49« 



NATURE 



[February 9, 191 1 



experiment and directly into the experimental tube. 

 The expansion of the liquid metal was measured directly 

 without the intervention of any other liquid ; for the 

 expansion of the solid, pentane was employed as the 

 indicating fluid. It was found, incidentally, that benzene 

 and toluene are rapidly attacked by liquid caesium with- 

 out any evolution of gas ; the nature of the compounds 

 formed is being investigated. — Daniel Berthelot and 

 Henry Gaiidechon : The photolysis of complex acids by 

 the ultra-violet rays. The action of uranium salts as 

 catalysers. Details are given of the decomposition pro- 

 ducts of various dibasic, ketonic, and alcohol acids when 

 exposed to ultra-violet light. The addition of small quanti- 

 ties of uranium salts, without altering the nature of the 

 gases evolved, increases the velocity of the decomposition 

 from four to six times. — A. Job and P. Goissedet : A 

 crystallised green manganitartrate.— E. E. Blaise and 

 L. Picard : The action of the chlorides of the o-alkoxy- 

 acids upon the mixed organo-metallic derivatives of zinc. 

 — P. L. Viguier : a-Bromocrotonic aldehyde. A descrip- 

 tion of the products of the reaction of this aldehyde with 

 hydroxylamine, semicarbazide, hydrazine, phenylhydrazine, 

 and urethane. — V. Grig^nard and Ch. Courtot : Some 

 new derivatives of indene. — Marin Molliard : Nitrogen 

 and chlorophyll in galls. — P. A. Dangeard : The deter- 

 mination of the active rays in the chlorophyll synthesis.- — 

 Henri Labre and L. Violle : The ingestion of mineral 

 acids in the dog. The amount of bases secreted in the 

 urine is increased by the ingestion of hydrochloric acid. 

 — ^M. Doyon, A. Morel, and A. Policard : A demonstra- 

 tion of the exclusively hepatic nature of antirhombine. 

 The extraction of this substance by a solvent for nuclear 

 bodies. — C16ment Vaney : Researches on the development 

 •of Hypoderma bovis. — E. Pinoy : The form of Sporo- 

 trichum Beurmanni in human lesions. Its fructification 

 in the interior of the capillaries. The visibility of the 

 parasite is largely dependent on the exact method of 

 ■staining, and it is shown that in human lesions caused by 

 this parasite the organism is more abundant than has been 

 hitherto supposed. — L. Bruntz : The physiological signifi- 

 cation of the leucocyte reactions of infections and intoxi- 

 cations. — L. Mercier . and R. de Drouin de Bouville : 

 Lepidorthosis in Leuciscus rutilus of the lake of Nantua. 

 — L. Cayeux : The existence of limestones containing 

 Gyroporella in the Cyclades. — Louis Gentil : The Riffian 

 •deposits of Morocco. — Louis Fabry : The registration of 

 small artificial earthquakes at a distance of 17 kilometres. 

 Small earthquakes caused b}' subsidences in mining dis- 

 tricts have been recorded on the seismograph of the 

 Marseilles Observatory. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, February 9. 



•RovAL Society, at 4.30. — (i) Certain Physical and Physiological Pro- 

 perties of Stovaine and its Homologues ; (2) The Effect of some Local 

 Anaesthetics on Nerve: Dr. V. H. Veley, F.R.S., and W. L. Symes. 

 — (i) Experimental Researches on Vegetable' Assimilation and Respira- 

 tion. 'VIII. A New Method for Estimating the Gaseous Exchanges 

 of Submerged Plants ; (2) Experimental Researches on Vegetable 

 Assimilation and Respiration. IX. On Assimilation in Submerged 

 Water-plants and its Relation to the Concentration of Carbon Dioxide 

 and other Factors : Dr. F. F. Blackman, F.R.S., and A. M. Smith. 



"Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30. — Indian Superstitions: R. A. Leslie 

 Moore. 



'RovAL Institution, at 3. — Problems of Animals in Captivity : P. Chalmers 

 Mitchell, F.R.S. 



■Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Adjourned discussion : 

 Long Distance Transmission of Electrical Energy : \V. T. Taylor. — 

 Extra High Pressure Transmission Lines : R. Borlase Matthews and 

 C. T. Wilkinson. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.30. — The Application of the Mathematical 

 Tneory of Relativity to the Electron Theory- of Matter : E. Cunningham. 



FRIDAY, February 10. 

 Royal Institution, at 9. — Robert Louis Stevenson : Sir Sidney Colvin. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. — Anniversary Meeting. 

 ■Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Rivers and Estuaries : W. H. 



Hunter. 

 Physical Society, at 8.— Annual General Meeting.— Presidential Ad- 

 dress : The Caloric Theory of Heat and Carnot's Principle : Prof. H. L. 

 Callendar, F.R.S. 



MONDAY, February 13. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30. — Further Explorations in Bolivia : 



Major P. H. Fawcett. 

 •Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— Brewing and Modern Science : Prof. 



Adrian J. Brown. 



NO. 2154, VOL. 85] 



TUESDAY, February 14. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Heredity : Prof. F. W. Mott, F.R.S. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at i.— Further discussion: '1 1 

 Detroit River Tunnel, between Detroit, Michigan, and Wind- 

 Canada: W. J. \i\\%\i,=,.— Probable Paper: Coast Erosion: W. I 

 Douglass. 



WEDNESDAY, February 15. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— Modern Machine Bookbinding : G. A. 

 Stephen. 



Royal Microscopical Society, at 8.— On some New Objectives ai 

 Eye-pieces by R. Winkel, of Gottingen: E. M. Nelson.— On the Rece 

 and Fossil Foraminifera of the Shore-sands of Selsey Bill, Suss.: 

 Addendum : E. Heron-Allen and A. Earland. 



Royal Meteorological Society, at 7.30.— Variation of the Depth 



■ Water in a Well at Detling, Maidstone, compared with the Rainf.. 

 1885-1909: R. Cooke and S. C. Russell.— The Actinograph ; an Instr 

 ment for Recording Changes in Radiation : A. W. Clayden.— N. 

 Cloudiness Charts for the United States : K. M. Clark. 



Society of Dyers and Colourists, at 8.— The Enzymes of Malt, -^ 

 their Employment in the Textile Industries : K. J. May. 



THURSDAY, February 16. 



Royal Society, at ^.3,0.— Probable Papers: The Constitution of t 

 Alloys of Aluminium and Zinc : Dr. W. Rosenhain and S. L. Archbuti. 

 The Production and I'roperties of Soft Rontgen Radiation : R. Whiddin^ 

 ton. --Experiments on Stream-line Motion in Curved Pipes: Prof. J. 

 Eustice. 



Royal Geographical Society, at ■;. — Research Meeting. Some Ant- 

 arctic Problems : Prof. Edgeworth David, F.R.S. 



Linnean Society, at 8. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Problems of Animals in Captivity : P. Chalmers 

 Mitchell, F.R.S. 



Illuminating Engineering Society, at Z.—Dicussion on School Light- 

 ing. Openers : Dr. James Kerr and Dr. N. Bishop Harman. 



FRIDAY, February 17. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— The Stimulation of Digestive Activity : Prof. 

 H. E. Armstrong, F.R.S. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 8. — Annual General Meet- 

 ing. Further discussion : Modern Electrical Dock-equipment, with 

 .Special Reference to Electrically-operated Coal-hoists : W. Dixon and 

 G. H. Baxter. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Uses of Chemistry in 

 Engineering: J. Swinburne, F.R.S. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Studies'in Physiology. By Sir T, Clifford Allbutt, 



K.C.B., F.R.S 465 



The Pines of Australia. By W. B. H 465 



Practical Inorganic Chemistry. By H. M. D. 466 



Mathematics and Ophthalmology 467 



The Beetles of India. By W. F. K 467 



Electric Motors. By Stanley P. Smith 468 



The Geology of Germany. By Prof. Grenville A, J. 



Cole 468 



Our Book Shelf 470 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Drainage and Malaria. — Dr. Chas. A. Bentley ; 



Dr. Malcolm Watson 471 



Studies of Magnetic Disturbances. — L. Vegard . 473 

 Sir F. Gallon and Composite Photography. — Lady 



Welby 474 



Darwin and the Transmission of Acquired Characters. 

 — E. A. Parkyn ; Prof. John W. Judd, C.B., 



F.R.S. . . . . 474 



Glacial Erosion.— R. M. Deeley ; J.^W. G. . . . 475 



An Unconscious Forecast by Joule. — B. A. Keen 475 



The Sailing-flight of Birds. — Canon R. Abbay . . 475 



A Morning Meteor.— Joseph H. Elgie 475 



Investigations of Plague 476 



What Science has done for the West Indies. By 



Sir W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. . . 477 



Pictorial Natural History. {Illustrated.) ...... 478 



Alcohol and Eugenics. By E. H. J. S 479 



Notes 481 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Nova LacertL^ 4^" 



Mars and its Atmosphere 4^6 



Cometary Theories 4^6 



Polarisation in the Spectrum of o Ceti 486 



The Earth's Action on Sunlight and Heat 486 



Experiments on Coal-dust Explosions. [Illus- 

 trated.) By Prof. W. Galloway 487 



Explorations in New Guinea 49° 



Radio-activity as a Kinetic Theory of a Fourth 

 State of Matter. By Prof. William H. Bragg, 



F.R.S 491 



University and Educational Intelligence 494 i 



Societies and Academies 495 



Diary of Societies 49^ 



