576 



NA TURE 



{April 17, 1890 



April 2 and 3. — Elements and ephemeris of Brooks's comet, by 

 M. E. Viennet. Elements have been computed from observa- 

 tions at Cambridge, U.S., March 21 ; Kremsmunster, March 26 ; 

 and Paris, March 31. — Observations of Brooks's comet, made at 

 l^aris Observatory, by Mdlle. D. Klumpke. — Fundamental 

 ■common property of the two kinds of spectra, lines and bands ; 

 •distinct characteristics of each of the classes ; periodic variations 

 to three parameters, by M. H. Deslandres. The facts relating 

 to the periodic recurrence of doubles and triplets in spectra were 

 previously given by M. Rydberg, and reduced to some .simple 

 laws {Comptes rendus, February 24). It was noted that the lines 

 corresponding to doubles and triplets are represented by a function 



of whole numbers of the form N = A — , --. ., ; where N is 



the number of waves ; A, o, two constants ; p a constant less 

 than one, and m a whole number. This function has for a limit 



the more simple one N = A , which, when A and o have 



m- 



proper values, represents exactly, as was shown by Balmer, the 

 unique series of the simple lines of hydrogen. The author states 

 that the distribution of bands is in general more complex, the 

 complete series of groups being represented by a function of 

 three variable parameters, ;;;, «, ^ — N — f^tf-p"-) x m"^ + B«' + 

 (j){/>-) ; where m, n, and /, are whole numbers ; B, a constant ; 

 /and <^ some simple functions the study of which is not com- 

 ])leted. N is a function of three parameters, but in certain 

 spectra it is reduced to two or even one. This distribution de- 

 pending on three parameters is a distinct characteristic of a band 

 spectrum. — On the suppression of halos in photographic plates, 

 by MM. Paul and Prosper Henry. A propos of a communication 

 by M. Cornu {Comptes rendus, March 17), the authors note 

 that in order to get rid of halos which occur around bright 

 stars on an ordinary photographic plate they cover the 

 backs of plates with collodion containing a small quantity 

 of chrysoidine in solution. — Discharge of the two elec- 

 tricities by the action of ultra-violet light, by M. Edouard 

 Branly. The author has obtained new results by using the in- 

 duction spark as his source of light in place of the electric arc 

 used by previous observers. — On phosphotrimetatungstic acid 

 and its derived salts, note by M. E. Pechard. — On a nitroso- 

 platinichloride, by M. M. Vezes. By the action of an excess of 

 hydrochloric acid on a concentrated solution of potassium plati- 

 nonitrite, a body is obtained of the composition PtCl3(NO),2KCl, 

 analogous to but much less stable than the nitrosoruthenichloride, 

 RuCl3(NO),2KCl, described by M. Joly {Comptes rendus, t. 

 cvii. p. 994). It is distinguished from the platinichloride under 

 the microscope by its form and by its action on polarized light. — 

 Glycollic nitrile and the direct synthesis of glycoUic acid, by M. 

 Louis Henry. The nitrile is formed by the addition of formic 

 aldehyde to hydrocyanic acid, HCOH -f HCN = CN— CHgOH. 

 The glycollic nitrile obtained is a very mobile, odourless, colour- 

 less liquid; its density at 12° is I'loo, it boils at 759 mm. 

 pressure at 183° with partial decomposition. By hydrolysis with 

 fuming hydrochloric acid, it yields glycollic acid, which may be 

 separated as the calcium salt. This, in the opinion of the 

 author, is the best method for the preparation of glycollic acid. 



Stockholm, 



Royal Academy of Sciences, March 13.— On the Inter- 

 national Zoological Congress in Paris in 1889, by Prof. F. A. 

 Smitt. — A continuation of the Report of the Ornithological Com- 

 mittee, by Prof. F. A. Smitt. — On the results of the recent winter 

 expedition forhydrographic researchesin Skager Rack, by Prof. S. 

 O. Pettersson.' — Analytical deduction of the equations of the sur- 

 faces and lines which are invariants to the generalized substitution 

 of Poincare, and some geometrical properties of such invariant 

 surfaces and lines, by F. de Brun. — On a special class of singular 

 surfaces, by T. Fredholm. — On the solutionof a system of linear 

 resemblances between an infinite number of unknown quantities, 

 by H. von Koch. — On a paper by H. Weber, entitled "Ein 

 Beitrag zu Poincare's Theorie der Fuchs'schen Functionen," 

 by G. Cassel. — On the conform representation of a plane on a 

 prism with some correlated problems, by the same. — Researches 

 on mustard-oil-acetic acid and on thiohydantoin, by Prof. 

 Klason. — Derivates of i : 3 dichlornaphthalin, by Prof. Cleve. — 

 On the cyclic system of Ribaucour, by Prof. Backlund. — Contri- 

 bution to the knowledge of the Ascomycetas of Sweden, by C. 



Starbiick. — Determination of the optical rotation of some 

 resinous derivates, by A. W. Svensson. — Studies on the influence 

 of the irritation of the spinal chord and the nervus splanchnicus 

 on the pressure of the blood with inductions of different 

 frequency and intensity, by J. E. Johansson. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Evolution, Antiquity of Man, Bacteria, &c. : W. Durham (Edinburgh, 

 Black). — Le Premier Etablissement des Neerlandais a Maurice ; Prince 

 Koland Bonaparte (Paris). — Le Glacier de I'Aletsch et le Lac de Marjelen : 

 Prince Roland Bonaparte (Paris) — Pocket Meteorological Tables, 4th edi- 

 tion : G. J. Symons (Stanford).— The School Manual of Geology, 5th edi- 

 tion : A. J. Jukes Browne (Edinburgh, Black).— The Two Kinds of Truth : 

 T. £. S. T. (Unwin) — The Art of Paper-making: A. Watt (Lockwood). — 

 Catalogue of Books in the Library of the Indian Museum : R. L. Chapman 

 (Calcutta). — Ueber die Liasischen Brachiopoden des Hierlatz bei HalUtatt : 

 G. Oeyer (Wien, Holder) — Die Liburnische Stufe und deren GrenzHori- 

 zjnte. I Heft, Erste Abthg. : G. Stache (Wien, Holder).— Advanced Physio- 

 graphy : J. Thornton (Longmans) — Ferrel's Convectional Theory of Tor- 

 nadoes ; Davis and Curry. — The Root-Knot Disease of the Peach, Orange, 

 and other Plants in Florida (Washington). — The Fossil Butterflies of 

 Florissant : S. H. Scudder (Washingt m). — The Photographic Quarterly, 

 April (Hazell). — Journal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, No. 85, 

 vol. XIX. (Spon). — Journal of the Chemical Society, April (Gurney and 

 Jackson). — Societe d' Encouragement, Paris, Annuaire i8go (Paris). — Pro- 

 ceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Part 3, 1889 

 (Philadelphia). — Insect Life, vol. 2, Nos. 7, 8, 9 (Washington) — Journal of 

 the Bombay Natural History Society, vol. 4, Nos. 3 and 4 (Bombay). — 

 Ergebnisse der raeteorologischen Beobachtungen, Jahrg. xi. (Hamburg). — 

 Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, April (Williams and Norgate). — Jahr- 

 buch der k.k. geologischen Reichsanstalt, Jahrg. 1889, 39 Band, 3 und 4 

 Heft (Wien. Holder). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Growth of Capital. By F. Y. E 553 



Mergui. By R. M 556 



How to know Grasses by their Leaves. By Prof. 



John Wrightson 557 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Nordenskiold : " Facsimile Atlas to the Early History 



of Cartography " ■ . . . . 558 



Aveling : " Light and Heat " . . • 558 



Warren: " Table and Formula Book " 558 



Letters to the Editor : — 



" Panmixia."— Prof. E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. 558 

 Heredity, and the Effects of Use and Disuse. ^ — F. 



Howard Collins 559 



Galls.— T. D. A. Cockerell 559 



On the Use of the Edison Phonograph in the Pre- 

 servation of the Languages of the American Indians. 



— ^J. Walter Fewkes 560 



Solar Halos and Parhelia. — ^J. Lovell 560 



Cambridge Anthropometry. — F. H. P. C 560 



A Remarkable Meteor. — ^J. Dunn 560 



Earthworms from Pennsylvania. — W. Blaxland 



Benham 560 



Crystals of Lime. — H. A. Miers 560 



Samples of Current Electrical Literature 561 



On the Tension of recently formed Liquid Surfaces. 



{Illustrated.) By Lord Rayleigh, Sec.R.S 566 



Notes 568 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Objects for the Spectroscope. — A. Fowler 571 



Comet Brooks {a 1890) 571 



New Variable in Caelum • 571 



Geographical Notes 571 



A New Green Vegetable Colouring Matter. By C. 



Michie Smith 573 



Societies and Academies 573 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 576 



