394 



NATURE 



[Mar. 19, 1874 



discrepance has resulted from the fact that the two tables were 

 formed at different periods, and were not calculated by the same 

 formula ; but he remarks that the differences are insignificant, as 

 they scarcely amount to '02 millimetre of mercury in the pres- 

 sures which the two tables respectively show. Here, too, as in 

 the general table, the feature expected shows itself, though in a 

 diminished degree. By careful examination of the minute 

 changes of pressure for small changes of temperature, close to 

 the freezing-point, both above and below it, as they are shown 

 in this table, I find that the experimental results as here offered 

 would indicate the existence of the feature in a degree about /j or 

 yV of that in which the theoretical investigation now shows that 

 it ought to be met with, if experiments could be made on pres- 

 sures of aqueous vapour, above and below the freezing-point, 

 with sufficiently minute exactitude. 



It is indeed a great credit to the accuracy of Regnault's ex- 

 periments, and to the exactitude of his results, that the results 

 contain the clear indications they do of this feature, which only 

 comes to view through comparison of differences of pressure 

 represented by very minute fractions of a millimetre of mercury ; 

 and which, unless a very high order of accuracy were maintained, 

 might have given no perceptible indication of its existence, or 

 might readily have been made to disappear totally from the final 

 results, through the application of the ordinary methods for clear- 

 ins off small errors of observation. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



American youinal of Science and Arls, February 1874. — This 

 number commences with a paper by Mr. Langley (accompanied 

 with plate), descrifjing studies on the minute structure of the 

 solar photosphere, made at the Alleghany Observatory. The 

 equatorial used liad an aperture of 13 inches. The author finds 

 that the ultimate visible constituents of the photosphere are not 

 the "rice grains," but sxa'^}\ gramtlcs composing them, and not 

 more than o"'3 in size. Comparing the total area covered by 

 them with that of the whole sun, he estimates that the greater 

 part of the solar light comes from an area of not over one-fifth of 

 its visible suiface, and which may be indefinitely less. Hence 

 the received estimates of the intensity of the action to which solar 

 light is due must, he thinks, be greatly increased. In the 

 penumbra there are not only numerous small cyclones, and even 

 riglit- and left-handed whirls in the same spot, but probably cur- 

 rents ascending nearly vertically. The action of superposed 

 approximately horizontal currents is a prominent feature. Tiie 

 outer penumhral edge seems to be formed by rupture. Mr. 

 Langley accepts M. Faye's theory as the most probable. — Prof. 

 Pickering communicates some measurements of the polarisation 

 of light reflected by the sky, and by one or more plates of glass. 

 One remarkable result arrived at was, that the polarisation (from 

 the sky) is the same, for a given solar distance, for any meridian 

 distance ; in other words, that the polarisation is the same for 

 all points equally distant from the sun. — In a translated paper on 

 the dissipation of electricity in gases, by a Russian physicist, M. 

 Boboulieff, the author concludes from his experiments, that tlie 

 dissipation in air (and other gases) diminishes with diminution of 

 the pressure ; and that the dissipation in hydrogen is less than in 

 air (at the same pressure). — Mr. VerriU continues his notes on 

 results of recent dredging expeditions on the coast of New Eng- 

 land. — In the "Scientific Intelligence" we find a summaiy of a 

 recent important memoir by Prof^ Morse on the systematic posi- 

 tion of the Brachiopoda. His avowed object is to show that in 

 eveiy point of their structure the Brachiopoda are true worms, 

 with possibly some affinities to the Crustacea, and that they have 

 no relations to the Mollusca, save what many other worms may 

 possess in common with them. — The organisation of an American 

 Metrological Society is announced ; the design being to origi- 

 nate and promote measures for improving the system of weights, 

 measures, and moneys, and bring these into relations of simple 

 commensurability with each other. 



In the number oi ihtBallc/in Mensiiel lie la Sociclid'Acclitna- 

 tation de Paris issued in January one of the principal papers 

 is an article by M. Merice on Agriculture in Brazil. This 

 country is by nature fitted to be one of the most prohfic agri- 

 cultural tracts of earth in the world, so varied and abundant are 

 Its productions, and so fruitful its soil. Improved implements are 

 necessary, and increased skill would give greotl)- increased 

 results. Great strides are being taken in the "education" of 

 various kinds of silkworms, and under the directions given in tlie 



Bnlleiin the diflTerent varieties may be properly reared on the most 

 approved principles. — M. Carbonnier, to whom the honour is due 

 of introducing the "Paradise fish" from China, has been success- 

 ful in importing some live specimens of another species of 

 Macropodus, the "rainbow-fish" of India: specimens of the 

 Pesca-re, or "king-fish" of South America have also been 

 brought to Paris from Buenos Ayres. M. E. Perris' paper 

 on birds and insects is continued. — The recent transmission of 

 salmon ova to New Zealand, the cultivation of lobsters in the 

 United States, the introduction of the Eucalyptus in various 

 parts of Europe, are all, amid a mass of other matter, referred to at 

 length. The number for January, just received, gives an inter- 

 esting account of the year's work at the Jardui d'Acclintatation. 

 In the Bois de Boulogne experiments have been made in the 

 cultivation of various vegetables and other useful plants, on the 

 results of which the future utilisation of new importations greatly 

 depends. — The notes on the cultivation of the vine and on the 

 use of mineral manures will be found very v.aluable. — The ques- 

 tion of fish culture, which has assumed such large proportions in 

 England and America, is being taken up by the Society, and an 

 interesting paper on the subject is contributed by M. de la 

 Blancheu. 



Peale Istituto Lombardo di Scienze e Letlerc. Rendiconti : 

 Dec. 18, 173. In this number Prof. Lombroso furnishes exact 

 measurements of the crania of 66 Italian criminals (from various 

 museum collections) along with an interesting analysis of those 

 data. With reference to capacity as measured by apparent 

 circumference, wliile there were a few of pretty large circumfer- 

 ence (i of 580, I of 550, 2 of 560, 2 of 540, out of 65), and a 

 moderate number of ordinary size (8 of 530, 13 of 520), a large 

 proportion were quasi-microcephalic (39 out of 65) ; and pre- 

 cisely 19 of 510, 8 of 490, and 1 2 of 500. Of 40 crania examined 

 the mean capacity, in cubic centimetres, was 1,389 ; two w'ere of 

 more than ordinary capacity (1,610 and 1,633), 3 were of ordi- 

 nary (1,500 and more), 12 had a capacity of 1,400 and more, 19 

 were of much inferior capacity (1,300 and more), while 4 were 

 truly microcephalic, with a capacity of 1,100 to 1,200. Of the 

 last, 2 were crania of assassins, I that of a tliief, and I that of an 

 incendiary (with intent to rub). Prof. Cantoni gives the con- 

 cluding portion of a valuable paper in experimental physics, on 

 the polarisation of non-conductors. He here takes up several objec- 

 tions urged by Prof Righi to his opinion as to the possibility of 

 polarising a non-conductor durably. — M. Corradi continues an 

 historical sketch of the study and teaching of anatomy in Italy in 

 the Middle Ages. — We also note short p.apers on primitive 

 tumours of the dura mater (by M. Bizzozero), and on a remark- 

 able appearance of the zodiacal light, and a shower of falling 

 stars observed in some parts of Italy on December 12 last. 



Bulletin de V Acadcinie RoyaU des Sciences {de Belgique). 

 No. 12. In this number are given a series of papers or lectures 

 of a somewhat popular nature, read at the public seance in 

 December. The first is by M. Gluge, who advocates the teach- 

 ing of biology in the Belgian schools. — M. d'Omalius d'Halloy 

 follows with an argument for the hypothesis of transformation 

 by generations of forms from a first creation, as against that of 

 successive creations on the one hand, and that of evolution from 

 matter on the other. — The next lecture, by M. van Beneden, is 

 entitled " A Word on the Social Life of the Inferior Animals," 

 and gives some curious facts in natural history, relating especially 

 to parasites. — And lastly, we have an able lecture by M. 

 Schwann, on the commencement and the end of the world, ac- 

 cording to the mechanical theory of heat. The author gives a 

 lucid exposition of the two fundamental principles of conserva- 

 tion and dissipation of energy, explaining, with special fulness, 

 the doctrine enunciated by Clausius and the considerations lead- 

 ing to it. — The Bulletin further contains reports by members 

 of the Academy on various prize- competitions. One subject 

 proposed was tlie relation of heat to development of phanero- 

 gamic plants, with special reference to the periodic phenomena 

 of vegetation. The Committee give lengthy analyses of the 

 memoir received, to which, while of some scientific merit, the 

 prize is not awarded. In a lecture by M. Morreu on the subject, 

 the law is elucidated, that, other things being equal, the quantity of 

 carbon fixed by a vegetation is greater in proportion as its height 

 is less, inasmuch as this supposes a less expenditure of move- 

 ment. — Another question called for a description of the coal 

 system of the Liege Valley. From a memoir on which the 

 committee report fa-vourably, it appears that instead of having 

 twenty-five beds of coal, as had been thought since the labours 



