Geology and Natural History. 293 



meter being twenty times more sensitive. — Nature, July 26, 1888, 

 p. 311. J. t. 



4. Ether Calorimeter. — Professor Neesen, at a meeting of the 

 Physical Society of Berlin, described an ether calorimeter which 

 presents certain advantages over an ice calorimeter. It con- 

 sists of a tube for the reception of the object. This tube is sur- 

 rounded with a layer of lamp wick which dips into ether at its 

 lower end. From the side of the outer vessel a tube passes with 

 appropriate bending to a horizontal capillary tube containing as 

 index some ether, and by a parallel capilliary tube to a second 

 and similar calorimeter. After the index has been adjusted, its 

 movement, as resulting from the vaporization of ether due to the 

 warm object, indicates how much heat has been given up to the 

 wick saturated with ether. The sensitiveness of this calorimeter 

 is 2000 greater than that of an ice calorimeter. Specific heats of 

 platinum, palladium and copper, and also the heat produced by 

 the passage of an electric spark between a metallic point and a 

 mass of mercury in the tube of the calorimeter were obtained. 

 Extremely small masses could be examined by this apparatus. 

 The apparatus could also be used in measurement of radiant heat. 

 — Nature, July 26, 1888, p. 311. j. t. 



5. Electrolysis of Water. — In continuation of his previous re- 

 searches upon this subject, H. von Helmholtz shows the influ- 

 ence of occluded gases in the use of platinum electrodes, espe- 

 cially if the platinum had been exposed to a flame in the process 

 of cleaning. These occluded gases continue to manifest their 

 action for a long period. The apparatus employed in the later 

 researches consisted of a species of Sprengel pump, in one cham- 

 ber of which electrolysis could take place under varying pres- 

 sures. The limit for the development of gas was between 1*64 

 and 1-63 volts, under a pressure of the gases amounting to 10 mm 

 water. — Ann. der Physik und Chemie, No. 86, 1888, pp". 737- 

 751. j. t. 



II. Geology and Natural History. 



1. Explosive volcanic eruption in Japan on the 15th of July. 

 — The following facts are taken from a letter of Mr. J. S. Mans- 

 field, Attache of the United States Legation in Japan, written 

 after a visit to the region, and published in the Atlanta Constitu- 

 tion, excepting a few from Milne's memoir on Japan volcanoes. 



The eruption took place from the principal peak of Bandai-san, 

 and did its work with wonderful violence and despatch. 



This summit is the highest of the group of hills on the north side 

 of Lake Inawashiro. In the hills, Mr. Milne states, there are hot 

 springs, and also on the flanks of Bandai-san ; and " these appa- 

 rently indicate the volcanic nature of the region." He ascended 

 it in three and one-half hours, and found the slope of the 

 upper part 35°, and the summit, a sharp peak, 5100 feet above 

 tide-level, but without signs of action. " From the hot springs, 



