6o6 



NATURE 



[February 29, 1912 



Distribution and Origin of Life in America. By Dr. 

 R. F. ScharfT. Pp. xvi + 497. (London : Constable and 

 Co., Ltd.) \os. 6d. net. 



Organic Chemistry. By Profs. W. H. Perkin, F.R.S., 

 and F. S. Kipping, F.R.S. Parts i. and ii. complete. 

 New edition. Pp. xi + 664 + xx. (London and Edinburgh: 

 W. and R. Chambers, Ltd.) 7s. 6d. 



Theoretische Mechanik. By Prof. R. Marcolongo. 

 Translated by Prof. H. E. Timording. Zweiter Band. 

 Dynamik. Pp. vii + 344. (Leipzig and Berlin : B. fi. 

 Teubner.) lo marks. 



Das VVeltproblem. By J. Pctzoldt. Zweite Auflago. 

 Pp. xii + 210. (Leipzig and l?crlin : B. G. Teubner.) 

 3 marks. 



Historical Papers on Modern Explosives. By G. \V. 

 MacDonald. Pp. x+192. (London: Whittaker and Co.) 

 ys. 6d. net. 



Zur Kenntnis des negativen Druckes in Fliissigkcitcn. 

 By J. Meyer. Pp. iii + 53. (Halle: W. Knapp.) 2.10 

 marks. 



The Clarendon Geography. Vol. i. By F. D. Herbert- 

 son. Pp. viii + 379. (Oxford: Clarendon Press.) 35. 



Evolution in the Past. By H. R. Knipe. Pp. xv+242. 

 (London : Herbert and Daniel.) 12s. 6d. net. 



The Ox and its Kindred. By R. Lydekker, F.R.S. 

 Pp. xi + 271. (London : Mcthuen and Co., Ltd.) 6s. 



Formal Logic : a Scientific and Social Problem. By Dr. 

 F. C. S. Schiller. Pp. xviii + 423. (London: Macmillan 

 and Co., Ltd.) jos. net. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, February 29. ■ 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. — The Bacterial Production of Acetylniethyl- 

 carbinol and 2.3. Butylene Glycol. II : Dr. A. Harden, F.R.S., and 

 Doroihy Norris. — An Instrument for Measuring the Distance between 

 the Centres of Rotation of the Two Eyes: H. S. Ryland and B. T. 

 Lan?. — The Locomotor Function of the Lantern in Echinus, with 

 remarks on other Allied Lantern Activities : Dr. J. F. Gemmill. — The Rela- 

 tion of Wild Animals to Trypanosomiasis: Capt. A. D. Fraser, R.A.M.C., 

 and Dr. H. L. Duke. — The Transmission of Trypanosoma nanmn 

 (Laveran): Dr. H. L. Duke. — The Development of a Leucocytozoon of 

 Guinea-pigs : E. H. Ross. 



FRIDAY, March i. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.— The Total Solar Eclipse in the South Pacific, 



April, igii : Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer. 

 Institution of Civil Enginfers, at 8. — The Design and Construction 



of Masonry Dams : H. J. F. Gourley. 

 Geologists' Association, at 8. — The Natural History of Petroleum : 



A. Wade. 



SATURDAY, March 2. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Molecular Physics : Sir J. J. Thomson, F.R.S. 



MONDAY, March 4. 

 Society of Engineers, at 7.30.— The Trolley Vehicle System of Railless 



Traction : H. C. Adams. 

 Aristotelian Society, at 8 A Theory of Material Fallacies : H. S. 



Shelton. 

 Aeronautical Society, at 8.30. — Military Airships : Lieut. C. M. 



Waterlow, R.E. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 8. — The Loom and Spindle : P.ist, Present 



and Future : Luther Hooper. 

 Society of Chemical Industry, at 8.— The Photographic Process: Dr. 



C. E. Kenneth Mees. — Notes on the Estimation£of Glucose in Leather : 



J. Gordon Parker and J. R. Blockey. 



TUESDAY, March 5. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Optical Determination of Stress, and some 

 Applications to Engineering Problems : Prof. E. G. Coker. 



Royal Anthropological Institute, at 8.15.— The Tribes of the Central 

 Province of Southern Nigeria : N. W. Thomas. 



ROnt(;em Society, at 8.15. — Physiological Action of an Alternating 

 Magnetic Field : Prof. S. P. Thompson, F.R.S.— Demonstration of 

 Radiometer : W. Hampson. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— (i) Roller and Ball Bearings ; 

 (2) The Testing of Anti-friction Bearing Metals : Prof. J. Goodman. 



Zoological Society, at 8.^o.— The Classification, Morphology, and 

 Evolution of the Echinoidea Holectypoida :.Herbert L. Hawkins. — Blood- 

 Parasites found in the Zoological Gardens during the Fo>ir Years 1908- 

 1911 : H. G. Plimmer, F.R.S.— Zoological Results of the Third«Tang.-inyika 

 Expedition, conducted by -Dr. W. A. Cunnington, 1Q04-1906. Report on 

 some Larval and Young Stages of Prawns from Lake Tanganyika : Dr. 

 G. O. Sars.— On the Structure of the Internal Ear, and the Relation of 

 the Basi-cranial Nerves in Dicynodon, and on the Homology of the Mam- 

 malian Auditory Ossicles : Dr. R. Broom. 



WEDNESDAY, March 6. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8.— A Method of Estimating Calcium 

 Carbonate in Soils: H. S. Shrewsbury.— Standards for Malt Vinegar: 

 A, C. Chapman. — The Estimation of Ammonia in Carbonated Waters: 

 G. D. Elsdon and N. Evers.— A Note on a New Preservative for Milk, 

 Cream, etc.— G. A. Stokes. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— Some Modern Problems of Illumination : 

 Ihe Measurement and Comparison of Light Sources : T. Thorne Baker. 



Entomological Society, at 8. 



THURSDAY, March ^. 



RovalS )CIKTV, •! 4.30.— /VoiaW* Paptni (i) On the !)• 

 Silica Gla«s ; (a) The Volatility of MeuU of the Plain, 

 \yilliam Crookes, O.M., For. Sec. R.S.— An Opiical Lo.v I 



dicator, together with v)ine Diaeram* obtained iherewiin : I'r 

 Daiby. — (1) The Vc'ocilv of the Secondary Cathode Patlicles • 

 the Characirrist'C Konmen Rays ; (2) I he T'an>eri%sion of C«tK 

 through .Matter : R Whiddingion.— On the Voltage Effect in hclcnn 

 E. E. Fourniir d'Albe. 



LiNNEAN .Society, at R.— Inlernode<t of Calamites: Prof. Percy Or-. 

 — Coloured Drawings of Barbados Plants: Miss Ethel M. V 

 — On Psygniof-hyllum fnajus, sp. n., from the Lower Car 

 Rucks of Newfoundland, together with a Revision of the <■- 

 Remarks on it< Affinities ; E. A. Newell .\rber.— Historic Doubts n 

 yauttthompsonia: Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing. — I.,iving Specimen^ 

 Cactoid Euphorbias from South Africa : Dr. Otto S<apf. 



Iv.sTiTOTiON or Ei.ectkk.al En<;inbrrs. at 8 — Ta-iffs for RIectr' 

 En-rgy, with Part;cuUt Kef«rence to Dom< tic Taiiff*: W. W. I a<.. 



FRIDAY, March 8. 



l»'0VAL Astronomical Society, at 5. 



Malacological Society, at 8. — The Dis riuution and Habits of Alci 

 11 Subgenus of Claiisilia : Rev. A. H. Cooke. — .A Synopsis of the Ke • 

 and Tertiary Freshwater Mollusca of the Californian Province. Par' 

 Pelecypoda and Pulmonata : H. Hannibal. — Note on the Existenc: 

 Two Editions of Ferussa^ 's 1'ableaux Systtfmatiques : Major M. Con' 

 Note on I'Uurotoina bipartita, .Smith : E. A. Smith. 



Physical Society, at 8. — Exhibition of a " Method of Making ''■'•' 

 Filaments" : H. S. Souttar. — The Intensity at Points near the ' 

 Focus of an Object Glass with Symmetrical Aberration : J. '■' 

 The Equipment of the Specrrosconic Laboratory of the Imperia, . . 

 of Science; Prof. A. Fowler, F.R.S. 



SA TURD A )', March 9. 

 KovAL Institution, at 3.— Molecular Physics : Sir J. J. Thomson, F.R 



.>f 



NO. 2209, VOL. 88] 



CONTENTS. PA 



The Principles of Weather Forecasting. Bv Dr. 



Hugh Robert Mill '. . . ; 



The History of Medicine ; 



Higher Dynamics for Engineers ..-....; 



Applied Microbiology, l.y Dr. A Harden, F.R.S. ; 

 Some Recent Works on Mathematics. By Prof. 



G. H. Bryan, F. K.S - 



Our Book shelf ; 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Contour Diagr.ims of Human Crania. — Prof. Karl 



Pearson, K.R.S 5^i 



The Mnemic Theory of Heredity. — Dr G. Archdall 

 Reid ; Dr. J. Beard ; Prof. Arthur Dendy, 



F.R.b 5,^5 



How Pollen is Collected by ihe Honey-bee. — 



F. W. L. Sladen ?^^' 



Microscope Stands. — John A. L. Sutcliffe; F. R. 



Brand 5 



Meteor-showers. — John R. Henry 5^" 



Examinations in Secondary Schools. By Prof. J 



Wertheimer 5557 



The Prism-Binocular 589 



Prof. Osborne Reynolds, F.R.S 590 



Notes 591 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences for March 5 



The Eclipse of the Sun on April 17 5 



The Early Babylonian Eclipse of the Sun . . . . 5 

 The Proper .Motions of the Stars in the Clusters h 



and X Persei 59'> 



The Terrestrial Magnetic Effects of Solar Radiation . 596 



Absorption of Light in Space . . 596 



An Observers Handbook 596 



A Self-closing Plankton Net for Horizontal Tow- 

 ing. {Illustrated.) By W. J. D : - 



The Anthropological Survey of Canada. By Dr. 



A. C. Haddon, F.R.S ' . 59>- 



Soot. ByJ. B. C 598 



Belgian Botanical Investigations 599 



Biological Studies in Java. Bv W. Botting 



Hemsley, F.R.S ' 599 



The Study of Daylight Illumination 600 



The Flora of Daghestan . 600 



Vital Effects of Radium and Other Rays. By Sir 



James Mackenzie Davidson 600 



University and Educational Intelligence 603 



Societies and Academies 603 



Books Received 605 



Diary of Societies 606 



