New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-27

,.. a;.coxered nv Iassell in 1s45 and 1847 had
nrohably also been seen In few instances py ieIs
prot Holden stated that with the 2Ginch Clark re-
tractor il had qeen possible during tho past nVo
months to observe all four OF Lasselis satlh n
with the mcIometer and Illuminated wlre' anu 'nat
the series of observ atoms obtained was greater
In extent and more accurate IN detali than All tnae
had been hitherto done by other observers. Inc
last communication of the evening was by fro1 d.
f. Higard on the construction of new apparatus
for the investigation OF personal equation Inc ap-
paratus was exhibited TO the Society, and oppor-
tunitv offered number oil those present 10 pracu-
cally test its efficiency.
NEW YORK: LYCEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Chem
zeal Section May 11.-Mr. William Faux read apaper
on Physical and Vital Theories of Fermentation,
taking strong ground in favor Of the strictly chem
cal and physical view and in opposition to the germ
theory. The debate gave rise to an animated ana
extended debate carried on between the author ana
Prof Wurtz DIR. b. n Martin, DR.. Feuchtwanger,
and Dr. Endemann with wide diversity OF views,
manly however in support of the germ theory.
Prof A. r. Leeds read communication on Ger
tain New Minerals. One Of these was greenlsh
earth from Dakota used ny both Indians and whites
for washing as natural soap; another was me-
tallic substance which is found among the stamp
copper at Copper Falls, Mch improves to be an al
10y of copper and zinc. Aminera hitherto called an
thophylte, from Conshohocken Penn, wass hownto
be new variety of trenolite Also the results OF the
examination of fulgerite from near Fayetteville,
n c. were presented. The specimen was CLASSY
rod four feet long and two inches thick formed by
stroke of lightning falling on bank of very white
sand. The strangely contorted fragments OF the rod
were slick, perfectly fused, and almost pure, save
little trace of iron. 1t remains TO be determined
whether this iron existed III the sand, OF was in any
way connected with the lightning discharge.
Attention was called to the proposed celebration
of the Centennial of Chemistry. DIR. Bolton made
some preliminary statements, and read letters In
response to his original suggestion Of the celebra-
ton, resolutions passed, expressing the sense
of the meeting as 10 the proprirty of such cele-
bration during the present year, aud providing ior
a Committee to open correspondence with the
chemists of America on the subject
GeolooicdI Section Nav 1S-Prof ID. s. Martin
made a fuller presentation of his views on the
Rhombic Crystal lizaton of Graphlte, before Iec
ferred to, based upon the peculiar stration OF
graphite crystals from TiconderOga, i'll connection
| with the facts lately set forth by Prof Cooke OF
Harvard College in regard to the vermiculites. ne
was strongly disposed to regard graphite as ortno-
| Thombic, twinned in heXagonal forms. fTofs;
Egleston and Leeds expressed much Interest," ana
as to fix upon definite conclusion Ill regard 10 30
| curious point. 90. q.
Prof r. Egeston read paper upon the Situations
of Crystals, explaining the nature ana causes Oh
this phenomenon. The leading cause Is what may
be termed oscillation" between two distinct
crystalline forms. tendency toward each OF whcn
may be present durng the formation OF the crystal
The stronger tendency determines the general
form while the weaker one leaves its record I'M
series of attempted faces which usually appear only
as fine STRIFE; at times, however and indeed almost
always with magnifer, these lines are seen TO be
the mere edges of faces belonging to different
form. Thus the horizontal stri9 on the prlsmatc
faces of quartz CRYSTALS due to oscillation be-
tween the prism and the terminal pyramid and those
on cubes of iron pyrites are caused by tendency
toward the formation of the pentagonal d0deca,,
hebron The paper was very fully illustrated and
took up the sriG of the different systems III order
Prof Henry Wprtz read a paper on Products OF
Alteration in the Palisade Rocks, describing and
exhibiting several peculiar altered minerals some
of them perhaps new. from the trap ridge of Hud-
son City and Weehawken