292 



NATURE 



{Jan. 22, 1880 



tributaries of the Upper Pastassa, and is inhabited by a mixed 

 tribe of Indians in whom the chief element is Jivaro, though 

 some of the better traits of these seem to be wanting in them. 

 Their language is Quichua. Their fighting is done entirely with 

 the lancet which is their inseparable companion, and all the 

 author's a'ttempts to induce any of them to part with his weapon 

 were fruitless. 



Paris 



Academy of Sciences, January 12. — M. Edm. Becquerel in 

 the chair. — M. Daubree presented the second part of his 

 Synthetic studies of experimental geology ; it treats chiefly of the 

 chemical and mechanical phenomena of meteorites (which are 

 compared with the deeper rocks). — On meteorological observa- 

 tions in May at Zi-ka-wei, in China, by M. Faye. Storms go 

 from China to Japan, following a like course to that of storms 

 coming to Europe from the Atlantic. They are independent of 

 the prevailing monsoon, and conversely, neither preventing the 

 other. M. Faye finds support for the theory of gyratory move- 

 ments propagated downwards. — On the kinematic geometry of 

 deformations of bodies, elastic, plastic, or fluids, by M. De Saint 

 Venant. — Some observations on a note of M. Wnrtz {C.R., 

 December 22, 1879), by M. Sainte-Claire Deville. — Evolution 

 of the inflorescence in Graminea; (first part), by M. Trecnl. He 

 considers here (1) the formation of the primary axis ; (2) the 

 order of appearance of the branches ; (3) that of their growth.— 

 Influence of the nature of carbons on the electric light, by M. 

 Du Moncel. In 1855 he called attention to the advantages of 

 using carbons of vegetable origin for the electric light. In 1S59 he 

 produced an electric candle with plates of charcoal in a tube.— On 

 the disaccord apparent between the heights recently observed 

 on the Seine and the previsions of the hydrometric service in the 

 passage through Paris, by MM. Lalanne and Lemoine. M. 

 Belgrand's empirical laws apply only to the natural state 

 of the river, but ceased to apply in the early days of January, 

 owing to the effects of the abnormal freezing of the Seine (which 

 occurs several times in a century). M. Dumas and Gen. Morin 

 made some remarks, the General pointing out that the breaking 

 up of the ice sometimes proceeds up the river, sometimes down ; 

 in the latter and more dangerous case explosives and other 

 means should be promptly used to open the block. — On the 

 photographic spectra of stars, by Dr. Huggins. — State of the 

 tunnelling operations of St. Gothard, by M. Colladon. The 

 works have been retarded. From November 11 to January 1 

 (fifty-one days) the advance of the north gallery was only 

 34'90m against 173'iom. inthe forty-nine days previous. This 

 was due to pressure of an unresistant rock met with, which 

 crushed the strongest wood-work. The perforation will likely 

 be complete in the end of February or beginning of March. — On 

 treatment of phylloxerised vines, by M. Mares. — On glyco- 

 genesis in infusoria, by M. Certes. Treated with iodised serum, 

 they present similar effects to those whereby M. Ranvier, with 

 this substance, proved the presence of glycogen in lymphatic 

 cells. (The effects on several organisms found with infusoria are 

 also indicated.) The vitality of animalcules is an important 

 factor in glycogenesis. — Resistance of pucerons to severe cold, by 

 M. Lichtenstein. Phylloxera and others successfully resisted 

 cold of II and 12° below zero in December. — Determi- 

 nation, by M. Gylden's methods, of the motion of the planet 

 Hera (103), by M. Callandreau. — On the polygons inscribed 

 in a conic, and circumscribed on another conic, by M. Dar- 

 boux.— Solar cyclone, by M. Thollon. Observing a peculiarly 

 dark spot on January 3, he perceived two opposite deflections of 

 the line C, corresponding to velocities of 60 and 137 km. respec- 

 tively, in the vast cyclone. — On the thermal laws of the electrie 

 sparks produced by ordinary partial discharges of condensers 

 (second note), by M. Villari. The galvanometric deflections caused 

 by incomplete discharges are proportional to the quantities of 

 electricity forming the discharges. The heat generated by the 

 spark is directly proportional to the quantity of electricity 

 forming the spark. — Variations of the magnetic declination 

 deduced from regular observations at Montcalieri in the period 

 1871-78, by M. Denza. These agree in the main with observa- 

 tions at other Italian places, and at Prague, Christiania, Munich, 

 and Greenwich, pointing to cosmical causes. — On the Thomson 

 galvanometer, by M. Gaiffe. The scale-indications are not pro- 

 portional to the values of the currents measured, the angles of de- 

 flection of the needle being doubled by reflection of the mirror. 

 This source of error he seeks to correct by using a bifilar suspen- 

 sion formed of two cocoon-fibres. — On the potash contained in 

 the clay of arable soils, by M. Perrey. Clay constantly contains 



potash varying ordinarily from 2 to 5 per cent., sometimes from 

 I "8 to 7"3 per cent. — On the tension of dissociation of hydrate of 

 chloral, and on the vapour-tension of anhydrous chloral, by MM. 

 Moitessier and Engel. — Effects of intra-venous injections of 

 sugar and gum, by MM. Moutard-Martin and Richet. Sugar 

 injected into dog's veins always cause; polyuria and glycosuria, 

 and does not affect the blood-pressure. Gum has an opposite 

 effect ; it diminishes the polyuria previously produced by sugar, 

 and at length completely stops the secretion of urine ; it also 

 increases notably the tension of blood in the arteries. — On the 

 phenomena arising from ligature of the inferior vena cava above 

 the liver, by M. Picard. 



Vienna 



Imperial Academy of Sciences, October 23, 1879. — The 

 earthquakes of Carinthia and their lines of shock, by Prof. 

 Hoefer. — On the histogenesis of sclerosis of the posterior fibres 

 of the spinal cord, by Dr. Weiss. — On the forces operative on 

 diamagnets, by Prof. Bolzmann. — Determination of path of the 

 planet Bertha (154) by Herr Anton. 



November 6, 1879. — The long-haired common guinea-pig 

 (Cavia Cobaya longipilis), by Dr. Fitzinger. — Fish-fauna of the 

 Cauca and the rivers in Guayaquil, by Dr. Steindachner. — 

 Shell-fish fauna of the Galapagos Islands, by Herr Wimmer. — 

 The von Midler collection of Australian fish, by Dr. Klunzinger. 

 — On the humour passages of hyaline cartilage, by Dr. Spina. 

 — Magnetic measurements in Kremsrminster in July, 1879, by 

 Herr Liznar. — On compounds from animal tar : III. Lutidine, 

 by Prof. Barth and Herr Herzig. 



November 13, 1879. — Researches on the development of the 

 central nerve-tissue, by Herr Strieker and Dr. Unger. — On the 

 action of the safety- valve in steam boilers, by Herr von Burg. — 

 Firing under water, by Herr Lorber. 



November 20, 1879. — The following among other papers were 

 read : — The sporogon of Archidium, by Prof. Leitgeb. — Con- 

 tributions to a knowledge of the hen's germ at the commencement 

 of brooding, by Herr Koller. — On the last multiplier of differ- 

 ential equations of higher order, by Prof. Winckler. 



December 4, 1879. — On the striction line of the hyperboloid 

 as rational space-curve of fourth order, by Herr Migotti. — On 

 processes of degeneration and regeneration in uninjured peripheric 

 nerves, by Prof. Mayer. 



December II, 1879. — On waterspouts observed near Canea, 

 by Herr Miksche. — Researches on the course of conduction in 

 the spinal cord of the dog, by Dr. Weiss. — A contribution to 

 the theory of urine-secretion, by Dr. Gartner. — On a new isomer 

 of gluconic acid, by Herr Honig. — On the theory of inconstant 

 galvanic elements, by Prof. Exner. 



CONTENTS Page 



On the Photographic Spectra of Stars. By W. Huggins, I 



D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. (JF/rt ///»j/ra/io»s) 269 



Vocal Physiology and Hygiene. By Dr. William Pole, F.RS. 271 



Ths CoprER-TiN Alloys. By W. Chandler Roberts, F.R.S. . . 272 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Pickard-Cambridge's ( ' Spiders of Dorset, with an Appendix con- 

 taining Short Descriptions of those British Species not yet found 



in Dorsetshire " ■ 273 



Pasteur's ' ' Studies on Fermentation ; the Diseases of Beer, their 



Causes, and the Means of Preventing them " 274 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Ice-Crystals.— The Duke of Argyll 274 



Re-Reversal of Sodium Lines.— C. A. YoUNG 274 



Death of Capt Cook.— Robert Mallet, F.R.S 275 



Electricity of the Blowpipe " Flame."— Col. W. A. Ross ... 275 



Suicide of Scorpion. — F. Gillman 27s 



The Fertilisers of Alpine Flowers.— Dr. Hermann MOller . . 275 



"Ideal" Matter —Percy R. Harrison 275 



Sun-Spots. — Henry Bedford 1 2 7 6 



A Clever Spider.— Ll. A Morgan -7« 



Erratum in Paper on Tidal Friction.— G. H, Darwin, F.R.S. • . 276 



Afghan Ethnology. By A. H. Keane 276 



The Meteorology op South Australia 281 



Alce 282 



Gas and Electricity in Paris. By W. de Fonviblle 282 



Notes . 28 4 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



The Orion-Trapezium 2 »6 



The Total Sular Eclipse of January 11 2=7 



Geological Notes 2 ^ 7 



Physical Notes pZ 



Geographical Notes «» 



The Sixth Congress of Russian Naturalists 288 



University and Educational Intelligence 289 



Scientific Serials -°9 



Societies and Academies 2 S° 



