504 



NA TURE 



[March 24, 1898 



characters of the seasons of successive years, by M. P. Garrigou- 

 Lagrans;e. — On the causes of the reciprocal replacement of two 

 acids, by M. Albert Colson. An experimental study of the 

 action of hydrogen sulphide upon the dry silver salts of ortho- 

 phosphoric and pyrophosphoric acids — On a new silicide of 

 chromium, by M. Ch. Zettel. This silicide has the composition 

 SiCr.j, and is obtained by strongly igniting in a Perrot gas furnace 

 a mixture of copper, aluminium and chromic oxide. It isa well 

 crystallised, very stable substance, which resists the action of 

 all acids except hydrofluoric. — On a new method of fraction- 

 ating the yttrium earths, by M. (i. Urbain. The method 

 consists of the fractional crystallisation of the ethyl sulphates. 

 The results are similar to those obtained by the use of the 

 acetylacetonates, the sulphates, and by the fusion of the nitrates. 

 — On two modes of decomposition of some thiocyanic ethers, 

 by M. (Eschner de Coninck. — On someoxyelhersof /3-naphthol, 

 by M. F. Bodroux. The ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, and 

 ijoamyl ethers are described.— On the product of oxidation of 

 glycerine by the bacterium of sorbose, by M. Gabriel Bertrand. 

 Dioxyacelone, CHjOH.CO.CFf_.OH, is the chief product ; it was 

 identified Ijy means of its oxime. — On the sterilisation of liquids 

 ])y filtration, by M. J. Hausser. Ihfusorial earth, calcined at 

 800' to 1000" C., powdered, and made into an emulsion with 

 water deposits on any suitable filter support as a fine compact 

 layer, which is capable of retaining the most minute suspended 

 particlos Or micro-organisms. A ihicknes.s of '4 to '5 mm. is 

 sufficient for sterilisation, and the velocity of filtration may 

 be many times greater than with Chainberland filters. — • 

 The different modes of eliminating lime in rickets at 

 different stages of the disease, by M. J. Babeau. — 

 Embryogeny of the double larva of the Diplosomidce, by M 

 Antoine Pizon. The results of Salensky concerning the 

 development of the branchio intestinal apparatus areTonfirmed, 

 and f in addition the function of the epicartiial tubes is 

 established. — On the splitting of the cuticle, by M. P. Pautel, 

 — The culture of I'richoloina ituduvt, by MM. |. Constantin 

 and L. Matruchot. — Action of different salts upon the structure 

 of plants, by M. Charles Dassonville. The structure of true 

 plants varies greatly according to the chemical composition of 

 the medium in which they grow, tho.se solutions which are most 

 favourable to the development of the plant being also those 

 which produce in it the greatest differentiation.— On a new 

 £©i>€«c typ§ of ScWz.omy petes, the Chalitiella, hy-M. rE" ?^9zfc. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



. ■ ; : . THURSDAY, March 24. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. —The B.ikerian Lecture will be delivered by Dr. 

 W. J. Russell, F.R S. Subject : Further Experiments on the Action 



, exerted by certain Metals and other Bodies on a Photographic Plate. 



RoVAL Institution, at 3. — Recent Researches in Electricity and Mag- 

 netism : Prof. J. A. Fleming, F.R.S. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Cost of Generation and 



■ Distribution of Electrical Energy : R. Hammond. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 4. — Prof. Boyd Dawkins will repeat 

 the Sixth "James Forrest'-' Letture on Geology in Relation to 



■ Engineering. 



Camera Club, at 8.15. — Photographic Engraving in Intaglio: Colonel 

 , Waterhouse. 



FRIDAY, March 25. 



P.ivsiCAL Sociktv, at 5.— On the Circulation of the Residual Gaseous 

 Matter in a Crookes' Tube : A. A. Campbell Swinton. — On some Im- 

 provements in the Robsrts-.Austen Recording Pyrometer, and Notes on 

 Thermo-electric Pyrometers : A. Stansfield. 



iNsriTUTioN OF CiviL ENGINEERS, at 8. — Internal Governor Friction 

 H. O. Eurich. 



MONDAY, March 28. 



Society of Arts, at 8. — The Thermo-Chemistry of the Bessemer Process : 



Prof. W.N. Hartley, F.R.S. 

 RovAL Geographical Society, at 8.30. — Exploration on and around 



Mount Aconcagua : E. A. Fitzgerald. 

 Institute of Actuaries, at 5.30.— Industrial Assurance : C. H. E. Rea. 



rUESDA r, March 29. 



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



Lankester, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Extraordinary Floods in 



■Southern India : their Causes, and Destructive Effects on Railway 



Works : E. W. Stoney. 

 Anthropological Institute, at 8.3o.^On the Natives of the Upper 



Welle District of the Belgian Congo : Captain Guy Burrows. (Illustrated 



with Lantern Slides and Objects of Ethnological Interest.) 



WEDNESDAY, March 30. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— Telegraphy across Space : Prof. Silvanus P. 

 Thompson, F.R.S. 



THURSDAY, March 31. 

 Society OF Arts idndian Section), at 430. — The Earthquake in Assam: 



Henry Luttman-Johnson. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Recent Researches in Magnetism and Dia- 



magnetism : Prof. J. A. Fleming, F.R.S. 

 Chemical Society, at 3. — Annual General Meeting. 

 Camera Club, at* 8. 15. — Prof. Joly's System of Colour Photography: 



Captain Abney.C.B., F.R.S. 



FRIDA Y, April i. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.— Liquid Air as an Analytic Agent : Prof. 

 Dewar, F.R.S. 



BOOKS AND SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Results of Rain River, and Evap -ration Observations made in 

 New South W.ales during 1896 : H. C. Russell (Sydney).— The Mines of 

 New South Wales, 1897 : C. W. Carpenter (G. Robertson). — Fi.siol gia 

 Vegetate: L Montemartin (Milano, Hoepli). — Anatomia Vegetale . Dr. F. 

 Tognini (Milano, Hoepli) — Navigazione Aere.-i : G. N. Da Pra(Milanot 

 Hoepli). — Storia Naturale : Dr. A Griffini (Milano, Hoepli). — Marriag? 

 Customs in many Lands: Rev. H. N. Hutchinson (Seeiey) — Canada s 

 Metals : Prof. Roberts-Austen (Macmillan). - Practical Guide to Photo- 

 graphy : Marlon and Co., 6th edition (Marion). — A New Astronomy: 

 Prof D. P. Todd (New York, American Book Company). — Theories U« 

 L'Electrolyse : , A. Minet (Paris, Gauthier-Villars). — Recherches sur les 

 Origines de I'Egypte, Ethnographie Prehistorique et Tombeau Royal de 

 N6g.idah : J. De Morgan (Paris, Leroux| — Lab .ratory Experiments on the 

 Class Rei)Ctions and Identification of Organic Substances : Drs. Noyes 

 and Mulliken, 2nd edition (Easton, Pa , Chemical Publishing Company).— 

 The Freezing-Point, Boiling-Point, and Conductivity Methods : H. C. 

 Jones (Easton, Pa , Chemical Publishing Company). — An Arithmetic for 

 Schools: S. L. Loney (Macmillan). — Spectrum Analysis: Dr. J. Lan- 

 dauer, translated by Dr. J. B. Tingle (Chapmanj. — Sitzungsberichte 

 der K.B. (iesellschalt der Wissenschaften, Math.-Naturw Classe 1897, 2 

 Vols. (Prag). — The Linacre Repjits, edited by Prof. E. Ray Lankester, 

 Vol. 3 (Adlard). 



Serials. — American Journal of Science, March (New Haven).^ 

 Psychological Review, March (M.-icniillan). — History of Mankind ; F. 

 Ratzel, translated. Part 24 (Macmillan). - Zoologist, March (Wrst). 

 Bulletin de 1' Academic Royale des Sciences, &c , de Belgique, 1898, No. 2 

 (Bruxelles) — Journal of the Franklin Iiislituie, March (Philadelphia) — 

 Transactions of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society, January 

 (Leicester). — Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meleorologidl Society, 

 J.-inu.iry (Stanford). — Bulletin of the Essex Institute, July-December, 

 1896 (Salem). — Board of Trade Journal, March (Eyre). — Tiinehri, De- 

 cember (Stanford) — Among British Birds in their Nesting Haunts : O. A. J. 

 Lee. Part x. (Edinburgh, Douglas). — Proceedings of the Society for 

 Psychical Research, February (Paul). — Wide World Magazine, April 

 (Newnes). — Archives of the Roentgen Ray, February (Rebman). — Transac- 

 tions of the Insiitution of E.igineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland, March 

 (Glasgow).— -Morphologisches Jahrbuch, 25 Band, 4 Kelt (Leipzig). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A Biography of William Harvey. By W. R. ... 481 



The Notions of Classical Writers on Geography . 482 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Re: " La Teoria dei Raggi Rbntgen " 483 



Jamieson : " A Text-book on Applied Mechanics." — 



H. B 483 



Blatchley : " Twenty-first Annual Report (1896) of 

 the Department of Geology and Natural Resources, 



Indiana" ...... 484 



" The Mines of New South Wales, i«97 " ...... 484 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Submerged River Valleys and Escarpments off 



the British Coast.— Prof. Edward Hull, F.R.S. 484 



The Use of Compressed Coal Gas. — C. E. Ashford 485 



The Science Buildings at South Kensington . . 485 

 Skiagraphy after Injection of the Blood Vessels 

 with Mercury, {lllustraled.) By Drs. H. J. Stiles 



and H. Rainy 485 



Sir Henry Bessemer, F.R.S 487 



Notes 488 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Magnitudes of 1081 Southern Stars ........ 491 



The Variables S Cassiopeije and S Ursoe Majoris . . 492 



Occultations Photographically Observed 492 



Comet Perrine 492 



A Magnetic Storm. By Dr. Charles Chree, F.R.S. 492 



The Australasian Association 492 



Forthcoming Books of Science 497 



University and Educational Intelligence ... . . 499 



Scientific Serials . 500 



Societies and Academies 500 



Diary of Societies 504 



Books and Serials Received 504 



NO. 1482, VOL. 57] 



