—

NATURE

74

the latter is not pure, but contaminated M. Dupresence of a considerable amount of alcohol. brunfant continued the discussion on the nature of inverted sugar, it. by a description of his method of separating levulose fr. He effects the separation by the addition of hydrate of lime to a solution of inverted sugar, presses the crystalline magma produced, and removes the lime by treating both the solid residue and the expressed fluid with an acid. This process, according to the author, effects the nearly complete separation of the two forms of glucose, and he suggested that it might become of imjjortance, as levulose possesses far higher sweetening powers than right Mr. T. L. Phipson communicated a note on some subglucose. stances extracted from the fruit of the walnut. From the green envelope of the fruit he obtained a yellow, crystalline substance, of little stability ; this, in a few hours, produced a black, amorphous, resinous substance, Cg Hg Oj-, which the author called rei^ianic acid. With alkalies it forms soluble salts of a magnificent purple colour, and with oxide of lead a violet-brown insoluble salt. For the yellow body he proposed the name of regianine. substance occurring in the episperm of the nut was called nitcitannbie ; it is the cause of the harsh taste of that skin. From it, by treatment with mineral acids, the author obtained glucose, ellagic acid, and a red, insoluble body, which he named rot/iic actd. Its composition was said to be C.jg Hj^ Oj^. The green envelope, when fresh, absorbs oxygen with avidity from the air when mixed with soda, it absorbs oxygen much more rapidly than phosphorus. In a note on the simultaneous action of the intra-pilar current and nascent hydrogen upon organic acids, M. E. Royer described his treatment of oxalic

compound prepared by

by

—

tlie

m

—

A

{Jan.

employment of electricity in seeking metallic bodies in by M. L. Colin, on telluric emanations and their connection with fevers by M. Gouteyron, on the influence of the shell of iron vessels upon the compass by M. Jouglet, on the production of an explosive powder by the action of coal-gas nitrate of copper by M. Dupuis, upon

and

on a new hydraulic the

wounds, &c.

lever.

DIARY THURSDAY, Royal Society,

at 8.30

— —

—

—

—

6. J.

F. Bate-

—

SATURDAY, Royal Institution,

at

January

3.— On Light Quvenile

8.

Lectures); Prof Tyndall

r.R.S.

MOaVDAY, January Royal Geographical Society, Medical Society at 8.

10.

at 8.30.

TUESDAY,

J,-.NUARY

ti.

Civil Engineers, at 8. Photographic Society, at 8. Ethnological Society, at 8. On the Kitai and Kara-Kitai Dr. Gustave Oppert. On the Origin of the Tasmanians, geologically considered J- Bonwick, Esq. —On some Prehistoric Remains discovered in New

—

—

Zealand; Dr. Julius Haasl, F.R. S.

WEDNESDAY,

January

12.

Microscopical Societv, at 8. — On the Calcareous Spicula of the GorgoW. S. Kent, F.Z S. On an UnJescribed Stage of Development niadse of Tetrarhyncus Corollatus Alfred Sanders, M.R-C.S. On a New Method of Measuring Spectra Bands John Browning, F.R.A.S.

—

—

—

On the Superficial Deposits of Portions Geological Society, at 8. of the Avon and Severn Valleys and .Adjoining Districts T. G. B. On the Geological Position and GeograLloyd, Esq., C.E., F.G.S

—

phical Distribution of the Reptilian or Dolomitic Conglomerate uf the Bristol

Area

R. Etheridge, Esq., F.G.S.

—

—

January

Account of the Suez Canal:

r.R.s.

—

—A

— Some

man, F. R.S. On the Mineral Constituents of Meteorites; N. Story Maskelyne. On Fluoride of Silver G. Gore, F.R S. Royal Institution, at 3. On Liglit (Juvenile Lectures); Prof. Tyndall,

acids

—

1870

Decaisne communicated a paper on suckling by mothers ; and Mr. T. L. Phipson a note on the explosion and fall of meteorites. Papers were also presented by M. Bonjean, on the detection of hydrocyanic acid and cyanides in cases of poisoning by M. Guyot, on the toxical effect of rosolic acid ; by M. Trouve, on

—

by these agencies. Concentrated solution of that acid, placed in the porous cell of a Grove's battery, furnished a coniidenablc quantity of formic acid in a few days, the oxalic acid having been split, and hydrogen having combined with each of the two half-molecules. No carbonic acid was set free. M. Delafosse presented a report upon M. Kokscharow's contributions to the mineralogy of Russia, indicating the general character of that work. M. Fell exhibited some specimens of heavy glass {Faraday's glass), prepared by a new process which enables it to be produced in large masses. He also sent in some examples of artificial gems. note by M. M. A. Gaudin, on the production of artificial gems, was also communicated ; it was accompanied by a small collection of specimens. A memoir was presented on tlie general movements of the atmosphere, by M. Peslin also one on the graduation of galvanometers, by M. P. Blaserna and another, containing the first part of a new method for the solution of problems in mechanics, by M. Piaron de Mondesir. Of biological papers, M. Lacaze-Duthiers communicated a first memoir on the morphology of the moUusca, relating to the Gasteropoda. To this we may probably refer elsewhere. M. P. P. Deherain presented a paper on the metamorphoses and migrations of the proximate princii)les in herbaceous plants, in w hich tlie autlior traced the course of the more important vegetable compounds from one set of organs to another during the life of the plant, and indicated the changes which they undergo in different parts. He ascribed the transport of soluble materials from one part of a plant to another to the varying amount of aqueous evaporation from the surface. The accumulation of insoluble proximate principles in the seed was also accounted for by the author on the supposition (experimentally arrived at) that wherever in a system fully charged with liquids there is a point at which the dissolved elements become insoluble, they tend towards that point in order to maintain the equilibrium. Of the means by which the soluble elements are converted into insoluble ones, the author attempted no explanation. M. Milne Edwards presented a note by M. Balbiani on the constitution and mode of formation of the ovum in the Sacciiliiiir, in which that author contests some of the points insisted on by M. E. van Beneden in a former paper (see Nature, p. 246). The question of the antiquity of the horse in Egypt formed the subject of notes by MM. F. Hement, F. Lenormant, and Faye. M. Lenormant disposes of the passage in Genesis in which ^mdes are supposed to be referred to. He seems inclined to consider that the word translateil mules (which occurs nowhere else in the Bible) really signifies hot springs. M. Faye, in opposition to all authority, holds fast by the ordinary modern version, and also cites the passage in the same book in which horses are mentioned among the nnimals taken by Joseph in exchange for corn during the years of famine in Egypt. From the fact tliat horses are here familiarly mentioned, M. Faye infers that their employment in Egypt as lomestic animals must then have been of long standing.— M. E.

6,

THURSDAY, London Mathematical Society, of certain Involutions

Mr.

J. J.

January

at 8.

13.

— Equations

of Centres and Foci

Walker.

CONTENTS PAGE

The Labouring Force of the Human Heart. By Haughton, F. R S The Science of Language. By Prof. Max Mullek The Universe. {11'ith I llttst rations ) Our Book Shelf

A

Plea for the M.a.thematician.

IL By

The New Telescope at Eton. By

H. G.

Prof.

Rev.

Prof.

235 256

259 260

Sylvester, F.R

Madan.

S.

263

Remarks on Terrestkial Magnetism.

By Balfour Stewart,

F.R.S British Rainfall

264 265

The late Professor Michael Jeffkevs,

F. R.

S

Letteks to the Editor;

Sars, of Christiania.

—

astrono.my Chemistry Scientific Serials Societies and Aademies

J.

Gwvn

265

Whvmper

Edwin Birchall Deep Sea Corals. — P. Martin Duncan A Meteor. —W. Pengelly Notes Irish Lepidoptera.

By

265

—

—

Cuckows' Eggs. Prof A. Newton The Veined Structure of Glaciers. E.

Djakv

261

(^With IIIust ra-

tions.')

2G6 267

267 267

267 269 269 270 270 274