NA TURE 



{Jan. 20, 1 88 1 



relative to the theoretic expression of the velocity of lis^ht, liy 

 M. Cornu. — Crystalline substances produced from old medals 

 immersed in the thermal waters of Baracci, commune of Olmeto 

 (Corsica), by M. Daubree. Some of these brtnze medals had 

 merely a dark patina resulting from superficial sulphuraii-jn. A 

 few others had a thick cry^talUne crust, the substance being 

 apparently a double sulphide of copper and tin (of which the 

 nearest natural analogue would be stannine). The water, con- 

 taii.ing only o'3 gr. of mineral matters per litre, has chloride of 

 sodiuHi, sulphate of soda, and silica in predominance. — On the 

 star-fishes dredged in the deep regions of the Gulf of Mexico 

 and the Carribean Sea by the American ship the Blake, by M. 

 Perrier. The new collections raise the number of species froui 

 twenty-seven to seventy. A pretty large number are new generic 



types. On a class of linear differential equations, the coefficients 



of which are algebraic functions of the independent variable, 

 by M. Appell. — On the circulatory ap; aratus of isopod crusta- 

 ceans,' by M. Delage. — Phylloxera in California, by M. de 

 Lavig'non. The old viue-growers say they have always ]uio« n 

 it, and they do not regard it as introduced with plants from 

 Bordelais. Its effects are the same in kind as in France, but its 

 progress is very slow by reason of absence (apparently) of the 

 winged insect, quality of the soil (rich and deep), and 

 the existence of an acarian parasite ( Tyroglyphus longior). — 

 The Inspect^jr-General of Navigation reported on the varia- 

 tions of the Seine at Paris in iSSo. The highest water 

 was on January 4, the lowe t on February 3 and 4.— On 

 a proce-s of astronomical observation for u-e of voyagers, &c. 

 (continued), by M. Rouget. — On the transformation of reciprocal 

 directions, by M. Lajuerre. — On the size and variations of 

 Purkinje's images, by'M. Crouillebois. It is proved that the 

 mechanism of the adaptation consists in a simultaneous ojodifi- 

 cation of the curvature of the two faces of the crystalline lens. — 

 Thermo-regulator for high temperatures, by M. D'Arsonval. 

 This is ap.iUcahle up to 1200° at least. A regulator like that 

 before described has its spice under the membrane connected 

 by means of a capdlarv tube with a short hollow stem which 

 can be op -ned or closed with a screw and is connected 

 by two tubes with a mercury manometer, and an air-reservoir (of 

 glass or porcelain) to be put in the medium that is to be kept 

 cou^tant. For temperatures over 300° he opens the stem 

 when I atm. has been reached, and so lets the manometer come 

 back to zero before closing again. A new method of reading 

 must then, of course, be adopted. — Investigation of gJseous 

 compounds and study of some of their properties with tlie 

 spectroscope, by MM. Ha-jtefeuille and Chappuis. With the 

 spectroscope one ctu follow the isomeric change of ozone into 

 oxygen, and prove that its destruction does not give hyponitric 

 acid. Electrification of a dry mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, 

 containing at least one-seventh of the former, gives a substance 

 not before observed, and having a remarkableabsorption-spectrum. 

 It is thought to hefcrnitric acid, analog lus to M. Berthelot's/tv-ra/- 

 phuiic acid. — On bromides and iodides of phosphorus, by M. Cgier. 

 — Rapid stoppage of the rhythmic contractions of the cardiac ven- 

 tricles through occlusion of the coronary arteries, by MM. See, 

 Boche'ontaine, and Roussy.— On the application of anatomical 

 examination of the blood to diagnosis of disease, by M. Hayem. 

 He gives tvi'o methods : examination of pure blood, in a thin 

 layer, of constant thickue-s ; and examination of blood diluted 

 with a special reagent. The phenomena in certain diseases are 

 de<cril3ed.— On the quantity of light necessary to perceive the 

 colour of oljjects of different surfaces, by M. Charpentier. Fnr 

 retinal surfaces y^^-j to ^Vo'ij ^™- square the illumination neces- 

 .sary to make or perceive colour (o -ce the luminous sensibility is 

 obtained) was the same for each colour tried. It ma)', then, be 

 said that for red, yellow, green, and blue the chromatic sensi- 

 bility is independent of ttie retinal surface excited. Influence 

 exeried l)y environment on the form, structure, and mode of 

 reproduction of Jsacles lacustris, by M. Mer.— On the conserva- 

 tion cif grain in closed reservoirs, by M. Muntz. With renewal 

 of air he found about ten times more COj produced than in a 

 closed ve-sel. The volume of CO^ found in contact with air is 

 always less than tha* of O absorbed. The O is chiefly fixed by 

 fatty matters. Too dry gi-ain, not giving much of an asphyxiat- 

 ing atmosphere, is hable to the ravages of insects. Theproprr- 

 tion of COj increases rapidly « ith the degree of moisture. As 

 the temper.auire is raised there is physiological combustion up to 

 a point (about 50°), thereafter chemical. Anesthetics, like sul- 

 phide of carbon, diminish, without stopping, the formation of 

 CO.,.— On a simple means of bringing to life new-born infants 



in a state of apparent death, by M. Gozard. He describes a 

 successful application of M. Le Bon's suggestion for young 

 asphyxiated animals, immersing in a water-bath heated 45° to 

 50°. — M. Boutigny invited attention to the fact that boiling 

 water projected on an incandescent surface instantly falls in 

 temperature to 97°. He attributes this cooling to work done in 

 production of the spheroidal state. 



Berlin 



Geographical Society, January 8. — Dr. Nachtigal, presi- 

 dent. — The President gave a sketch of the work of the Society's 

 explorers for the past year. It was hoped that Dr. Lenz would 

 have been presd t at the meeting', but he had been unable to 

 leave St. Louis in Senegal, as yellow fever prevailed there. 

 After a long interval letters had been received from Dr. 

 Buchner, dated February, May, and July last. He had been 

 for six months in Mussumba in Muat.\ Janvo's kingdom, carry- 

 ing on topographical, photographic, and natural history work. 

 After sending most of his papers and collections to Angola he 

 proceeded northwards, writing on July I from Muene Chikambo. 

 Dr. Nachtigal then refeiTed to the East African Expedition, 

 which, along with Capt. Ramaeckers, hns arrived at Tabora, and 

 Dr. Rohlfs' party, who on December 12 were at Massowah.— 

 Herr Buchter exhibited a large number of photographs and 

 drawings fi'om the Upper Nile. 



VlENN.\ 



Imperial Academy of [Sciences, January 7. — On the 

 quantitative relntions of electric ex|iansion in glass and caout- 

 chouc, by G. Korteweg and V. A. Julius. — Preliminary note on 

 decomposition of water, by C. Baudet. — Researches on fats, by 

 D. G. Goldschmiedt and M. v. Schmidt. — On an uncrystallis- 

 aljle acid obtained from albumen by oxidation with permanganate 

 of potash, by E. v. Bruecke. 



CONTENTS Page 



North American Pinnipeds 261 



Catalogue of Newcastle Libraries 262 



OoR Book .^Ihelf :— 



" Botanische Jahrbucher ftir Systematik Pflanzengeschiclite und 



Pflanzengeographie " 263 



Day's " Fishes of Great Britain and Ireland' 264 



Kent's " Manual of tlie Infusoria " . . . 264 



Palliser's "Complete Couree of Problems in Practical PKlne 



Geometry " 264 



'*Bericht iibcr die Thatigkeit der Eotanischen Section der Schle- 



sischen Gesellsctiaft im Jahre 1877". ; 264 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Dr. Carnelley's Hot Ice.— Dr. Oliver J. Lodge 264 



On the Spectrum cf Carbon.— Prof.. G. D. Liveing. F.R.S. ; Dr. 



VV, M. Watts 265 



Geological Climates.— Alfred R. Wallace : Dr. Maxwell T. 



Masters 266 



Climate of Vancouver Island.— Wm. Pengelly, F.R.S 267 



Dimorphic Leaves of Conifers —Dr. Maxwell T. Masters . . 267 



Dust and Fogs.— Hon. R. Russell 267 



LowTemper.ature.—Rev. S.J. Perry, F.R.S 26S 



A "Natural" Experiment in Polarised Light.— Chas. T. Whit- 



mell 2^^ 



Statics and Dynamics of Skating. i!y Charles Alex. Steven- 

 son (With Diagrams) 268 



John Duncan, the Alford Weaver and Botanist. By William 



Jolly .„■■••.•••• =*? 



The Indo-Chinpse and Oceanic Races- Types and .A.FriNniE5. 



IV. Hy A.ll.KtiAKiL (H'ith Jlliistratians) 271 



The Photophone. By Lord Rayleigh, F.K.S 274 



Notes • ^75 



'OuK Astronomical Column : — 



Janson's Star of 1600 270 



The New Cape Catalogue . 276 



Biological Notes: — 



Archxopteryx macrura ^70 



European and North American Birds; 277 



A Gnat wilh Two Kinds of Wives 277 



The Function of Asparagine 277 



A Cause of the Motion of Diatoms 277 



Fungal Growths in the Animal Body =57 



Brain-Weight =77 



Physical Notes ^7| 



Ghographical -Votes =7^ 



Chesapeake ZOOLOGICAL Laporatcry ^79 



Elasticity OF Wii Es. By J. T. Bottomley, M.A.. F.R.S.E. . . 281 



Spectroscopic Notes. iS79-So. By Prof. C. A. Young 281 



University and Educational Intelligence 282 



Scientific Serials =|= 



Societies and Academies =°-^ 



