May 28, 1885] 
NATURE 
95 
intelligence and will are localised, so that even slight lesions 
of the central part of the annular protuberance destroy 
both the faculty of speech and of reason, He accordingly 
denies that the strictly psychic faculties are located in the cerebral 
cortex, which is the seat only of the organs of sense.—Note on 
the influence of the ship’s motions (rolling and pitching) on the 
observations made at sea with the Renouf mercury level, by 
M. O. Callandreau.—Remarks on the observations of the planet 
Saturn made during the present year with the 0°22 refractor of 
the Meudon Observatory, by M. E. L. Trouvelot.—Note on the 
verification of the laws of vibration for elastic circular plaques, 
by M. E. Mercadier.—On the production of induction sparks at 
high temperatures, and on its application to the study of the 
spectrum, by M. Eug. Demarcay.—Composition and heat of 
combustion of a variety of coal from the Altendorf mines of the 
Ruhr’ Basin,» by M. Scheurer-Kestner.—Note on the buccal 
membrane characteristic of the cephalopods, by M. L. Vialleton. 
From a microscopic study of this organ, the use of which has 
hitherto been unknown, the author infers that it should probably 
be regarded as a rudimentary arm.—A study of the chlorophyll 
action of plants as clistinct from their respiration, by MM. G, 
Bonnier and IL. Mangin. By ‘‘chlorophyll action” the 
authors understand the decomposition of the carbonic acid of 
the atmosphere by the green parts of vegetables in the 
light. This function they claim to have separated from 
that of respiration hitherto studied in connection with it, and 
here give the first results of their researches on the two physio- 
logical functions studied apart. — Note on the uric acid 
present in the saliva and in the nasal, pharyngial, bron- 
chial, and vaginal mucus, by M. Boucheron. — On the 
influence of the lunar declinations on the displacement of 
the atmospheric currents, by M. H. de Parville.—On the 
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which are of such frequent 
occurrence in Central Americc, by M. de Montessus. The 
author here communicates some of the results of a systematic 
study of these phenomena prosecuted for the last four years at 
San Salvador and neighbouring distric's.—Note on some under- 
ground rumblings heard in the Island of San Domingo on 
August 28, 1883—that is, on the same day as the Krakatoa 
eruption, by M. Alex. Llenas.—Remarks on M. Gavoy’s work 
on the ‘*‘ Morphology of the Encephalon,” presented to the 
Academy by M. Larrey. 
BERLIN 
Physical Society, March 8.—Dr. Kayser showed a new 
electro-dynamometer constructed according to the directions 
of Prof. Bellati. Hitherto dynamometers consisted of two 
spirals—an external one, fixed, and an internal, movable, with 
bifilar suspension, which, being both successively traversed by 
the currents to be measured, produced a deflexion of the movable 
spiral that was proportional to the square of the strength of the 
current. The technical difficulties attending the construction of 
these instruments were very great, and Prof. Bellati had there- 
fore substituted for the inner spiral a bundle of annealed iron 
wires hanging to a cocoon thread inside the fixed spiral. Seeing 
the annealed iron wires possessed no residval magnetism, they 
were at once magnetised by any current and their deviation was 
likewise proportional to the square of the strength of the current. 
This dynamometer was highly sensitive with weak currents. An 
intercalated telephone, the membrane of which was feebly 
struck, gave deviations of from sixty to eighty parts of the 
scale—a sensitiveness which till then had been attained by 
no dynamometer. Dr. Kayser at the same time showed 
a globular dynamometer, after the design of Frohlich, in 
which the inner spiral was coiled up like a ball, and a 
Siemens torsion dynamometer for strong currents in which 
the inner spiral was fixed, the outer movable, and the 
deviation read by a torsion apparatus. In the discussion 
which followed the speaker stated that the measurements 
hitherto taken had proved great precision on the part of Prof. 
Bellati’s dynamometer.—Dr. Dieterici reported on the results of 
an investigation carried out by him in the last session into the 
electric residuum. The phenomenon had been experimentally 
examined by Prof. Kohlrausch, and theoretically treated by Rie- 
mann ; but the formulz set up by the latter did not correspond 
with the results of the experiments, and therefore the speaker 
undertook a new treatment of the subject. The experiments 
were carried out with a condenser, the lower plate of 
which was connected with the earth, the upper with a 
small mercury cup. A metal hoop led from the latter 
to a second mercury cup which on one side communi- 
cated through a metallic wire with one half of a quadrant 
electrometer, and on the other side through a second hoop with 
a third mercury cup. The second half of the electrometer 
and the third mercury cup were in permanent communica- 
tion with the earth. The two hoops could alternately be raised 
out of the quicksilyer by cords passing over a pulley or let down. 
If the first hoop were lifted up, the electrometer was conducted 
to the earth, the upper condenser plate, on the other hand, 
was isolated, and could now be charged. Thereupun the hoop 
was let down; the condenser now stood in connection with 
the earth and discharged itself. Finally, if the second hoop 
were raised, the condenser was connected with the electro- 
meter, and both isolated. The residuum after the discharge 
could now be measured. The charge was effected by the highly 
constant dry Daniell cells (according to Herr v. Beetz), and in 
the different series of experiments the continuance of the charge 
was varied between five minutes and twenty-four hours, as the 
strength of the current was likewise varied. For each dura- 
tion and strength of charge the residuum was determined 
in its course in respect of time in a series of individual determina- 
tions. The dielectric of the condenser was a paraffin plate 
and air. The experiments showed that under a charge of short 
duration—say, five to ten minutes—the residuum rose very 
rapidly with the time, and soon attained its maximum ; so that 
its curve mounted very steeply and soon ran. parallel to the 
abscissa of the time. Under a charge of long duration, again, 
the curve rose more slowly indeed; had, however, always 
greater values, and lay with more flat bend over the curve of 
short charge. On changing the strength of the current the 
electric residuum was always in proportion. Dr. Dieterici now 
treated the theory of the phenomenon, and briefly sketched the 
course of its theoretic investigation, which, under the assumption 
that the dielectric was infinitely thick—that is, neglecting 
the influence of the thickness—led to formule which very 
well explained the experimental results. The formulee were, 
however, only empirical : they did not allow the determination 
of the constants of the phenomenon. In conclusion, the speaker 
dwelt on the analogy of the electric residuum to the phenomena. 
of heat, which had also under theoretic treatment found its 
expression by application of heat-formule, and to the elastic 
after-effect which Prof. Kohlrausch had already pointed out. 
ROME 
Real2 Accademia dei Lincei, March 1.—Fossil remains 
of D.oplodon and Mesoplodon, found in the Upper Tertiary 
in Italy.—Signor Capellini made a communication concerning 
a paper of his, in which he illustrates and describes the fossil 
remains of Ziphioids with elongated belemnite-shaped beak, 
found in various places in Italy. These remains belong to the 
following species :—Dioplodon longirostris, D. gibbus, D. tenut- 
rostris, D. bonontensis, D. medilineatus, D. senensis, D. laveleyt, 
D. meneghini. A few remains are ascribable to the genus 
Mesoplodon. The specimen described by the author add seven 
species of Ziphioids to the fossil cetaceans found in Italy ; four 
of these being already known in the Upper Tertiary of Belgium 
and England, while the three others are entirely new. It must 
be remembered that before 1875 no fossil remains of Ziphioids 
were known to exist in Italy. From that time till now there 
have been discovered about ten species, some of the remains. 
belonging to which are of great importance to palzeontology and 
stratigraphical geology. —On the mineral volcanic eyectamenta 
found in the east of the Lake of Bracciano.—Signor Striiver 
communicated an abstract of a memoir, in which he explains 
how, after long and fruitless searches, there had been found 
within the last few years, in the region lying to the east of the 
Lake of Bracciano, numerous mineral eyecfamenta similar to the 
bombs of Monte Somma, and the mineral aggregates of the 
Monti Albani, of Pitigliano, and of Lake Laach, in Germany. 
These cjectamenta are found between strata of tuff or /af7//¢i and 
fragments of various rocks. Among the numerous minerals 
composing the aggregates, Prof. Striiver draws special attention 
to the sarcolite, a mineral hitherto found but rarely, and that 
only on Monte Somma. The e/écfamentx in question present, 
in respect of the extraordinary diversity in their forms, great 
analogy to the aggregates of a like nature found in the other 
places mentioned, but nevertheless have a local stamp of their 
own, and their diversity is in correspondence with the position 
of the volcanoes from which they were ejected, and the rocks of 
the regions in which these volcanoes were active. Prof. Strtiver 
draws attention to the fact that these aggregates must at one 
