72 



NATURE 



{Nov. 2 1, 1889 



Colson. The formation of nicotine monohydrochloride liberates 

 about twice as much heat as that of the dihydrochloride under 

 like conditions ; hence a probable difference in constitution 

 of the two nitrogen groups of nicotine. The action of 

 nicotine on coloured reagents shows at once a difference 

 in the two basicities. — On the myelocytes of fishes, by 

 M. J. Chatin. In fishes, as in other zoological groups, the 

 aiervous elements termed myelocytes, are not to be referred 

 to a special histic type, but to the nerve cell ; which is simply 

 modified, chiefly by enlargement of the nucleus, and correspond- 

 ing reduction of the somatic part. — On the continuity of the pig- 

 anented epithelium of the retina with the external segments of 

 the cones and rods, and the morphological value of this arrange- 

 ment in vertebrates, by MM. R. Dubois and J. Renaut. This 

 new fact makes it probable (according to the authors) that in the 

 retina of vertebrates a similar process occurs to that in thelight- 

 :sensitive apparatus of MoUusks like Pholas ; by mechanism of 

 impression and transformation of luminous movement into con- 

 tractile, then sensorial. — On strabismus, by M. H. Parinaud. The 

 immediate cause of the deviation (in squinting) is a disorder of 

 innervation, excess in convergence, defect in divergence, caused 

 generally by the accommodative effort in one case (hypermetro- 

 pia), and the little use made of accommodation in the other 

 '(myopia). The deviation, when sufficiently fixed and prolonged, 

 induces anatomical changes both in the brain- connections and 

 the tissues of the eye (in the latter case, not only shortening 

 of muscles, but retraction of all relaxed fibrous parts, especially 

 Tenon's capsule). This has important bearings on treatment. — 

 On the morphology and the biology of the fungus Oidium 

 .albicans (Robin), by MM. G. Linossier and G. Roux. Besides 

 ^^yeast form, and the globulofilamentous, he finds a third, 

 similar to chlatnydospores, and probably needing some new 

 inatural habitat for full development. This fact, with the absence 

 of ascospores, &c. , suggests removal of the organism from the 

 :genus Saccharomyces. Again, it is found, that in culture of the 

 fungus, the complication of form increases with the molecular 

 weight of the aliment ; there is a growing tendency to form long 

 thin filaments. This tendency is also favoured by high tempera- 

 ture, excess of oxygen, a trace of nitrates, and antiseptics. — 

 Comparative activity of various digitalines, by M. Bardet. He 

 compares crystallized and amorphous digitaline, prepared accord- 

 ing to the French codex, German digltoxine, French digitaleine, 

 and German digitaline (the power of the two last is much less 

 than those of the others). 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 

 London. 



THURSDAY, November 21. 



'Royal Society, at 4.30. — (i) Further Discussion of the Sun-spot Observa- 

 tions at South Kensington ; (2) on the Cause of Variability in Condensing 

 Swarms of Meteorites: J. Norman Lockyer, F.R. S.— On the Local 

 Paralysis of Peripheral Ganglia, and on the Connection of Different Classes 

 of Nerve Fibres with them : J. N. Langley, F. R.S., and W. Lee Dickin- 

 son. — On the Tubercles on the Roots of Leguminous Plants, with Special 

 Reference to the Pea and the Bean (Preliminary Paper) : Prof. JH. M. 

 Ward, F.R.S. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8. — External Anatomical Characters indicating Se.x 

 in Chrysalids, and Development of the Azygos Oviduct and its Accessory 

 Organs in Vanessa lo : Prof. W. Hatchett Jackson. — Anatomy of Lepido- 

 ptera: E. B. Poulton. — Lepidoptera of Ichang, North China: John H. 

 Leech. 



•Chemical Society, at 8. — The Law of the Freezing-points of Solutions : 

 S. U. Pickering. 



MONDAY, November 25. 



RovAL Geographical Society, at 8.30. — The Bahrein Islands, Persian 

 Gulf: J. Theodore Bent. 



SociBTV OF Arts, at 8. — Modern Developments of Bread-making : William 

 Jago. 



TUESDAY, November 26. 



Anthropological Institute, at 8.30. — The Ethnology of the Western 

 Tribe of Torres Straits : Prof A. C. Haddon. 



iNsTiTUTioN OF Civiu ENGINEERS, at 8. — Water-Tube Steam-Bollers for 

 Marine Engines : John I. Thornycroft. (Discussion.) 



University College Biological Society, at 5.15. — A New Genus of 

 Polycha;t Worm : Florence Buchanan. 



WEDNESDAY, November 27. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — Scientific and Technical Instruction in Elementary 

 Schools: Dr. J. Hall Gladstone, F.R.S. 



THURSDAY, November 27. 

 Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Electrical Engineering in 

 America : G. L. Addenbrooke. 



FRIDAY, November 29. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 7.30.— Principles of Iron Foundry 

 Practice: G. H. Sheffield. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Pubbllcazioni del Real Osservatorio dl Palermo, vol. iv. (Palermo). — Obeah ; 

 Witchcraft in the West Indies : H. J. Bell (Low).— Through Atolls and 

 Islands in the Great South Sea: F. J. Moss (Low). — The Lesser Antilles: 

 O. T. Bulkeley (Low). — Humanitism : W. A. Macdonald (Triibner). — 

 Memoirs and Proceedings of the Manchester Literary and Phil sophical 

 Society, vol. ii., 4th series (Manchester). — Report on the Mining Industry of 

 New Zealand, 1889 (Wellington). — Reports on Mining Machinery and Ireat- 

 ment of Ores in Australian Colonies and America (Wellington). —Die Laby- 

 rinthodonten der schwablschen Trias : E. Fraas (Stuttgart, E. Schweizer- 

 bart'sche).— The Butterfly; its History. &c. : J. Stuttard (Unwin).— A 

 Glos'^ary of Biological, Anatomical, and Physl' logical Terms : T. Dunman 

 and V. H. W. Wingrave (Griffith, Farran). — An Introduction to the Siudy of 

 Shakespeare: Dr. H. Corson (Boston, Heath). — On the Animal Alkaloids: 

 Sir W. Aitken, 2nd edition (Lewis) — Matebele Land and the Victoria 

 Falls, 2nd edition ; F. Gate---, edited by C. G. Gates (K. Paul).— Euclid[s 

 Elements of Geometry, books i. and ii. : H. M Taylor (Cambridge Uni- 

 versity Press). — Travels in India by Jean Baptlste Tavernier, 2 vols. : 

 V. Ball (Macmillan). — Results of Meteorological Observations made in 

 New South Wales during 1887 ; H. C. Russell (Sydney, Potter). — 

 Ethnographische Beltrage zur Kenntniss des Karolinen Archipels : J. S. 

 Kubary (Leiden. Trap). — Les Animaux et les Vegetaux Lumineiix : H. 

 Gadeau de Kerville (Paris, Bailliere). — Bibliographie Generale de I'Astro- 

 nomie, tome premi-^r, 2nde partie : J. C. Houzeau and A. Lancaster 

 (Bruxelles, Hayez). — The Evolution of Sex, Prof P. Geddes and J. A. 

 Thomson (Scott). — Synthese Scientlfique et Phllosophlque : A H. Simonin 

 (Paris, E. Leroux) — The State: W. Wil.son (Boston, Heath).— Notes on 

 Sport and Ornithology: late Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria; translated 

 by C. G. Danford (Gurney and Jackson).— Blackle'sGe ^graphical Manuals ; 

 No. 2, the British Empire; Part t, The Home Countries: W. G Baker 

 (Blackie). — Gold-Fields of Victoria ; Reports of the Mining Registrars for 

 the Quarter ended June 30, 1889 (Melbourne). — Victoria ; Annual Report on 

 the Working of the Registration and Inspection of Mines and Mining Ma- 

 chinery Act during the Year 18S8 (Melbourne). — Magnetism and Electricity, 

 Advanced and Honours Questions : A. Jamieson (Griffin). — Klectrical En- 

 gineering, I )rdinary and Honours Questions : A. Jamieson (Griffin). — Results 

 of Rain, River, and Evaporation Observations made in New South Wales 

 during 1888 : H. C. Russell (Sydney, Potter). — Astronomical and Meteoro- 

 logical Workers in New South Wales, 1778-1860 : H. C. Russell (Sydney, 

 Potter).— The Thunderstorm of October 26, 1888 : H. C. Ru sell.— On a 

 Self-recording Thermometer: H. C. Russell. — President's Aodress by H. 

 C. Russell at the First Meeting of the Australian Association. — The Source 

 of the Underground Water in the Western Districts : H. C. Russell. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Rock Metamorphism 49 



Hand-book of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy 49 



Electrical Undertakings. ByJ. A. F 50 



Dianthus. ByJ. G. B 51 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Poyser : " Magnetism and Electricity" . 52 



Barber : " The Engineer's Sketch-book." — N. J. L. . 52 



Markham : " A Life of John Davis " • • 53 



Wood: "The Brook and its Banks," and "The 



Zoo" 53 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Protective Coloration of Eggs. — Dr. Alfred R. Wal- 

 lace ; Rev. Fred. F. Grensted 53 



Science and the India Civil Service Examinations. — 



Henry Palin Gurney 53 



The Physics of the Sub-oceanic Crust. — A. J. Jukes- 

 Browne 54 



The Composition of the Chemical Elements. — A. M. 



Stapley 56 



Is Greenland our Arctic Ice Cap ?— S. E. Peal ... 58 

 Globular and other Forms of Lightning. — Reuben 



Phillips 58 



"Darwinism." — Prof. George J. Romanes, F.R.S. 59 



How not to Teach Geometry. — Herbert J. Woodall 60 



A Brilliant Meteor. — Wm. Scarnell Lean 60 



The Causes and Character of Haze. By Hon. F. A. 



R. Russell 60 



The Pulsion Mechanical Telephone 65 



Notes 66 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Objects for the Spectroscope. — A. Fowler 68 



The Minimum Sun-spot Period 68 



Return of Brorsen's Comet 69 



The Companion of tj Pegasi 69 



General Bibliography of Astronomy 69 



J. C. Houzeau's "VadeMecum" 69 



A New Comet 69 



Mirage in the South American Pampas. (Illustrated.) 



By W. Larden 69 



Scientific Serials 71 



Societies and Academies 71 



Diary of Societies • • . 72 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 72 



