PARISAcademy of Sciences, October 22.—M. Peligot in the chair. —The following papers were read:—M. Leverrier's tables of Uranus and Neptune, by M. Tresca.—On some applications of elliptic functions (continued), by M. Hermite.—Résumé of a history of matter (first article), by M. Chevreul. This is an extract from a work commenced about the end of last year, and occupying 418 pages of the Memoires de l'Académie, t. xxxix. A sketch of the principles of alchemy is given.—On one of the causes of red coloration of the leaves of Cissus quinquefolia, by M. Chevreul. This cause is sunlight. The green colour is retained in the leaves that are shaded by others.—On the order of appearance of the first vessels in the shoots of some Leguminosæ, by M. Trécul.—Modifications in the conditions of maxima of electro-magnets by the state of more or less complete saturation of their magnetic core, by M. Du Moncel. The law of proportionality of the attractive forces to the squares of the intensities of the current is true only within certain limits, and under certain conditions; and electro-magnets through which the current is interrupted at very short intervals, are (more or less) not subject to it. When the forces are proportional to (say) the cubes of the electric intensities, the helices must always be less resistant than the exterior circuit. In the case of multiplied interruptions, the resistance of electro-magnets must always be less the shorter the duration of closures of the current; and for this reason (also because of defective insulation and extra currents) telegraph electricians reduce considerably the resistance of electro-magnets applied to long circuits. Reverting to the question in the title, the thickness of the magnetising spiral may be increased in case of defective saturation of the magnetic core; becoming double the diameter of this if the force increases as the cube of the intensities.—Preparations of sulphide of carbon brought to the solid state by means of gelatine, by M, Cassius. 100 grammes of gelatine are dissolved in 1,000 grammes of water, and sulphide of carbon (25,50, or 75 per cent.) is mixed at a temperature of 15° to 20°, and the mixture let cool. M. Cassius thinks the preparation might be useful in viticulture. The sulphide is liberated slowly, the time varying according to the proportion of sulphide absorbed.—Experiments on the formation of artificial ultramarine, by M. Plicque. He finds (in opposition to some German authors) that ultramarine does not contain nitrogen. Blue ultramarine, properly so called, is formed by an oxygenated compound of sulphur, and it is probable that this compound is fixed both by sodium and by aluminium.—On the catechines and their constitution, by M. Gautier.—On acid acetates, by M. Villiers. The increase of weight of some neutral acetates, dried and placed, in a summer month, under a bell jar with crystallisable acetic acid, was, in the case of acetate of soda, 404 per cent., or nearly six equivalents of acetic acid; acetate of potash, 264 per cent; of baryta, 179 per cent.; of lead, 134 per cent, &c. The solutions of neutral acetates in crystallisable acetic acid have much less tension of vapour than that of acetic acid. —Researches on butylene and its derivatives, by M. Puchot.—Note on the cause of anthrax, by M. Klebs.—On the structure of the blood corpuscle, and the resistance of its envelope to the action of water, by MM. J. Bechamp and Baltus. The demonstration of the membrane (by action of soluble fecula) is here given in the cases of the frog, the ox, the pig, and the sheep. Water does not destroy the globules; it merely renders them invisible, and they may always be discovered with the aid of picrocarminate, even in extremely dilute media, and after several weeks of contact. The blood of sheep (like that of the hen in M. A. Bechamp's experiments) contains globules of more delicate structure than those of the other bloods examined.—Researches on the functions of leaves of the vine, by M. Macagno. Glucose and tartaric acid are formed preferably in the upper leaves of the fruit-bearing vine-branch; this production of sugar progresses with that of the grape, and is much reduced (even to disappearance) after the vintage. The green branches are conductors of glucose. These facts explain the evil of “pinching” or removing the tops of the grape-bearing branches, with too great zeal. Where there is an abundant production of grapes, a sufficient quantity of leaves should be left for preparation of the necessary glucose.—Reply to a recent note of M. Buys Ballot, on the division into time and into squares of maps of nautical meteorology, by M. Brault.