November i6, 191 i] 



NATURE 



// 



cheniic, Wiedemann's Annalen, and the Zcitschrijt fiir 

 physikalische Chemie, constitute his Hterary activities. 



One of Prof. Haber's most important researches was 

 that upon the ammonia gas equilibrium at high tempera- 

 tures. This work resulted in the development of a com- 

 mercial method for the manufacture of pure ammonia 

 directly from the elements by the use of osmium or 

 uranium as a catalyser. Another important series of re- 

 searches was that upon the properties of flames, including 

 the gas equilibria involved, the ionisation and conductivity 

 of the gases, and the action of the ions as catalysers. He 

 has spent much time during the last few years upon the 

 Btudv of the escape of electrons from the reacting surfaces 

 bf metals, and the effects of electrons upon gas equilibria 

 md upon the velocity of chemical reactions. His other 

 -ecent researches have been mostly upon the following sub- 

 ects : — the electromotive force of the oxyhydrogen cell at 

 ligh temperatures ; the oxidation of nitrogen in the high- 

 )otential arc ; a gas refractometer for the optical analysis 

 >f gases according to Rayleigh's principle ; electrical forces 

 It phase boundaries ; the corrosion of iron by stray currents 

 rem street railways ; the reduction of hydroxylamine ; the 

 ise of solid materials, such as glass and porcelain, as 

 ■lectrolytes ; the equilibrium between magnesium chloride 

 ind oxygen ; electrode potentials and electrolytic reduction ; 

 he laboratory preparation of aluminium ; the preparation 

 if hydrogen peroxide by electrolysis ; experiments on the 

 ecomposition and combustion of the hydrocarbons ; and 

 utoxidation. 



The writer wishes to thank Dr. Fritz Hiller, of Berlin, 

 or the greater part of the information contained in this 



tter. The statements in regard to the purposes and 

 overnment of the institute are official. 



William D. H.\rkins. 



University of Montana, September 30. 



The Weather of 1911, 



That the year which is now drawing towards its close 

 as been, as regards weather, a true annus mirabilis is a 

 3mmonplace of conversation, and all the more so by 

 ason of the contrast between this and last year. Not 

 ly has the summer been remarkable for its length, its 

 eat, its brilliance, but the autumn, even since the weather 

 as broken, has been characterised, unless I am mistaken, 

 an unusual tendency to relapse into bright sunshine : 

 16 storms have cleared up with great rapidity ; the sun- 

 line has been peculiarly clear, and mist and fog remark- 

 ly rare. 



Now for these exceptional phenomena there must be 

 •me exceptional cause, or combination of causes. Can 

 iy of our meteorologists say what it is? I do not ask 

 r a statement of causes such as the prevalence of anti- 

 clones in a particular direction or the continuance of 

 ven winds, for such facts are only part of the phenomena 

 be explained ; but I want to know whether any real 

 use can be assigned for the general character of the 

 ather. Edw. Fry. 



Failand, November 8. 



Dew-ponds in igii. 



The pond near Chanctonbury, referred to by Mr. J. V. 



■atvvorthy in Nature of November 2 (p. 8), has gcner- 

 y been regarded as an ancient one ; and I may perhaps 

 ect attention to a statement in vol. Ivii. of the " Sussex 

 ch. Collections " to thf; effect that it was made by the 

 V. J. Goring, the father of the present owner. If this 

 corrr-ct. anil the word " made " should not read as 

 re-made," there is, apparently, no ground for attributing 

 pond and its fortifications to Neolithic or any other 

 cient people. 



\ visit to St. Martinsell Hill, Wilts, on September 18 



wed how disastrous had been the effects of the long 



jught. The pond near to the shepherd's cottage was 



' except for a small circle of mud at the bottom. When 



rmally full it could not have been more than 2 feet 



?p ; and the whole area was strewn with loose angular 



Kits. The occupier of the cottage stated that the pond 



"1 never previously dried up during the seventeen years 



'ad been there. The sheep on the downs had nearly 



^itne, there being no " feed " for them. In short 



^ NO. 2IC)4, VOL. 88] 



droughts the dew seems to be sufficient to maintain the 

 "feed"; but this year the absence of rain for so long 

 brought about a remarkable absence of dew, and the 

 dependence of dew upon earlier fallen rain seems to be an 

 established fact. 



Another pond is to be seen about a quarter of a mile 

 to the north of the cottage on level ground. It has a 

 large hole in the centre some 5 feet deep. This pond was 

 quite dry. A quantity of puddle had been removed from 

 the depression. 



Another pond-depression occurs south-west from the 

 cottage and barn; at the beginning of the spit of down 

 which here juts out over the low-lying land of the Vale of 

 Pewsey. It is grass-grown, and has several Scots pines 

 growing in it. There is no good reason to think it was 

 a " quarry," or even a " tally-house," as has been alleged. 

 It was dry. 



Further west along this narrow spit of land, and beyond 

 the great ditch and vallum known as Giants' Graves, is 

 an empty pond-depression about 20 feet across, constructed 

 in a most convenient position if only it had water. It 

 has apparently been grass-grown for many years — another 

 instance of the extraordinary neglect of modern-dav 

 farmers. 



All these ponds were circular. On descending on the 

 east of St. Martin's Hill towards Wootton Rivers, past a 

 series of mounds like swellings on the side of the hills, 

 called by some authors " pit-dwellings," I noticed a square 

 pond at the edge of a field. This was also dry. But a 

 little nearer Wootton Rivers, at the side of the road, was 

 a pond full of water. This was on the low ground beneath 

 the hills ; and the secret of its success lay in the fact that 

 it was almost surrounded by tall trees, some of which 

 completely overhung the pond. Thus evaporation was 

 reduced to a minimum in the heat of the summer sun, 

 whilst it mav have been replenished by the condensation on 

 the leaves of the trees. 



It was observed that a concrete pond was being built 

 on a slight eminence in a field near at hand, and it was 

 stated in the village that a boring was being made for 

 water. 



There is a moral. In the first place, farmers do not 

 make their ponds deep enough. In the next place, they 

 neglect them until they dry up. Finally, when they do 

 repair them, they remove the puddle at the bottom in the 

 process of cleaning, and then wonder why the ponds fail 

 to hold water. Edward A. Martin. 



2S5 Holmesdale Road, South Norwood, S.E. 



The Research Defence Society and Anti-Vivisection 

 Shops. 



We desire to make a special appeal for the purpose of 

 undoing the harm which is done by anti-vivisection shops 

 and processions. The exhibits in these shops are of a 

 most misleading nature : and the truth as to anaesthetics is 

 carefully concealed. No operation, more than the lancing 

 of a vein just under the skin, is allowed to be done on 

 any animal in this country, unless the animal is under an 

 anaesthetic throughout the whole of the operation. 



It will be remembered that one of these shops, on the 

 death of H.M. King Edward VII., distributed a leaflet 

 suggesting that his Majesty's death was due to medical 

 treatment. 



We have, of course, received many complaints against 

 these shops. We find that the police have no power to 

 close them : and we can only place men outside them, to 

 give our leaflets to passers-by. 



But this constant giving of literature is a heavy expense 

 to our Society. Wo therefore appeal for special contribu- 

 tions toward this purpose. We make this appeal with con- 

 fidence, for we are sure that the public recognises the 

 grave harm which is done by these shops, especiallv to 

 children. All contributions should be sent to the Hon. 

 Treasurer, Research Defence Society, 21 Ladbroke Square, 

 London, W. 



We may, perhaps, take this opportunitv of mentioning 

 that a letter has just br'en received from Sir Apolo Kagwa, 

 K.C.M.G., the Prime Minister of l^ganda. It is dated 

 from Mengo, I'gandn, September 26. " I reallv think." 

 he says, " that in a few years' time sleeping sickness will 

 be extinct in Uganda, and people will become immune from 



