310 
diminished by a transverse magnetisation.—A, Konig and 
Fr. Richarz, a new method of determining the constant of 
gravitation.—Leo Arons, interference fringes in the spectrum. 
Fringes are observed to intrude ; which the author eventually 
traces to the films between the two lenses of the achromatic 
telescopes. —Robert Weber, the electrical siren. An interesting 
apparatus producing tones in a receiving telephone by interrupt- 
ing the circuit by a rotating cylinder having series of electric 
contacts around its periphery. 
xxv. May.—Prof. L. Lorenz, determination of the electric 
resistance of mercury columns in absolute electro-magnetic 
measure. The result of the author’s method is that the true 
value of the ohm is represented by a mercury column of 1 square 
miliimetre section and 105°93 centimetres in length.—Franz 
Stenger, contributions to the electric conductivity of gases. — 
Hans Jahn, on the validity of Joule’s law for electrolytes. The 
careful experiments establish the validity to a very close degree. 
—R. Lamprecht, on flexible conductors under magnetic influ- 
ence. A mathematical discussion.—J. J. Balmer, note on the 
spectrum lines of hydrogen. The wave-lengths of twelve ob- 
served lines are found to agree with the formula A= V/(m"/m?— 4), 
where /V is a coefficient, and # and x whole numbers. For 
hydrogen, W=3645 X 107° cm.—Dr. Fr. Vogel, change of 
refraction in glass and calc-spar with temperature. The author 
finds, with Fizeau, a diminution in the difference between the 
two indices of calc-spar nearly proportional to the elevation of 
temperature.—Prof. W. Voigt, the optical properties of very 
thin metal films. Rediscusses Quincke’s results. —Julius Elster 
and Hans Geitel, note on a sensitive Doubler, This is nothing 
else than a Thomson’s water-dropper.—Elster and Geitel, 
remarks on the electric processes in storm-clouds. The authors 
regard thunder-clouds as acting as the water-dropping doubler 
does, in raising at the expense of the kinetic energy of the falling 
drops the electric potential of the mass placed under electric 
influence.—Elster and Geitel, on the development of electricity 
during formation of rain.—Dr. H. Kayser, on lightning photo- 
graphs.—Prof. G. F. Fitzgerald, on the memoir of Prof. Kundt 
on the electromagnetic rotation of the plane of polarisation of 
light by iron, cobalt, and nickel.—Hanichi Muraoka, on the 
magic Japanese mirror.—K, Exner, remark on? the velocity of 
light in quartz. 
Rendiconti del Reale Istituto Lombardo, June 11.—Further 
remarks on the functions that satisfy the differential equation 
A’u = 0, by Prof. Giulio Ascoli.—On the resolution of certain 
modular equations, a complement to the author’s paper on the 
transformation and division of the elliptical functions, by G. 
Morera.—-Inyersion of the movement of the pupil in the case of 
a person affected by progressive analysis, by Prof. A. Raggi.— 
On certain physiological functions of the lower organisms: a 
contribution to the morphology of the Metazooi, by Prof. 
Leopoldo Maggi.—Reply to the recent objections advanced 
against a science of penal jurisprudence, by E. A. Buccellati.— 
Some recent studies on the origin of the Institutions of Justinian, 
by Prof. C. Ferrini. 
THE largest space in the Mxovo Giornale Botanico Italiano for 
July is occupied by a paper by Sig. C. Massolongo, on the 
Hepaticz gathered by Dr. Spegazzini in Terra del Fuego in 
1882, an important contribution to Hepaticology. Ninety-five 
species are described, a considerable number of them new, in- 
cluding, also, one new genus, Pga/ettoa. The paper is illustrated 
by no less than seventeen plates. The kindred Bryology claims 
also a paper by Sig. Venturi, on the Italian representatives of 
the section Harpidium of Hypnum. Sig. Piccone gives a list of 
marine and freshwater Algze observed by him on or near the 
Ligurian coast, many of them being new to the district. The 
only papers in this number not concerned with Cryptogamy are 
teratological—by Sig. Terracciano on a quadrilocular capsule of 
Agave ; and by Prof. Caruel on Viridescence in Verbascum, 
In the Journal of Botany for July, Mr. W. H. Beeby de- 
scribes and figures the recently-discovered Sparganium neglectum 
from Surrey, for which he claims the rank of a good species. 
With the exception of a teratological note on Peloria in Hadenaria 
bifolia by Mr. H. N. Ridley, all the other papers in this number 
are descriptive and topographical :—New ferns from Brazil, by 
J. G. Baker; additions to the British lichen-flora, by Rev. 
J. M. Crombie ; Notes on the flora of Ceylon, by Dr. Trimen ; 
on the flora of the Philippine Islands, by R. A. Rolfe; on 
Dovedale plants, by Rev. W. N. Purchas. —Dr. Buchanan 
White records one more addition to the Flowering plants of 
Great Britain, Schenus ferrugineus, from Perthshire. 
NATURE 
= . o ¢ 
[ Fuly 30, 1885 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LONDON 
Geological Society, June 24.—Prof. T. G. Bonney, F.R.S., 
President, in the chair.—John MacDonald Cameron, Matthew 
Heckels, and Robert H. Williams, were elected Fellows of the 
Society.—The following communications were read :—Supple- 
mentary notes on the deep boring at Richmond, Surrey, by 
Prof. John W. Judd, F.R.S., Sec.G.S., and Collett Homers- 
ham, F.G.S. Since the author’s former communication to the 
Society on the subject, this boring, in spite of the strenuous 
efforts made by the Richmond Vestry, and the contractors, 
Messrs. Docwra and Co., has had to be abandoned, after reach- 
ing a total depth of 1447 feet from the surface. This depth is 
145 feet greater than that of any other well in the London 
Basin, and, reckoning from Ordnance datum, reaches a lower 
level by 312 feet than any other well in the district. Before the 
termination of the work temperature-observations were obtained, 
which generally confirm those previously arrived at. The strata 
in which the boring terminated consisted of the red and varie- 
gated sandstones and marls previously described, which were 
proved to the depth of 208 feet. Although it was demonstrated 
that these beds have a dip of about 30°, complicated in places 
by much false-bedding, no conclusive evidence could be obtained 
concerning their geological age. They may be referred either 
to some part of the Poikilitic series, or to the Carboniferous (for 
similar strata have been found intercalated in the Carboniferous 
series at Gayton, near Northampton), or they may be regarded 
as of Old Red Sandstone age. Some interesting additional obser- 
vations have been made since the reading of the former paper, on 
the Cretaceous rocks passed through in this well. Mr. W. Hill, 
F.G.S., of Hitchin, has found the exact analogue of the curious 
conglomerated chalk met with at a depth of 704 feet at Rich- 
mond. His observations entirely confirm the conclusion that 
we have at this depth the ‘‘ Melbourne rock ” with the zone of 
Belemnites plenus in a remanté condition at its base. Some new 
facts concerning the state of preservation of the fossils in the 
Chalk Marl are also recorded. With respect to the conclusions 
arrived at by the author concerning the distribution of the 
Jurassic rocks on the south side of the London Basin, an im- 
portant piece of confirmatory evidence has been supplied by a 
deep boring made at the Dockyard-Extension Works at Chat- 
ham. This section, for the details of which the authors are 
indebted to the officers of the Geological Survey, shows that 
under the Chalk and Gault, with normal characters and thick- 
ness, there lie 41 feet of sandy strata of Neocomian age, and 
that these are directly underlain by blue clays of Middle 
Oxfordian age, as is proved by the numerous fossils which 
they have yielded. We have now, therefore, direct evi- 
dence of the existence and position of strata of Lower, 
Middle, and Upper Oolite age, respectively, beneath the 
Cretaceous rocks of the south-east of England.—On the 
igneous and associated rocks of the Breidden Hills in East 
Montgomeryshire and West Shropshire, by W. W. Watts, 
F.G.S. The author, in this paper, described the succession of 
recks in the small tract near the Breidden Hills situated between 
Welshpool and Shrewsbury. The Cambrian rocks are: (rf) 
Criggion shales, dark and barren, much penetrated by intrusive 
diabases and about 2700 feet thick. (2) Andesitic lavas and 
ashes, followed by conglomerates of the same materials, (3) 
Ashy grits and shales containing Cl/imacograpsus antiguus? C. 
bicornis ? C. scharenbergi, Cryptograpsus tricornis, Diplograpsus 
foliaceus, Leptograpsus flaccidus? Beyrichia complicata, Tri- 
nucleus concentricus, Orthis testudinaria, Bellerophon bilobatus, 
The rocks arethus of Bala age, the fossils indicating that the 
ashy grits and shales are on the horizon of the top of the Glen- 
kiln or bottom of the Hartfell series. These are followed by 
Silurian strata. (1) Pextamerus beds. Soft sandstones and 
mudstones yielding Pentamerus globosus? P. oblongus, P. 
undatus, Leptena transversalts, Strophomena rhombotdalis, 
Petraia subduplicata, (2) purple shales, unfossiliferous. (3) 
Lower Wenlock shale, with Monograptus vomerinus ? Crypto- 
erapsus, sp., M. priodon, var. Flemingt. These graduate into 
(4) Upper Wenlock shale, with 47. priodon, MZ. vomerinus ? M. 
basilicus, M. nilssoni, M.rameri. (5) Lower Ludlow shale. AZ. 
colonus, M. nilssont, M. salweyi, M. lintwardenensis. The paper 
concluded with microscopical descriptions of the igneous rocks, 
of which there are two sets: (1) An older set interbedded with 
the Cambrian and consisting of andesites bearing a large ‘per- 
centage of a mineral allied to enstatite, together with augite 
and a small quantity of hornblende and mica. These are 
