NA TURE 



[Nov. 6, 1879 



Modigliano. — On a palKontological discovery made at Monte- 

 gazzo in Fellina (province of Keggio-Emilia), by Prof. A. 

 Ferreti.— On some recent communications made to the Paris 

 Chemical Society, by the Editor.— On the filling of a barometer 

 tube in vacuo, by Prof. Daruiano Macaluso. 



THE Archives dcs Sciences physiques et nalurelles (September, 

 Geneva) contain the following papers of note : — Review of the 

 principal publications on physiological botany during 1878, by 

 M. Marc Micheli. — On xylic acid, its preparation and compounds 

 derived from the same, by MM. E. Ador and Fr. Meier. — Note 

 on the last report of the Council of the Royal Astronomical 

 Society (London), by Prof. Gautier. — Analysis of some recent 

 works relating to the topography and the constitution of the 

 moon, by M, Rapin. — Account of the sixty-first meeting of the 

 Swiss Naturalists' Association, on Aug. 12-14, 1878. The 

 remaining contents of the number consist of mere extracts from 

 papers published in other serials and relate all to chemistry. 



La Natura (vol. iii., Nos. 16 and 17) contains the following 

 papers of interest : — On the intensity of electric currents and of 

 extra-currents in the telephone, by G. Farraris. — On the correc- 

 tion of mercury thermometers, by C. Ferrari. — Observations 

 made during the earthquake of August 9 last, by A. Serpieri. 

 — On two new meteorological works, by C. Ferrari. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 

 London 

 Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 

 October 21. — Dr. M. Forster-Heddle, president, in the chair. — 

 The following papers were read : — On the mineralogy and 

 geognosy of the Orkney Islands, by the president. — On a 

 probably dimorphous form of tin, by Dr. C. O. Trechmann. — 

 On some Cornish tin-stones and tincapels, by J. II. Collins, 

 F.G.S.— Experiments on the elasticity of minerals, by John 

 Milne. — On a peculiar pasty form of silica from Leadhills, 

 Scotland, by Andrew French, F.C.S. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, October 27. — M. Daubree in the 

 chair. — The following papers were read : — Notice on the life 

 and scientific works of M. Dortet de Tessan, by Admiral Paris. 

 —On the galvanic oxidation of gold, by M. Berthelot. This 

 refers to Grotthuss's observation of the dissolving of gold-wire 

 when used as positive pole in sulphuric acid traversed by a cur- 

 rent. The attack is not due to formation of persulphuric acid, 

 but solely to the influence of the current and contact of the elec- 

 trode with the electrolysed liquid. — Decomposition of selenhy- 

 dric acid by mercury, by M. Berthelot. He observed such 

 decomposition when the substances had been in contact with 

 each other a few years. — Note on the development of railways in 

 Brazil, by Gen. Morin. Two maps from the Emperor were 

 shown. The total length of railway in operation in the pro- 

 vinces of Rio de Janeiro, St. Paul, and Minas Geraes, is 2,8S2 

 km. ; in construction, 1, 751 km. ; total, 4,633 km. From 

 l,ocokm. to 1,200 km. of the working lines have a broad gauge 

 of l'6om. ; the rest, for local traffic, a gauge of I m. The 

 mountain chain near the sea in Rio de Janeiro presented great 

 difficulties, but beyond, the railways lie in long and fertile val- 

 leys. — Critical reflections on experiments concerning human 

 beat, by M. Him. — On the gymnastics of M. Zander of Stock- 

 holm, by M. Norstrom. This is a system of mechanical and 

 passive gymnastics, machinery worked by steam being used to 

 move the limbs of the subject in various ways (the force being 

 suitably proportioned). M. Larrey remarked on the complicated 

 and expensive nature of the apparatus, and desired scientific 

 data as to the effects obtained.— Result of researches made with 

 a view to find the origin of estival reinvasions of phylloxera, by 

 M. Faucon. The principal cause he considers to be carriage by 

 the wind (inferred from the result of fixing a sheet of oiled 

 white paper on a board at the top of a post facing the wind). 

 Other causes are passage of the insect on the surface of the 

 ground, and the presence of eggs. — On the appearance of mil- 

 dew or false American oidium in the vineyards of Italy, by M. 

 Pirotta. — Determination of longitudes, latitudes, and azimuths 

 in Algeria, by M. Perrier. He shows that the probable error of 

 each definitive result is about one-tenth of a second of an arc. — 

 Specific heats and points of fusion of different refractory metals, 

 by M. Violle. The specific heat of iridium grows regularly with 

 the temperature, and the formula gives 1950° (of the air-thermo- 

 meter) as the point of fusion. The specific heat of gold hardly 



varies up to 6oo°, then gradually increases towards the point of 

 fusion, 1035°. Other points of fusion : silver, 954° ; copper, 

 1032", palladium, 1500°, platinum, 1775°. — Chloride of lime 

 battery, by M. Niandet. The positive electrode is a zinc plate 

 in a solution of chloride of sodium. The negative, one of 

 carbon surrounded by fragments of carbon and chloride of lime 

 in a porous vessel. All the combinations produced are soluble, 

 and the battery remains an indefinite time at rest without being 

 used up. The electromotive force at first is over i - 6 volt. — On 

 the combinations of phosphuretted hydrogen with hydracids, and 

 on their heat of formation, by M. Ogier. — On erbine, by M, 

 Cleve. He recognises M. Soret's priority, and the identity of 

 the substances he himself called holmium, with M, Soret's X. — 

 Complementary note on commercial trimethylamine, by MM. 

 Duvillier and liursine. — On ordinary cellulose, by M. Fraachi- 

 mont. This refers partly to dehydration of cellulose with 

 sulphuric acid (chloride of zinc did not decompose cellulose). — 

 On glucose, by M. Franchimont. — On the transmissibility of 

 human rabies to the rabbit, by M. Raymond. Two rabbits were 

 inoculated with blood and saliva (respectively) from a hydro- 

 phobic person. That inoculated with saliva showed signs of 

 rabies four days after, and soon died. Pieces of its salivary 

 glands (got thirty-six hours after death) were introduced into 

 two other rabbits, who also died (paralysed), but without passing 

 through a violent stage. — Researches on Daltonism, by MM. Mace 

 and Nicati. Theyaimed at comparative measuresof the quantities of 

 light perceived in different parts of the spectrum by the Daltonian 

 and the normal eye. Curves were got corresponding to the three 

 varieties of Daltonian eye. The descent of the curve in the 

 green the authors think they have been the first to prove cer- 

 tainly. No simple relation between visual activity and intensity 

 of light was ascertained. — On the origin of the toxical properties 

 of the Indians' curare, by M. Du Lacerda. None of the vege- 

 table or animal juices often added by the Indians to the product 

 of Strychnos have the effects of curare, and Strychnos castelntce, 

 also, 5. triplineivia, are found to give curaric effects fully. — Ex- 

 perimental researches on human heat during rest in bed, by M. 

 Bonnat. In all seasons the minimum of the body-temperature 

 (observed in the rectum) is between midnight and 3 a.m. At 

 Nice, in winter, the minimum is rarely under 36°'3 ; in summer, 

 36 0- 4 or 36°"S. From 3 A.M. the temperature rises till 9 A.M. 

 (becoming, e.g., 36°"9 in winter). The maximum is between 

 2 p.m. and 4 P.M., and from 9 p.m. the temperature slowly falls 

 to the minimum. From 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. in winter the varia- 

 tions do not exceed three-tenths or four-tenths of a degree C. ; 

 in summer they may reach six-tenths. 



CONTENTS Pace 



On Certain Errors Respecting the Structure of the Heart 

 Attributed to Aristotle. By Prof. T. H. Huxley, F.R.S. (With 

 Illustration) .... * I 



On the Necessity for a New Departure in Spectrum Analysis. 



By j. Norman Lockyek, F.R.S 5 



Mind in the Lower Animals. By George J. Romanes .... 8 



Our Book Shelf :- 



Mrs Fenwick Miller's "Alias of Anatomy, or Pictures of the 



Human Body" 9 



Higgs's " Electric Transmission of Power." — W. F. B 10 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Sun-Spots in Earnest. — Prof. A. Winnbcke 10 



Subject-Indexes— F. D. Brown 10 



Easter Island.— Albert J. Mott 11 



Animals and the Musical Scale.— William Pole n 



John Miers Dr. Henry Trimen n 



The Howgate Arctic Expedition. — J. R 11 



Intellect in Brutes.— James Turn-bull 12 



Centipedes and Bees. — Memokia I-' 



Bone-Sucking— A Habit of Cattle.— W. Frazer ; John LeConte . 11 



Earthquake in China. — A. H 12 



Verdcal Shafts in the Chalk in Kent.— H. M. C 13 



The Functions of Universities 13 



Description of an Instrument for Exploring Dark Cavities 

 which are Inaccessible to Direct Licht. By Thomas Steven- 

 son (With Illustration) 14 



Improvements in Bleaching M 



Heking's Theory of the Vision of Light and Colours, III. By 



Dr. William Pole, F.R.S '4 



The "Parasol" Ants of Texas: how they cut and carry 



Leaves; Origin of Castes by Evolution. By G. T. Bettany 17 



Notes .. • 18 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Minor Planets in 1880 20 



I In: l.'-l Spot upon Jupiter 20 



A Standard Clock at the Observatory, Strassburg 20 



Physical Notes 21 



Gkogkaph'cal Notes . 22 



Celestial Photometry (With Illustrations) ^*3 



LUlVEKSITV AND EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE =6 



Scientific Serials * * 2 o 



Societies and Academies a8 



