33^ 



NA TURE 



[February 3, 1898 



cium sulphate produced by the complete dehydration of gypsum, 

 by M. A. Lacroix. The dehydration of gypsum gives rise to a 

 calcium sulphate dimorphous with anhyarite, probably triclinic. 

 When the drying was not quite carried to completion another 

 form of crystal was observed, possibly 2CaS04. HjO. — On the 

 Callovian of Woevre, by M. Rene Nickles. — On the third in- 

 ternational ascent of experimental balloons, by M. Ed. Stelling. 

 Two ascents were made, one with two observers, the other 

 balloon carrying self-registering instruments only. The tempera- 

 ture variation with the height is given in full. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY Februarys. 



Royal Society, at 4.:^o. — Comparison of Oxycen with the Extra Lines in 

 the Spectra of the Helium Stars j3-Crucis, &c. ; also Summary of the 

 Spectra of Southern Stars to the 3J Magnitude and their Distribution: 

 F. McClean, F.R.S. — Researches in Vortex Motion. Part III. On Spiral 

 or Gyrostatic Vortex Aggregates: Prof. W. M. Hicks, F.R.S. — The 

 Pharmacology of Aconitine, &c.. considered in relation to their Chemical 

 Constitution: Prof. Cash, F.R.S., and Prof. Dunstan, F.R.S. — Note on j 

 the Experiment.ll Junction of the Vagus with the Cells of the Superior 

 Cervical Ganglion : Dr. J. N. Langley, F.R.S. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Halogen Group of Elements; Prof. 

 J. Dewar. F.R.S. 



tytNNEAN Society, at 8. — On the Muscular Attachment of the Animal to 

 its Shell in some Fossil Cephalopoda (Ammonoidea) : G. C. Crick.— The 

 Comparative .Anatomy of certain Genera of Cycadaceae : W. C. Wor.sdell. 

 ^'Chemical Society at 8. — Effect of the Mono-, Di-, and Trichloracetyl 

 Groups on the Rotatory Po'ver of Mcthylic, and Ethylic Glycerates and 

 Tartrates : Percy Frankland, F.R.S., and Dr. Thomas Stewart Patter- 

 son. — The Rotation of Kthylic and Methylic Di-monochlor.acetyltar- 

 trates : Percy Frankland, F.R.S., and Dr. Andrew Turnbull. — The 

 Volumetric Estimation of Sodium : H. J. H. Fenton. 



.F^/Z>y4r, February 4. 



'•'Royal Institution, at 9.— Some New Studies in Kathode and Rontgen 

 Radiations : .A. A. Campbell Swinton. 

 •Geologists' Association, at 7 30. — Annual General Meeting. — Pa'aeo- 

 Jithic Man : E. T. Newton, F.R S., President. 



SA TURD A Y, February 5. 

 I Royal Institution, at 3. — Cyprus: Prof. P. Geddes. 



AfONDA y, February 7. 



Society of Chemical Industry, at 8. — The Curing of Malt in relation 

 to Colour and Value : J. W. Lovibond. — Clerget's Method of Estimating 

 Cane Sugar : A. R. Ling. — A New Modification cf Clerget's Method of 

 Estimating Cane Sugar, specially applicable to Molasses and After Pro- 

 ■ducts: A. R. Ling and J. T. Baker. — Note on the Estimation of Water 

 an lavert Sugars : Dr. L. T. Thorne and E. H. Jeffers. 



TUESDAY, February 8. 



■ ^oval Institution, at 3. — The Simplest Living Things : Prof. E. Ray 



Lankester, F.R.S. 

 I'RovAL Horticultural Society, at. 3. — Annual General Meeting. 

 vvInstitution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Security of Locom-'tive 



Fire- Boxes : William Thow. — Friction of Locomotive Slide-Vals'es : John 



A. F. Aspinall. 

 V>Royal Victoria Hall, at 8.30. — The Problem of the Great African 



Lakes : J. E. S. Moore. 



WEDNESDA Y, February 9. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Notes on the Electro- 

 Chemical Treatment of Ores containing the Precious Metals : Major- 

 General Webber, C.B. — An Electrolytic Process for the Manufacture of 

 Parabolic Reflectors : Sherard Cowper-Coles. 



S.'iNiTARY Institute, at 8. — Purification of Water for Barracks, Prisons, 

 and other Institutions : Prof. J. Lane Notter. 



THURSDAY, February 10. 



Koval Society, at 4.30.— Proiaile Papers rContrihutions to the Theory 

 of Alternating Currents : W. G. Rhodes.— The Development and Morph- 

 .ology of the Vascular System in Mammals. I. The Posterior End of 

 •the Aorta and the Iliac Arteries : Prof. A. H. Young and Dr. A. Robin- 

 son. — Further Observations upon the Comparative Chemistry of the 

 Suprarenal Capsules : B. Moore and Swale Vincent. 



:Mathematical Society, at 8. — The Transformations which leave the 

 Length of Arcs on any Surface Unaltered : J. E. Campbell. — On Auri- 

 feuillians : Lieut. -Colonel. Cunningham. R.E. 



(n^titution of Mechanical Engineers, at 7.30.— Report of the 

 Council. — Discussion upon Mr. Philip Dawson's Paper on Mechanical 

 Features of Electric Traction. 



FRIDAY, February h. 



RovAL Institution, at 9.— The Metals used by the Great Nations of 



Antiquity: Dr. J. H. Gladstone, F.R.S. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 3. — Annual General Meeting. 

 Physical Society, at 5.— Annual General Meeting.— Address bythe 



President. — AlsT Paper : On Electromagnetic Induction in Plane, 



Cylindrical, and Spbeiical Current Sheets, and its Representation by 



Moving Trails of Ijmges : jProf. G. H. Bryan, F.R.S. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Protection of Power Trans- 



missi ns from Lightning : John T. M' rris. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 7.30. — First Report to the 



Gas-Engine Research Committee : Description of Apparatus and 



Methods, and Preliminary Results : Prof. Frederic W. Burstall.— Steam 



Laundry Machinery : Sidney Tebbutt. 

 Malacological Society, at 8. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLET, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Introduction to Chemical Methods of Clinical Diagnosis : Dr- 

 H. Tappeiner, translated by Dr. E. J. McWeeney (Longmans). — Annuaire 

 de rObservatoire Royal de Belgique, i8q8 (Bruxelles). — Lehrbuch der 

 Gesammten Wissenschaftlichem Genealogie : Dr. O. Lorenz (Berlin, Hertz). 

 — A Text-Book of Zoology : Profs. Parker and Haswell, 2 Vols. (Mac- 

 millan). — Mensuration, Hydrostatics, and Heat : G. H. Wyatt (Rivingtons). 

 — Chemical Experiments : G. H. Wyatt (Rivingtons). — The Mathematical 

 Theory of the Top : Prof. F. Klein (New York, Scribner). — Glass-Blowing 

 and Working : T. Bolas (Dawbarn). — Report of the Commissioner of Edu- 

 cation for the Year 1895-96, Vol. 2 (Washington) — Lose Blatter aus Indien. 

 ii. (Batavia, Albrecht).— Arbeiten des Physikalischen-Chemischen Instituts 

 der Universitat Leipzig aus der Jahren 1887 bis 1896, Bd. i to 4, Heraus- 

 gegeben von W. Ostwald (Leipzig, Engelmann) — Explosifs Nitres : J. 

 Daniel (Paris, Gauthier-Villars).^01jservations and Researches made at 

 the Hong Kong Observatorj- in the Year 1896 : W. Doberck (Hong Kong). 



Pamphlet. — Old Age Pensions: W. Birkmyre (Glasgow, Aird). 



Serials. — Geological Survey of Canada, Annual Report, Vol 9 : Pts. Y. 

 and S. (Ottawa). — Good Words, February (Isbister). — Sunday Magazine, 

 February (Isbister) — Botanische Jahrbiicher, &c. Vierundzwanzigster 

 Bd., 3 Heft (Berlin, Engelmann). — National Review, February (Arnold).— 

 Century Magazine, February (Macmillan). — Record of Technical and 

 Secondary Education, January (Macmillan). —Contemporary Review, 

 February (Isbister). — Bulletin de I'Academie Royale des Sciences, &c., de 

 Belgique, 1S97, No. 12 (Bruxelles). — Terrestrial Magnetism, December 

 (Cincinnati). 



NO. 1475' "^0^' 57] 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Applied Mechanics, and the Way to Teach it. By 



Prof. J, A. Ewing, F.R.S 313 



Charles Cardale Babington. By I. H. B 314 



Diamonds. By J. W.J 315 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Corrigan : " The Constitution and Functions of 



Gases."— E. R 316 



Hill: "A Run round the Empire." — H. R. M. . . 316 



I^i^g '• " Wild Flowers, and other Poems" 316 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Mathematics used in Connection with Physics. — 



Prof. A. G. Webster .... 317 

 A New Single Picture Pseudoscope. — Sir David 



Salomons, Bart. 317 



Magnetic Observations in the Harz Mountains. By 



A. W. R 318 



The Journal of Anatomy and Physiology 318 



Geology and Sanitary Science. By W. Whitaker, 



F.R.S 319 



Profs. C. Runge and F. Paschen's Researches on 

 the Spectra of Oxygen, Sulphur, and Selenium. 



By Prof. Arthur Schuster, F.R.S 320 



Undulations in Lakes and Inland Seas due to Wind 

 and Atmospheric Pressure. {With Diagrams.) By 



W. H. Wheeler 321 



Notes 322 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Solar Eclipse 325 



Large and Small Proper Motions 325 



The Comet of 1892 II 325 



Winnecke's Comet = a 1898 325 



Rowland's Tables 326 



Nebulae near Castor . 326 



Dr. Karl Necker 326 



Instinct and Intelligence in Animals. By Prof. C. 



Lloyd Morgan 326 



The Duke of Devonshire on Technical Education . 330 



Prize Subjects of the Paris Academy of Sciences . 331 



Mr. Cavendish on his Journey to Lake Rudolf . . . 331 



University and Educational Intelligence 332 



Scientific Serials 333 



Societies and Academies 333 



Diary of Societies 336 



Books, Pamphlet, and Serials Received . ... . . . 336 



