Page:Nature - Volume 1.pdf/240

Royal Academy of Sciences, November 6,— Various meteorological reports were presented to the Acadetmy, namely: On the Aurora Liorealis of the Oth of Octuher, 1369, by MAL A. Quetelet and J. ‘Verby ; and on storms ebservud In various parts of Belgium, by MM. A, (Quetelet, Brauch, Malaise, Dewalque, and Leclercq, the last giving an account of the sturm phenomena of he weighbourhood of Ligge for the year 1564. —M. C. Monti communicated a note on the phenomena of coloration of the eles of the sun's disc when near the horizon, in which he referred especially to the appearance of rose-coloured undulations upon the blue arch of the upper marin of the sun, remarked upon certain facts which seem (9 indicate that these are not produced by atmospherte dispersion or interferunce, anil suggested that they may be due to the protulserances of the chro- mosphere, —M. TE. Morren presented a paper on the contagion of the variexalion of plants ly means of grafting, loth from the stock to (he graft, and frou the graft ta the stack, 1]is observations rekile to ofivedilon Thov sor’, and other species of the same genis,--A note on the wax of straw, by Dr. b. Rarlziszewski, was commanicated jy ML 1. Wenry. Vhts stb- stance, which is analogous tu the wax obtained fromthe sugat- cane, was first observe! in a paper-factury at Willebroeck 3 it is solid, white, insoluble in water, soluble in aleohol and ether, and crystallises from its alcoholic soluden in small nacreous seales.—Animpurtani memoir, by M. 2. Van Benenden, ona new and very large species of Uregaizn was read; to this we shall revert claew here.

BeRLIS

German Chemical Society, Vecember 11,—Om this date there was a general mecting for (be parpuse of clecting its officers for the year isso, ‘The following gentlemen were elected: -Tresident: Professor Rammelalerg, with 34 votes against 23 giveu to Jrofessar Davyer. Viee-presirlents: T'ro- fessors Bacycr, Toffmann, Magnus, and Rese, Secretarics ani) Vice-hecretaries; Dr. Eichermann, Dr. Martins, }y. Oppenheim, and Fr, Wiehelhaus, ‘reasurer: Ma. Seherinn, Lebrarian: Dr. Scheibler, Kesictent Commiitce: Professor Finkener, lr. Jacobser, Jar. wupheim, $r Schultzen, and Dr. Vogels Non- resident Committee: I]'rofessars Ilasiwetz of Vicuna, }lappe- Seyler of Tuchingen, Iékule of Bonn, Wislicenus in Zarich; and Wagner tn Wurtzburg. Obituary notices of the Inte hono- tary meiaber, Professar Grabam, and the late member Mr Bey- yick in berlin, were then read by the Tresident.

December 13.——-The following papers were read +—Richermann and Grale on Anturacene-menocarbonie Acti. Hacyer and Hanmerling: Synthesis of Indole. Ascher: The ‘Transformation of Angelic into Valeriauic Acid. Hofmann and Gentz on Tro- minated Derivatives of Xylidine am) on )ixylyle-cuanidine or Melosyliling, Ulofmmann on an Tsomeric diphenylated Guani- dine ; and on Sulphocyanate af Xylyvle. Mobreller on the Action of Sulphuret of Carbon on Sulpliuretted Urea. Naumann: The Law of Avogacdro considered as a consequence «af the laws hy which the movement of gases are regulated, Ticl-Trederi on 4 Thin] Monochlarinated Thenela-sulphurous Acid, Cossa on the Constitution of Native Carbonates, “Thomsen on the Tnaceu- racy caused by the use of Favre an Silbermann’s Merenry- calorimeter, Rathke on Molecular Combinations, Ladenburg on the Molecular Weight of certain Frotexides and Protockla- vides. Flenry on the Action of T'entachlorile of Phosphorus on Theuolic Ethers.

VIENNA

Imperial Academy of Sciences, December 2.— Mrofessor Zepharovich presented a fourth instalment of bis mineralogical enumunicattons, inwhich be referred tw erystals of ullemanite anid pyrice, and to the fine (win-crystals of sphene which were found MW 1$H3 on the Rothentopf, A telegram was communicated from M. Vempel announcing (he discovery of a comet at Marscilleson the ayth November, ‘This comet was, in consequence, observed at Vienna by Professor Weiss on the zoth November, and sub- sequently hy Py. ‘Phesdor Oppelzer, whe. communicated the clements of its orbit aud its ephemeris wrto the 6th Jauuary, IN], deduced fram the observations al Marseilles, Vienna, Svipzig, and Carlsriuhe, A memoir enutled * J ievelopment of du tetratasymmictrical division of the hexagonal erystal-system, wilh remarks upon the occurrence af circalar polarisation,” | by M. Aristides Mrezina, was communicated] hy Professor ang. ! —Prafessor vou Tlocktterter comunmeated a third paper on | the earthynike-wave ia the Vacific ¢ wenn, In August 1868, con-

taining observations made in Australia.—M. Schranf presented the first part of his investigations of Lahradorite, containing a deseription ¢f the minecal and a microscopical examination of its enclosures, and an account of the phenomenon of avanturinisa- tion as presented by it.

Dupawix

Royal Dublin Society, December 20,—G. J. Stoney, A. M., LUK.S., in the chair. Mr John Adair read a paper on the Acclirnatisation of Plants as a help to the advance of civilisation. The anthor treated this interesting subject from a practical point of view, leaning rather to the possibility af plants being acclima- tisod|-—at least sufficiently sa to bear the ordinary winter climate of this country. Dr. Moore, Professor E. Perceval Wright, and others, took part in the discussion of the paper, Mr A. G. More exhibited from the museum of the society three fine speci- niens, probably the only three known, of the Blue Mountain Duck af Jamaica (Pleredromea Caribiez Carte) also a large speci- men of the Grey Seal (ulicherrus griseus Nils), which he had shot during the Jast summer on the coast of Galway, Dy. limerson Reynolkls exhibited a collection of flint arrowheads found in Treland, and a photagraph of a portion of the Giant's Causeway. Ile mentioned baying obtained for the museum a series of the Causeway basaluc columns, consisting of a central conmun and six encircling ones.

[This atstract reached us too late to be inserted in ts proper place. En. J

English.—Catechism of the Decimal, Albert, and Metric Systems: A. W. Bonn (published by the author).—Madam How and Lady Why: Rev C. Kingsley (Bell and Daldy).—Reptiles and Birds: L. Figuier, edited and adapted by Parker Gillmore (Chapman and Hall).—The Sun Amedée Guillemin, translated from the French by Dr. Phipson (Bentley).—The Snakes of Australia: Gerard Krefft (Sydney; T. Richards).—Meteorological and Magnetical Observations made at Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne: Geo. Neumayer. (Through Trübner & Co.)

American.—The Trapper's Guide: S. Newhouse.—The New West: Charles Loring Brace.—Agricultural, Qualitative, and Quantitative Analysis: G. C. Caldwell—Sorghum and its Products: F. L. Stewart —Elements of Astronomy: C. J. White.—Annual of Scientific Discovery: Dr. J. Kouland.—The Mines of the West: Rossiter W. Raymond.—Report on the Machinery and Processes of the Industrial Arts, &c., at the Paris Exposition of 1867: F. A. B. Barnard.—The Myths of the New World: Dr. Daniel G. Brinton. (Through Trübner and Co.)—An Abstract of Measurements and Examinatons of the Solar Eclipse of August 7, 1869. Lecture Notes on Physics. The Total Eclipse of August 7, 1869: all by Prof. Alfred M. Mayer, Ph.D. (From the author.)

Foreign—De la Fécondation Artificielle: Jules Gautar (published by the author).—De l'Abus des Boissons Alcooliques: L. F. E. Bergent.—Die Spectralanalyse: Dr. H. Schellen.—Rapport sur le Progrès de la Chimie Organique pure: L. Micé.—Dictionnaire Botanique: E. G. de St. Pierre.—Die Physiologie: Dr. J. W. Czermak.—Stellung des Menschen: Ludwig Büchner. (Through Williams and Norgate.)