4/2 



NATURE 



[February i, 1912 



Pp. xi + 398. (New York: H. Holt and Co.) a dollars 

 net. 



Who's Who in Science (International), 1913. Edited by 

 H. H. Stephenson. Pp. xvi + 323. (London: J. and A. 

 Churchill.) 65. net. 



Church's Laboratory Guide. Ninth edition. Revised 

 and largely rewritten by Prof. E. Kinch. Pp. xvi + 368. 

 (London : Gurney and Jackson.) 6i. 6<i. net. 



Handworterbuch der Naturwissenschaftcn. Edited by 

 E. Korschelt and others. Erste Lieferung. Pp. 1-160. 

 (Jena : G. Fischer.) 2.50 marks. 



Journal of the Institute of Metals, No. 2, Vol. vi., 191 1. 

 Pp. viii + 369. (London: Caxton House, S.W.) 215. net. 



•Meddelanden frdn Statens Skogsforsoksanstalt. Haftet 

 8, 191 1. Pp. 279 + xxiii. (Stockholm.) 2.25 kronor. 



The .A. B.C. Guide to .Astronomy. By Mrs. H. Periam 

 Hawkins. Pp. iv+120. (London: Simpkin and Co., 

 Ltd.) \s. 6i. net. 



Spices. By II. N. Ridley, C.M.G., F.R.S. Pp. ix + 

 449. (London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 8s. 6d. net. 



Manual Training Woodwork Exercises treated Mathe- 

 matically. By F. E. Drury. Pp. xi + 215. (London: 

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DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Fkukuakv i. 



koVAL Society, at 4.30. — The Bacterial Production of Acetylmethyl- 

 carbinoi and Butylene Glycol from Various Substances : Dr. A. Harden, 

 K.R.S., and Miss D. Norris.— The Chemical Action of ISacillas Cloacse 

 (Jordan) on Glucose and Manniiol : J. Thompson. — On the Distribution 

 of the Nerves of the Dental Pulp : J. H. Mummery. — A Method for 

 Isolating and Cultivating the Mycobacterium Pseudo Tuberculosis enteri- 

 tidis bovis (|ohne), and some Experiments on the Preparation of a 

 Diagnostic Vaccine for Pseudo Tuberculosis enteritis of bovines: F. W. 

 Twort and G. L. Y. Ingram. — On the Fossil Flora of the Forest of Dean 

 Coalfield (Gloucestershire), and the Relationship of the Coalfields of the 

 West of Kngland and South Wales : E. A. N. Arber— Simultaneous 

 Colour Contrast : Dr. F. W. Edridge-Green.— Studies on Enzyme .Action. 

 XIV. — Urease, a Selective Enzyme: Prof. H. E. Armstrong, F.R.S. , 

 and E. Horton. 



LiNNEAN SociETV, at 8.— Foufmis des Seychelles revues de M. Hugh 

 Scott : Prof. A. Forel. — Tipulidx from the Indian Ocean : F. W. 

 Edwards. — Sciaridae, mit einem Anhang von Dr. J. J. KiefTer (Beschrei- 

 bung neuer Sciariden von den Seychellen Insein) : Dr. Giinther Enderlein. 

 — Ichneumonidae from the Indian Ocean : C. Morley. — New Fishes from 

 Aldabra and Assumption, collected by Mr. J. C. F. Fryer: C. Tate 

 Regan. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Phenomena of Splashes: Prof. A. M. 

 Worthington, C.B., F.R.S. 



FRIDAY, February 2. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— Vital Effects of Radium and other Rays : Sir 

 J. M. Davidson. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Steam-turbines : Some Prac- 

 tical Applications of Theory : Captain H. Ri.ill Sankey, R.E. 



Geologists' Association, at 7.3a — Annual General Meeting. — Presi- 

 dential Address ; Rocks containing Radiolaria : William Hill. 



MONDAY, February 5. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30.— The Historicity of the Mosaic Tabernacle : 

 Rev. Prof. J. Orr. 



Society of Engineers, at 7.30.— Presidential Address: John Kennedy. 



Aristotelian Society, at 8 The Relation of Willing to Cognition : 



Prof. G. Dawes Hicks. 



Society of Chemical Industry, at Z.— Discussion : The Industrial 

 Bursaries Scheme of the Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibition. — Papers: 

 Constant Temperature Heating Apparatus for Explosives ; Experiments 

 on the Decomposition of Nitro-Cellulose : J. S. S. Brame. — Some Physical 

 Constants of Structureless Cellulose Filaments (Artificial Silk) : W. P. 

 Dreaper and J. G. Davis. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— The Meat Industry : L. M. Douglas. 



TUESDAY, February 6. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Study of Genetics: Prof. W. Bateson, 

 F.R.S. 



Zoological Society, at 8.w.— Report on the Deaths which occurred in 

 the Zoological Gardens during 1911 : H. G. Piimmer, F.R.S.— On 

 Experimental Pheasant Breeding: Mrs. R. Haig Thomas. —Mendelian 

 Experiments on Fowls: J. T. Cunningham.— A Further Collection of 

 Mammals from Egypt and Sinai : J. Lewis Bonhote. — On the Pairing of 

 Pseudoscorpiones : H. Wallis Kew. 



Royal Anthropological Institute, at 8.15.— The Kayak in North- 

 western Europt : D. MacRitchie. 



RSntgen Society, at 8. 1 5. — After-elow in Vacuum Discharge Tubes : Hon. 

 R.J. Strutt, F.R.S. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. —The water-supply of the 

 Witwatersrand : D. C. Lcitch.— Investigations Relating to the Yield of a 

 Catchment-area in Cape Colony : E. C. Bartlett. 



WEDNESDAY, February 7. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8.— Annual General Meeting.— Notes on 

 the Determination of Butter Fat and Cocoanut Oil in Margarine : 

 F. W. F. Arnaud and H. Hawley —The Souring of Milk : H. Droop 

 Richmond and H. C. Huish.— A Hour Improver : E. Hinks. 



Entomological Society, at 8.— On the Comparative Anatomy of the 

 Genital Tube in <} Coleoptera : D. Sharp and F. Muir.— On Some 

 Hitherto Imperfectly-known South African Lepidoptera : Roland Trimen. 



— NotM on AusiralUn and Tatouuiun Sey dmm n id m, with dtscnpti 



New !>(><(.!•;« . A. M. I>ea. 

 RovAi Kf Ahth, at 8. — The Influence of Ozone in Veotilatiu^i ; 



Lr i R..S., and Martin Hack. 



Geoi.' ' iKTV. at 8.— Oil an Iniierof LonKmyndian and Cambrian 



Rockaat i'ed ward wine (Hereforokhirc). Dr. A. H. Cox. 



THURSDAY, Fbbhuakv «. 



koVAL SoCIETV, at 4.30. — Probable Patrrs : 1 

 lirookn (191 If", : Sir N. lA)ckyer, K.C H., F.H 



Motlificalion of Niiiugen pro<luced by the Electi 



R.J. Strutt, F.R.S.- Ihe Atomic Weight of K. 



and Sir W. Ram^av, K.C B., F.R.S. -An Opt 



Variation of Sircst in a 'I'hin Rectangular Plaic 



E. G. Coker.— Sp«ciro«copic OI<»ervati. n.i. Liilnnn. 



P. V. Bevan.— The Ob»er\'ation by means of a Stri' 



Ftuciualionx in the Ionization produced by y rays : Pr ; . 



P. W. Burbidge. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — The Phenomena of Splashes : Prof. A 



Worihington, C.B., F.R.S. 

 Institution of Electrical Enginkkks. at 8.— High Voltage Te»t> ;.iid 



Energy I..o9ses in Insulating Materia » : E. H. Rayner. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30. — The North-Kast Frontier of India : 



Sir Thomas H. Holdich, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. 



FRIDAY, FEBRUAiiV 9. 

 Royal Institution, at 9. — Very High remperature* : Dr. J. A. Harker, 



F.R..S. 

 Physical Society, at 8.— Annual General Meeting. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. — Anniversary Meeting. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 5.30.— Desert of Nonh Africa: Captain 



H. G. Lyons, F.R.S. 

 Institution OF Civil Engineers, at 8.— Steam-turbines: Some Practical 



Applications of Theory : Captain H. Riall bankey, R.E. 

 Phvsicai.^ocietv, at 8.— .Annual General Meeting.- Presidential Address: 



Prof. A. Schuster, F.R.S. 



CONTENTS. PAGK 



The Study of Crystals, liy H. L. B 439 



The Geographical Basis of History. By H. G. L. . 440 



Albinism 441 



Suspension Bridges. By T. H. B 442 



Theory of Algebraic Numbers. By P. A. M. . . . 443 



The Resources of British West Africa 443 



Our Book Shelf 444 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Value of the * * External " Degrees of the Uni- 

 versity of London. — Sir William Ramsay, 



K.C.B., F.R.S 445 



Are Eyes Ever Autophanous? — Dr. Alex. Hill; C. V. 



Boys, F.R.S. ; R. A. G 446 



Glazed hrost : a Reminiscence. — Prof. R. Meldola, 



F.R.S 4^ 



The Radiating Power of Air.— E. Gold ...... 44i 



Microscope Stands. — H. C. Chadwick 448 



Meteor-showers. — ^John R. Henry 448 



The Question of Sun-spot Influence. {With Dia- 

 gram.) Alex. B. MacDowall 449 



The Occurrence of Peripatus on the North-East 



Frontier of India. — Dr. N. Annandale 449 



Amphibian Faunas of South Africa and Madagascar. 



— John Hewitt 449 



A Bright Fireball. —J. C. C 449 



An Adaptive People. {IlltistraUd.) By A. E. Crawley 450] 

 The Evolution of an Aeroplane. {Illustrated.) By | 



Maurice E. J. Gheury 451 



The Bessemer School Gift to the Royal School of 



Mines 45; 



Notes 4J< 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences for February 45^ 



Mars and Saturn 4S< 



Search-ephemerides for Westphal's Comet, 1852 IV . 45< 



Observationsof Jupiter's Galilean SatelHtes 45< 



Star Calendars, Charts, and Guides 45< 



Recent Earthquakes 45< 



A New System of Gun Sighting . 45* 



Glaciers in Southern Norway. {Illustrated.) By 



G. A. J. C 46* 



The Starfishes of the Northern Pacific. {Illustrated.) 46: 



Some Recent Fish Literature 46: 



Papers on Plant Physiology 46 



A Photographic Study of Vortex Rings in Liquids. 



{Illustrated.) By Prof. Edwin F. Northrup .... 46 



University and Educational Intelligence 46 



Societies and Academies 46 



Books Received 47 



Diary of Societies 47 



NO. 2205, VOL. 88] 



