33(^ 



NATURE 



[Fed. 6, 1890 



author determined the lines of complete solubility for a mixture 

 of potassium and sodium chlorides, varying the quantity of the 

 metals saturated by the same metalloid as a function of the tem- 

 perature. He studies the reverse case here, determining the 

 results when in a solution of the same metal the metalloids are 

 varied. — On the different states of iodine in solution, by MM. 

 Henri Gautier and Georges Charpy. Iodine solutions are 

 usually divided into two classes^brown (alcohol, ether, &c.) 

 and violet (sulphur of carbon, chloroform, benzine, &c.). The 

 molecular weights have been determined by Raoult's method, 

 and results were obtained varying from 330 to 489, according to 

 the solvent ; Loeb's results are thus confirmed and amplified. 

 — Calorimetric study of the phosphites and pyro-phosphite 

 of soda, by M. L. Amat. These researches fully confirm 

 the author's previous conclusion that the acid phosphite of 

 soda, POjH.NaH, may, by the simple process of drying, 

 lose water and become transformed into pyrophosphite of 

 soda, a substance differing in many of its properties from the 

 acid phosphite. — A study of the pneumococcus occurring in the 

 fibrine pneumonia consecutive to la grippe (influenza), by MM. 

 G. See and F. Bordas. From these clinical researches, made 

 on a large number of patients in the Hotel-Dieu, the authors 

 <:onclude that pneumonia is not only a local affection caused by 

 infection, but that it is itself infecting in the sense that it may 

 invade other organs. — Papers were read by M. Chr. Bohr, on 

 pulmonary respiration ; by M. Abel Dutartre, on the poison 

 of the land salamander; by M. Ch. Mu?set, on " selenotrop- 

 ism " (influence of moonlight on plants) ; by M. A. de Schulten, 

 on the artificial reproduction of malachite all but identical in 

 density, hardness, and crystallization with the natural stone ; by 

 M. A. de Grossouvre, on the presence of Alpine f>;ssils in the 

 Callovian formation of the west of France ; and by M. Ch. V. 

 Zenger, on the magnetic storms and auroras boreales of the years 

 1842-57. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 

 London. 



THURSDAY, Feuruarv 6. 



■RovAL Society, at 4.30. — A New Theory of Colour-blindness and Colour- 

 perception ; Dr. Edndge Green. — Memoir on the Symmetrical Functions 

 of the Roots of Systems of Equations : Percy A. MacMahon, Major R.A. 



fLiNNKAN SociKTV, at 8. — On the Stamens and Setae of Scirpese : C. B. 



Clarke, F.R.S.— On the Flora of Patagonia: John Ball, F.R.S. 

 Chemical Society, at 8.— Ballot for the Election of Fellows.— The Oxides 

 of Nitrogen : Prof. Ramsay, F.R.S. —Studies on the Constitution of Tri- 

 Derivatives of Naphthalene : Dr. Armstrong and W. P. Wynne. — On the 

 Action of Chromium Oxychloride on Nitrobenzole : G. G. Henderson and 

 J. Morrow Campbell. 



'Royal Institution, at 3.— Sculpture in Relation to the Age: Edwin 

 Roscoe Mullins. 



FRIDAY, February 7. 



•Physical Society, at 5. — Annual General Meeting.— On Galvanometers : 

 Prof. W. E. Ayrton, F.R.S., T. Mather, and W. E. Sumpner.— On a 

 Carbon Deposit in a Blake Telephone Transmitter : F. B. Hawes. 



Geologists' Association, at 7.30. — Annual General Meeting. — Notes on 

 the Nature of the Geological Record : The President. 



Society of Arts, at S-— The Utility of Forests and the Study of Forestry : 

 Dr. Schlich. 



•Institution of Civil Engineers, at 7.30.— Reclamation of Land on the 

 River Tees : Colin P. Fowler. 



•Royal Institution, at 9.— The London Stage in Elizabeth's Reign: 

 Henry B. Wheatley. 



SATURDAY, February 8. 

 Royal Botanic Society, at 3.45. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Natural History of the Horse, and of 

 its Extinct and Existing Allies : Prof. Flower, C.B., F.R.S. 



MONDAY, February 10. 



JR.0YAL Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Search and Travel in the Cau- 

 casus ; an Account of the Discovery of the Fate of the Party lost in rSSS : 

 Douglas W. Freshfield (illustrated by Photographs by Signor V. Sella and 

 H. WooUey). 



.Society of Arts, at 8.— The Electromagnet : Dr. Silvanus P. Thompson. 



TUESDAY, February ii. 

 Anthropological Institute, at 8.30.— Exhibition of some Skulls, 



dredged by G. F. Lawrence from the Thames, in the Neighbourhood of 



Kew : Dr. Garson —Characteristic Survivals of the Celts in Hampshire : 



T. W. Shore. 

 Society of Arts, at 8.— Cast Iron and its Treatment for Artistic Purposes : 



W. R. Lethaby. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Bars at the Mouths of Tidal 



Estuaries : W. H. Wheeler. 

 ■Royal Institution, at 3.— The Post-Darwinian Period: Prof. G. J. 



Romanes, F.R.S. 

 University College Biological Society, ats 15.— Some Aberrant Coleo- 



ptera : S. V. Tebbs. 



WEDNESDAY, February 12. 

 Royal Microscopical Society, at 8.— Annual Meeting.— President's 



Address. 

 ■•'J^'BTVOF Arts, at 8.— Modern Improvements in Facilities for R.tilway 



Travelling : George Findlay. 



THURSDAY, February 13 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. 

 Mathematical Society, at 8. — Concerning Semi-invariants: S. Roberts, 



F.R.S.— Ether-Squirts : Prof. K. Pearson. 

 Institution of Electrical Kngineers, at 8. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — The Three Stages of Shakspeare's Art ; Rev. 



Canon Ainger. 



FRIDAY, February 14. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 3 — Anniversary Meeting. 

 RovAL Institution, at 9. — Problems in the Physics of an Electric Lamp ; 



Prof. J. A. Fleming. 



SATURDAY, February 15. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Electricity and Magnetism: Right Hon. Lord 

 Rayleigh, F.R.S. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Medical Electricity and Massage : H. N. Lawrence (Gill). — .A. Theory of 

 Lunar Surfacing by Glaciation : S. E. Peal rrh.acker). — Einleitung in die 

 chemische Krystallographie : Dr. A. Fock (Leipzig, Engelmann). — Ele- 

 mente der Palaontologie, 2 ,Halfte : Dr. G. Steinmann and Dr. L. Doderlein 

 (Leipzig, Engelmann). — L' Evolution du Systeme Nerveux : H. Beaunis 

 (Paris, J. B. Bailliere). — A Theory of Gravitation : T. Wakelin (Petherick). 

 — The Psychology of Attention : T. Ribot (Chicago, Open Court Publishing 

 Company). — English Intercourse with .Siam in the Seventeenth Century : 

 Dr. J. Anderson (K. Paul). — Contributions to the Fauna of Mergui and its 

 Archipelago, 2 vols. (Taylor and Francis). — Report of the Commissioner of 

 Education for the Year 1887-88 (Washington). — The Library Reference Atlas 

 of the World: J. Bartholomew (Macmillan). — Science and Scientists: Rev. 

 J.Gerard (London). — Le Climat de la Belgique en 1889: A. Lancaster 

 (Bruxelles). — Tylar's Practical Hints and Photographic Calendar, 1890 

 (Tylar, Birmingham). — Results of Astronomical Observations made at the 

 Melbourne Observatory in the Years 1881-84 (Melbourne). — Babbage's Cal- 

 culating Engines (Spon). — Practical Hints for Electrical Students, vol. i : 

 Kennelly and Wilkinson {Electrician Office). — Lehrbuch der Meteorologie : 

 Dr. W. J. Van Bebber (Stuttgart, Enke). — Is the Copernican System of 

 Astronomy True ? : W. S. Cassedy (Kittanning, Pa.). — New Zealand for the 

 Emigrant, Invalid, and Tourist: J. M. Moore (S. Low). — Fauna der Gas- 

 kohle und der Kalksteine der Permformation Bohmens, Band 2, Heft n : Dr. 

 Ant. Fritsch (Prag). — The Extermination of the American Bison: W. T. 

 Hornaday (Washington). — Iowa Weather Report, i878-7g-8o-82-83-84- 85-87 

 (Des Moines, Iowa). — U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries; Part XIV., 

 Report of the Commissioner for 1886 (Washington). — Report on Insect and 

 Fungus Pests, No. i : H. Tryon (Brisbane, Beal). — La Photographie a la 

 Lumiere du Magnesium: Dr. J. M. Eder (Paris, Gauthier-Villars). — Notes 

 upon a Proposed Photographic Survey of Warwickshire : W. J. Harrison 

 (Birmingham). — Chinese Games with Dice: S. Culin (Philadelphia). — An- 

 cient Symbolism among the Chinese : Dr. J. Edkins (Triibner). — Journal of 

 the Royal Statistical Society, December (Stanfor4). — Charts showing the 

 Normal Monthly Ramfall in the United States (Washington). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Tavernier's Travels in India. By H. F. B 313 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Ball: "Star Land" 315 



"The Magic Lantern: its Construction and Use" . . 315 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



Acquired Characters and Congenital Variation. — W. 

 T. Thiselton Dyer, C.M.G., F.R.S. ; F. V. 



Dickins 315 



Eight Rainbows seen at the Same Time. {Illustrated. ) 

 — Sir \A^iIliam Thomson, F.R.S.; Dr. Percival 



Frost, F.R.S -316 



Thought and Breathing. — Prof. F. Max Miiller; 



Rev. W. Clement Ley 317 



Chiff-Chaff singing in September. — Rev. W. Cle- 

 ment Ley 317 



Foreign Substances attached to Crabs. — Dr. R. v. 



Lendenfeld 317 



Foot-Founds.— Prof. A. G. Greenhill, F.R.S. ; V. 317 

 Prof. Weismann's Theory of Heredity. By Prof. A. 



Weismann 317 



The Life and Work of G. A. Hirn. By Prof. A. G. 



Greenhill, F.R.S 323 



Notes 324 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Objects for the Spectroscope. — A. Fowler 326 



Total Solar Eclipse of 1886 327 



Annua're du Bureau des Longitudes 327 



Annuaire de I'Observatoire Royal de Bruxelles . , . 327 



Royal Astronomical Society 327 



Geographical Notes 327 



Smokeless Explosives. I. By Sir Frederick Abel, 



F.R.S 328 



Solar Halos and Parhelia. [Illustrated.) 330 



The Institution of Mechanical Engineers 331 



University and Educational Intelligence 332 



Scientific Serials 332 



Societies and Academies 332 



Diary of Societies • . 336 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 336 



