Bulletin de l'Académie Royale de Belgique, November 3, 1883. On the anatomy and histology of a new species of derostoma (D. benedenii), by M. Francotte.—Report on the work still required to complete the geodesic survey of Belgium, by Capt. Delporte.—Observations on the periodic shooting stars made at Louvain in 1882-83, by M. Terby.—Influence of magnetic disturbances on the scintillation of the stars, by M. Charles Montigny. The paper is accompanied by various comparative tables showing the intensity of scintillation before, during, and after the magnetic disturbances in dry and wet weather.—Summary report on the researches undertaken at the Ostend biological station during the sunvner of 1883, by Edouard van Beneden. Amongst the remarkable objects fished up near this station were a torpedo of unusual size (Torpedo marmorata), a fine specimen of Labrus maculatus, an Amphioxus lanceolatus, and an unknown species of Scopelidæ, referred by Günther of the British Museum to the Odontostomus, or some alhed genus.—On the observation of very rapid movements, especially when occurring periodically, by M. J. Plateau.—Analytical study of the volcanic ashes which fell at Batavia during the eruption of Krakatoa on August 27, 1883, by M. Renard. The author concludes that these ashes are formed by the pulverisation of a fluid igneous mass, whose particles, projected by the expansion of the gases, are subjected to rapid cooling during their passage through the atmosphere. Nothing was detected to indicate the direct action of vapour of water in volcanic disturbances.—On the perfect elasticity of solid bodies chemically defined. New analogy between solids, fluids, and gases, by W. Spring. Here are embodied some of the results of the researches conducted by the author for several years on the action of pressure on solids reduced to a powder. The main object of these researches was to ascertain by experiment whether it be possible by means of pressure perma nently to diminish the volume occupied by a given weight of a solid body chemically defined. As a general result, a slight increase of density was obtained under a pressure of 20,000 atmospheres. But, this once realised, most bodies resisted all further permanent diminution of volume. Some even retained their specific weight intact under extreme pressure.—Observations on M. van Beneden's last note respecting the discovery of fossil iguano-dons at Bernissart, by E. Dupont. This communication closes the controversy.—Note on the literature of international law before the publication of Grotius's “Jus belli et pacis” (1625), part ii., by Alph. Rivier.—A literary study on the position of words in the Latin sentence, by J. Gantrelle.