical with 

 the compound collidiiie, got in distillation of several organic 

 siibstances. — Researches on the electric properties of collo- 

 dion, with rellcctions on the nature of static electricity, 

 by M. l.cure. Collodion in thin sheets is negative with 

 all bodies. — On transcendants which play an important 

 part in the theory of planetary perturbations, by M. Cal- 

 landrcau. — On the application of the theory of sines of 

 superior orders to the integration of linear dilTerential equations, 

 by M. I'arkas.— Vibrations on the surface of licjuids, by M. 

 Lcchat. Lagrange's siqiposition is incorrect, that below a very 

 slight depth the influence of depth is ////.—Relation between 



the major and minor modes in the gamut agreed according to 

 cqu.al temperaments, by M. Ricard.— Strong and constant voltaic 

 I)ile, furnishing results susceptible]of regeneration by electrolysis, 

 by M. Reynicr. The zinc (unamalg.amated) is in caustic sod.T 

 solution, the copper in sulphate of copper solution, separateil 

 from the other by a rectangular vessel of parchment paper 

 (several thicknesses). The electromotive force is 1*3 .volt to 

 rS volt, according to concentration. The coujile is regenerated 

 by passing through it the current of a magneto-machine. M. Edm. 

 Bccquerel said the arrangement was not new, his fatherhavingnsetl 

 a simihar one. — On the mechanical elTects in a magnetic core 

 from magnetising action of an electric current, by M. Adcr. He 

 has proved that all bars of magnetic nature submitted to a 

 mechanical action of compression, torsion, or traction, tend to 

 recover their original molecular arrangement under inllnencc of 

 the magnetising current. — Indejiendent optical compass for iron- 

 clads, by M. de Fraisseix. — ^'I'hermal study of alkaline poly- 

 sul|)hides, by M. .Sabatier. — On the transformation of amylenc- 

 and valcrylcnc into cymene and benzenic carburets, by M. 

 liouchard.at. — On the etherification of hydriodic and hydrochloric 

 .acids, by M. Villicrs.— On anhydrous crystallised lime, by MM. 

 I.evallois and Meunier. This was found on the walls of a kiln 

 of banxite, for burning lime. — On the presence of iron in falls of 

 dust in Sicily and Italy, by M. Taeehini. This iron is thought 

 to have come from the Sahara. — On the organisation and the 

 development of Gordians, by M. Villot. — On an acarian destroyer 

 of the gallicolar phylloxera, by M. Pickard. — Zinc : its exist- 

 ence in the state of complete dilTusion in all rocks of the 

 primordial formation and in the waters of seas of all ages, by M. 

 IMculafait.— On the cretaceous formation of the Northern Sahara, 

 by M. Rolland. — On the discovery of new mammalia in the 

 phosphate of lime deposits of Qucrcy, by M. Filhol. — On the 

 transniissibility of tuberculosis by milk, by M. Peuch. This 

 was proved in i>igs and rabbits which drank the milk of a 

 diseased cow. MM. Bouley and Larrcy made remarks on the 

 subject. 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, April 22. — The following, 

 among other papers, were read : — A new synthesis of sulphydan- 

 toin, by Ilerr Andreasch. — A new derivative of sniphydantoin, 

 carbonid sulphonaeetic acid,diy the s.ame. — On some transforma- 

 tion-products of rufigallic acid and the so-called oxychinon, by 

 \h-. Schrcder. — Geological Researches in the Western Balkans 

 and neighbottring region, by Dr. Joidc. — Diluvial fauna of 

 Zuzlawitz, near Wintcrberg, in} the Bohmerwald, by Prof. 

 ^Voldrich. 



CONTENTS Pagb 



TiinTAVllRlncat aij 



Cami'S in -rui! Cakidukks 314 



A Nrw l^NGLISII TUXT-DOOK 01' liOTANY 316 



Lbtthus to thr Editor: — 



OcoimCiiciilation,— 1>. WitLiAM li. CAurcNTni!. F.R.S. ... 317 



TheFrcshwntcrMccliisa.— Prof. J. Allman. F.R.S. . . . . . 318 



On die Simplest Continuous MnuifoM of Two Dimensions and of 



Finite Exicnt.— C. J. Monro si8 



A I'"oui-th State of M:\ttcr.— E. Douglas Arciiidald ji8 



Minerva Ornaments. — l*rof. A. It. Savck 319 



Arthur Yvung'sTr.wcls in France.— Prof. S. P. TiiOMTSON . . . 319 

 " Sa.-dfraga umbrosa" adorned with Brilliant Colour by the Selec- 

 tion of Syri)hidx. — Dr. HnRMANN MOllek 319 



Dilatalionof the Iris— W. M. F. P 330 



Comiiarativc Curves in Terresrial Mngnctism.— J. Cai'rllo (U'ith 



Dias^-atii) 320 



EITccts of LitihtninK on 'trees.— L, CuMMINC 330 



Iron and Hydrogen.— II. I. Johnston-Lavis 330 



" Coronella lajvis." — II. King aao 



Recall of Appe.irance of Books, &c.— Cornelius Walford . . 330 



Slags' Horns. — HimimRT Ellis aai 



Cup and Rinc; Stones. — W. S. . . . ■ asx 



Diatoms in the London CIny.—W. H. Shrudsole aai 



WyVTER SuprLV. By Charles Ekin 3ai 



't'HRttE Ykars" Experimenting in Mbnsurational Spbctroscopv, 



II. By Prof. PiAZii Smyth aaa 



Pneumatic Clocks {ll'if/t Itlnstrathns) 336 



Notes aaS 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



i'he Variable Nebula near f Tauri =31 



Tlie Great Comet of iSEe ^31 



The Di.'imeter of Vesta =31 



GEOSRAriiicAL Noras a3« 



New Metals. By Prof. T. S. Humpidgo 33a 



University AND Educational Intelligence 233 



SciENTiKic Serials =34 



Societies and Academies 334 



