4 8 4 



NATURE 



{March i8, 1880 



was rotated. Whistling, too, was imperfectly heard, but not 

 conversation. Here no electrolytic action could occur, and, 

 therefore, the self-repulsion of a current on itself or other 

 electro-dynamic action was shown to be a vera causa. The 

 repulsive action of a current in passing from one conductor 

 to another, described by Gore, and usually attributed to the pro- 

 duction of heat and local expansion at the points of contact was 

 another possible cause. But the author questioned the ordinary 

 explanation of Gore's experiment, and conceived it probable that 

 both it and the variations of friction in the Edison telephone 

 receiver might be due to a common cause in both the currents 

 passed from a bad conductor to a good one, and it was the 

 opinion of the late Principal Forbes, formed after much 

 research and careful inquiry, that a peculiar repulsive force was 

 called into play when both electricity and heat were transmitted 

 from a bad conductor to a good one. From any point of view 

 ct was one worthy of further investigation, which the 

 author h >ped to give to it. In conclusion, the author described an 

 arrangement whereby he had adapted the magneto-telephone to 

 the revolving cylinder in the Edison receiver, so that instead ol 

 having to do the entire work of vibrating the diaphragm, as in 

 the Bell receiver, the magnetic action of the current simply 

 varied the friction on the cylinder, and so varied the nature of 

 the oscillations of the diaphragm, which were set up by me- 

 chanical means. But as much success was notjobtained as was 

 anticipated, nor did the combination in one instrument of the 

 chalk cylinder and the magnetic action give good results, the 

 variations in friction being probably not synchronous, from the 

 direction of impulse not being always in the same way. — Natural 

 Science Section. — G. Johnstone Stoney,' F.K.S., in the chair. 

 — On an application of Prof. Rossetti's newly discovered law of 

 cooling to the question of radiation of heat from the earth, and 

 to problems of geological climate and time, by Rev. Dr. 

 Haughton, F. R.S. — Dr. Frazer exhibited a specimen of Bopyrus 

 sptillarum, parasitic on Pahcmon serratus, from the west coast 

 of Ireland, aho an antler of red deer obtained from the Dodder 

 bar in the River Lifley. 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, March 8. — M. Wurtz in the chair. — 

 The mayor of Chatillon-sur-Long (Loiret), the birthplace of 

 A. C. Becquerel, announced the opening of a public subscription 

 for erection of a statue to Becquerel there, and the Academy 

 willingly entered into co-operation. — On some applications of 

 elliptic functions, by M. Hermite. — On the compensation of 

 temperatures in chronometers, by M. Phillips. This relates 

 chiefly to the perturbation known as the secondary error of 

 compensation. — Chemical stability of matter in sonorous vibra- 

 tion, by M. Berthelot. He operated in two ways — (i) Placing 

 substances in a vessel (of 250 cc. capacity) attached to one 

 branch of a large horizontal tuning-fork vibrated electrically 

 (about 100 simple vibrations per second), the other branch 

 having an equivalent weight ; (2) inclosing them in a large 

 horizontal sealed tube, which was longitudinally vibrated by 

 means of friction of a horizontal wheel with moistened felt, and 

 gave 7,200 vibrations per second. The substances tried were 

 ozone, arsenetted hydrogen, sulphuric acid in presence of ethylene, 

 oxygenated water, and persulphuric acid. There was no decom- 

 position, apparently, in any ca=e. — New remarks on the heat of 

 formation of gaseous hydrate of chloral, by M. Berthelot. lie 

 points nut what he thinks the causes of M. Wurtz's non-success. — 

 On the meeting of the two advance galleries of the great St. 

 Gothard tunnel, by M. Colladon. This gives various interesting 

 details, Intsr alia, the volume of infiltrations in the south 

 gallery attained 230 litres per second. M. Colladon's com- 

 pressors at the two ends of the tunnel, sufficed throughout for 

 ventilation, and the costly aspirating vessels required by M. 

 Ilehvagg were not used. The difference of level at meeting 

 was not over o" 10 m. ; the lateral deviation less than 070111. The 

 total length measured in the tunnel was nearly 8 m. less than that 

 calculated geometrically.— On the project of the inter-oceanic 

 maritime canal ; letter from M. de Lesseps. He gives a directive 

 memorandum addressed to the members of the Technical Com- 

 mission (which has been organised in eight brigades, each having 

 its special work). The health of the party is reported excellent. 

 — The President announced with regret the death of M. Zinin, 

 at St. Petersburg, Correspondent in Chemistry. — Investigation 

 of the coefficient of regularity of motion in transmissions by 

 cables, by M. Leaute. — Function of velocities ; extension of the 

 theorems of Lagrange to the case of an imperfect fluid, by M. 

 Bresse.— Syrphi and Entomophthorere, by M. Giard. — Memoir 



on the means applicable to destruction of phylloxera, by Dr. 

 Hamm. He advises applying, about the roots, sulphide of 

 carbon with infusorial earth or Peru guano as an ahsorben; ; 

 more of the sulphide can be thus 'applied without injuring the 

 roots, and the evaporation is very slight. He also points out a 

 line of experimental inquiry to find a pathogenic champignon 

 which would be fatal to phylloxera. — On the toxical influence of 

 the mycelium of vine-roots on phylloxera, by M. Rommier. 

 Where a mycelium with long white filaments was developed on 

 phylloxerised roots kept in a vessel at 15 to 20° temperature, the 

 phylloxera disappeared, whereas it multiplied in the contrary- 

 case. — M. Pasteur spoke in favour of seeking a parasite where- 

 with to destroy phylloxera — as it would have been easy to 

 destroy the silkworm race by means of the corpuscular para- 

 site of pebrine. M. Blanchard, however, dissented ; remark- 

 ing on the lioiited extent of parasite-ravages on 

 species in nature; also on the domesticity of the silkwonn as con- 

 tra- ted with the wild independence of phylloxera. M. Pasteur 

 replied, showing the possibilities of experimental multiplication 

 of parasites'. — Epheuierides of planet (103) Hera for the 

 tion of 1S80, by M. Callandreau. — Laws concerning the distri- 

 bution of stars of the solar system, by M. Gaussin. The distances 

 of the planets from the sun and those of the satellites from their 

 planet are in get metrical progression a — ai". — On the formulae 

 of quadrature with equal coefficients, by M. Radau. — On systems 

 formed of linear equations with a single independent variable, by 

 M. Darboux. — Demonstration of a theorem of Prof. Sylvester 

 on the divisors of a cyclotomic function, by M. Pepin. — Com- 

 parison between curves of tensions of saturated vapours, by M. 

 de Mondesir. The method described furnishes an instrument of 

 singular power for control of the results of experiments. — Action 

 of electrolysis on turpentine, by M. Renard. Among other 

 results the product monohydrate of turpentine is regari 

 pseudo-alcohol, C 10 H 16 H(OH). — On the synthesis of 

 aldehydes ; essence of cumin, by M. Etard. — On le-ions of the 

 kidney in slow poisoning by cantharidine, by M. Cornil — On 

 apparent death resulting from asphyxia, by M. Fort. Artificial 

 respiration should be perseveringly practised for a number of 

 hours (not yet determined) after apparent death. — On modifica- 

 tions produced in the system by albuminoid substances injected 

 into the vessels (third series : insoluble ferments), by MM. 

 Be'champ and Baltus. Pancreatine works grave disorder, and 

 causes death where the proportion of it injected reaches about 

 0-15 gr. per kilogramme of the animal's weight. The substance is 

 only partly eliminated by the urine, and then appears with all its 

 characters. — On two new silicates of alumina and of lithia, by 

 M. Hautefeuille. — On the phosphates and borophosphates of 

 magnesia and lime from the guano deposit of Mejillones (lat. 23° 

 to 24° S.), by M. Domeyko. — On the composition of the waters 

 of Cransac (Aveyron), by M. Willm. — On the pliocene delta of 

 the Rhone at Saint-Gilles (Gard), bv M. Collot. 



CONTENTS Pace 



Dissociation of Chlorink, Bromine, and Iodine. E 



Henky E. Armstrong, F.R.S s'^r 



Glaisher's Factor Tables 462 



Who are the Irish? By A. H. Keane 464 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Packard's "Zoology for Students And General Readers" ... 465 



Tomlinson's "Principles of Agriculture" 46" 



Riley's "Cotton- Worm" -t'6 



Letters to the Editok :— 



C. F. Gauss.— R. Tucker -.'" 



Trans-Atlantic Lnsitudes.—C P. Patterson - 



The "Zoological Record."— E. C. Rva ; - 



A Museum Conference.— J. Romillv Allen <6S 



The Tay Bridge Storm.— Rev. W. Clement Lev 468 



Strange Arithmetic. — E. S ;'- " 



Fertilisation of the Grape Vine.— J. Herschel -;■':■ 



Exploration in Borneo 



Thh Audiphone {With illustrations) 4' .' 



The Elasmopoda (Hjaimar Theel) a New Ordei: of IIolo. 

 thuridia. By Sir C. Wyville Thomson, F.R.S. (With 



Illustrations) 470 



Notes 473 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Minor Planets 475 



The Southern Comet 475 



Geological Notes : — 



Geological Survey of Saxony 475 



Geological Survey of India 475 



American Geological Surveys 4 70 



Imperfection of the " Geological Record '' 47<J 



Geographical Notes 476 



(In the Barometric See-Saw between Russia and India in :ke 



Sun-Spot Cvcle. By H. F. Blanford 477 



Scientific Serials 4« 



Societies and Academies 4. 82 



