144 
of Coly living in the Society’s Collection. Mr. Beddard, on 
behalf of himself and Mr. Treves, read a paper on the anatomy 
of the Sondaic Rhinoceros (XAinoceros sondaicus) which had 
died in the Society’s Gardens in January last. A communica- 
was read from Dr. Julius von Haast, F.R.S., C.M.Z.S, on 
Megalapreryx hectori, an extinct gigantic representative of the 
Apteryx, of which the remains had recently been discovered in 
New Zealand. Dr. Guillemard, F.Z.S., read the fourth and 
fifth parts of his report-on the collectiun of birds formed during 
the voyage of the yacht Marchesa. The present communica- 
tions treated of the birds collected at Celebes and on the 
Molucea Isiands. Mr. J. Bland Sutton, F.Z.S., read a paper 
on the development and morphology of the human sphenoid bone, 
in which he attempted to show that the basi-temporals of the 
bird are not homologous with the Zingule sphenotdales, but with 
the so-called pterygoid bones of the crocodile, and that the 
human /eul@ are homologous with the sphenotic of the bird. 
—Mr. Edgar A. Smith, F.Z.S., read a report on a collection of 
shells, chiefly land and fresh water, obtained by Mr. H. B. 
Guppy, R.N., Surgeon H.M.S. Zar&, during a recent visit to 
Solomon Islands. 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, June 2.—M. Bouley, President, 
in the chair.—Human locomotion: stereoscopic images of the 
trajectories described in space by a point of the body while 
walking, running, or otherwise moving (two illustrations), by 
M. Marey.—Remarks on the ‘‘ Registres d’expérience,” a col- 
lection of sixty-nine volumes in MSS. by Henry Victor Regnault, 
dealing with a great variety of questions in chemistry, physics, 
thermodynamics, hygrometry, &c., presented to the Academy 
by M. Reiset.—On the treatment of nervo-pulmonary asthma 
and cardiac asthma by inhaling certain vapours all containing a 
special substance known as pyridine (C;H,N), by M. Germain 
Sée.—Account of a species of anzesthesia unattended by sleep, 
and with the perfect preservation of the intellect, the voluntary 
movements, the senses and sensibility to the touch, by M. 
Brown-Séquard, From numerous experiments made on the 
dog, monkey, and man, the author shows that, under the influ- 
ence of an irritation set up in the laryngeal mucous membrane, 
sensibility to pain may disappear or be diminished for many 
hours without the least disturbance of the mental faculties, the 
senses, or the voluntary movements in man and animals.—Ke- 
marks on M. Lucien Biart’s work on ‘‘ The Aztecs, their 
History, Manners, and Customs,” presented to the Academy by 
M. de Quatrefages. It was stated by the Secretary that this 
volume forms one of a series entitled ‘“* The Ethnological 
Library,” to be edited by MM. de Quatrefages and Hamy, and 
to comprise, besides a general history of the races of mankind, 
a number of monographs devoted to the detailed study of the 
various branches of the human family.—Observations of the 
solar spots, faculze, and protuberances made at the Observatory 
of the Roman College during the first quarter of the year 1885, 
by M. Tacchini. Compared with the corresponding period of 
the previous year the spots appear to have been more numerous, 
but of relatively smaller size, while little difference was observed 
in the recurrence of the faculee. The same peculiarity was again 
noted of a maximum of facule coinciding with a minimum of 
spots.—Remarks on the physical appearances of the planet 
Uranus in the months of March, April, and May of the present 
year, by Pére Lamey.—On a method of measuring the 
magnetic rotatory force of solid, fluid, and gaseous bodies 
in absolute unities, by M. Henri Becquerel. The numbers de- 
termined in varions ways by other observers correspond very 
closely with that of the author as shown by the subjoined 
table :— 
Gordon : 0/0433 
Lord Rayleigh 0! "04.30 
L. Arons 0’ 0439 
Becquerel 004341 
—An optical method for the absolute measurement of short 
distances, by M. Mace de Lépinay.—On the spectrum of bodies 
in ‘radiant matter,” in which many substances emit a phos- 
phores cent light, by M. W. Crookes.—On the velocity with 
which prismatic sulphur is transformed to octahedric sulphur, 
by M. D. Gernez.—On the presence of sulphurous acid in the 
atmosphere of towns, by M. G. Witz. From the analysis of the 
ozone made at Montsouris and elsewhere the author finds that 
swphurous acid exists in the air of towns where coal is con- 
NATURE 
[Fune 11, 1885 
sumed, its presence causing a considerable diminution of atmo- 
spheric ozone, accompanied by the formation of sulphuric acid ; 
further, that by the slow but continuous action of sulphurous 
acid, and under the influence of the frequent changes in the 
degree of humidity, the peroxide of red lead used in colouring 
certain placards, is destroyed and sulphated. At the same time 
the protoxide of lead thus liberated is transformed to an insoluble 
sulphite. This salt being easily analysed, a new and certain 
means is thus obtained for determining the condition of the 
atmosphere in large cities: —The arsenic present in the soil of 
cemeteries considered from the toxicological standpoint, by MM. 
Schlagdenhauffen and Garnier.—Classification and anatomy of 
the Tectibranchea, a family of mollusks abounding in the Bay of 
Marseilles, by M. A. Vayssiere. Of this family twenty-two 
species are grouped under the sub-order Cephalaspidea, six 
under Anaspidea, and nine under Notaspidea. All belong to 
the order of Opistobranchea, the exceptions indicated by Hering 
being based on erroneous data.—On the spores and reproductive 
processes in Spherocarpus terrestris, Targionia hypophylla, and 
other plants of the same order, by M. Leclere du Sablon.—On 
the problem of repetitions and symmetry in the mineral kingdom 
(one illustration), by M. P. Curie.—On an apparatus adapted for 
the comparative study of opaque minerals, which cannot be easily 
examined under the microscope, by M. A. Inostrauzeff.—On a 
unique specimen of hydrous silex belonging to the quaternary 
formation of the Loing Valley, department of Seine-et-Marne, 
by M. Stan. Meunier.—On the upper Miocene formations of the 
Cerdagne district, a lacustrine basin on the southern slope of 
the Eastern Pyrenees, by MM. L. Reérolle and Ch. Depéret.— 
Description of a self-registering calorimeter adapted for recording 
the temperature of the human body, three illustrations, by M. A. 
d’Arsonval.—On electric alcoholic fermentation, by M. Em. 
Bourquelot. From his experiments the author finds that this 
fermentation, as originally determined by Dubrunfant, may be 
modified by the temperature, by dilution, and by the alcohol 
formed during the fermentation itself.—On the uniformity of the 
process of spermatogenesis in the order of mammals, by :M. 
Laulanié.—Action of cocaine on the invertebrate animals, by M. 
Richard.—A contribution to the study of antiseptics: action of 
the antiseptics on the higher organisms, iodide and chloride of 
mercury, by MM. A. Mairet, Pilatte, and Combemal.—In- 
fluence of the lunar declinafions on the displacement of the 
atmospheric currents, a reply to M. de Parville, by M. A. 
Poincaré. 
CONTENTS 
The Darwin) Memorial.) ). << sence 
Claus’s ‘‘ Elementary Text-Book of Zoology” .. 122 
Clifford’s Exact Sciences. By Prof. P. G. Tait 124 
Our Book Shelf :— 
Christy’s ‘‘ New Commercial Plants and Drugs”. . 125 
Letters to the Editor :— 
Ocular After-Images and Lightning. —A.S. Davis. 126 
A Quinquefoliate Strawberry.—E. Lewis Sturte- 
Want 22 6 5 Se els fo fe eke 
Observations of the Temperature of the Sea and 
Air, made during a Voyage from England to the 
River Plate in the s.s. ‘‘Leibnitz.” By J. Y. 
Buchanan 2. wu ise.) os!im © 1c) ©) eee ne 
The Rev. T. W. Webb. By G. F.Chambers. .. 130 
The Preservation of Niagara. (///ustrated). . ... 131 
Notes: ).. esses: Gy ven a ene um gdiney aS a eee 
Astronomical Phenomena for the Week 1885, 
Jute wg s2owyt seis) 3 0, oct eet (ote of eer 
Geographical Notes (595 5 2). 020) ole eee 
Anniversary of the Royal Geographical Society. . 136 
Prof. Reynolds on the Steam Indicator. By Prof. 
@sborne Reynolds SPOR Si. ale eneas Sart 137 
The Visitation of the Royal Observatory, Green- 
WICH 2 so, svar ae feb fe ate tok epee tal wee Sohn sate a 
Vivisection! "5 chic ats <a ites coret ten oo cue ne ecm 
University and Educational Intelligence ..... I4! 
Societiestand) Academies) 02. 25) 2. suse) ce wenn = 
