February 22, 1912] 



NATURE 



-:ilZ 



connected with the transformation of Abelian functions. — 

 Gabriel Sizes : The multiple resonance of bells. Details 

 of the harmonics given by the four principal bells of Mont- 

 pellier Cathedral. — E. Be'sson : The condensation of water 

 vapour by expansion in an atmosphere of carbonic acid. 

 The experiments were recorded photographically. Con- 

 densation commenced for expansion between 1-30 and 1-32 ; 

 if the gas was previously ionised by exposure to the 

 Rontgen rays for two seconds, the condensation appeared 

 a little sooner. The importance of removing all traces of 

 air in these experiments is emphasised. — L. Verain : The 

 dielectric constant of carbon dioxide in the neighbourhood 

 of the critical point. The results of measurements of the 

 dielectric constants of liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide 

 for temperatures between —4° and 30° C. are shown 

 graphically. The constant varies between i-oo and i-6o, 

 the experimental error being under 0-05. At 31-4° C. the 

 values for the gas and liquid become identical. — G. 

 Urbain : A laboratory balance with electromagnetic com- 

 pensation for the study of systems giving off gas with a 

 sensible velocity. The final adjustment of this balance is 

 made by altering the intensity of an electric current in a 

 solenoid acting upon a small magnet suspended from one 

 of the beams. The balance described had a maximum 

 load of o-i gram and a sensibility of o-oi milligram. — 

 Marcel Boll : The application of the electrometer to the 

 study of chemical reactions in electrolytes. — E. Baud : A 

 general law of solution. — Pierre Achalme : The role of the 

 inter-atomic electrons in catalysis. — A. Seyew#etz : The 

 preparation and properties of a silver oxybromide. This 

 oxybromide is prepared by the action of an aqueous solu- 

 tion of benzoquinone containing potassium bromide upon 

 finely divided silver, and purifying the crude product by 

 crystallisation from hot ammonia solution. The analyses 

 correspond to AgjBr^O. — A. Guntz and M. de Greift : 

 Copper amalgam. The properties of the amalgam depend 

 on \vhether it has been prepared in the cold by electrolysis 

 or by heat. The former leaves the amalgam HgCu when 

 submitted to great pressure ; the latter, under similar treat- 

 ment, leaves nearly pure copper. — G. Vavon : A method of 

 preparation of the aromatic alcohols. The addition of 

 hydrogen to the aromatic aldehydes in the cold under the 

 catalytic action of platinum black gives high yields of 

 aromatic alcohols. Numerous applications of the reaction 

 are described, proving the method to be a general one. — 

 V. Grig^nard and Ch. Courtot : Some new a-indene 

 df^rivatives. — E. Chablay : The reduction of the amides 

 and liters of the fatty series by the metal-ammoniums. 

 I lie amides give the sodium derivat'vc and the correspond- 

 in^i sodium alcoholate. — Louis Ammann : Thi' inllncnce of 

 the extraction liquid upon the composition of the beet- 

 rooi pulps from sui^'.'ir work-s ;in(l distilleries. The residues 

 fr<, 



iip( 

 of 



;n llir ^uc;nr \\di'l<~ are !•■ 



se Iroin I 111' (lisl illi rii--., ai 



the nature of the lii|Lii(l 



I. — I^. B'Oullangfer* : I h( 



in \'e:;elation. Small qn: 

 soil ha\-e a favouralile ,ic 



NTirious plants. -.\. Borg- 

 various origans of Krholliiini 

 function of the ])ul|) suia-oundin 

 Thr' action of putrid e;i^,,s 

 II. Cardot and II. Lankier: 

 tions in the imipol.ar metli 

 Jacob : rroKinj^ed forms 

 (liaheies.--- I,. Grimbcrt and j 

 of tile a(i(lit\- of tile urine, 

 moved from the urine h\ ad 

 and the ammonia deUnuinei 

 Eertrand : The im|)orl ;tnie < 

 tion ot the conidia of . Ia/xti^'/V/^.v iiitirr. 1 

 of mantlanese the conidia of this mould ai 



ss \alual)le as entile food than 



111 this (lifferenre is mainly due 



Used in the exiraction of the 



■ action of llowcrs of sulphur 



unities of sulphur mixed with 



lion upon the growth and vield 



rile diastatic activity of the 



Idh'rium. The physiological 



the seeds.— .\.' Trillat : 



u|)on liie lactic feianent. — 



I he localisation of stimida- 



xl. -J. Thiroloin and .M. 



if experimental panci'eatic 



. Morel : The d'tei luination 



The call iinn s.ili s .are re- 



lition of polassium 



.and allowed for. 



I maneane-,!- in iIk 



ihe 



not 



ox.alale, 

 (■.alii-iil 

 lorma- 



formi il. 



The amount of manganese required is extremely small. — 

 M. Javillier : The influence of the suppression of zinc in 

 the culture medium of Aspfr^illiis nit^cr on the secretion 

 of sucrase by this mould. .\spereilius deprived of zinc 

 .allows no sucrase (o diffusa jiuo th»> culture medium nor 

 into distilled \v,a(er. The cells secrete sucrase, but the 

 (.|u,aniil\' is much le^s ili.aii when a trace of zinc is present. 

 -—J. DcMritz : Experimental .apterism in iii-eit-. ( norijes 

 Bohn : \'ari.alions in seii^il,i]ii \- in rrdatinu In lli^ \ari.a- 

 tiops of internal chemical state. — !■:. Vasticar : I he struc- 



ture of the spiral membranous sheet of the slug. — M. 

 Fabre-Domerg:ue : The bacterial purification of oysters 

 by treatment with artificial filtered sea water. — Louis 

 Calvet : Remarks on the parasitic Bryozoa, Watersia 

 paessleri. — L. Joubin : The cephalopods captured in 19 11 

 by the Prince of Monaco. — L. Sudry : The importance and 

 function of air-borne dusts.— G. Grandidier : A new ex- 

 ample of the extinction of giant animal forms closely allied 

 to existing species. — M. Parvu : The natural defence of 

 rocks against the destructive action of the sea. 



February 12. — M. Lippmann in the chair. — Ch. 

 Bouchard : An optical sphygmo-oscillograph. A de- 

 scription of an optical arrangement designed to reduce, 

 so far as possible, the inertia of the Many sphygmo- 

 graph. — M. De Launay was elected a member of the 

 section of mineralogy in the place of the late .\. Michel 

 L^vy. — J. Guillaume : Observations of the sun made 

 at the Observatory of Lyons during the fourth 

 quarter of 191 1. Observations were possible on fifty- 

 five days, and the results are given in tabular form. — 

 Emile Borel : The fundamental theorems of the theory of 

 real variable functions. — Jules Drach : The differential 

 equations of geometry. — Federigo Enriques : The theorem 

 of existence for algebraic functions of two independent 

 variables. — A. Lapresle : The distribution of pressures 

 and velocities in the disturbed region round a surface in a 

 uniform current of air. The region was cxploreil with the 

 aid of a Pitot tube. — M. Juihe : The i^rnieabilily to 

 hydrogen of balloon envidopes. An additional layer formed 

 of calico impregnated with a solution of gelatine in 

 glycerine is placed inside the ordinary material. It pre- 

 vents large losses of hydrogen. — Paul Jegrou : The effect 

 of secondary resonance in the receivers used in wireless 

 telegraphy. — G. Reboul : Photochemical actions and photo- 

 electrical phenomena. Ultra-violet light from a quartz 

 mercury lamp was allowed to fall on a metal plate, and 

 the ernission of the negative charges studied. — Eugene 

 Bloch : The use of photoelectric cells as photophones. .\n 

 extension of the experiments of H. rt;w it/ on the changes in 

 the resistance of potassium 1>\ exposure to light. — .Albert 

 Colson : Methods of obser\ation of the dissociation of 

 nitrogen peroxide. Data are eiv.n for the dissociation 

 pressures of nitrogen peroxide measured by three niediods. 

 These are comp.ared with the 

 observed for the s.ime e;is in chU 

 shown that the n sidts do not a^ri 

 the dissolved and eas, ,>us p.uiicl 



iissociiition phenomena 

 form sohnion, .and il is 

 ree with the view that 



ai'e identical 



M. 



Dubrisay : Chenu'cal ei.]uilil)ri.a 

 mental study of the reversible 

 acid and barium .acetate. II. 

 relating to the action of alkalim 



ilution. 

 eaclion hei\ 

 Paubigny 



sidphites on 

 is formed 



.\n experi- 

 •n succinic- 

 Re.,. arches 

 ipper salts. 



It is proved that a dithionate is lornieil w Ivn i opper 

 sulphate is acted upon by an excess of alkaline sulphite. — 

 Evvind Boedtkor : Some nicnthone derivatives. A proof 

 of' the constitution of the derivatives obtained hv the inter- 

 action of henzvlidene-menihone and alk\ lm,ai;nesimn 

 bromides.— II. Gault : The l.iclonisalion of the a-kelonic 

 psters. — M. Cousin ; The action <if liromine and chloiine 

 upon dehydro-dicarvacrol.— G. Malfltano and MIL'. .\. 

 Moschkoirr : 'i"he formation of dextrine from siar.h In 

 drving. Starch placed in a vnctnnn over phosphorus peni- 

 le incre,asi[iel\- soluMe in w.iler. 



oxide was found 

 d'his is allrihuli 

 dextrin, .and ria_ 



d h 



fh. 



lied h 



.aulhor- 

 Ihem a 



si. arch 



OVslers 



exp.aim 



\n. 



2208, VOL. 88] 



licles wal 

 noleculi s.- 

 fdlered ; 

 conlirm 

 if puril \ in; 

 coninierci.il d.preci.n ii 

 of drinking w.iler h\ 

 chlorine- com|)ounds in 

 .action of sodium 1 

 ing powder is suegesi 

 w.aier !>< shown lo l..- 

 and ver\ sm.all in ,in 



It is of special Servii i 



Tile cai um in mami 

 Il.as shnwn ihe rrdatii 

 and ihe n;ilni-e of ihi 

 -.imil.u 1-1 l.uinn holds 

 |-;xpei-imenl- iin ihe 



e torm.ili 



ice ih.ll 



k helW-e 



h. Bod in 



rtitici.d SI. I 



lhl.se ,,f h 



I hi 



p. 



II II 



Ih. 



ulph.ali 



Rouqucttc 



iciion ol 11/01 

 isc.nl si.al. . 

 Indri.er, 



Ih. 



The 



d, rii 



im 



Ihi 



ui on ihe 



lee without 



-■I I lalis.ai ion 

 ox\ eeii .and 

 inuill.ancous 

 .md hle.iih- 

 ilion of the 



A. 



d in birds. 



in m.amm.al 

 facultv of lonrnin 



Mak.Kna.n 



'ipers the .author 



ill of the (.I'cum 



1 1 is shown ih.at ti 



Miec/\ slaw Oxner : 



the ni.arine 



