}84 



NA TURE 



[August 20, 1896 



to the influence of a memoir by Hann, published some ten years 

 since, and then points out that the idea was further developed 

 in von HehiihoUz's " Mechanics of the Karth's Atmosphere." 

 He then expounds his own method, and closes with the hope 

 that it may lead meteorology out of the region of vacillating 

 ideas that now control it into a broader field, and "place it 

 among the exact sciences, where everything is reduced to 

 numerical computation, and thus, to an important extent, 

 further its application to daily practice." — Prof. Osgood writes 

 on some points in the elements of the theory of functions. — On 

 the motion of a homogeneous sphere or spherical shell on an 

 inclined plane, taking into account the rotation of the earth, 

 by Prof. A. S. Chessin, discusses some interesting illustrations 

 akin to Foucault's experiments with the pendulum and the 

 gyroscope.— From the Notes we learn that the Council have 

 arranged for a colloquium in connection with their summer 

 meeting at Buffalo, at which are to be delivered two courses of 

 six lectures each, viz. on the subject of Hnear differential equa- 

 tions and their application, by Prof. M. Bocher, and on the 

 Galois theory of equations, by Prof. J. Pierpont. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, August lo. — M. A. Cornu in the 

 chair. — Researches on cyanic acid, by M. Berthelot. By study- 

 ing the reaction between acetic acid and potassium cyanate it 

 was found to be possible to separate the heat evolved by the 

 simple replacement of the cyanic by acetic acid, from the heat 

 evolved in the subsequent decomposition into ammonia and 

 carbon dioxide. The value thus found for the heat of neutral- 

 isation of cyanic acid (I2'25 calories) was confirmed by the 

 observation that no reaction takes place between potassium 

 cyanate and boric acid (heat of neutralisation, If6 calories). — 

 Researches on the volatility of h\>vulic acid, by MM. Berthelot 

 and Andre. Lrevulic acid is slightly volatile in vacuo at ordinary 

 temperatures. Analysis of the residual acid showed that its 

 composition was not quite the same as the original 

 acid, possibly owing to the formation of an anhydride. 

 — On the reactions taking place in the cold between phosphoric 

 acid and ether in the presence of water, by MM. Berthelot and 

 Andre. — M. Marcellin Langlois presented two memoirs on 

 thermochemistry. — On the lunar photographs offered to the 

 Academy by M. Weinek, Director of the Prague Oliservatory, 

 by M. Loswy. — On the part played by the dielectric in the 

 discharge by the Rontgen rays, by M. Jean Perrin. — 

 Photography in the interior of a Crookes' tube, by M. G. de 

 Metz. By the use of the method previously described, it has 

 been found possible to draw up tables of relative perme- 

 abilities to X-rays and kathode rays. With the exception 

 of lead, which is slightly more transparent for the kathode 

 rays than for the X-rays, the two tables are identical, and 

 even this exception appears to be capable of explanation. 

 The kathode rays, like the X-rays, appear to be non-polarisable. 

 — Remarks on the preceding communication, by M. II. Poin- 

 care. In the experiments described in the previous paper, the 

 kathode rays have to traverse a piece of card. It has still to be 

 shown that this card does not give out X-rays. — Researches on 

 the principles of vegetable digestion, by M. V. Poulet. The 

 carefully-cleaned root-hairs of a number of plants gave, on 

 pulverising and extracting with dilute acid, traces of ferrous 

 tartrate. This appears to play an important part in the process 

 of vegetable digestion ; and it is .suggested that, in the absence 

 of iron in the soil, it is the non-formation of this salt which cau.ses 

 etiolation : that chlorophyll itself in the pure slate contains no 

 iron, being now well established.— On a new properly of the 

 corpuscle of the silk-worm disease, by M. J. M. Kras.silschtchik. 

 — On the heterogamic fertilisation of the algte Edocarpim 

 seciindiis, by M. C. Sauvageau. — Alteration in the elimination 

 of phosphates, under the influence of the Rontgen rays, by M. L. 

 Lecercle. The rate of elimination of phosphorus appears to be 

 increased. 



Nkw South W.\les. 



Linnean Society, June 24. — Mr. Henry Deane, President, in 



the chair. — A new family of Australian fishes, by J. I). Ogilby. 



In this paper the author projjosed to segregate in a new family. 



under the name Melaiioheiiiidte, certain small fresh-water 



percesocoid fishes belonging to the Austrogxan region, which 

 differ from all other members of that group by the structure of 

 the first dorsal fin, which consi.sts of a single stout and pungent 

 ray followed by two or more flexible unarticulated rays ; by the 

 thoracic insertion of the venlral fins, &c. — New genera and 

 species of Australian fishes, by J. D. Ogilby. — On the Aus- 

 tralian C/h'iiiides (Fam. Caiabidtc), by T. G. Sloane. Thirty- 

 one new species of Clivina were described, bringing the total 

 for .-Vustralia up to eighty-three, divisible into thirteen groups. 

 — On the bag- shelters of certain lepidoplerous larv;e of the 

 genus Teara, by W. W. Froggatt. A general account is 

 given of the curious bag-like diurnal shelters fabricated by the 

 gregarious larva- of moths of the genus Tcara, with particulars 

 of the life-history of T. contraria bred from nests obtained near 

 Sydney. — Diatomaceous-earth deposits of the Warrumbungle 

 Mountains, by Prof. T. W. E. David. — In Ihe neighbourhood 

 of the diatomaceous-earth deposits two formations are repre- 

 sented : (i) the permo-carboniferous coal measures and (2) 

 trachyte lavas, dykes and tuffs, with which last are a.ssociated 

 the deposits of diatomaceous-earth, and a seam of lignite. At 

 one of the outcrops, fossil leaves ( Ciiinamoiituni Leuhhatdlii, 

 Ettingsh.) occur on a horizon immediately above and intimately 

 associated with the diatomaceous-earth. The latter is largely 

 made up of diatoms (the genus Mclosira predominating) and 

 sponge spicules ; and the age of the deposit is provisionally set 

 down as early Eocene or late Cretaceous. The author empha- 

 sised and discussed the significance of the fact that all the 

 diatomaceous deposits hitherto found in New South Wales 

 occur in association with volcanic rocks. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A System of Medicine. By F. W. T 361 



A Text-book of Experimental Physics. By Prof. A. 



Gray, F.R.S 363 



Travels among the Hausa 364 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Mackenzie : " Practical Mechanics, applied to Ihe 



Requirements of Ihe Sailor."— Rev. F. C. Stebbing 364 



Jenkins: " Power Locomotion on the Highway " . . 365 

 Letters to the Editor:— 



The Utility of Specific Characters.— Prof. E. Ray 



Lankester, F.R.S 365 



Habils and Distribution of " Galeodes."— Surgeon- 

 Major E. Cretin; R. I. Pocock . . . . 366 

 Nest-building Amphipod in the Bmads. — Henry 



Scherren 3^7 



The Eftects of a Strong Magnetic Field upon Electric 



Discharges in Vacuo.— Rev. Walter Sidgreaves 367 

 The Liverpool Meeting of the British Association. 



By Prof. W. A. Herdman, F.R S 367 



County Councils and Agriculture 368 



The Eclipse of the Sun 369 



Notes 370 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Lunar Photographs 374 



Distribution of Binary-Star Orbits 374 



Comet 1S90 VH 374 



Photography of Solar Corona 374 



Hansen's Polar Expedition 374 



Bacteria and Carbonated Waters. By Mrs. Percy 



Frankland 375 



A New Oxyacid of Nitrogen. By G. N. H 377 



A Research on the Liquefaction of Helium. (IUks- 



tralid.) By Prof. K. Olszewski . 377 



On Periodicity of Good and Bad Seasons. By H. 



C. Russell, CM. G., F.K.S ' . • ■ 379 



Snake Venom and Anti-venomous Serum. By Prof. 



A. Calmette 380 



Report of the Department of Science and Art . . . 382 



University and Educational Intelligence 383 



Scientific Serials 3^3 



Societies and Academies 384 



N 



O. 1399, VOL. 54] 



