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Sept. 24, 1885 | 
NATURE 
519 
from swinging disks were always greater than from an outflow- 
apparatus. Experiments in which sulphate of manganese solu- 
tion was let flow from a capillary tube placed between mag- 
netic poles, and others in which the capillary tube, of flint glass 
coated with shellac, was brought into the field of a condenser 
(the liquid being sulphide of carbon), showed no alteration of 
the coefficient of friction.—On the solubility of salt mixtures, 
by F. Riidorff’ Of the pairs of salts examined, some were 
found to be forced from their common solutions when an excess 
of one or the other salt acted on these, but in other cases only 
those pairs of salts were forced out which separate from the 
common solution either in double salts or in mixed crystals.— 
On the theory of fluorescence, by E. lommel. He answers some 
objections of Herr Wiillner to his theory.—Spectral photometric 
researches on some photographic sensitisers. He finds the 
sensitising colouring-matters divisible into: (1) those which 
gradually absorb the spectrum from the violet onwards, and are 
like the ordinary photographic ; (2) those which have a regular 
absorptive action over great parts of the spectrum from the 
violet, but photographically show a maximum of sensitisation in 
the yellow ; and (3) those which show an absorption band in 
the spectrum and a local increase of sensibility to light there- 
abouts (coincidence not exact).—Correction of new formulz, by 
W. Wernicke.—Remarks on Herr Melde’s acoustic experimental 
researches, by A. Else.-—Alteration of the influence machine, 
by E. Lommel. _He gets a spark of 12 cm.—On an inaccuracy 
of the theory of the gold-leaf electroscope, by T. Habler. 
Pro-cedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. xxiii., 
part 1.—Mr. Bouvé contributes notes on gems, especially the 
garnet, hiddenite (an unnamed gem of a light yellow colour, a 
representative of the mineral spodumene, of which hiddenite is 
a green variety), and others.—Dr. S. Kneeland read a paper, 
illustrated by the stereopticon, on the subsidence theory of 
earthquakes as evidenced by the Ischian catastrophes of 1881 
and 1883.—Prof Crosby has a long paper on the relations of 
the conglomerate and slate in the Boston Basin; Mr. Bouvé on 
the genesis of the Boston Basin and its rock formations ; Messrs. 
Dickerman and Wadsworth on an olivine-bearing diabase from 
St. George, Maine ; Prof. Shaler on the origin of kames, akind 
of gravel deposit, also known as Eskers, and often called in 
America, Indian ridges. He supposes that at the close of the 
glacial period the re-elevation of the land must have been ac- 
complished with very great suddenness.—Finally, Prof. Hyatt 
contributes a lengthy paper on the larval theory of the origin of 
cellular tissues. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
PARIS 
Academy of Sciences, September 7.—M. Bouley, Pre- 
sident, in the chair.—Researches on isomerism in the aromatic 
series: Action of the alkalis on the phenols of mixed function, 
by M. Berthelot.—Studies on the mode of action of the sub- 
nitrate of bismuth in the staunching of sores, by MM. Gosselin 
and Heérat.—Note on the fluorescence of some rare earths, by 
M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. The author arrives at conclusions 
differing in several respects from those of Mr. Crookes, but 
reserves for the present an exposition of the grounds which 
induce him to infer that yttria is not the efficient cause of the 
fluorescence —On apparent anzesthesis and retarded sensations 
in hysterical, epileptic, and other nervous subjects, by M. 
V. Reyvillont.—Letter announcing the discovery of a new star in 
the nebula of Andromeda, by M. Lajoie.—Note on the changes 
recently observed in the nebula of Andromeda, by M. G. 
Bigourdan.—Observations of Brooks's new comet and of the 
new planet, 250, made at the Paris Observatory (equatorial of 
the west tower), by M. G. Bigourdan —Table of the chief 
elements of the ten regular polyhedric figures, one illus- 
tration, by M. Em. Barbier. — A new map of the 
solar spectrum, by M. L. Thollion. This work, which has 
occupied four years of incessant labour at the Observatory of 
Nice, comprises the whole of the solar spectrum between A 
and $—that is, about one-third of the prismatic spectrum. It is 
over ten metres long and includes 3200 lines, or double the 
number contained in Angstrém’s Atlas. In the preparation of 
this plan the author’s aim has chiefly been to determine as far as 
possible the present state of the solar spectrum, to serve as a 
starting-point for future observation. The physicist will by its 
means be able to record subsequent changes in the spectrum 
with the same certainty that the astronomer determines the 
changes taking place in stellar regions.—Account of the “ Ane- 
mogene,”’ an apparatus invented for generating aérial currents 
analogous to those of the terrestrial atmosphere, by Mer. 
Rougerie, Bishop of Pamier. This instrument takes the form of 
a miniature globe, which, by rotating around its axis in the air, 
is made to produce by its mechanical action currents resembling 
those observed on the greater part of the oceanic basins. The 
currents are indicated by vanes placed at intervals of 5°, like the 
compass-cards of the thirty-two winds prepared for the French 
navy by M. Brault. A list is given of all the trade winds, 
ascending and descending currents, and other normal atmo- 
spheric phenomena reproduced with more or less accuracy by 
this apparatus.—On the period of latent excitation of some 
smooth muscles in the invertebrates, by M. Henry de Varigny. 
—On the so-called “‘ vidian” nerves in birds, by M. F. Rochas. 
—On the anatomy and vital functions of Zruncatella trunca- 
tuda, by M. A. Vayssigre.—On the marine annelids of the Bay 
of Algiers, by M. C. Viguier.—On the anatomical structure of 
the Ascidians (genera Saracenia, Darlingtomia, and Nepenthes), 
by MM. Edouard Heckel and Jules Chareyre.—Note on the 
black rot recently introduced from the United States into the 
vineyards of Herault, by MM. P. Viala and L. Ravaz.—On the 
earthquake-shock felt at Orleans on August 16, by M. E. Renou. 
—M. H. Gadeau de Kervill announced that he had obtained a 
hybrid from a tame pigeon and a ring-dove, presenting in a 
modified form nearly all the special features of both parental 
types. 
September 14.—M. Bouley, President, in the chair.—Dis 
courses pronounced at the obsequies of the late M. Bouquet on 
September 11, by MM. J. Bertrand and Hermite.—On the 
fluorescence of some rare earths, continued, by M. Lecoq de 
Boisbaudran.—Descripiion of the model of a new integraph 
serving to trace an integral curve (y =/f(x)dx + C), any 
curve (y= /(x)) being given, one illustration, by MM. D. 
Napoli and Abdank-Abakanowicz. This integraph is capable 
of numerous applications, and may render great services to the 
engineer's art. It traces mechanically and with great precision 
the funicular curves or polygons which play so large a part in 
the problems of statics. Such problems as the centre of gravity, 
momenta of inertia, elastic curves and the like, are solved with 
great rapidity and accuracy.—On submarine countermines, by 
M. A. Treve.—On the new star in the nebula of Andromeda. 
Observations of Brooks’ comet made at the Observatory of Paris 
(equatorial of the West Tower), by M. G. Bigourdan.—Numerical 
tables intended to facilitate the calculation of the ephemeridesofthe 
minor planets, by MM. O. Callandreau and L. Fabry.—On the 
mixed haloid and other derivatives of methylene, by M. Louis 
Henry.—On the fermentation of bread-stuffs, by M. Aimé 
Girard. From numerous researches instituted to determine the 
true character of the phenomenon by which the dough is 
changed into bread, the author concludes that the transforma- 
tion is the result of alcoholic fermentation.—Researches on the 
morphology and anatomy of ferns, by M. P. Lachmann.—Dis- 
position of the artesian waters in the Wed Rir’ and throughout 
the Lower Sahara in general, by M. G. Rolland. In this paper 
the author sums up the results of observations continued for a 
period of six years on the underground supplies in the vast de- 
pression of the Shott Melrir in Algeria and Tunis.—A pplication 
of the laws of thermo-chemistry to geological phenomena : ores 
of manganese, by M. Dieulafait.—Note on a therapeutic opera- 
tion, to which the name of ‘‘dielectrolysis” has been given, by 
M. A. Broudel.—Trigonometric study of a pyramid whose base 
is the triangle of Pythagoras, by M. G. Petrowitsch. The sides 
of the base being respectively related as the number 3, 4, 5, the 
faces of the pyramid satisfy the relation 3? + 43 + 53 = 6%) the 
number 6 being the measure of the right-angled triangle of the 
base. 
BERLIN 
Physiological Society, July 17.—In consequence of a 
doubt expressed on a former occasion in the Society, Dr. 
H. Virchow had examined more minutely the eye of the 
frog, and had come to the conviction that it possessed a beautiful 
ciliary muscle with long fibres, which, as in the case of all other 
animals, composed the posterior and outer part of the ciliary 
body. The ciliary body, as was known, filled out the corner 
arising from the choroid, which closely adjoined the sclerotic, 
curving itself round to the iris at the point where the sclerotic 
passed into the cornea, and, besides the muscle, consisted of 
