198 



NA TURE 



IJuly 9, 1874 



tions of sea temperature should be carried on during the fishing 

 season, the Marquis of Tweeddale has liberally provided the 

 instiuments required. Dr. Aithur Mitchell stated that the 

 Ozone Committee had resolved publicly to invite investigators 

 to submit to them any scheme which in their opinion would in- 

 crease our knowledge of ozone, and which they were desirous 

 to prosecute if asserted. It is hoped that some line of inquiry 

 likely to lead to satisfactory results will soon be suggested, and 

 whenever this is done the Committee will be prepared to give 

 assistance out of the fund of 100/. placed at their disjiosal by the 

 munificence of the noble President. Dr. Arthur ^Mitchell and 

 Mr. Euchan read a paper on the inllucnce of seasons on human 

 mortality, which we hope to give next week. Mr. Ilallingall, Islay, 

 exhibited and described a new pressure aneometer, invented by 

 him. The instrument consists of a measured surface, which, 

 exposed to the wind, registers its force by means of an index, 

 acted upon by a wooden plunger in a bath of mercury. Mr. 

 Thomas Stevenson, C.E., described a portable barometer made 

 of malleable iron, which he suggested for portable purposes. 

 The instrument also contained an ingenious arrangement sug- 

 gested to him by Mr. E. Sang. Iron will also be very suitable 

 for water or oil barometers in which a very large scale is desir- 

 able for showing sudden change.s in the atmospheric pressure, 

 the accurate observations of which are hkely to grow in im- 

 portance from year to year. 



BI':ri.in 



German Chemical Society, June 8. — C. Rammelsberg, pre- 

 sident, in the chair. — G. Langbein described the manufacture 

 of iodide of potassium from iodide of copper, containing 60 — 66 

 per cent, of iodine, which is now largely imported from Peru. It 

 is transformed into HI by treating it with SIIo and then saturated 

 with carbonate of potassium. — J. Thomsen maintains his view 

 against that expressed by Berthelot, who believes the existence 

 of definite hjdiates of acids and alkalis to be proved by the heat 

 of combination. — M. Nencky, by heating acetate of guanidine, 

 has obtained a new monoatomic base, guanamine, of the formula 

 C4N5H-. — The same author has obtained a direct combination of 

 oxalate of ethyl wiih sulpho-urea. — K. Heuman communicates 

 observations on cinnabar. Light transforms it into tire black modi- 

 fication, particularly when obtained by precipitation. Metallic 

 copper at 100° separates meicury from it in the metallic state. 

 — C. Liebermann, by treating benzoyl-benzoic acid CijHjdOj 

 with sulphuric acid, has transformed it into anthracen-sulphuric 

 acid. — A. W. Hofmann has investigated residues of the aniline 

 manufactory of M. Weiltr in Cologne, consisting of pure phe- 

 nylene-diamine. — K. AVippermann publishes new investigations 

 on the condensed hydrocyanic acid C3N3H3 lately obtained by 

 Lange. It is always formed when hydrocyanic acid is kept 

 with a small quantity of alkali, and then distilled. It is ex- 

 tracted from the residue by ether. Hydrate of baryta trans- 

 forms it into glycocol. Its formula appears to beN=C — C 

 (NHj) H — C=N, the nitrile of amido-malonic acid. — II. Schiff 

 assigns the formula of a dilaureate of glycerine to the fat of 

 laurel, which has hitherto been considered as a derivative of 

 allylic glycol. — L. Henry proves the formula of lactide to be 

 doubly as large as has been admitted until now = (CgHjO^jj. — 

 The same chemist described derivatives of propargyl C.jHj with 

 Br, Br, and Br-, of chloride of allyl with IIBrO and of chloral 

 with monochlorhydrin of glycol. — C. Kaiser showed a set of 

 very exact weights cut in rock crystal and obtained from the 

 manufactory of Hermann Stern in Oberstein, near Kreuznach. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, June 29. — M. Bertrand in the 

 chair. — Gen. Morin communicated to the Academy a telegraphic 

 despatch from the Emperor of Brazil, sent from Rio de Janeiro 

 on June 23, and received in Paris on the 24th. ^The following 

 communications were read : — On a new property of metallic 

 rhodium, by MM. 11. Sainte-Claire Deville and H. Debray. 

 When iridium and rhodium are precipitated from their solutions 

 by lormic acid or alcohol, the finely divided metallic powders 

 possess remarkable pioperties. The rhodium thus obtained de- 

 composes alcohol (in presence of alkali) hydrogen being libe- 

 rated and an acet ite produced. Formic acid is decomposed by 

 the same substance into carbon dioxide and water. Platinum 

 and pall.adiuni in ihe same condition do not attack formic acid, 

 while iridium .'iiid ruthenium act like rhodium. — M. A. Ledieu 

 presented the coiuluding portion of his researches on the theory 

 of the collision of bodies wi'li consideration of atomic vibrations. 



— On the spectra of vapours at high temperatures, by Mr. J. N. 

 Lockyer. This paper contains the results of experiments already 

 communicated to the Royal Society and pubhshed in N.vture. 

 — Report on the state of the preparations for the expeditions sent 

 by the Academy to observe the transit of Venus on Dec. 9, by 

 M. Dumas. — Report on the administrative measures lo be taken 

 for the preservation of territories threatened by /'//)"'/i).v<7<7, by 

 the Commissioners. It is suggested to the Academy that a 

 special law should be made compelling proprietors to declare 

 the first appearance of the scourge, that experts should 

 then be appointed to examine into the state of the 

 infesled vines, and that these should be destroyed when 

 thought necessary by ministerial decision, the proprietor 

 receiving adequate compensation. It is further suggested to 

 destroy the vines surrounding the districts actually invaded, to 

 disinfect the soil by chemical methods, and to burn the cuttings, 

 leaves, and roots of the diseased plants as well as the plants 

 themselves in the same district where the uprooting has taken 

 place, and finally to prohibit with the utmost rigour the exporta- 

 tion from infested territories of anything that might serve as a 

 vehicle for the insect. — M. lleis communicated a letter sent by 

 him to M. Eaye concerning the studies recommended to the ob- 

 servers of the forthcoming Transit of Venus. The author sug- 

 gests the observation of meteors and the zodiacal light with re- 

 spect to colour, intensity, form, &c. ; also of the milky way and 

 of polar auroras. — On the temperature of the sun, by RI. J. 

 Violle. The author gave a description of the apparatus employed 

 by him in this inquiry. A determination made at Grenoble on 

 June 20 at 3.30 gave the temperature 1,354°, but to get at the 

 true temperature of the sun this number must be corrected for 

 atmospheric absorption and other causes. To eliminate these 

 errors the author has made several ascents of the Alps, but the 

 results are not yet made known. — Some remarks were made on 

 the foregoing paper by M. H. Sainte-Claire Deville, and 

 M.Berlhelot communicated a paper a propos of these remarks 

 entitled "On high temperatures." — On the application of 

 carbon disulphide mixed with tar and with alkalies for 

 the destruction of Phylloxera, by M. C. Monestier. — M. Lecoq 

 de Boisbaudran communicated a note on the use of carbon 

 disulphide for the same purpose. — On a point in the theory of 

 functions, by M. Halphen. — Geometrical integration of the 

 equation Z {xJy — yd.\) — Mdy + A'dx = 0, in which Z, M, 

 and A^ designate linear functions of x and y, by M. Fouret. — 

 New method for determining the index of refraction of liquids, 

 by MM. Terguem and Trannin. The authors gave a description 

 of their apparatus and some of the results obtained by it. — On 

 electro-static phenomena in voltaic batteries, by M. A. Angot. 

 — On the evaporation of liquids at temperatures above tlieir 

 boiling points, by M. de Gernez. — On newapparatus called (ZiVt'/cv<;- 

 mcters, for the study of the phenomena of the combustion of gun- 

 powders, by MM. Deprez and II. Sebert. — Note on an intestinal 

 calculus of the sturgeon, by MM. Delachaiial and Mermet. — 

 Results of the employment of phenol in burials, by M. Prat. — 

 On the publication of the observations of meteors made by M. 

 Coulvier-Gravier-, a letter from M. Schiaparelli. — On the struc- 

 ture of the caudal appendage of certain ascidian larvne, by M. J. 

 Giard. — On the presence of lead in the brain, by M. Daremberg. 

 This was found after cases of lead-poisoning. — M. Chatin was 

 elected during the meeting to supply the vacancy in the botanical 

 section caused by the death of M. C. Gay. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Comet. By J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S 170 



The Channel Tunnel i8i 



Owens College "Essays AND Addresses" 182 



Our Book Shelf 184 



Letters to thh Editor :— 



Sir John Herschel's Letter.— Capt. J. Herschel. R.E., F.R.S. . 184 



Coggia's Comet.— A. C. Ranyard, F.R.A.S . 184 



Photographic Irradiation. — John Aitken 185 



Lakes with two Outfalls— A Caution.— G. R. Jebb 185 



Ferdinand Stoliczka, Ph.D 185 



Observatories in the United States {IVitk I Uusiratiom) . . , j86 



A Monument to Jeremiah Horrocks jgo 



French Preparations for the Transit OF Venus 190 



On VAPORisrNG Metals uf Electricity. By G. H. Hopkins . , 100 



The Herpetologv OF New Guinea jqi 



Coggia's Comet, by J. R. Hind. F.R.S 191 



Dk Candolle's Proposed *' Physiological Groups " of Plants . igt 



Notes 193 



Scientific Serials 196 



Societies and Academies , . , . . 197 



