J»v* MX :*-# t' AS122 M3P72 * FOR THE PEOPLE MEMOIRS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE MANCHESTER LITERARY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 01 1 MEMOI RS I AJ^JE^f^^-gOCEEDINGS THE MANCHESTER LITERARY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY FOURTH SERIES FIRST VOLUME MANCHESTER 36 GEORGE STREET 1888. T. SOWLER AND CO., PRINTERS, CANNON STREET, MANCHESTER. CONTENTS. MEMOIRS. PAGE decomposition of Potassic On the possible equations expressing the Chlorate by Heat. By James Bottomley, D.Sc, B.A., F.C.S. ... 4 Tyndall's Introduction to the English Pasteur and Faraday : Note on Dr. Edition of the " Histoire d'un Savant par un Ignorant." By F. J. Faraday, F.L.S 7 Hodgkixson, On the Electrical Attraction of Quartz, &c. By Alex. M.B., B.Sc 15 of the atmosphere on the The effect of the small variation of the density ampHtude of plane waves of Sound approaching the earth. By Ralph Holmes, B.A 18 Memoir of the late Joseph Baxendell, F.R.S., F.R.A.S. By James Bottomley, D.Sc. 28 An application of Huyghens' Principle to a spherical wave of light. By R. F. Gwyther, M.A 61 Notes on a Small Collection of Mosses from Mauritius. By J. CosMO 100 Melvill, M.A., F.L.S ••• On the change of incidence of Small-Pox at different ages during the years 1848-86. Parti. By R. F. Gwyther, M.A 105 A method of calculating the Electrostatic Capacity of a Conductor. By Henry Holden, B.Sc, Bishop Berkeley Fellow in Physics at the Owens College, Manchester. Communicated by Professor Schuster, F.R.S "2 On the change of incidence of Small-Pox at different ages. Part 11. By 121 R. F. Gwyther, M.A Descriptions of twenty-three new species of Hymenoptera. By P. Cameron. Communicated by Charles Bailey, F.L.S i59 A survey of the genus Cypnva (Linn.), its Nomenclature, Geographical of two new Distribution, and Distinctive Affinities : with descriptions species and several varieties. Plates I. and II. By James Cosmo Melvill, M.A., F.L.S 1S4 Vi. CONTENTS. PAGE A Catalogue of the si)ecies and varieties of Cyprrca, arranged on a new circular system in accordance with true sequence of affinity. By James Cosmo Meta'ill, M.A., F.L.S. 238 Memoir of the late Professor Balfour Stewart, LL.D., F.R.S. By Professor A. Schuster, Ph.D., F.R.S., F.R. A. S 253 m^OCEFDINGS. Bailey, Charles, F.L.S. —Obituary notices of Dr. A. de Bary, Dr. Asa Gray, and Dr. J. T. Koswell 93 his BoTTOMLEY, James, B. A. , D.Sc, l-.C.S. —On an error in paper "On the Composition of projections in Geometry of two dimen- sions'' ... ... ... ••• •• ••• ••• ••• ••• S9 Additional Note on "The equations expressing the decomposition of Potassic Chlorate l)y heat" ... ... ... ... ... ... 9° Brothers, H. E., A.I.C, F.C.S. —Note on a Nickel Arsenide. Com- municated by Alfred Brothers, F.R. A. S 135 Dixox, Harold B,, IM.A., F.R.S. —On the Union of Hydrogen and Nitrogen ... ... ... ... .•• •.• ••• •• 9^ Thrushes in the Ardennes ... i Faraday, F. J., F.L.S.—On Herons and F.R.S., on Communication from Mr. G. J. Romanes, M.A., LL.D., experiments bearing on the theory of Physiological Selection ... 60 On the Perched Blocks on Norber, a spur of Ingleborough ... 98, 104 HowoRTH, Henry H., F.S.A., M.P.—On an Old Clock in the Chetham College Library 3 Kendall, Percy F.—Note on an Erratic Block observed during excava- tions for a sewer in Oxford Street, Manchester. Communicated by Thos. Kay 97 Lamb, Horace, M.A., F. R.S.—On Reciprocal Theorems in Dynamics... 27 Melvill, James Cosmo, ^LA., F.L.S.—On an original printed draft of Warren Hastings' "Defence," with manu.script annotations by the Right Hon. Edmund Burke 3 Nicholson, Francis, F.Z.S.— Herons and Thrushes in France and ^ Belgium ... ... ... .•• ••• ••• ••• ••• PiCKsroNE, ^V^L—On a portable pneumatic tool giving 5,000 to 20,000 strokes per minute, and a small steam compressed-air engine by working at 5,000 revolutions per minute. Communicated \V. H. Johnson, 15. Sc ^35 — — 1 CONTENTS. Vii. PAGE Schuster, Arthur, Ph.D., F.R.S., F.R.A.S. —On some experiments by Professor Hertz, of Carlsruhe, with ultra-violet Light and the Electric Discharge 6 On researches by Professor Ilann, of Vienna, on Temperature in the centre of an anti-cyclone ... 92 Smith, James. —Note on the bi-centenary of the Principia ... ... 59 Stewart, Balfour, LL.D., F.R.S.—On Mr. Norman Lockyer's paper on the derivation of the heavenly bodies ... ... ... ... 18 Williamson, W. C, LL.D., F.R.S.—On the fossil stigmarian roots of a lepidodendroid or sigillarian tree in the Museum of the Owens College ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 60 Williamson, J. R. H. —On an 800-candle power Edison-Swan in- candescent lamp and a new form of American frictional electrical machine for exploding dynamite in blasting ... ... 12 Meetings of the Microscopical and Natural History Section : Annual 139 Ordinary 14, 17, 26, 88, 99 134 Meetings of the Physical and Mathematical Section : Annual Ordinary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 89 138 Presentation to Mr. William Roscoe ... 15 Report of the Council, April, 1888, with obituary notices of Charles Moseley and John Benjamin Dancer ... ... ... .-143 List of the Council and Members of the Society ... ... ,., ... 273 ERRATA. Page NOTE. The authors of the several papers contained in this volume are themselves accountable for all the statements and reasonings which they have offered. In these particulars the Society must not be considered as in any way responsible. — ^f2^ MEMOIRS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE MANCHESTER LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. Ordinary Meeting, October 4th, 1887. Francis Nicholson, F.Z.S., in the Chair. Reference was made to the loss which the City and the Society had sustained through the death of the Society's new member, Mr. Charles Moseley, and to the material assistance which he had recently rendered to the Local Committee for the reception of the British Association in Manchester. Mr. Moseley made considerable sacrifices in endeavouring to maintain the Manchester Aquarium as a scientific institution, was instrumental in introducing and establishing telephonic communications in the City, and took an active part in organising the Manchester Jubilee Exhibition. Mr. Faraday mentioned that during a recent excursion (September) in the Belgian Ardennes he had seen a stuffed heron at Laroche, on the Ourthe, and, on inquiring if the bird was common in that locality, had been informed that it was only seen there in the winter—when it was abundant but never in the summer months. He also alluded to the 4TH Series. —Vol. I. —No. i.— 18S7-8. 2 Herons and TJirusJies. abundance of the thrush (French "Grive"), which was served at dinner in most of the hotels, and could be purchased for five centimes (one halfpenny) each. The Chairman stated that no doubt the heron seen was of the same species as our common heron. In spring and in autumn there is a general shifting of the different species of birds going on from south to north and from north to south, not only amongst so-called migrants, but amongst species that are often considered to be residents. This movement takes place to a far greater extent than people who have not studied the subject would suspect. The common heron, or, as it is called in France and Belgium, '' Heron huppe," is no exception to this rule, for as the spring advances it proceeds further north to its breeding quarters, and returns in the fall of the year, or when the hard weather comes on, to the south of Europe. Messrs. Degland and Gerbe, in their "Ornithologie Europeenne," say:—"The common Heron Ardea cinerea^ is found throughout the year in the vast marshes of Languedoc, Roussillon, and on the banks of the Rhone near its mouth," but probably the birds that are found in these localities in summer are birds that are not breeding in that particular year. The elevation of the Ardennes is nowhere very great, the valleys are sheltered, and the winter appears to be com- paratively mild. As to the thrushes alluded to, they are most likely to be either the Fieldfare, "Grive litorne" of the French, or the Redwing, " Grive mauvis." Both these species visit the south of Europe in large flocks in the autumn from the north, where they breed in large numbers. The Redwing, Tiirdns iliaciis^ occurs during the winter and severe cold, in flocks, in company with the Fieldfare, Tiirdus pilaris, and they are much sought after for the table. The Redwing is a much smaller bird than the Fieldfare, but its flesh is more delicate in flavour. Proceedings. 3 Ordinary Meeting, October i8, 1887. Professor BALFOUR STEWART, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The President referred to the death of the Society's old member, Mr. Joseph Baxendell, F.R.S., F.R.A.S., for twenty- four years one of its secretaries and the editor of its publications up to his death, and stated that the Council had made arrangements for the preparation of an account of the deceased gentleman's life and work, and had passed a resolution expressing sympathy with Mrs. Baxendell in her bereavement. On the motion of Mr. H. H. Howorth, M.P., seconded by Mr. James Smith, it was resolved that a similar expression of sympathy should be forwarded from the Society. Professor SCHUSTER alluded to the death of Professor Kirchoff, of Berlin, chiefly known for his work on the mathematical basis of Spectrum Analysis, and the author of many memoirs on various subjects of Mathematical Physics.