April 23, 1874] 



NA TURE 



493 



articles : — "A Highway to Bolivia," by Mr. Alfred A. Geary ; 

 "TheKashgar Mission," of Mr. Forsyth and party; "Dr. 

 Beccari's Travels," in which Prof. II. H. Giglioli gives the 

 latest news of the Italian traveller and naturalist, who has left 

 Makassar for Kandari, an une.xplored region of S.E. Celebes, 

 where he hopes to secure specimens of the great Anoan ante- 

 lope (Aiica dipresskoriiis) ; " Geograpliical Progress in India in 

 1873 ;" af"! " "'£ Products of West Africa," by M.W. Robinson. 

 There are, besides the usual Revie%vs,_Correspoiidence, Proceed- 

 ings of Societies, &c. 



Bidldin lic I'Acadimie Royik de Bclgiqiie, No. 2, 1874. 

 — The principal paper in this number is one by M. 

 Montigny, in which it is sought to show that " the frequency 

 of variations of the colours of stars in scintillation is generally in 

 relation with the constitution of their light, according to spectral 

 analysis." The author's observations emljrace two distinct periods 

 —one from Oct. 1870 to end of March 1871 (47 nights of observa- 

 tion), and the other fr^m June to Dec. 1873 (19 nights). Afier 

 referring to Secchi's three types of star-spectra, he gives a table 

 of the stars observed, indicating the type of spectrum, the scin- 

 tillations observed in a second at 60° zenith distance, the size, 

 &c. It is found (i) that the stars scintillating most belong to the 

 first type, or those with lour spectral lines, while the stars show- 

 ing weak scintillation are generally in the third group or type of 

 nebulous bands and dark lines ; (2) that the average, 86 (scin- 

 tillations per second), of the first type exceeds considerably that 

 of the third, which is 56. The average of the second group (the 

 spectra resembling that of the .sun) is 69, and thus intermediate, 

 though a little nearer that of the third ; {3) while some stars 

 little differing in size resemble each other also in numerical in- 

 tensities of scintillation (especially in the first type), no marked 

 connection appears between the frequency of scintillation and the 

 order of size of the stars ; the last two types even present equal 

 mean sires, though their scintillations differ considerably. The 

 average scintillations of the three types are in proportion of the 

 numbers 14, II, and 9. The author points out how his researches 

 not only confirm M.Dufour's law that the red stars scintillate 

 less than the white ones, but affords an explanation of it. The 

 more frequent scintillation of the white stars is due to the fact, 

 that, with equal distance of the observer, the total separation of the 

 coloured bundles of rays, dispersed by the atmosphere, and which 

 have emanated from a white star, is greater than in the case of a 

 red star; the original rays of the white star being more numerous 

 and more exposed to undergo frequent interception by the pas- 

 sage of aerial waves. — M. d'Omalius d'Halloy contributes a 

 note on the Devonian system, and MM. Quetelet and Terby 

 give accounts of aurorae^ boieales observed in January and 

 February. 



Ztilschrift der Oesterreichhchen GeseUschafl fiir Aldeorologie, 

 March I. — This number opens with the concluding part of a 

 paper by M. Miihry in orographic meteorology. The author 

 adduces evidence from hygrometric phenomena, that the per- 

 manent equatorial ascending-current forms the transition of the 

 polar, into the returning anti-polar, current ; he also proposes a 

 new classification of clouds, according to ascent or descent. 

 Some particulars are furnished, in a note, as to the climate in 

 southern parts of Europe— Gibraltar, Tarifa, and San Francisco : 

 and ,M. Jelintk translates a paper by Mr. Kingston of Canada, 

 treating of the most suitable arrangement of thermometers in 

 determining the temperature of the air. 



March 15. — The beneficial effect of Alpine health-resorts has 

 been attributed to the greater abundance of ozone in the moun- 

 tain air, Dr. Ilaller here communicated the result of observa- 

 tions on the subject in July 1872 and 1873, made at Fusch 

 Bad, in the Alps, at a height of i, 179 metres. Comparing data 

 obtained at the meteorological central observatory of Vienna 

 (194 metres), it appears, that in the bright and warm July of 1873, 

 the ozone-contents of the air at Fusch Bad were considerably 

 greater ; by night about 2° 3, and by day 2° 6. In July of 1872, 

 which was cold and rainy, the average of ozone was by night 

 somewhat less (0-6) at Fusch Bad than at Vienna ; by day, how- 

 ever, it was 2° greater. It seemed likely that, on further ascent, 

 an increase of ozone would be met with, but after climbing to 

 23,000 metres, there was no marked difference. — This paper is 

 followed by an account of M Poey's recent observations (French 

 Academy), on the relation benvten sun-spots and cyclones in the 

 Antilles. — From a study of meteorological phenomena at St. 

 Louis, Dr. Wislizenus finds that the electricity of the atmosphere 

 shows a three-fold periodicity, daily, yearly, and secular (or 

 cyclical). As to the second, the quantity of positive electricity 



increases in the colder months, reaches its maximtim in January, 

 and diminishes with increase of temperature to a minimum in 

 July. The cyclical periodicity is probably c ne of ten years. — 

 Among other subjects treated in this number are the formation 

 of rain-stations in Bohemia, the inadequacy of the ozonometer 

 at present in use, the decrease of water in springs, rivers, and 

 streams. 



Cazetta Chimica Italiaiia. Fasc. I. e II. 1874. These num- 

 bers contain the following papers : — Studies in Toxological 

 Chemistiy. I. Search for solanine in cases of poisoning. II. 

 Extraction of the alkaloids from the viscera, and search for 

 nicotine, brucine, and strychnine. III. Detection of hydrocyanic 

 acid in cases of poisoning, by Prof. F. Selini. — Old and new 

 Reactions of ordinary Phenol, by E. PoUaci. — A product of con- 

 densation of OxaHc Aldehyde, by H. .Schiff. The substance 

 obtained is formed according to the equation dC-iiA-fi^ + WSi^- 

 Ci.,Hj40i3. — Action of Amides upon the Phenols, by Dr. J. 

 Guareschi. The author has tried the following reactions : — 

 paracresol and benzamide, methyl salicylate and benzamide, and 

 ethyl salicylate and benzamide. — Conctrningthe action of Sulphur 

 upon Calcium Carbonate, by Prof. A. Cossa. — Reduction of 

 Silver Chloride by means of Sodium Hydrosulphite, by G. 

 Scurati Manzoni. The chloride is reduced according to the 

 equation NaoSO.,-^ 2AgCl = 2Ag-f 2NaCl + SO„.— On the Ex- 

 pansion of Fused Sulphur, by G. Pisati. — Upon the Reactions 

 of Phenol, by G. Tasca-Lanza. The remainder of these num- 

 bers is principally devoted to abstracts from foreign journals. 

 There is also a complete translation of Prof. Clerk-Maxwell's 

 lecture on molecules, which has already appeared in our columns. 



y out nal de physique, March. — This number commences with 

 a paper by M. Bertrand, in which several known theorems re- 

 lating to static electricity are demonstrated in a new and simple 

 manner, which reduces them to a common principle. — M. Chau- 

 tard describes an improvement on Mayer's acoustic pyrometer. 

 — M. Lespiault calls attention to a new method proposed by M. 

 Galle for estimating the height of the corona of aurora borealis. 

 As applied to the aurora of February 1872, it gave 56 geogra- 

 phical miles (or 415 kilometres) for the absolute height. The 

 agreement between lesults obtained from four different stations 

 appears to confirm the principle on which M. Galle's method is 

 based. — An ingenious mode of sending signals in opposite direc- 

 tions simultaneously, in a telegraphic apparatus of compressed 

 air, is described by M. Deprez. — M. Gripon gives an account of 

 some experiments made with a tuning-fork ; referring to move- 

 ment of cords or wires connected with it, vibration of wires in 

 liquids, movement of liquid in a tube vibrated by fork, &c. — 

 We further note a useful summary, by M. Violle, of MM. 

 Favre and Valson's recent reseaichts in crystalline dissociation, 

 and an account of Prof. Tyndall's investigation as to acoustic 

 transparency and opacity of the atmosphere. 



Rcalc Isliluto Lombardo di Scieuze e Leilerc. Rendiconti : 

 t. vil. Fasc. iv. — In this number we find the continuation of 

 Prof. Lombroso's researches on anthropometry and physiognomy 

 of criminals. The results arrived at, from an extensive range of 

 observation, are worthy of study. Among other things, the 

 author concludes that criminals have, in general, a greater stature 

 and weight, more ample chest, and darker hair than the normal ; 

 that they present a series of sub-microcephali (53 to 51) double 

 the normal ; that the index of the cranium tends to the brachi- 

 cephalic, especially in assassins ; that there is frequent cranial 

 asymmetry ; that, tested by the dynamometer, criminals show 

 less force than the normal, but greater than lunatics ; that, more 

 often than in sane people, the eyes are chestnut or dark, and the 

 hair is thick and black (especially in muiderers) ; that incen- 

 diaries, and, still more, thieves, have very often the iris grey, and 

 always a stature, weight, muscular force, and cranial capacity 

 less than assassins or homicides. In concluding his paper, Prof. 

 Lombroso remarks that prognathism, abundance and curliness of 

 hair, scarcity of beard, frequent dark colour of skin, oxycepha- 

 lu.s, obliquity of the eyes, smallness of cranium, development of 

 jaws, retiring forehead, large size of ear, similarity of the two 

 sexes, and scant muscular force, are points of resemblance be- 

 tween the European criminal and the Austral or Mongolian man. 

 — Dr. Polli traces the recent progress of the doctrine of zymotic 

 disease, and of the treatment tf it with sulphurised preparations. 

 Figures are given which show the largely increased production of 

 sulphite of magnesia and sulphite of soda by certain chemical 

 works in Italy, for medicinal purposes alone, within the last ten 

 years. — MM. Bizzozero and Manfredi contribute a note in patho- 



