SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



ROYAL SOCIETY'S SOIREE. 



HPHERE was the usual brilliant gathering at 

 - 1 Burlington House on the evening of May 

 19th, at the Soiree of the Royal Society. The 

 exhibits were as diversified as formerly, and the 

 votaries of nearly every branch of science found 

 some specially interesting feature bearing on their 

 studies. Physicists who work in investigation of 

 electrical phenomena surrounded Mr. Wimshurst's 

 remarkable new machine for producing a spark of 

 thirty-four inches between the terminals and twelve 

 feet on the tables. This is three times the power 

 of his former construction. Professor Roberts- 

 Austen showed his combined camera-microscope 

 which takes wonderful micro -photographs of 

 metals and alloys under high magnifications. 

 As an instance, carbon is shown in steel 

 as minute diamonds. Dr. Norman Lockyer 

 sent a series of photographs taken in Nova Zembla 

 and at Kio Island during the visit there on the 

 Solar Eclipse Expedition last year. These include 

 one of importance — of the chromosphere of the sun, 

 of which it is probable more will yet be heard. 

 Spectrum researches were well in evidence. 

 Zeeman's discovery was demonstrated for broaden- 

 ing the spectrum lines by the action of a magnetic- 

 field on the source of light. The analysis of 

 stellar light was illustrated by Dr. Norman Lockyer, 

 by a series of wonderfully accurate photographs of 

 the spectrum. The Astronomer Royal contributed 

 splendid photographs of the moon, taken by the 

 new Thompson 26-inch telescope at Greenwich. 

 These are taken by an enlarging lens at 

 secondary focus, equivalent to a focal length 

 of 105 feet. Other views of the moon were 

 by Loewy ,and Puiseux, published by the Paris 

 Observatory. Further exhibits of physical interest 

 were by Mr. J. W. Swan, of the effects of convective 

 electrical discharges upon viscous resinous sur- 

 faces ; and he explained the mode of preservation 

 of such surfaces for future examination. The 

 duration of explosion, pressure generated, and 

 other effects were exhibited by an apparatus 

 invented by Sir Andrew Noble, of Elswick. The 

 transmission of the Hertz wave-motion was shown 

 by a most ingenious model arranged by Professor 

 Sylvanus Thompson. Mr. Eric Stuart Bruce lent 

 a remarkable series of photographs of optical 

 projections in space. The instrument for their 

 creation is not new, but its application in con- 

 junction with a camera has produced some 

 wonderful photographs which would be dear to 

 the hearts of enthusiastic spiritualists. Mr. J. 

 Gould conducted attractive experiments on the 

 transmutation of sound. Sir David Salomons 

 had a rotating mirror running at the rate of 

 48,000 revolutions per minute. Messrs. Barnard 

 and Carver showed a new means of controlling an 



electric arc. Professor Ayrton lectured during the 

 evening on " Electrical and Mechanical Analogues." 

 Biology was represented by a considerable exhibit 

 by the Marine Biological Association, from the 

 biological station at Plymouth, in illustration of 

 commensalism, or the association, whilst living, of 

 different marine animals for their mutual benefit. 

 These included the frequently-shown instances of 

 hermit-crabs and sea-anemones ; also that of 

 Nereis, a worm which lives in the upper whorls of 

 a whelk-shell, and comes down for food : Eupagttrus, 

 also a hermit-crab, and its companion anemone ; a 

 worm (Acholoe) which lives in a groove under a 

 starfish; another worm (Malmgrenia) living in similar 

 manner on heart-urchins. These and some other 

 animals in like association formed an important 

 exhibit. The effect of heat during the pupa state 

 upon the alteration of colouration of certain 

 lepidoptera was shown by examples sent by 

 Mr. F. Merrifield, of Brighton, and Dr. Standfuss, 

 of Zurich. Ethnology was represented by Mr. 

 Warren, with bones found by Professor Flinders 

 Petrie, in Egypt, of the ancient Naquada race, which 

 existed some five thousand years ago. Africa also 

 sent, through Mr. J. E. S. Moore, animals of varied 

 forms from Lake Tanganyika. Biologists were 

 favoured by the opportunity of hearing Professor J. 

 B. Farmer lecture on " Nuclear Division in Animal 

 and Vegetable Cells." 



NATURAL HISTORY EXHIBITION. 



'THE City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society held a successful exhibition 

 on April 27th, at the London Institution, Finsbury 

 Circus. Besides the members of the society, many 

 leading entomologists kindly contributed exhibits. 

 Mr. J. A. Clark sent full representation of all our 

 known British butterflies, amongst which were a 

 long series of male and female Chrysophanus dispat , 

 hermaphrodite specimens of Dry as (Argvnnis) 

 papilla, Plebeius (Polyommatus) agon, Polyommatus 

 icarus, and black vars. of Limenitls Sibylla. Aber- 

 rations in Mr. C. Nicholson's Vanessids included : 

 Pyrantels atalanta, with partial bleaching of red 

 band on right-hand wing ; P. car did, with an 

 additional white spot on fore-wings ; and Aglais 

 (Vanessa) urticte, approaching var. ichnnsa. Mr. A. 

 W. Dennis, a xanthic Epinephele janira, Pararge 

 egeria, female, with male colouration ; Pyrantels 

 cardui, much suffused with black : Argynnis adippe, 

 with median black band on all wings ; Ctipldc 

 (Polyommatus) minima, undersides with spots 

 obsolete ; Spilosoma lubricipeda, with central fascia 

 on all wings', S. menthastri, with spots much 

 enlarged. Mr. Robt. Adkin, all known British 

 species of " clear-wings," series of Endromls 

 versicolor, Lasiocampa quercifolia and L. ilicifolia. 



