6oo 



NATURE 



[April 21, 1898 



one conductor to another, by M. C. Gutton. — On the thermic 

 properties of saturated vapours, by M. E. Mathias. — On a new 

 apparatus for the raising of liquids, by M. G. Trouve. The 

 instrument combines the principles of the centrifugal pump and 

 the water-spout. The liquid is given a gyratory or spiral motion 

 by means of a revolving cone, from the larger end of which it 

 is expelled through an orifice placed tangentially. — On the 

 plane of magnetisation of magnetic pyrites, by M. Pierre 

 Weiss. When a magnet is brought near a crystal of the mineral 

 no attraction is observed when the plane of the hexagonal base 

 is perpendicular to the lines of force, although it is very marked 

 in any other position. Exact experiments are adduced to prove 

 that magnetisation can only take place in one plane, the wagnetk 

 plane. — Rays emitted by compounds of uranium and of thorium, 

 by Mme. Sklodowska Curie. A study of the influence of the 

 rays emitted by various compounds of the two metals upon the 

 conductivity of the air. A difference of potential of lOO volts 

 was established between the two plates of a condenser (at a 

 distance of 3 centimetres), one of which was covered with a 

 uniform layer of the substance under examination. The current 

 strength was measured by means of an electrometer. All the 

 compounds of uranium and thorium are active ; those of cerium, 

 tantalum, and niobium but slightly so. Two minerals of 

 uranium, viz. pitchblende (oxide of uranium) and chalcolite 

 ^phosphate of copper and uranyl), are much more active than 

 uranium itself. It is to be observed that the most active ele- 

 ments, uranium and thorium, are those which have the highest 

 atomic weights. — On a means of augmenting the intensity and 

 the rapidity of action of the X-rays, by M. F. Garrigou. The 

 jays are confined during their passage from the source to the 

 (fluorescent screen or photographic plate by a cylinder of glass 

 or metal. They are thus concentrated, and produce the required 

 efi"ect in a shorter time. — On the combinations of pyridine and 

 trimethylamine with formic and acetic acids, by M. G. Andre. 

 The compounds of pyridine described in a previous communi. 

 cation have been further investigated, an'd their heats of form- 

 ation determined. They were found to be completely dis- 

 sociated on vaporisation. Similar compounds of trimethylamine 

 . have now been prepared, and found to be more stable than the 

 corresponding pyridine derivatives.— Influence of wave move- 

 , ments upon the development of the larvae of the frog, by M. 

 Emile Yung. The eggs of batrachians are naturally deposited 

 in the calm waters of marshes and lakes. The author has 

 ■studied the effect of continual agitation on their development. 

 The freshly fertilised eggs speedily die ; but if the embryo be 

 already formed before agitation commences, development con- 

 tinues, although the mortality is great. The surviving tadpoles 

 are distinguished by horny formations in the buccal cavity and 

 a remarkable development of the tail. 



PIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, April 21. 

 Society of Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30.— Recent Railway Policy in 



India : Horace Bell. , „ , t^ <■ t-> 1 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— On the Structure oi Dendroceros : Prof. Douglas 

 Campbell.-On the Pterylosis of the Owls : W. P. Pycraft.— On the 

 Thymus and Thyroid of Marsupials : J. Johnston.^ _ 



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

 Distribution of Electrical Energy : R. Hammond. (Continuation of Dis- 



vChemical Society, at 8.— The Carbohydrates of Barley Straw: C.F. 

 Cross, E. J. Bevan, and Claud Smith.— Isomeric Bornylamines : Dr. M. 

 O Forster.— Some Derivatives of Benzophenone : Dr. F. E. Matthews.— 

 Researches on Camphoric Acid : Dr. S. B. Schryver.— Ballot for Election 

 of Fellows. 



FRIDA Y, April 22. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.— The Recent Eclipse: W. H. M. Christie, 



Physical Society, at 5.— On a Method of Viewing Newton's Rings : 



Rev. T. C. Porter. ^^ ^ „ . „ . , 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— New Cut Swing Bridge, 

 Swansea : M. W. Henty. 



SATURDAY, April 23. 

 Geologists' Association (Paddington Station, at 1.33).— Excursion to 

 Reading. Director : J. H. Blake. 



MONDAY, April 25. 

 Society of Arts, at 8.— Sources of Commercial India-rubber: Dr. D. 

 Morris, CM. G. , . . .,.,,,-. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Investigations in the Atlantic . 



H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco. ^ , ,, ,. . , tj •.• i, xt 

 Institute of Actuaries, at 5.30.- On the Mortality in the British Navy 

 and Army, as shown by the Official Reports : James J. McLauchlan. 

 TUESDA Y, April 26. 

 Anthropological Institute, at 8.30.— Exhibition of Stone Implements 

 from Swazieland, South Africa : Prof. T. Rupert Jones, F.R.S.— Exhi- 

 bition of Stone Implements from South Africa : W. H. Penning.— A 

 Study of African Crania : Frank C. Shrubsall. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Annual General Meeting of 



Corporate Members. 

 Royal Horticultural Society, at i. — Sweet-scented Leaves. 

 Royal Victoria Hall, at 8.30.— Motor Cars : Prof. D. S. Capper. 



WEDNESDA Y, April 27. 



Society of Arts, at 8. — Photography and Colour Printing : Captain W. 

 de VV. Abney, C.B., F.R.S. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 4.30. — The Possibility of Acclimatisa- 

 tion of Whites in Tropical Countries : Dr. Sambon. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 7.30. — President's Address : 

 S. W. Johnson. — First Report to the Gas-Engine Research Committee ; 

 Description of Apparatus and Methods, and Preliminary Results : Prof. 

 Frederic W. Burstall. — Supplementary Paper and Adjourned Discussion. 



THURSDAY, April 28. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. 

 FRIDA Y, April 29. 

 Royal Institution, at g. — Magneto-Optic Rotation and its Explana- 

 tion by a Gyrostatic Medium (with Experimental Illustrations) : Prof. 

 A. Gray, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 7.30. — Steam Laundry 

 Machinery : Sidney Tebbutt. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Radiography and the " X " Rays : S. R. Bottone (Whittaker). — 

 The Theory and Practice of Electrolytic Methods of Analysis : Dr. B. 

 Neumann, translated by J. B. C. Kershaw (Whittaker). — Alternate Cur- 

 rents in Practice : translated from the French of Lopp6 and Bouquet by 

 F. J. Moffett (Whittaker).— A Manual of Dental Metallurgy: E. A. Smith 

 (Churchill). — A Manual of Dental Anatomy : C. S. Tomes, 5th edition 

 (Churchill).— Musical Statics : J. Curwen, new edition, revised by T. F. 

 Harris (Curwen).— A Student's Text-Book of Zoology : A. Sedgwick, 

 Vol. I (Sonnenschein). 



Pamphlets. — Tobacco Soils of the United States : M. Whitney (Wash- 

 ington). — Die Meteorologie der Sonne und das Wetter im Jahre 1888 : 

 Prof. K. W. Zenger (Prag). — Recent Laws against Injurious Insects in 

 North America : L. O. Howard (Washington). 



Serials. — Engineering Magazine, April (222 Strand). — Scribner's Maga- 

 zine, April (Low).— Annales de Electrobiologie, &c,, March (Paris, Alcan).— 

 American Journal of Science, April (New Haven).— Record of Technical 

 and Secondary Education, April (Macmillan). — Journal of the Institution of 

 Electrical Engineers, April (Spon).— Terrestrial Magnetism, March (Cin- 

 cinnati). — Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, March (Stanford).- 

 Geographical Journal, April (Stanford).— Encyklopaedie der Naturwissen- 

 .schaften, Erste Abthg. 71, 72 Liefg., Dritte Abthg. 38 to 43 Liefg. (Breslau, 

 Trewendt).— Zoologist, April (West). — Quarterly Journal of Microscopical 

 Science, March (Churchill).— Journal of the Royal Horticultural Societj;, 

 April (117 Victoria Street).- Journal of the Franklin Institute, April 

 (Philadelphia). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A New Departure by the Ray Society. By G. B. H. 577 



Prehistoric Civilisation in Egypt 578 



A County Flora. By I. H. B 579 



Among the Islands of the Pacific. By F. H. H. G. 580 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Hughes : " Mediterranean, Malta, or Undulant 



Fever.— F. W. T 581 



Oppel : " Lehrbuch der Vergleichenden Mikroskop- 



ischen Anatomic der Wirbelthiere " 581 



Landauer: " Spectrum Analysis " 581 



Groth : " Tabellarische Uebersicht der Mineralien 

 nach ihren krystallographisch-chemischen Bezie- 



hungen geordnet " 5^^ 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Sub-Oceanic Terraces and River Valleys of the Bay of 



Biscay.— Prof. Edward Hull, F.R.S 582 



Dust^Fog in the Canaries.— Prof. Augusto Arcimis 582 

 The PhlegVaean Fields. (Illustrated.) By R. T. 



Giinther 5^3 



The Present Appearance of Jupiter. By W. F. 



Denning 5^6 



The London University Bill 5|7 



Notes 587 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet Perrine 59^ 



The Aurora Spectrum 59^ 



The Movement of Solar Faculse S9i 



Yeast and Alcoholic Fermentation. By Prof, J. 



Reynolds Green, F.R.S 59i 



The Metals used by the Great Nations of Antiquity, 



By Dr. J. H. Gladstone, F.R.S 594 



University and Educational Intelligence 598 



Scientific Serial 598 



Societies and Academies 599 



Diary of Societies 600 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received ..... 600 



NO. i486, VOL. 57] 



