;56 



NA TURE 



Feb. lo, 1 88 1 



lime light. The principal matter insisted upon was that the 

 oxygen and hydrogen gases should unite in one stream, just 

 before issuing from the nozzle of the burner, and the tubes Icept 

 entirely free from wire gauze or any impediment whatever ; abo 

 that the lime cylinder should be in two pieces, when if the upper 

 part splits the lower part (already heated) could be screwed into 

 position at once.— Also by T. Bolas, F.C.S., on the detective 

 camera. This apparatus consists of two cameras working simul- 

 taneously together : in one the image can be seen, whilst in the 

 other a sensitive dry plate is ready for instant expo>ure by pneu- 

 matic power. The whole is inclosed in an unsuspicious wooden 

 box, which can even be placed upon the ground, and scenes and 

 persons photographed unawares. 



Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, February 7. — The 

 Earl of .Shaftesbury, K.G., in tlie chair. — A paper was read by 

 Dr. Samuel Kinns, F.R.A.S., on "The Truths of Revelation 

 Ciinfirmed by the Advances of Science." 



Institution of Civil Engineers, Febmary i. — Mr. Aber- 

 nethy, F. R. S.E., president, in the chair. — I he paper read was 

 on the Portsmouth Dockyard Extension V/orks, by Mr. Charles 

 Colson, Assoc, M. Ii.s:. C.E. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, January 31. — M. Wurtz in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — On the long duration 

 of the life of germs of chai-bon, and on their preseivation in 

 cultivated earth, by M. Pasteur, with MM. Chamberland and 

 Roux. This relates to an inquiry made by a committee elected 

 by the Paris Society of Veterinary Medicine. Sheep caught the 

 disease from being a few hours daily on ground where animals 

 that died of charbon had been Iraricd twelve years before. There 

 was no grass to eat ; the germs mu^t have enteretl the sheep 

 by reason of their habit of smelling about the ground. The 

 farmer had a scar of malignant pustula. — Observation^ on the 

 birds cf the Antarctic Region, by M. Alph. Milne-Edwards. 

 This relates to the first part of a work on the fauna of Austral 

 regions. Birds serve more than any other animals to mark the 

 profound differences between faunas of the southern and those 

 of the northern hemisphere. The geographical distriljution of 

 penguins and spheniscans present interesting features in this 

 respect. — On a mode of representation of functions, by M. Gylden. 

 — On a fall of sleet at Geneva, on January 19, by M. Colladon. The 

 grains were compact and pretty round, and they showed curious 

 dancing movements (sometimes after being motionless two or three 

 seconds), like those of pith balls under electricity. — M. CIos was 

 elected Correspondent in Botany, in room of the late M. 

 Godron. — On the circulatory apparatus of edriophthalmate crus- 

 taceans (continued), by M. Delage. This relates to Amphipoda 

 and Lremodipoda. — Action of sulphocarbonate of pota-sium on 

 phylloxerised vines, by M. Mouillefert. The effects of three to 

 six, two, and one year's treatment are severally considered. — On 

 the figure of planets, by M. Hennessy. For the ear;h and near 

 planets supposed like it the compression deduced from the theory 

 of fluidity agrees better with observation than that deduced from 

 the theory of superficial erosion. — On the series of Fourier, by 

 M. Jordan. — On an extension of the rule of signs of Descartes, 

 by M. Laguerre. — On a (articular cyclic system, by M. Ribau- 

 cour. — On the quadrature on which depends the solution of an 

 extensive class of linear differential equations with rational coeffi- 

 cients, by M. Dillner. — On tlie distinction of integrals of linear 

 differential equations into sub-groups, by M. Casorati. — On the 

 invariant of the eighteenth order of binary forms of the fifth 

 degree, by M. Le Paige. — Action of hydrochloric acid on 

 metallic chlorides (cmtinued), by M. Ditte. In the case of 

 chlorides very soluble in water (less so in acid liquor), and 

 deposited in it as crystallised hydrates, hydrochloric acid dimi- 

 nishes the weight of chloride dissolved, and in the acid liquors 

 one still finds hydrated salts, though much less rich than the 

 crystals that form in this liquid. Another (and last) group 

 contains chlorides that crystallise anhydrous in w ater or 

 hydrochloric acid, but the solubility of which in concen- 

 trated acid is reduced almost to zero. — Dete-raination of 

 the colours which correspond to fundamental sensations, by 

 means of rotatory disks, by M. Rosenstiehl. The line which 

 represents the proportion of extreme sensations in the inter- 

 mediate colours is a straight one (they are thus, to sight, 

 rigorously equidistant). The line which represents the sensation 

 of yellow reaches its culminating point in the ordinate corre- 

 sponding to yellow. The sensation of red rises in a straight 



line to the red, and beyond that to the oran^je, where it culmin- 

 ates ; then it falls to the yellow, where it is zero.— On the 

 determination of carbonic acid in air, by MM. Muntz and Aubin. 

 They have studied the variations of which the proportion of CO„ 

 in special parts of the atmosphere is susceptible, and here first 

 de-cribe their method (absorption by pumice-stone impregnated 

 with potash solution, then liberation, and measurement of 

 volume), and verify its value. — Observations on a note by M. 

 Eisenberg, on separation of trimethyalmine from substances 

 accompanying it in commercial chlorhydrate of trimethyl- 

 amine, by MM. Duvillier and Buisine. — On a process of total 

 destruction of organic matters, for investigation of poisonous 

 mineral substance-, by M. Pouchet. The principle is that it is 

 possible to heat between 300° and 400°, in presence of carbon or 

 organic compounds, mineral elements contained in a mixture of 

 sulphuric acid and acid sulphate of potash. The sulphate of 

 potash retains substances the most volatile and decomposable 

 \e.g. salts of mercury), vihile the organic matters are quickly 

 destroyed. — On the invasion of pulmonary tissue by a champi- 

 gnon, in peripneumonia, by M. Poincare. — The third edition 

 of M. Domeyko's Treatise on Mineralogy (in Spanish) was 

 presented. It contains original researches on various South 

 American minerals. 



Vienna 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences, February 4. — V. Burg in 

 the chair. — I*. Osnaghi and V. Lorenz, fifth report of the 

 Adria Commission on the Physical Exploration of Adria. — 

 Prof. L. Pelz, on scientific treatment of axionometry. — Prof. 

 A. Wassmuth, on the possibility of magnetising iron at high 

 temperatures. — Prof. T. Tlann, on the daily course of some 

 meteorological elements in Vienna (city). — G. Bruder, on the 

 knowledge of the tura-formation of Sternberg near Zeidler 

 (Bohemia). — Prof. Sigmund Exner, on the knowledge of the 

 minute structure of the cortex of the brain. 



GciTTINGEN 



Royal Society of Sciences, August 7, 1880. — On fluospar 

 in granite of Drammen, by O. I-ang. — Some experiments on 

 induction in conducting bodies, by F. HimsteHt. 



November 5. — On an increase of the meteorite-collection of 

 the University, by C. Klein. — Communication regarding the 

 publication of a text-book of analy.sis, by R. Lipschitz. — Elec- 

 trical shadows, by W. Holtz. 



December 6. — Electrical shadows (continued), by W. Holtz. — 

 On the connection between the general and the particular 

 integrals of differential equations, by L. Konigsberger. — Obser- 

 vations in the magnetic observatory, by K. Schering. — On 

 congenital growth in the thallus of Pollexfenieae, by P. Falken- 

 berg. — Communications on the University Library from 1876-79, 

 by W, Willmanns. 



CONTENTS Page 



Alpine Flowers. By Francis Darwin 333 



UoK Book Shelf: — 



EarFoed's " Lehrbuch der organischen Qualitativen Analyse" . . 335 



Mr. Butler's "Unconscious Memory." — George J. Romanes, 



F.R S. ; T. R. R. Stebbing 335 



" Prehistoric Europe." — Dr. James GelKlE, F.R. S 336 



On Dust, Fogs, and Clouds.— W. H. Pkeece i Dr. H. ij. H. 



Groneman 336 



New Cases of Dimorphism of Flowers. — Errors Corrected. — Dr. 



Hermann Muller 357 



GeologicalClimates.— Dr. John Rae, F.R.S 337 



On the Spectrum of Carbon.— Prof. G. D, Liveing, F.R.S. ... 338 



Vibration of Telegraph Wires during Frost. — F. T. MoTT . . . 338 



The Star Oeltzen. i768i.-Prof. Edward C.'Pickering .... 338 



Zeuglodontia.— Sbarles V. Wood {With Illustration!) . . . 338 



Ice Intrusive in Peat. — T. Mellard Reade 339 



The Squirrel Crossing Water. — H. H. Godwin-Austen .... ^40 



Baron Nordenskjold in Finland • . 340 



The John Duncan Fund 342 



Experiments on Ice, under Low Pressufes. By Dr. Thos. 



Carnelley (IViti Diagrams) 341 



Tele-Photogkaphv. By Shelford Bidwell (Wi'MZIiVtjTawj) . 344 



Notes . ■ • 346 



The Aurora and Electric Storm of January 31. By W. H 

 Preecb; George M. Seabroke: G. M. Whipple; Rev. S. J. 

 Perry, F.R.S ; J. Rand Capron; E. J. Lowe; G. Henry 

 KiNAHAN ; Gerard A. Kinahan ; F. Horner ; W. J. Spratling , 



D, Traill (With Diagrams) 348 



Gas and Electricity as He\ting Agents, II. By C William 



Siemens, D.C L,, LL.D., F.R.S 35' 



Photophone Experiments (/('7M ///M/>-a/;"OTK) 354 



The Coffee-Leaf Disease 354 



University and Educational Intelligence 354 



Societies and Academies 355 



