384 



NA TURE 



[February 17, 1898 



couple, the latter being standardised in place by the interference 

 method of air thermometr/ previously described. The tem- 

 peratures found were 962° C. for silver and 1064° for gold. — 

 Determination of the density of gases upon very small volumes, 

 by M. Th. Schloesing, jun. (see p. 374). — On the correlation 

 between reduction by nascent hydrogen, electrolysis, and photo- 

 lysis of carbonic acid, by M. A. Bach. The reduction of a 

 solution of carbon dioxide in water by hydrogenised palladium 

 gave rise to some formic aldehyde, the latter being identified 

 by conversion into methylene-aniline and hexamethylenetetra- 

 mine. The electrolytic reduction of carbon dioxide is shown 

 to be parallel with the reduction by solar radiation. — On the 

 aromatic urethanes of conicine, by MM. P. Cazeneuve and 

 Moreau, — New colour reaction of phenylhydrazine, by M. 

 Louis Simon. The solution of the hydrazine is warmed with 

 a little aqueous trimethylamine, some drops of a solution of 

 nilroprussiate of soda added, and then concentrated potash. A 

 blue coloration results which allows of the detection of one 

 part of phenylhydrazine in 50,000 of water. — On the influence 

 of the frequency of the movements and of the weights sustained 

 upon the maximum power of muscle under regular treatment, 

 by MM. Andre Broca and Charles Richet. — On the develop- 

 ment of the conjunctive fibrilla, by M. P. A. Zachariades. — 

 On the constitution of cannel coal, by M. B. Renault. — On the 

 polymorphism of fluorspar, by M. F. Wallerant. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, February 17. 



.RovAL Society, at 4.30. — On the Connection between the Electrical 

 Properties and the Chemical Composition cf Different Kinds of Glass : 

 Prof. A. Gray. F.R.S., and Prof. J. T. Dobbie.— On the Magnetic 

 Deformation of Nickel : Dr. E. Taylor Jones. — Upon the Structure and 

 Development of the Enamel of Elasmobr.inch Fishes : C. S. Tomes, 

 F.R.S.— On Artifici.1l Temporary Colour-Blindness, with an Examina- 

 tion of the Colour Sensations of 109 Persons : G. J. Burch.— Contribu- 

 tions 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 3. — 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 Histology of the Salivary and other Glands of the Colubridce : G. S. 

 West. 



•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. 



FRIDAY, February 18. 



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

 ■Geological Society, at 3. — Annual General Meeting. _ 

 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. 



jRoYAL Institution, at 3.— The Structure of Instrumental Music : 

 William H. Hadow. 



MONDA Y, February 21. 



'Imperial Institute, at8.3o. — The Nile and its Tributaries : Colonel C. 



M. Watson, R.E., C.M.G. 

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



Stannus. 

 ^Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — Purpose in Nature : Dr. W. Kidd. 



TUESDA K, February 22. 



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

 Lankester, F.R.S. 



Anthropological Institute, at 8.30. — Ethnographical Notes on the 

 Murray Islands, Torres Straits : Rev. Archibald E. Hunt. — There will 

 be exhibited two Tattooed Heads carved in Kauri Gum from New 

 Zealand, lent by Edge Partington ; and a Collection of Objects obtained 

 during the Recent Exploration of a Cairn in Breconshire, lent by T. C. 

 Cantrill. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Theory, Design, and 

 Practical Working of Alternate-Current Motors : Llewelyn B. Atkinson. 

 — Dublin Electric Tramways : H. F. Parshall. 



WEDNESDA Y, February 23. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — Children's Sight : R. Brudenell Carter. 



THURSDA Y, February 24. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Meeting for Discussion. — Subject : The Scien- 

 tific Advantages of an Antarctic Expedition. The Discussion will be 

 opened by Dr. John Murray, F.R.S. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — On the Manufacture of 

 Lamps and other Apparatus for 200 volts Circuits : G. Binswanger 



" Byng. 



FRIDA Y, February 25. 

 Royal Institution, at 9. — The Theory of Colour Visjon applied to 



Modern Colour Photography : Captain W. de W. Abney, C.B., F.R.S. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Problem of Train Resist- 

 ance : C. E. Wolff. 



SA TURD A Y, February 26. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — The Structure of Instrumental Music : W. H. 

 Hadow. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — The Arrangement of Atoms in Space : J. H. van 't Hoff, 2nd 

 edition, translated and edited by A. Eiloart (Longmans). — On Laboratory 

 Arts: Prof. R. Threlfall '(Macmillan). — Motion : its Origin and Conserva- 

 tion : Rev. Dr. W. McDonald (Dublin, Browne). — Calendar, &c., of the 

 Department of Science and Art, 1898 (Eyre). — Evolutional Ethics and 

 Animal Psychology : E. P. Evans (Heinemann). — The Flora of Berkshire 

 G. C. Druce (Oxford, Clarendon Press). — Re?fearches on Tuberculosis : Dr 

 A. Ransome (Smith, Elder).— Pasteur : Prof, and Mrs. P. Frankland 

 (Cassell) — Lehrbuch der Entwickelungsgeschichte des Menschen : Dr. J 

 KoUmann (Jena, Fischer). — Organographie der Pflanzen : Dr. K. Goebel 

 Erster Teil (Jena, Fischer). — Das Optische Drehungsvermogen : Dr. H 

 Landolt, Zweite Auflage (Braunschweig, Vieweg). — Die Gattung Cycla 

 men L. : Dr. F. Hildebrand (Jena, Fischer). 



Pamphlets. — Museum Handbooks : Catalogue of the Hadfield CoUec 

 tion of Shells from the Loyalty Islands, Parts 2 and 3 (Manchester 

 Cornish). — A Visit to Giessen : Prof Senier (Dublin, Ponsonby). 



Serials. — Physical Review, November, December, and January (Mac 

 millan). — American Journal of Psychology, January (Worcester, Mass.).— 

 Observatory, February (Taylor). — BuUetinde la Socidte Imp^riale des Natu 

 ralistes de Moscou, 1897, No. 2 (Moscou). — Geographical Journal, February 

 (Stanford).— Boletim do Museu Paraense, &c.. Vol. 2, No. 2 (Para, Brazil), 

 — Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, January (Churchill). — En 

 gineering Magazine, February (222 Strand). — Atlantic Monthly, February 

 (Gay). — Zeitschrift fiir Physikalisches Chemie, xxv. Band, i Heft (Leipzig, 

 Engelmann). — Annales de I'Electrobiologie, &c.. No. i (Paris, Alcan). — 

 Memorias y Revista de la Sociedad Cientifica, Tomo x. Nos. 5-12 (Mexico). 

 — Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, Vol. v. No. 3 (Boston 

 Mass.). — An Illustrated Manual of British Birds : H. Saunders, 2nd edi 

 tion, Part 4 (Gurney). — Journal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, 

 Feburary (Spon). — Memoirs and "Proceedings of the Manchester Literary 

 and Philosophical Society, Vol.42, Part i (Manchester). —American Journal 

 of Science. February (Newhaven). — Among British Birds in their Nesting 

 Haunts ; O. A. J. Lee, Part 9 (Edinburgh, Douglas). — The West Australian 

 Settler's Guide and Farmer's Handbook, Part 5 (Perth, W.A., Wigg). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Simpson and Chloroform. By R. T. B 361 



Protoplasmic Froth. By F. A. D 362 



Catalogue of Madreporaria. By G. J. H 363 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Daflfnfr : " Das Wachstum des Menschen" 363 



Longuinine : " Beschreibung der Hauptmethoden, 

 welche bei der Bestimmung der Verbrennungs- 



warme iiblich sind " 364 



Buckman : " Cheltenham as a Holiday Resort " . . 364 



Allen: " Nature's Diary."— L. C. M 364 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Protective- and Pseudo - Mimicry. — Sir G. F. 



Hampson, Bart. .... 364 



Oat Smut as an Artist's Pigment.— David Paterson 364 



Early SpringTlowers.— Miss E. Armitage . • • . 365 

 Insusceptibility of Insects to Poisons. — Will. A. 



Dixon ; The Reviewer 365 



Variation of Water-Level under Wind- Pressure. — A. 



R. Hunt 365 



Bipedal Lizards.— W. Saville-Kent 365 



The Total Eclipse of the Sun 365 



Pitcher-Plants, illustrated.) By A. W. B 367 



A Newr Artillery Chronograph. {Illustrated.) . . . 368 



Notes. {With Diagram.) 370 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



A Probable New Star 374 



New Photographs of Nebulae 374 



Carbon in the Chromosphere 374 



Parallax of Sirius 374 



The Atomic Weights of Nickel and Cobalt .... 374 



Crater Lake, Oregon. {Illustrated.) By H. R. M. . 375 

 Address to the Royal Astronomical Society. By 



Sir Robert Ball, F.R.S 376 



History and Objects of the Physical Society. By 



ShelfordBidwell, F.R.S 378 



The Institution of Mechanical Engineers 379 



University and Educational Intelligence 380 



Scientific Serials . . 381 



Societies and Academies 381 



Diary of Societies 384 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 384 



NO. 1477. VOL. 57] 



