June 4, 1896J 



NA TURE 



1 19 



Eg)'ptian nnthematicians. — Prof. Thompson next comnninicated 

 a paper by a pupil, W. T. Caiman, on the aflinities of the genus 

 Anaspides \.o cnxKxm fossil Crustacea. .Mr. C;il man's re-examina- 

 tion of this remarkable fresh water schi/.ipod from Tasmania 

 has resulted in the discovery of certain inipurtant features not 

 observed by its discoverer, notably the presence of what appears 

 to be a group of ocelli on the dorsal surface of the cephalic 

 region. The significance of this, and nther morphological 

 peculiarities, w.as discussed at length, and the indications of 

 divergent affinities with Decapods, Edriophtlialmates, and other 

 groups were pointed out. P'inally, it was shown that Aiinspides, 

 while not closely comparable with any living crustacean, pos- 

 sesses strong resemblances to certain Pateozoic Crustacea forming 

 the groups Syncacida and Gatiipsoiiychidu of Packard, whose 

 systematic position has hitherto been a complete puzzle to 

 paUeontologists. — Prof. Tait indicated the nature of his paper on 

 the linear and vector function, and promised to give it in detail 

 at an early date. 



Dublin. 



Royal Dublin Society, April 22. — Prof. Grenville A J- 

 Cole in the chair. — Mr. J. R. Kilroe read a paper on the dis- 

 tribution of drift in Ireland, in its relation to agriculture. The 

 relation between the drift and the underlying rocks was 

 discussed, and the general mode of origin and succession of the 

 glacial deposits in Ireland were described. The importance of 

 considering the stones included in sands or clays as sources of 

 fertilising materials was especially dwelt on, and illustrations 

 were given of the physical and chemical constitution of numerous 

 Irish drift deposits. A broad system of separation of the con- 

 stituents was adopted, such as would be suited to agricultural 

 requirements. — The following abstract of a paper by Prof. T. 

 Rupert lones, K. R.S.,and Mr. J. W. Kirkby (communicated by 

 Prof Sollas, F.R.S. ), on the Ostracoda of the Carboniferous 

 Formations of Ireland, was read March 18, but was not in time 

 for publication in the report of that meeting sent to Nature. In 

 1S66 .Messrs. Jones and Kirkby made a critical examination of all 

 that had been published about the Carboniferous Entomostraca 

 (Ostracoda) of Ireland, in the Annals and Ma^'azine of Natural 

 History, .ser. 3, vol. xviii., pages 37-51. Having in the interval 

 from 1S66 received numerous species of Ostracoda (Podocopa) 

 from the Carboniferous Formations of Ireland, the authors 

 have put them, together with those already tabulated and 

 described, in a convenient arrangement, so that geologists, and 

 naturalists in general, should be able to form their judgment on 

 this branch of the Pateontology of Ireland. Many of the 

 specimens have been treated more or less fully in some of the 

 authors' memoirs scattered in various publications (such as 

 Annals Mag. N. If., Quart. Joiirn. Giol. .Soc, Geologital 

 Magazine, Proc. Geol. Assoc, i&-V. ). Several, however, have 

 not hitherto been adequately illustrated ; and, lastly, some are 

 new'. Of the species and notable varieties, there are belonging 

 to Cytherella, 7 ; to Lcpcrditia, 10 : Beyridiia, 3 ; Beyriihiopsis, 

 2 ; Kirkhya, 5 ; Ulrichia, I ; Bythocypris, 2 ; Macrocypris. I ; 

 Argitlircite, I ; Krithe, 2 ; Bairdia, 8 ; altogether 42. It is 

 proposed to give a descriptive and bibliographic account of each 

 form, with it.s range and localities, accompanied by good illus- 

 trations. The specimens treated of have come from Donegal, 

 Londonderry, Tyrone, Down, Sligo, Longford, Mayo, and Cork. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, May 26. — M. A. Cornu in the 

 chair. — On researches made at the observatory of Madison by 

 G. Comstock, concerning aberration and refraction, by M. 

 Lcewy. The constant of aberration given Iiy these researches is 

 20 ''44. — On the part played by the ring of iron in dynamo- 

 electric machines ; reply to the note of M. Potier, by M. Marcel 

 Deprez. — Source and nature of the potential directly utilised in 

 muscular work, from the point of view of the respiratory changes 

 in man after fasting, by M. A. Chauveau. The ratio of carbon 

 dioxide to oxygen, or respiratory quotient, mounts rapidly when 

 muscular work is commenced, falling awa)', however, if the 

 work is very prolonged. After a rest of one hour the quotient 

 falls to the normal. Fat does not appear to be utilised directly by 

 the muscles, even when the work is done fasting. — The imme- 

 di ite destination of fatty food, by M.M. .\. Chauveau, Tissot 

 and de Varigny. — On the theory of gases, a letter from M. 



NO. 1388, VOL. 54] 



Boltzmann to M. Bertrand. M. Boltzmann points out that Max- 

 well himself stated the doubtful nature of his first demonstra- 

 tion. That this one demonstration i.-; false, however, by no 

 means implies that the theorem itself is false, and reference is 

 made to independent proofs by Biltziuann, Lorentz, Kirchhoft", 

 and others. — Reply to the preceding by .M. Bertrand. Leaving 

 Maxwell's first demonstration on one side, his second is equally 

 indefensible. While reserving for the present a critical examina- 

 tion of the various proofs advanced, M. Bertrand thinks that, 

 t! priori, these proofs cannot be real, since all forinulce solving the 

 problems proposed by Maxwell must contain one arbitrary 

 function. — On the vapour pressures of some formic acid solu- 

 tions, by M. I. M. Raoult. The observations were made by 

 the dynamical method, and give a mean value of 0713 for 

 the molecular diminution of vapour pressure for formic 

 acid used as a solvent. The ratio of the actual to the 

 theoretical vapour density as found from this number is 

 I "55, the number obtained by Bineau by direct observation 

 being i'34. — Description of a mechanical flying machine, 

 by M. Langley (see p. 80). — Letter from M. Graham Bell 

 to M. Langley, on the same subject (see p. 80). — Observations 

 of the sun, made at the observatory of Lyons with the Brunner 

 equatorial during the first quarter of 1S96, by M. J. Guillaume. 

 — On the ordinary differential equation of the first order, by M. 

 A. Korkine. — On the conditions of equilibrium of a certain 

 class of systems capable of deformation, by M. B. Mayor. — On 

 a new mode of regulating motors, by M. L. Lecornu. — Remarks 

 on the preceding note, by M. H. Leaute. — On the magnetic 

 torsion of soft iron wire, by M. G. Moreau. An experimental 

 study of the action of a solenoid carrying a current upon a wire 

 under torsion. The increase of torsion observed, called the 

 magnetic torsion, is proportional to the square of the magnetis- 

 ing current, is independent of the diameter of the wire if the 

 latter is small, and is always in the same sense as the original 

 torsion. — Reply to a claim for priority of M. G. Friedel, by M. 

 R. Dongier. The principle utilised was originally due to Fizeau 

 and Foucault. — On the determination of the deviation of the 

 Riintgen rays by a prism, by MM. Hurion and Izarn. The 

 results obtained with an aluminium prism were entirely negative. 

 — On the refraction of the X-rays, by M. Gouy. Using as the 

 source of Rontgen rays the edge of the platinum disc in a Crooke.s' 

 tube of the " focus" pattern, so that the origin of the rays is 

 practically rectilinear, with prisms of aluminium and of crown- 

 glass, the conclusion is drawn that the index of refraction of the 

 Rontgen rays cannot differ from unity by more than ijTniuini' — 

 Photometry of phosphorescent sulphide of zinc excited by the 

 kathode rays in a Crookes' tube, by M^L C. Henry and G. 

 Seguy. At a fixed pressure the brightness of the zinc sulphide 

 falls off as the experiment is prolonged. There is a certain 

 pressure at which the maximum intensity of light is obtained ; a 

 reversal of the current reduces the brightness to about .}•■ of its 

 original value. — Action of gaseous hydrogen iodide and 

 phosphonium iodide upon thiophosphoryl chloride, by M. .\. 

 Besson. The reaction is analogous to that already described 

 for phosphoryl chloride, the products being phosphorus tri- 

 iodide, iodine, hydrogen sulphide, and hydrogen chloride. — 

 On the hydration of pinacoline, by M. Maurice Delacre. — On 

 a new mode of preparation of glyceric acid, by M. P. Cazeneuve. 

 Glycerine is readily oxidised to glyceric acid by silver hlorid 

 in alkaline solution. The acid is extracted by dry acetone, 

 in which glycerine is insoluble. — Action of ethyloxalyl chloride 

 upon aromatic hydrocarbons in presence of aluminium chloride, 

 by M. L. Bouveault. Reaction readily occurs with benzene, 

 toluene, and metaxylene, more difficultly with cymene, with 

 production of the corresponding substituted glyoxylic ethers. 

 With cymene, a new ethyl cymene is obtained as a bye-product. 

 — New derivatives of the cyanoacetic ethers, by M. Guinchant. 

 — Physiological study of the Cyclamens of Persia, by MM. A. 

 Hebert and G. Truftant. The methods of high culture usually 

 followed for these ornamental plants do not necessarily give the 

 largest flowers, a rich soil giving large leaves and small flowers, 

 a poor soil the reverse. — On a new soluble oxidising ferment of 

 vegetable origin, by M. G. Bertrand. The browning of the cut 

 surfaces of certain vegetables, dahlia, apple, and others, is due to 

 the oxidation of the tyrosine under the influence of a soluble 

 ferment, an oxydase. It can be isolated from the roots of the 

 dahlia.— On the buccal and resophageal pouches of the 

 Prosobramhia, by M. A. .Xmaudrut.— General observations on 

 the distribution of the Algae in the Bay ot Biscay, by M. C. 



