36o 



NA TURE 



[February io, 1898 



there is a constant difference of about 'oooi , and hence concludes 

 that the air of London contains o*i per cent, less oxygen than 

 that of Paris. — New researches relating to the influence of the 

 X-rays upon the explosive distance of the electric spark, by M. S. 

 Guggenheimer. — On the Hertz resonator, by M. Albert Turpain. 

 — On the decomposition of sulphite and hyposulphite of 

 strontium by heat, and the production of phosphorescent 

 strontium sulphide, by N. J. R. Mourelo. — Contribution to the 

 study of oxydase in grapes. Its utility in the preparation of 

 wine, by MM. A. Bouffard and L. Semichon. By the applica- 

 tion of oxydase, white wines may be prepared from red grapes. 

 — Phyllocyanic acid and the phyllocyanates, by M. A. 

 Guillemare. — On the destructive action of a blood serum upon 

 the red corpuscles of another species of animal. Inmunisation 

 against this action, by MM. L. Camus and E. Gley. — Tyrosin, 

 a chemical vaccine against snake poison, by M. C. Phisalix. 

 This is the first known case where the cell sap of a plant confers 

 immunising properties against snake poison. — The neurology of 

 the encephalon in fishes, by M. Catois. — On the morphological 

 limits of the rings of the integument, by M. Charles Janet. — On 

 the fresh-water fauna of the Canary Isles, by M. Jules Richard. 

 Among the species observed the following were the most 

 remarkable : D. similis, var. AUuadi, and Canthocampttis 

 palustris. — On the area of dispersion of the malacological 

 fauna at great depths in the Atlantic, by M. Arnould Locard. 

 — On the germination of the spores of the truffle, and the pro- 

 duction of teleutospores, by M. A. de Gramont de Lesparre. 

 The stages of germination are shown in nine diagrams. — On the 

 age of the quaternary gravels of Villefranche (Rhone), by M. 

 •Gaiilard. — On a new method for determining the position of 

 foreign bodies by radiography, by M. H. Morize. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, February io. 

 IRovAL Society, at 4.30. — Contributions to the Theory of Alternating 

 Currents : W. G. Rhodes.— The Development and Morphology of the 

 Vascular System in Mammals. I. The Posterior End of the Aorta and 

 the Iliac Arteries : Prof A. H. Young and Dr. A. Robinson.— Further 

 Observations upon the Comparative Chemistry of the Suprarenal Cap- 

 sules : B. Moore and Swale Vincent. — The Effects of Extirpation of the 

 Suprarenal Bodies of the Eel {Angnilla anguilla) : 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. 

 'Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 7.30. — Report of the 

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

 Features of Electric Traction. 



FRIDA Yy February ii. 

 Royal Institution, at o. — 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.— Annuf.1 General Meeting.— Address by the 

 President. — .\lso P.iper : On Electromagnetic Induction in Plane, 

 Cylindrical, and Spherical Current Sheets, and its Representation by 

 Moving Trails of Images: Prof G. H. Bry.-in, F.R.S. 

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

 missions from Lightning : John T. Morris. 

 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. - _ . ^ 



I Malacological Society, at 8.— Descriptions of Two New Species of 

 Clausilia from the Province of Che-Kiang, China : E. R. Sykes.— List 

 of the Species of Cataulns found in Ceylon, with Descriptions of some 

 New Land Shells from that Island : E. R. Sykes.— Notes on the Genus 

 ■CoxicUa: E. A. Smith.— Note on Cyprma caput-anguis, Philippi, with 

 the Description of a New Variety of C. caput-serpentis : Mrs. A. F. 

 Kenyon. 



MONDAY, February 14. 

 Society of Arts, at 8.— The Principles of Design in Form : Hugh 



Stannus. „ ^ - -or ^ 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30.— A Recent Journey m Western 



Australia : Hon. David W. Carnegie. t t> n/r 1 



Imperial Institute, at 8.30.— Sierra Leone : Lieut. J. P. Mackesy, 

 S,RE. 



TUESDA Y. February 15. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— The Simplest Living Things : Prof. E. Ray 



Lankester, F.R.S. 

 Zoological Society, at 8.30.— On the Osteology of the bteganopodes : 

 W. P. Pycraft.— On the Skeleton of the Regenerated Limbs of the Mid- 

 wife-Toad \Alytes obstetricans) : Dr. W. G. Ridewood.— Description of 

 a New Sea-Snake from Borneo : G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8 —The Stability of Channels 

 through Sandy Estuaries : P. M. Crosthwaite. _ , , tt • j 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5.— Democratic Statistics of the United 

 Kingdom : their Want of Correlation and other Defects : Edwin Cannan. 

 Royal Photographic Society, at 8.— Process Reproduction from an 



Editor's Point of View : Wallace L. Crowdy. 

 Royal Victoria Hall, at 8.30.— Brains : Hugh de Haviland. 



WEDNESDAY, February 16. , • , 



Royal Meteorological Society, at 7.30.— Report on the Phenologica 

 Observations for 1897 : Edward Mawley.— Monthly and Annual KaintaU 

 in the British Empire, 1877 to 1896: John Hopkinson. 



Royal Microscopical Society, at 8. — E.ssay on Micro-crystallography, 

 with Lantern Illustrations : T. C. White. — Exhibition of Miscellaneous 

 Lantern Slides : J. E. Barnard. 



Entomological Society, at 8. — On the Genus Erebia : H. J. Elwes and 

 Dr. T. A. Chapman. 



THURSDA V February 17. 



Royal Society, at 4,30.— Pro/'ai/^ /'a/ifrj ; On the Depletion of the 

 Endosperm of the Hordeinn inilgare during Germination : H. T. Brown. 

 F.R.S., and F. Escombe — On the Connection between the Electrical 

 Properties and the Chemical Composition ef Different Kinds of Glass : 

 Prof. A. Gray, F.R.S., and Prof J. J. Dobbie.— Contributions to the 

 Mathematical Theory of Evolution. On the Inheritance of the Cephalic 

 Index : Cicely Fawcett and Prof. K. Pearson, F.R.S. 



Royal Institution, at j. — Some Italian Pictures at the National 

 Gallery : Dr. Jean Paul Richter. 



Society of ARTs(Imperial Institute), at 4.30.— The Plague in Bombay: 

 Dr. Herbert Mills Birdwood. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— On the Genus Arenaria : F. N. Williams.— On 

 the Brain in the Edentata, including Chlamydophorus : Dr. Elliot 

 Smith. 



Chemical Society, at 8.— Some Lecture Experiments : J. Tudor Cundall. 

 —Observations on the Influence of the Silent Discharge of Electricity on 

 Atmospheric Air : W. A. Shenstone and W. T. Evans. 

 FRIDA K, February 18. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— A Yorkshire Moor : Prof. L. C. Miall, F.R.S. 



Epidemiological Society, at 8.30 —The Relationship of Variations of 

 the Ground-Water Level to the Incidence and Seasonal Distribution of 

 Malarial Fevers in India : Surgeon-Captain Leonard Rogers. 

 SATURDAY, February 19. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Structure of Instrumental Music (with 

 Musical Illustrations) : William H. Hadow. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books.— Religio Medici : Sir T. Browne, edited by Dr. D. L. Roberts 

 (Smith. Elder).— Chambers's Algebra for Schools : W. Thomson (Chambers). 

 —A Flower-Hunter in Queensland and New Zealand : Mrs. Rowan 

 (Murray).— Elementary Botany; P. Groom (Bell) —Quarterly Current 

 Ch.artsfor the Pacific Ocean (Meteorological Office).— Elementary Physics: 

 J. G. Kerr (Bl.-ickie). , , , ,. • ,0 r J^ 



Pamphlets.— Remarkable Comets : W. T. Lynn, 6th edition (Stanford). 

 Quantitative Exercises for Beginners in Chemistry : A. H. Mitchell, 2 

 parts (Reading. National Publishing Association).— A Catalogue of Recent 

 Cephalopoda, Supplement 1887-96 : W. E. Hoyle (Edinburgh). -Mythos 

 und Naturwi.ssenschaft, &c. : G. W. A. Kahlbaum (Leipzig, Barth).— 

 Eleventh Annual Report of the Liverpool Marine Biology Committee, &c. 



SERfALS.-Chambers's Journal, February (Chambers).— Natural Science, 

 February (Dent).— Fortnightly Review, February (Chapman).— Scribner s 

 Magazine, February (S. Low).— Journal of Botany, February (West). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Book of the Dead 337 



Ferns. By H. H. D 33» 



Science in Fiction. By R. A. G 339 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Murray : " Introductory Course in Differential Equa- 

 tions" . . . • 340 



Page: " Ordinary Differential Equations ' 34° 



Wilson: "Nature Study in Elementary Schools." — 



L. C. M . . • 340 



Zimmermann : " Botanical Microtechnique " . . . . 340 

 Letters to the Editor :— 



Bipedal Lizards. (///i<x/ra/£^.)— W. Saville-Kent . 341 

 The Glacial Period and the Irish Fauna.— Dr. R. F. 



Scharff ; G. W. Lamplugh 34i 



On Augury from Combat of Shell-fish.— Kumagusu 



Minakata . . o' ^^^ 



The Total Eclipse of the Sun. {Illustrated.) By Sir 



Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S 342 



" A Trip to Canada " 344 



The Habits of Ice-Seals. By R. L 34o 



Magnetic and Pendulum Observations 347 



Rainfall of the United States 348 



Notes 34» 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Planetary Relations 35^ 



U Pegasi and Short-period Variables 352 



Winnecke's Comet, « 1898 ' 352 



Astronomical Annual for 1898 353 



Spectrum Researches of ij Aquilse • • • 353 



The Refraction of Electric Waves. {Illustrated.) . 353 



Palaeolithic Man. By E. T. Newton, F.R.S. ... 354 



Alcohol in Relation to Microbial Diseases .... 355 



Stridulation in some African Spiders 35° 



University and Educational Intelligence 35" 



Scientific Serials . 357 



Societies and Academies 35° 



Diary of Societies • 30° 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 300 



NO. 1476, VOL. 57] 



