220 



NATURE 



[Jan. i, 1880 



the vertical, by M. D'Abbadie. In his observatory near the 

 Pyrenees he has found the place of the vertical vary in only six 

 hours from 7" '4 to 2""4, and he thinks the changes there do not 

 depend on temperature (as M. Plantamour explains the pheno- 

 mena he noted). The desirability of all astronomers publishing 

 their observations on this subject is referred to. — Craniology of 

 Australian races, by JIM. Quatrefages and Hamy. The eighth 

 volume of their "Crania Ethnica" completes the study of the 

 Australians, and treats partly of the African negro races. The 

 Australian continent seems to contain only two indigenous races, 

 one forming the Australian race proper, the other distinguished 

 as neanderthaloid, and represented by a small number of homo- 

 geneous and disappearing tribes. The craniological characters 

 are indicated. The male natives of the interior have consider- 

 ably larger cranial capacity than those of the coast, but (lie 

 women have slightly less. — Observations during a voyage in 

 Equatorial America, by M. Cre'vaux. The River 19a (one of 

 the affluents of the Amazon) is navigable for Soo geographical 

 miles, as far as the outliers of the Andes. — New reroplane, moved 

 by a compressed air-engine ; experimental determination of the 

 work necessary to make it fly, by M. Tatin. The apparatus 

 resembled that of Henson's (1843), except in dimensions, a sort 

 of kite moved by screw propellers. It rises and describes a 

 curve in the air, coming to the ground again. The horse-power 

 was about 1 per 50 kg. — Reply to M. Balbiani, on the 

 presence of the winter egg of phylloxera in the ground, 

 by M. Eoiteau. — A head of jacquez grafted on a French 

 vine, by M. de Lafitte. — On a class of functions connected 

 with the functions of M. Heine, by M. Appell. — On measure- 

 ment of the intensity of absorption lines and dark lines of the 

 solar spectrum, by M. Gouy. The problem is reduced to making 

 a pure spectrum, and measuring the intensity of different portions 

 of it. — On a curare of the unstriped muscles, by MM. Couty and 

 De Lacerda. This kills by lowering the arterial tension, and 

 consequent cessation of the circulation. The effects were got 

 with preparations from Stryzhnos gafdneriisnA S. IripJincrvia. — 

 Alterations of the cutaneous nerves in a case of vitiligo, by MM. 

 Leloir and Chabrier. — Researches on vaso-dilator nerves con- 

 tained in various branches of the fifth pair, by MM. Tolyet and 

 Laffont. — On the chemical composition of bones in arthropathy 

 of the ataxic, by M. Regnard. Fat becomes abundant, and phos- 

 phate of lime is greatly diminished. — Researches on the mode of 

 formation of the spinal fissure, by M. Dareste. — On a new form 

 of vesicular wonri found in a jerboa, by M. Megnin. — New 

 remarks on the Orthonectida, by M. Giard. — On the reproduc- 

 tion of marine algce (Bryopsis), by M. Cornu. — On the influence 

 of forests on rain currents traversing them, and the affinity of 

 pines for vapours, by M. Fautrat. On an average the weight of 

 aqueous vapour contained in 1 cub. metre above pines is S'66gr., 

 and on bare ground at the same height 7 "39 gr. ; showing I '27 gr. 

 in favour of the pines. Above leafy trees the corresponding 

 numbers are S'46 gr. and S'04 gr. ; difference in favour of leafy 

 trees C42 gr. — On a very intense hoar-frost observed at Angers 

 on December 12 and 13, by M. Decharme. The temperature 

 was - 8°'8 to — 6°"4; pressure 779 nun, ; wind weak. The 

 numerous long opaque needles of ice were all placed on one side 

 of the branches, that opposite to the direction of the wind. — M. 

 Jobert proposed a large celestial reflector, giving, in a dark 

 chamber which might hold as many as a hundred observers, an 

 enlarged image of heavenly bodies, 



December 22, 1S79. — M. Daubre'e in the chair. — M. Faye pre- 

 sented his " Cours d'Astronomie nautique." His method is to 

 bring all questions to two or three fundamental equations (which 

 ever recur). The study of chronometers is treated with special 

 care. The graphic solutions of Douwes's problem are ex- 

 pounded from a new standpoint. — Reply to M. St. Claire 

 Deville's remarks on the temperature of decomposition of 

 vapours, by M. Wurtz. — Observations on M. Berthelot's note 

 entitled "Researches on the Substance named Hydride of 

 Copper," by M. Wurtz. He adheres to his formula, CuJL. 

 The presence of a small quantity of copper and phosphate of 

 copper in the product explains at once the existence of small 

 quantities of oxygen and phosphorus, and the deficit in hydro- 

 gen. — On a new hydride of silicium, by M. Ogier. He sub- 

 mitted some siliciuretted hydrogen to the electric effluvc. After 

 some time the gas is wholly destroyed; a yellow coat forms on 

 the walls of the tube, and the gaseous volume (pure hydrogen) 

 increases to a sensibly constant limit. The composition of 

 the deposited matter (arrived at from comparing the volume 

 of the siliciuretted hydrogen and the resulting hydrogen), ap- 



peared to be Si 2 H 3 . The body is thus a sub-hydride of silicium 

 corresponding to sub-oxide of carbon, or to crotonylene. (Its 

 properties are specified.) Similar effects are got with the effluvc 

 acting on arseniuretted hydrogen; a solid hydride As„II is 



formed, corresponding to solid phosphide of hydrogen, P.JI. 



Comparative studies on ptyaline and diastase, by M. Defresiie. 

 These two bodies are not identical physiologically. Ptyaline 

 saccharifies starch in the mixed gastric juice as well as in the 

 mouth ; it is only paralysed an instant in pure gastric juice, and 

 recovers its action in the mixed juice and in the duodenum. 

 Diastase or maltine is destroyed immediately in chlorhydic solu- 

 tions or in pure gastric juice, and after having passed into the 

 mixed juice, it is profoundly altered, for, if again dissolved with 

 starch, it no longer saccharifies it. — M. Debrun submitted a 

 new capillary electrometer, a modification of Iippmann's, a 

 microscope being dispensed with, and the mercury surface whose 

 displacements are observed being in a graduated tube inclined at 

 an angle of 10° to the horizon. The change of level is about 

 75 mm. for a variation of one volt (giving, with a Vernier, a 

 sensibility of at least -^ of a volt). — On the determination of 

 the elements of a vibratory movement ; measurement of periods, 

 by M. Mercadier. Two very fine styles are fixed (parallel, and 

 one behind the other, and very near it, in a horizontal plane) to 

 the two vibrating bodies ; and their shadows with light coincide 

 on a vertical screen. "When the bodies vibrate vertically, a certain 

 number of lines result in the projection, some of which are 

 broader than others, and seem fixed. (These effects are investi- 

 gated). — Researches on nitrification, by MM. Schlccsing and 

 Muntz. The conditions affecting the production of nitrates are 

 set forth ; temperature, access of oxygen, humidity, weak 

 alkalinity, presence of various organic matters, &c. Nitrites 

 are formed in general when the conditions of temperature and 

 aeration are not advantageous. — On dioxyethylmethylene, and 

 on the preparation of chloride of methylene, by M. Greene. — 

 On two substances, palmelline and characine, extracted from 

 fresh-water alga?, by Mr. Phipson. It is characine that gives 

 plants of the chara genus their marshy odour ; it is formed by the 

 plant during life, and is not a product of dec imposition. It is 

 lighter than water, and is a species of camphor, forming very 

 thin pellicles on the water surface, but dissolving very little in it. 

 — Habits and parthenogenesis of Halictus, by M. Fabre. These 

 animals have two generations annually, one in spring, and 

 sexual, from mothers which, fecundated in autumn, have passed 

 the winter in their cells ; the other in summer, and due to 

 parthenogenesis. — On tubercular inflammation of the internal 

 coat of the vessels in tubercular meningitis, by M. Cornil. — On 

 the structure of the bark and wood of strychnos, by M. Planchon. 



CONTENTS r .,, JE 



Geological Survey of the United States 1,7 



Sahara and Sudan i»g 



The Science of Agriculture 200 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Irby's " Crystallography of Calcite " 2 oo 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Molecular Velocity of Gases.— R , 0I 



Weaver Birds and Fire-Flies.— Consul E. L. Layard . . . ! ! 201 



The Papau. — Consul E. L. Layard 2 oi 



Scale of Colours. — L. Blomepield (late Jenyns.) Z qz 



On the "Habitat" of Lophiomys. — Prof. Henry Hillyer 



Giglioli 201 



On Hahporphynis hjidim (Risso).— Prof. Hbnry Hillyer 



Giglioli 202 



Edison's New Lamp. — Josefh W. Swan 



Flowof Viscous Materials.— R. S. Newall. F.R.S -0= 



Hungarian Earthquakes and the Kolumbacs Flies. — Julius 



Letho 202 



Unconscious Thought.— Hyde Clai,ke 202 



Stags' Horns.— Paul Henry Stokoe ; M. T. M 203 



A Query.— Ignoramus 203 



The Asserted Artificial Production of the Diamond. By 



Prof. Nevil Story-Maskelyne, F.R.S 204 



Further Notes upon the Papuans of Maclay Coast, New 



Guinea, I. By J. C. Galton 204 



James R. Napier, F.R.S. By John Mayer 206 



Fertility of Hybrids from the Common and Chinese Goose. 



By Charles Darwin, F.R.S 207 



Cloud Classification. By Rev. W. Clement Ley (With Illustra- 

 tions) 207 



The Planets of the Season— Mars. By Rev. T. W. Webb . . 212 



Recording Sunshine. By David Winstanley, F.R A. S. ... 214 



Notes 214 



Geographical Notes 216 



On the Heterostylism of "Melochia Parvipolia." By Dr. A. 



Ernst 217 



University and Educational Intelligence 217 



Scientific Serials 218 



Societies and Academies 218 



