458 



NATURE 



{March n, 1880 



to Italy ; the basin of the fountain in the Piazza Barberini in 

 Rome was thickly fringed with icicles, and the ground within 

 the Colosseum, and elsewhere in shady places, remained frozen all 

 day long. Eight inches of snow fell in one night in Athens. 

 Etna was thickly coated with snow, which extended even on the 

 eastern seaboard to the lower limits of the Val del Bove, that 

 is to say, to within 4,000 feet of the sea. The effect of this was 

 to render Catania bitterly cold whenever a wind blew off the 

 mountain. Messina, being protected by a rauge of hills, suffered 

 less, but the Messine-e complained loudly of the severity of the 

 winter. On the 13th of this month (January) a furious trarnon- 

 tana blew over Naples. Its intensity was such that we could only 

 ascend Vesuv.us on the south-west side under the lea of the great 

 cone, and when, having reached the summit, we were exposed 

 to the full force of the fitful blasts, we had difficulty in standing 

 against them. The temperature of the wind was - 3° C. (26° "4 

 F°). The following day was bright, warm, and sunny, while 

 on the morning of the 15th Vesuvius was completely hidden in 

 mist, and a scirocco wasjblowing. Torrential rain fell somewhat 

 later. When the mist lifted, about II A.M., Vesuvius was seen 

 to be covered with snow, which reached nearly as low as the 

 observatory (2,2lS feet), on the side facing the sea, and to a still 

 lower level on the sides of Monte Somma remote from the sea. 

 The weather in Lipari, however was quite summer-like. During 

 the middle of the day we found it necessary to hold an umbrella 

 over our heads to protect us from the sun, and the nights were 

 warm and balmy. The sea for several days was perfectly smooth, 

 and there was not a breath of wind. We were obliged to row 

 the whole distance from Lipari to Stromboli in a small open 

 boat (nine hours), and the very gentle wind which prevailed in 

 returning only .shortened the voyage to seven hour-. 



The lute Eruption of Etua.—Yrot. Silvestri, of Catania, has 

 just published a second and enlarged edition of his report 

 entitled "Sulla d >p,.ia eruzione e i terrenioti dell' Etna." 

 Another valuable contribution to the history of the eruption is 

 the " Relazione de^li ingegneri del R. Corpo delle Miniere 

 addetti al rilevamento geologico della zona solfifera di Siciliasulla 

 eruzione dell' Etna avvenuta nei mesi di maggio e giugno, 

 1879." This is published by the " R. Comitato Geologico 

 d'ltalia," and is accompanied by an admirable coloured map of 

 the parts affected by the last eruption, drawn to a scale of I in 

 50,000. Prof. Silvestri has a very extensive collection of the 

 products of the last eruption, in which we noticed many speci- 

 mens of sulphate and chloride of copper, and chlorides of sodium, 

 and amm niimi, but no rare substances. The new Etna obser- 

 vatory (Natuke, vol. xix. p. 557), is partially constructed, and 

 the work will be continued as soon as the snow disappears. It 

 will certainly be ready for work in the autumn. The last eruption 

 has been studied m 're fully than any previous di-play of volcanic 

 energy, thanks to the wisdom of the Italian Government, which 

 num ers among its Senators some of the most eminent scientific 

 men in Italy, and to the untiring perseverance and activity of 

 Prof. Silvestri. 



Science Teaching in Koine. — A large number of students are 

 attending the science lectures in the Sapienza, and its adjunct, the 

 Istituto Chimico in the Via di Panisperna, and a considerable 

 scientific literature is making its appearance. On the large plot 

 of ground on which the Istituto Chimico stands, there is a botanic 

 garden, and a fine range of physical schools is nearly completed. 

 Prof. Canizzaro's laboratory finds a very convenient home in the 

 long cool corridors of the convent, and his lecture theatre is now 

 completed, and is fitted with all the newest appliances. The 

 lectures are open to the public, and we were glad to see among 

 the numerous students several ladies. The lecture which we 

 heard was on Iodine, and anions the experiments was one which 

 we have not seen in England, although undoubtedly it is s ime- 

 times shown, as it is too effective to be omitted from a long 

 course. A tall cylinder of hydriodic acid gas is inverted over a 

 cylinder of chlorine; on withdrawing the glass plates which 

 cover the mouth of the cylinders, the gases combine with the 

 production of flame, hydrochloric acid being of course formed 

 and iodine deposited, 



Reale Comitato Geologico d'ltalia. — We do not think that the 

 admirable work now being carried out by the Comitato Geolo- 

 gico of Italy, under the direction of the Minister of the Interior, 

 is sufficiently recognised in this country. Steadily, and not 

 slowly, geological maps of the whole Italian peninsula are being 

 prepared. We may mention as a specially interesting map and 

 report, the monograph of the engineer, F. Giordano, on the 

 "Condizioni Topografiche e Fisiche di Roma e Campagna 



Romana." This includes thejwhole of that excessively interesting 

 volcanic region around Albano, Frascati, and Rocca di Papa. 



The Nezv Element, Vcsbium. — Prof. Archangelo Scacchi, of 

 the University of Naples, well known for his researches in con- 

 nection with Vesuvian minerals, thinks that he has discovered a 

 new element in a yellow incrustation on the lava of 1631. At 

 present the subject requires further investigation, and his belief 

 is not shared by some of his colleagues. A full account of his 

 researches on the subject will immediately be given in these 

 pages, and we therefore defer any further comment. 



The Club, " Alpino Italia/10." — The Italian Alpine Club, 

 which has its centre in Turin, has many representatives in every 

 part of Italy, and is flourishing. Prof. Silvestri is the president 

 in Catania, and has recently prepared for the use of the members 

 a very concise and admirable book entitled " Un Viaggio all' 

 Etna," which is so completely a type of what snch]a book should 

 be that we shall shortly notice it more fully in thee pages. 



Italian Scientific Literature. — It is much to be regretted that 

 Italian scientific literature is not better known in this country, 

 especially the numerous original memoirs which constantly 

 appear in the important scientific societies of Uologna, Milan, 

 Rome, Naples, and Catania. If our principal societies would 

 put themselves in correspondence with the Italian academies, 

 and would exchange Transactions, it would be a decided gain 

 both to them and to us. G. F. Rodyvell 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



The American Journal of Science and Arts, February. — Con- 

 tributions to meteorology (twelfth paper), by E. Loomis. — Colour 

 correction of achromatic telescopes, by W. Harkne s. — Pinite in 

 Eastern Massachu : etts, its origin and geological relations, by 

 W. O. Crosby. — Lintonite and other forms of Thomsonite, by 

 S. F. Peckham and C. W. Hall.— Elements of the planet Dido, 

 by C. H. F. Peters. — Analysis of some American tantalates, by 

 W. J. Comstock. — Method of studying the reflection of sound- 

 waves, by O. N. Rood. — Newton's use of the term indigo, with 

 reference to a colour of the spectrum, by O. N. Rood. — Notice-of 

 recent additions to the marine fauna of the eastern coast of 

 North America, by A. E. Verrill. — The electric light, by 

 F. E. Nipher. — The limbs of Sauranodon, by O. C. Marsh. 



The Journal of the Franklin Institute, February. — Shearing 

 strength of some American woods, by S. C. Trantwine. — Report 

 of the Committee on Science and Arts on the steam injector and 

 ejector of J. H. Irwin. — Mineralogictil notes, by W. II. Wahl. 

 — Silk culture, by S. Chamberlaine. — A statement concerning 

 the relation of the lawful standards of measure of the United 

 States to those of Great Britain and France, by J. E. Hilgard. 



The American Naturalist, February. — Henry J. Rice, observa ■ 

 tions upon the'habits, structure, and development of Amphtoxus 

 lanccolatus (concluded). — C. S. Minot, a sketch of comparative 

 embryology. No. I. The history of the genoblasts and the 

 theory of sex. — Thomas S. Roberts, on the convolution of the 

 trachea in the sandhill and wdiooping cranes (with illustrations). 

 — J. S. Kingsley, on the development of moina (a short abstract 

 with illustrations of Dr. Carl Grobben's paper). — The Editor's 

 Table. — A note on the present position of affairs in the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. — Recent literature (the 

 Naturalists' Diary for 1879 has just been published ; it relates 

 only to the United States). — Scientific news ; proceedings of 

 scientific societies. 



The Rivisla Scienlifico Induslriale (Nos. 19 and 20, October, 

 1S79), contains the following papers : — On a peculiar green 

 substance generated by the contact of coffee with albumen, by 

 Prof. G. Pasqualis. — On the work which can be perf jrmed by 

 the beams of certain aquatic motors (second part), by Cesare 

 Modigliano. — On a new and simple form of Sprengel's mercury 

 pump, by Frof. D. Macaluso. On the transformation of 

 glycerine into glucose, by Prof. S. Zinno. — On the swimming 

 bladder of fishes, by Prof. C. Marangoni. — On the electric 

 phenomena of Canton's glass balls, by Prof. A. Righi. — On 

 ottrelite, by A. Renard. — Account of the second meeting of 

 the International Geological Congress. — " On the Depth of the 

 Water below Niagara Falls," is the title of one of various noles 

 of minor interest. 



The Revue d' 'Anthropologic, fasc. i.— M. F. Ameghino 

 gives drawings of the various objects belonging, a; he believes,, 

 to the tertiary age, found by him, together with human remains,. 



