May 18, 1870.] HE above represents the chief portions of the apparatus introduced recently by M. Romain Talbot, and they scarcely need further description. It will be observed that the lamp for burning spirits of wine, through the flame of which the oxygen is sent by the tube K on to the piece of magnesia, &c., C, differs little from an ordinary spirit-lamp, and much from those generally used in England for this purpose. The oxygen is produced in the metallic retort G, which is heated by the spirit-lamp F, and is received into the metallic reservoir E J D. The weight of the upper vessel J is said to give sufficient pressure to the gas. The advantages claimed for this gasometer over the gas-bags are, that it is always ready; it does not require the use and trouble of pressure-boards; it cannot well get out of order, and if it does any tinman can repair it-advantages to be appreciated by those who live at a distance from-I was going to say, all but tinmen-but from skilled workmen. Another advantage of the gasometer is, that the light is more fixed than with gas-bags. I have my doubts whether sufficient pressure can be obtained by this means; but I am assured there is no fear of this. The lamp is constructed so that it can be used with common gas instead of spirits of wine, if required.-British Journal of Photography. The Pharmaceutical Society.-This society will hold a conver sazione in the South Kensington Museum this evening, the 18th. * Block courteously lent by the Editor of British Journal of Photography. REVIEWS OF BOOKS. Preliminary Field Report of the United States' Geological Survey of Colorado and New Mexico. By F. V. HAYDEN, United States Geologist. IN N our former notice of this work we promised on a future occasion to deal with it at more length. We now redeem our pledge: The Colorado is an interesting country to the geologist from its containing a great variety of formations, and this report describes only a limited portion, although of considerable extent, examined by the survey under the direction of Mr. Hayden during the preceding year (1869). The rocks comprise igneous and metamorphic, including the Laurentian gneiss, succeeded by Silurian, Carboniferous, Permian (?), Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and lower, middle, and upper Tertiary strata; coal, salt springs, copper, iron, gold, and silver occur, the two latter metals being confined to the granite and gneissic rocks, possibly of the age of the Laurentian series of Canada. The lodes are wonderfully parallel, the greater portion having a north-east and south-west strike, coinciding with one set of clearage planes. The coalbeds of the west are either lower or middle Tertiary; the associated plant remains, being in some cases identical with the miocene species or genera of Europe-Platanus, Quercus, Populus, Magnolia, Sabal; and the salt springs are considered to belong to the triassic sandstones with gypsum. Mr. Hayden considers there are transition or passage beds, represented by clays and sandstones, between the well-defined cretaceous and tertiary strata, for there is no proof in the western country of any unconformity between them. The wonderful fertility of the soil of a considerable portion of the western territories is The amount of water at different seasons in the Platte river and other western streams is influenced by the geological nature of the country through which they flow; receiving their chief supplies from the upland sources, and but little or none from the lower arid plains, which even absorb the water-the Rocky Mountain regions, in the autumn, present what are called dry creeks, with beds which, when full in spring time, form large rivers. Two sections of the report are devoted to an account of the mines and minerals and agriculture of Colorado, by Messrs. Frazer and Thomas. Reports on Observations of the Total Eclipse of the Sun, August 7, 1869. Conducted under the direction of COMMODORE B. F. SANDS, U.S.N. Washington: Government Printing Office. Photographs of the Total Eclipse of the Sun, August 7, 1869. Surgeon-General's Office, Army Medical Museum, Washington, D.C. то the mere outsider a work like that before us may not seem of very much value or importance, but to the astronomer it is the record of a series of observations which, for elaborateness of detail, number, and scientific precision, are unparalleled in the annals of science. In this (to the astronomer) most precious quarto, we have a set of ten reports, made out by the leading astronomical and photographic workers of the United States, and given with a regard for minutiae which stamps them with a worth far above that of most observations of solar eclipses. Indeed, the work is of such a character that it must, until several subsequent observations lead to the publication of other works of the kind, be the standard authority on the phenomena of solar eclipses. Some of the reports in this volume are from private sources, but they are nevertheless most useful additions to our knowledge. The Report is generally that of the American Naval Observatory, and is under the editorship of Commodore Sands, and the various scientific men who accompanied him to Des Moines, Iowa, where the temporary observatories and photographic laboratories were erected, and the fine equatorial telescope of the Naval Academy was lent for the occasion by Vice-Admiral Porter. Professor Newcomb undertook the observations of the corona and the search for intra-mercurial planetoïds. Professor Harkness did the work with the spectroscope. Professor Eastman carried out the general meteorological observations, and Dr. Curtis prepared the wonderful photographs which now lie upon our table, and which are certainly among the wonders of astronomical sun-pictures. Of the details of the report it is needless to speak, for they are already tolerably familiar to our readers. But of the photographs we may say-and of course we speak of the prints, and not of the negatives-that they are exquisite productions. They are two in number; one represents the eclipse after the commencement of totality, and the second near the end of totality; and the manner in which they depict the solar protuberances is certainly most remarkable. In conclusion, we would point out how creditable to the American Government is the publication of such an admirably-executed scientific report as that which has issued from the Washington State Printing-office. [May 18, 1870. the student but the public has Dr. Guy written, and it is only on the lucus a non lucendo principle that his work is styled public health; for, from cover to cover, it treats rather of public disease. In a word, Dr. Guy has given us an historical account of the great epidemics which, during the past few centuries, have ravaged civilized populations, and in doing this he has brought his well-known powers as a statistician to show that these great waves of death which from time to time have inundated the shores of life, might have been in great measure prevented by the practice of a rational hygiene. It is in this way that the author has written; and clearly his aim has been to convince the public of the necessity for the establishment of a science of disease-prevention. Some may think that, in doing this, Dr. Guy was performing a work of supererogation; but those who will take this view of the matter are they who know not the dense crust of ignorance and indifference which must be removed before the public become intelligent enough to see the frightful amount of preventible mortality which now exists in civilized society. In point of style this little volume is in the highest degree attractive. It is not merely a collection of dry figures, but it is a graphic narrative of startling facts, chiefly told in the author's clear and forcible English, and frequently illustrated by apt quotation from the older writers, medical and historical, thus showing Dr. Guy's industry and erudition. As we have said, it is an essay in support of a science, it is the raison d'être of Hygiene, and is a book which every educated person should read, and from which he will surely derive both pleasure and profit. M ESSRS. JOHNSTON have from time to time conferred benefit on science and saved much unnecessary labour to scientific teachers by the publication of their several Atlases and Illustrations. It seems to us that in no instance more than in the present one have they been successful; and, if the subsequent sheets approach that before us in scientific accuracy and artistic perfection, the series will be one which will meet nearly all the wants of the ordinary lecturer on Botany. Indeed, this first sheet alone contains enough to give a fair general insight into the structure of plants, and it deals with materials enough for three or four well condensed lectures. Dr. Balfour's handbook of explanations will, when complete, form a very convenient text-book. The part now before us treats of the subjects illustrated on the sheet, and is the beau-ideal of compressed matter. Both the Sheets and the Handbook have our heartiest commendation and best wishes. Symons' Monthly Meteorological Magazine. Vol. IV. London: Stanford, 1870. THỊ THIS is the volume of Mr. Symons' Magazine for the year 1869. It is a little mine of wealth for the working and amateur meteorologist, and contains some very interesting illustrations of recent apparatus, some of which we may hope ere long to reproduce in these pages. This journal is essentially the organ of the British meteorologist, and every British meteorologist should rank among its subscribers. It does not deal so much with abstract matter as with those problems of importance to the carrying out of practical observations, and without which scientific records would be useless. great tomb, and has supplied a number of handsome photolithographs, which tell their own tale. The object of the work is to show a marked relation or almost identity [as pointed out by Herodotus (450 B.C.)] between the Egyptian and the Greek cubit. The reasoning by which this view is sought to be established is most ingenious, and would be convincing if, like prophecy, the measurement of the Great Pyramid were not capable of so many interpretations. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 11819 ENGLISH. 7s. cl. Bascom's Principles of Psychology. Cr. 8vo. Johnson's How Crops Feed. Cr. 8vo. 10s. cl. Packard's Handbook of Operative Surgery. 8vo. 25s. el. FRENCH. Année préparatoire, Zoologie, Botanique, Géologie. Ouvrage rédigé conformément aux Programmes. 3e Edition, révue et augmentée avec 114 figures dans le texte. Paris. Masson et Fils. De l'Eau. Etude biologique, nosologique et hygiénique. Docteur Begeret (de Saint-Leger). Lyons. Vingtrinier. Par le De l'Education rationnelle des Vers-à-soie et de la Décentralization de la Tériciculture en France. Par M. Eugène de Masquard, Agriculteur, ancien Filateur à Alais et ancien Graineur en Briance (Lombardie). Lyon. Vingtrinier. Des Machines à Vapeur. Leçons faites en 1869-70 à l'Ecole impériale des Ponts et Chaussées. Par F. Jacquim, Ingénieur en Chef des Ponts et Chaussées, Professeur à l'Ecole. Paris. Garnier. Eléments de Géologie (Eléments de Physique terrestre). Par H. Marié-Davy et L. Sourel. Ouvrage rédigé conformément aux programmes officiels de 1866 pour l'enseignement sécondaire spécial. 4e Année. Paris. Hachette et Cie. Enseignement spécial et professionnel; Notions élémentaires d'Histoire naturelle. Par A. Bourrus, Professeur au Lycée de Mont-deMarsan. Etudes sur l'Electricité. Nouvelle Methode pour son Emploi médical. Par C. Beckensteiner. Paris. Savy. Etude sur les Epanchements traumatiques, primitifs de Sérosité. Des divisions complètes de la langue chez les enfants. Par G. Peltier, Interne des Hôpitaux de Paris. Paris. Delahaye. L'Avenir de la Sericiculture européenne. Mésures à prendre au Japon, Fondation d'une Société de Recherches des Graines saines. Discours de M. Hector Meynard, de la Maison, et H. Meynard, frères, de Valréas (Vaucluse), au Congres agricole de Lyon, Séance du 24 avril 1869. Lyon. Vingtrinier. Les Mines métalliques de la France. Par Alfred Caillaux, Ingénieur civil des Mines. Paris. Douniol. Mémoires de la Société des Antiquaires de Normandie. 3e Série, 2e Partie. Paris. Derache. Mémoire sur le Traitement médical et la Guérison des Affections cancereuses; suivi d'une Note sur le Traitement de Syphilis. Par Lucien Massey. Paris. Adrien Delahaye. Traité pratique d'ophthalmoscopie et d'optométrie. Par M. Maurice Perrin, Médecin principal de l'Armée. Ouvrage accompagnée d'un atlas en chromolithograph et d'une échelle typographique. Paris. Masson et Fils. CORRESPONDENCE. It is distinctly to be borne in mind that we do not, by inserting letters, convey any opinion favourable to their contents. We open our columns to all, without leaning to any; and thus supply a channel for the publication of opinions of all shades. No notice whatever will be taken of anonymous communications. SUSPECTED CHANGES ON THE MOON'S SURFACE.-From SIR,-May I solicit the attention of your astronomical readers to the present appearance of a rather conspicuous lunar crater, which is situated west of Theophilus, the northern of three striking objects on the S.W. quadrant of the moon's disk-viz., Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina. The crater in question is marked G by Lohrmann in Section II., and A by Beer and Mädler in their large map. The earliest delineation that I am aware of is by Lohrmann, who gives a ridge adjoining the N.E. border of the crater, but no central mountain. Beer and Mädler, at a later epoch, give a ridge terminating at the north border of the crater, and an interior mountain excentrically situated towards the south border. In Rutherford's photogram, March 6, 1865, a ridge is seen within the crater, continued from the exterior ridge, as given by Beer and Mädler; the termination of this ridge appears to be concealed by the bright illumination of the interior of the south border. On the evening of May 6, 1870, 8 to 8.20, S.M.T., I made the following record:-" IV. B. Lambda 8, west of Theophilus, is a remarkable crater, a ridge in continuation of 'crater row' north-east of Isidorus, has penetrated into its interior nearly to its S.E. border. This ridge appears to have been produced subsequently to the formation of the crater, having pushed up its north border." When I recorded the above I had not consulted the beforementioned authorities. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, W. R. BIRt. Cynthia Villa Observatory, Walthamstow, May 7. ON VELOCIPEDESTRIANISM.-From W. J. BARKAS, L.R.C.P. Lond. SIR,-Your correspondent " Bycyclist," in attempting to criticise my letter, has overlooked what I desired most strenuously to enforce, viz., the advisability of bycyclists consulting their medical advisers as to the state of their health, by saying in a sarcastic manner that "medical advisers would not be troubled by the bycycling public." That the "bycycling public" will not consult medical men I am perfectly aware of; but, notwithstanding that, it does not follow that they ought not to do so. The late Dr. White, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, told me, that in his experience (which was very extensive) the diseases of athletes were chiefly consumption and organic heart affections, both of which are affections that are progressive in their nature, and which might be detected comparatively early by an experienced physician; if they had taken the precaution to consult one, their lives might thus have been prolonged an indefinite period by a timely warning. "Bycyclist" then casually remarks that the word "byclyclism" is shorter than " velocipedestrianism," with which I quite agree when written, but let him ask his friends which is the more easily spoken. My friends give a unanimous opinion in favour of the longer word. He thinks my knowledge and experience of mechanical apparatus is small, which is approximately true; but my personal experience of bycycles extends over more than a year's constant practice. Had your correspondent read the whole of a sentence before he criticised it, such an act might have saved him from ridicule. Let me place before him the whole of the sentence upon which he founds my inexperience. "Before pointing out the advantages of the velocipede, I shall assume that they are of no use for making long journeys, if at the end of the ride you are to be cool as regards temperature, have all your faculties clear, or your hand steady." I think the part italicised sufficiently explains what I desired to have inferred from "long journeys." Suppose "Bycyclist" were a doctor, and had a round of a few miles to go, would he be in a condition to present himself before patients; be in a position to make a diagnosis of a comparatively difficult case, or be able to perform a delicate operation on an eye at the end of it? I agree with my critic, that a given distance, if not too long, may be passed over in less time and with less fatigue on a bycycle than by walking. Your correspondent concludes with a foolish remark about running to catch the train, which does not require any further com. ment than that if he were punctual he would not have to run. I am, &c. Boro' Bridge, May 14. W. J. BARKAS, L.R.C.P. Lond., &c. GLAISHER'S (HALL'S IMPROVED) RAIN GAUGE.-From SIR,-In paragraph 8 of my meteorological report, which appeared in SCIENTIFIC OPINION last week, p. 429, your readers may have noticed, with reference to the diameter and situation of rain gauge, the words "Glaisher's improved," and I therefore beg to give you some particulars of it, which I communicated to the chairman of the Rainfall Committee of the British Association (G. J. Symons, Esq., F.M.S.) some time since, to which he has signified his approval. The following extracts from my letter, verbatim, to that gentleman will, I think, together with some few remarks, fully explain its particulars. "The improvement to which I refer consists of an inverted rim, or channel (similar to the one in which the receiver stands), fixed to the outside cylinder of the receiver, and made sufficiently large to admit of its dropping over the rim, which is fixed to the lower cylinder. "The reason I suggested this addition was that, on one occasion, while registering the daily rainfall last winter, I was unable to take the receiver off, owing to the already existing channel being partly filled with water which had frozen hard during the night." I then proceeded to speak of another difficulty, viz., "that water is often found outside of the receiving pot in the cylinder; and I have often questioned whether or not that water has been shaken from the small pipe at the bottom of the funnel, or whether it has resulted from the water in the channel (outside) drawing over, either by the motion of the wind, or in the act of raising the receiver. I have found this to be effectually prevented in the gauge I have described. I believe it to be even more effectual against the loss by evaporation (during all weathers) than the present system." With regard to the latter remarks, I think that very much depends upon the fixture of the gauge. It may be for want of more rigid fixing in my case that has led to these results. It has been used at some height above the ground. It is intended that water should be collected in the flange (Glaisher's) I have spoken of, and thus close the gauge against evaporation-a good idea theoretically, but not practically; vide Symons's British Rainfall, 1868; Rain Gauge Experiments at Strathfield, Turgiss, Reading, by the Rev. C. H. Griffith, F.M.S., &c., p. 23-which further establishes my remarks. The absence of outlet for confined air here spoken of might be remedied by drilling small air holes in the bottom of the receiving cylinder and upright flange, but not facing each other. I have two Glaisher's gauges now in use, fitted with the flange arrangement, and both answer remarkably well. One is stationed at Virginia Water, under my supervision, the other being under my personal care at Richmond. Since writing to Mr. Symons, I have had the latter (Richmond gauge) fitted with a piece of helical pipe in place of the J-shaped pipe, which I think will constitute a further improvement, as it offers no direct opening for evaporation, at the same time offering little or no hindrance to the descent of the rain-water; there are, however, other reasons which I could bring forward in its favour if time and space allowed me, but this, perhaps, will be better explained and understood in a paper which I hope to communicate to you shortly, "On a Proposed New Form of Rain Gauge (the Atmospileometer),' in which a similar, but more extensive idea is shown. I am just about to submit the plans and a description to Mr. Symons. METEOROLOGY OF APRIL. I would take this opportunity of stating that the following rainfall amounts were omitted in the "Table of Meteorological Elements ; they are as follows, viz. : 27th (two days), 074; 28th, 005; 29th, 078; 30th, -, making, together with the amounts of the 9th and 10th, 243 in., the monthly total shown in "General Results," page 429, viz., 0·400 in. This occurred through my somewhat hurrying the report, as I was leaving town for a few days. One or two other minor errors appear to have crept in, such as "degree signs" where the figures represent numbers, but in no way to interfere with the legibility of the results; at the same time I think it well to mention this. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, JOHN JAMES HALL. Grosvenor-terrace, Mount Ararat-road, Richmond, Surrey, May 12. [May 18, 1870. METEOROLOGY OF APRIL, 1870.-From the REV. F. B. FALKNER. SIR,-I beg to send you a few particulars of the weather of last month, as deduced from observations conducted by myself in this Midland region. The circumstances of atmospheric temperature and moisture refer to a stratum of air 4 ft. from the ground. The barometer is 335 ft. above sea-level. The instrument for measuring the intensity of the sun's rays is a maximum thermometer, with its bulb blackened and in vacuo, placed about 34 ft. from the ground. The minimum "radiating" thermometer rests horizontally on a table 3 ft. from the ground, and is freely exposed to the sky. It shows the lowest temperature to which unsheltered vegetation near the earth's surface is subjected at night. Highest temperature of air, on the 20th Highest reading of solar thermometer, on the 20th Rainfall.. Number of frosty nights 77.0° 24.5 52.52 50.1° 123.02 13:02 30-20 in. 29.16 in. 1.04 in. 0.83 in. 5 There was a short period of sharp frost in the first week of the month; the temperature of the air descending to 245° on the morning of the 4th; to 24-7° on the 5th; to 26.5° on the 6th; and to 27.5° on the 7th. The warmest night was that following the 24th day; when the thermometer did not fall so low as 48° between sunset and sunrise. On the other hand, the lowest maximum temperature of the twentyfour hours occurred on the 2nd, when the thermometer did not rise above 54.3° all day. The greatest observed dryness of the air was at 2 p.m. on the 20th, when the wet-bulb thermometer read as much as 15° below the temperature of the air. The direction of the lower current of air was variable. Westerly winds were balanced by easterly, and southerly winds by northerly. The cuckoo is said to have been heard as early as the 14th of April, in this neighbourhood. I did not hear it myself before the 21st or 22nd. The ladybird, which was abundant about four weeks ago, has now almost disappeared from these parts. Vegetation is backward, on account of the protracted drought. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, F. B. FALKNER. Appleby Grammar School, Leicestershire, May 12. MR. WALLACE ON NATURAL SELECTION.-From MR. HENRY H. HIGGINS. SIR,-In his very interesting and valuable Contributions to th Theory of Natural Selection, Mr. Wallace objects to the notion that birds build their nests by instinct. He considers that "much of what has been attributed to instinct in birds can be very well explained by crediting them with those faculties of observation, memory, and imitation, and with that limited amount of reason which they undoubtedly exhibit." He also remarks that "it would be very extraordinary if young birds could live for days and weeks in a nest, and know nothing of its materials and the manner of its construction." The case of the young bird building its first nest seems to be introduced chiefly as an illustration of the needlessness of appealing to innate instinct as the source of many of the more remarkable habits of animals in constructing their dwellings. Birds' nests are very wonderful, but not more so than the geometric webs of the various species of garden-spiders, Epeira, the young of which are hatched from a cocoon, and make their first appearance in public as a numerous colony, swarming in an envelope of loosely-woven filaments. It cannot be many days before they separate, and each of the brocd shifts for itself, constructing a web less in size, but not less perfect, than that of the parent spider. It is needless to describe the SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. Secretaries of Societies will oblige us by regularly forwarding "Abstracts of Proceedings;" and they would do much to enhance the interest and success of their meetings if they would enable us to publish in anticipation "notices of papers to be read." ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. MAY 10TH.-Special meeting held at the Museum of Practical Geology; Professor Huxley, president, in the chair. Dr. O'Callaghan was announced as a new member. Colonel Lane Fox read a letter from Lieutenant Oliver relative to the destruction of the fine menhir of Le Quesnel in Jersey, described in the last number of the Society's Journal; and Sir J. Lubbock and Mr. Mackie made remarks on the importance of obtaining records of the present condition of our megalithic monuments. Professor Huxley then delivered an introductory address on the ethnology of Britain. He showed that the oldest accounts of the population of these islands prove the existence of two types of people, physically distinct-the one being tall, fair, yellow-haired and blueeyed, while the other was short and dark, with dark hair and black eyes. This dark type, as exemplified in the ancient Silures, closely resembled the people of Aquitania and Iberia, whilst the fair type bore close physical relation to the Belgae of North-east France and Belgium ; and these, again, resembled the Germani who dwelt on the east side of the Rhine. The successive invasions to which Britain was subject introduced no new race-element. It is doubtful whether the Roman invasion strengthened the dark or the fair type in the pre-existing population, but it is certain that the invasion of the Low Dutch from the shores of the Baltic strengthened the fair element, as also did the incursions of the Danes. The influence of the Norman Conquest would be the subject of Dr. Nicholas' communication. The Rev. Dr. Nicholas then read a paper "On the Influence of the Norman Conquest on the Ethnology of Britain." He first inquired what race-elements were present prior to the Norman invasion, and then what elements were introduced by William's army. From his conclusions on these points, he was led to believe that the effect of the so-called "Norman" Conquest was greatly gainful to the old British or Gallo-Celtic population. The one, restormelite, was obtained from the Restormel Iron Mines, and may be regarded as a variety of kaolinite, standing nearest to the Lithomarge group. Its specific gravity and its hardness are nearly the same as those of lithomarge. In its percentage of silica and alumina (its chief constituents) it does not differ from that of lithomarge; but, while restormelite contains 7 per cent. of soda and potash, lithomarge contains a mere trace of these alkalies. Mr. Church considers restormelite as preserving in its alkalies more evident traces of its feldspathic origin than we usually find in such alteration-products. The following percentages were obtained in six analyses : These results correspond pretty well with the formula of kaolinite, AlO2SiO2+2aq., if we suppose several replacement, such as a partial replacement of hydrogen by sodium or potassium, and of alumi nium by iron. The other of the above-mentioned minerals is chalcophyllite. The recorded analyses of this mineral are by no means satisfactory. Chevenix found in it 58 per cent. of cupric oxide and 21 of water; Hermann, 44-45 per cent. of CuO and 31:19 of water; and Damour, 52.61 of CuO and 23:26 of water. Of course it was rather difficult to assign a formula for so variable a substance. Mr. Church has devoted much time and labour to an endeavour to clear up the mystery of its constitution; and he obtained the following percentages as the mean of several analyses : Messrs. Bolas and Gloves communicated a paper on "Tetrabromide of Carbon." This combination is obtained (1) by heating bisulphide of carbon with bromide of iodine, in a sealed tube, to a temperature of 150° C. for about forty-eight hours; (2) by heating bromopicrin with bromide of i dine in a flask furnished with a digestion-tube till the reaction is completed, which is indicated by the disappearance of the bromopicrin; (3) by heating bromoform with bromide of iodine, in a sealed tube, to about 150° C. for twenty-four hours. In all the above processes terbromide of antimony may be substi stuted for the bromide of iodine. The tetrabromide of carbon is obtained in a pure state by distillation. It is a white substance, crystallising in lustrous plates, melting at 91° C., of an ethereal odour, somewhat resembling that of carbon tetrachloride, and of sweetish taste. It does not dissolve in water, but readily in ether, hot alcohol (from which it is deposited, on cooling, in the crystalline state), carbon bisulphide, chloroform, bromoform, benzol, and American oil. Sodium amalgam reduces it to bromoform, and then into methylene dibromide. The authors propose to carry on their investigations of this interesting compound. ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. A MEETING was held of this society on Monday week, Sir Roderick Murchison, president, in the chair, at which Mr. Consul Swinhoe read a paper on his official mission last spring to the Upper Yank-tse-Kiang, to examine the trade resources of the river. He ascended to Hankow, in the Salamis, with Admiral Sir Henry Keppel, and continued his voyage thence in the gunboat Opossum. The Opossum reached the town of Ichang, about 900 miles from the sea, being the first vessel that had accomplished the navigation, although it had been known since Blakiston's report that the Yangtse was navigable to that port. Beyond Ichang the great river is contracted between walls of rock, and the current runs with great rapidity. The Chinese pilot refused to take the gunboat further; and the rest of the journey to Chungking, in Sze-chuen, was performed in a native boat, which was "tracked" through all the difficult places. Two naval surveyors (Messrs. Dawson and Palmer) accompanied Mr. Swinhoe, and after examining the rapids they reported that steam navigation could not be carried on in the Yang-tsze beyond Ichang. Mr. Swinhoe, with two delegates from the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, reached Chungking, and were well received there by the Chinese authorities and traders, who gave much information about the routes, products, and trade of this remote province, all of which is contained in a report by the delegates published at Shanghai. After the paper, Mr. T. T. Cooper, who had recently returned from Assam, after having in vain attempted from both sides to cross the tract of difficult country lying between China and British India, spoke of the possibility of the gorge of Ichang being made navigable by the removal of rocks that cause the obstructions, and said there was a long extent of fine navigable river beyond the gorge. In reply to questions concerning the production of opium in Sze-chuen and the prospects of its interfering with our Indian trade in this drug, he replied that the opium of Sze-chuen was of weaker quality and so heavily taxed by Mandarins in descending the river that it could not compete in Eastern China with the opium brought from India. A second paper was read by Mr. W. A. Whyte on his journey last October from Tien-tsin to Kiachta, across the Desert of Gobi. Admirals Sir William Hall, Bethune, and Collinson, Mr. George Campbell, Mr. W. Lockhart, and Mr. Robert Michell took part in the discussion on the two papers. At the conclusion of the meeting the President informed the members of a fact which he said would gratify both them and the public, that in consequence of an appeal which he had made to the Earl of Clarendon, her Majesty's Government had determined to afford the means of relieving the great traveller Livingstone by sending supplies to him at Ujiji from Zanzibar. This announcement was received with loud cheers. The following fellows were elected :-William Henry Bishop, Sir Bruce Chichester, Charles Dibdin, R. W. Dibdin, Claud Erskine (Bombay) Civil Service), Captain T. A. J. Harrison, R.A., Campbell Hepworth, C. E. Lamplough, F. I. Palmer, R.N., Edward Shearne, Raymond West, Captain T. P. Wood. RECENT LECTURES AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. PROFESSOR JOHN S. BLACKIE, of Edinburgh, has finished his course of four lectures on Moral Philosophy. He went in a somewhat rambling style over the well-trodden ground of the ancient Greeks, showing the contrast of Socrates's teachings with those of modern Utilitarians, and gave his opinion of both. His repeated hints at James and |