April 14, 192 1] 



NATURE 



223 



and the rhythm indefinitely continued. The results 

 are suggestive of possible interpretations of rhythmic 

 processes in physiology. — H. S. Vandiver : The class- 

 number of the field Q(^2'W/") and the second case 

 of Fermat's last theorem. — C. W. Metz : Observa- 

 tion on the sterility of mutant hybrids in Droso-phila 

 z'irilis. Sterility in the rugose-glazed and rugose-wax 

 hybrids is accounted for by assuming dominance of 

 sterility instead of an incompatibility, as was done 

 previously when onlv rugose-glazed were known. — 

 H. A. Cheplin and L. F. Rettger : Studies on the 

 transformation of the intestinal flora, with special 

 reference to the implantation of Bacillus acidophilus. 

 I. : Feeding experiments with albino rats. B. bul- 

 garicus is incapable of accommodating itself to intes- 

 tinal conditions. B. acidophilus, however, submits 

 readily to implantation, at least in the white rat. 

 The beneficial results attributed to various forms of 

 sour-milk products have in all probability been due 

 to the milk as such.— R. Pearl : A single numerical 

 index of the age-distribution of a population. The 

 function here discussed gives a substantially accurate 

 indication of the essential nature of the age-distribu- 

 tion. — M. M. Metcalf : An important method of 

 studying problems of relationship and of geographical 

 distribution. The author shows the value of the method 

 of studying relationships between groups of animals and 

 plants and their geographical distribution and migra- 

 tion routes by means of a comparison of the distribu- 

 tion of the hosts with that of their parasites. — F. V. 

 Coville : The influence of cold in stimulating the 

 growth of plants. The common beliefs that trees and 

 shrubs become dormant because of the cold, and that 

 warm weather is of itself sufficient cause of the 

 besfinning of new growth in spring, are both erroneous. 

 — L, B. Loeb : The nature of the negative carriers 

 produced in pure hydrogen and nitrogen by photo- 

 electrons. In pure nitrogen and hydrogen gas the 

 electrons do not attach themselves to the molecules 

 to form ions in any appreciable Quantities. — W. F. 

 Durand : Shock or water-ram in pipe-lines with im- 

 perfect reflection at the discharge end, and including 

 the effects of friction and non-uniform change of 

 Kvalve opening. 



Books Received. 



The Electronic Concention of Valence and the Con- 

 fstitution of Benzene. By Prof. H. S. Fry. (Mono- 

 graphs on Inorganic and Physical Chemistry.) Pp. 

 jXviii+300. (London : Longmans, Green and Co.) 

 <j6s. net. 



How to Measure. By Prof. G. M. Wilson and 

 Prof. Kremer J. Hoke. ' Pp. vii+285. (New York : 

 The Macmillan Co. ; London : Macmillan and Co., 

 Ltd.) 12s. net. 



Chemical Technolo<^v and .Analysis of Oils, Fats, 

 and Waxes. By Dr. J. Lewkowitsch. Sixth edition, 

 entirely re-written and enlarged. Edited by George H. 

 Warburton. (In three vols.) Vol. i. Pp. xviii+682. 

 (London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 36^. net. 



.Agricultural Meteorology : The Effect of Weather 

 on Crops. By T. Warren Smith. (Rural Text-book 

 Series.) Pp. xxiv+304.+viii olates. (New York : The 

 Macmillan Co.; London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 

 135. net. 



Mao Reading. By G. H. C. Dale. Pp. ix-fiyo. 

 (London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 75. 6d. net. 



The Heart and the Aorta : Studies in Clinical 

 Radiology. By Prof. H. Vaauez and E. Bordet. 

 Translated from the second French edition by Dr. 

 James A. Honeij and J. Macev. Pp. xvii-f256. (New 



NO. 2685, VOL. 107] 



Haven : Yale University Press ; London : Oxford Uni- 

 versity Press.) 25s. net. 



Reports of the Progress of Applied Chemistry. 

 Issued by the Society of Chemical Industry. Vol. v., 

 1920. Pp. 626. (London : Society of Chemical In- 

 dustry.) 155. 



Das Raum-zeit-Problem bei Kant und Einstein. 

 By Dr. Use Schneider. Pp. 75. (Berlin : J. Springer.) 

 12 marks. 



Die Quantentheorie ihr Ursprung und ihre Ent- 

 wicklung. By Fritz Reiche. Pp. vi+231. (Berlin : 

 J. Springer.) 34 inarks. 



Survey of India. Professional Paper, No. 19. Ex- 

 periments in Aeroplane Photo Surveying. By Major 

 C. G. Lewis and Cant. H. G. Salmond. Pp. iii+53-l- 

 3 plates. (Dehra Dun : The Trigonometrical Sur- 

 vey.) 3s. 



A Text-book of Electro-Chemistry. By Prof. Max 

 le Blanc. Translated from the fourth enlarged 

 German edition by Dr. W. R. Whitney and Dr. J. W. 

 Brown. Pp. xiv+338. (New York : The Macmillan 

 Co. ; London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) iSs. net. 



Diary of Societies. 



THURSDAY, April 14. 



RoTAL Institution or Great Britain, at 3.— C. T. E. Wilson : 

 Tliunderstorms (Tyndall Lectures). 



RoiAL SOCIETY, at 4.30.— Prof. K. Onnes, Sir Robert Hadfield, and 

 Dr. H. R. Woltjer : The Influence of Low Temperatures on the 

 Magnetic Properties of Alloys of Iron with Nickel and Man- 

 ganese. — C. N. Hinshelwood and E. J. Bowen : The Influence of 

 Physical Conditions on the Yelocitj- of Decomposition of certain 

 Crystalline Solids.— Prof. H. Briggs : The Adsorption of Qas by 

 Charcoal, Silica, and other Substances. — N. K. Adam : The Pro- 

 perties and Molecular Structure of Thin Films of Palmitic Acid 

 on Water. Part i. — E. P. Metcalfe and B. Venkatesaehar : The 

 .\bsorption of Light by Electrically Luminescent Mercury 

 Vapour. 



RoiAL College or Physicians of London, at 5. — Dr. T. Lewis : 

 Observations upon the Nature of Auricular Flutter and Fibrilla- 

 tion (Oliver-Sharpey Lecture). 



Institution of Electrical Engineers (at Institution of Civil 

 Engineers), at 6. — E. A. Watson : Magnetos for Ignition Purposes 

 in Internal Combustion Engines. 



Oil and Colour Chemists' Association (at 2 Furnival Street), at 

 7.30.— F. H. Barry : Indian Products of Interest to the Oil and 

 Colour Chemist. 



Concrete Institute, at 7.30. 



Optical Societi (at Imperial College of Science), at 7.30.— F. 

 Twyman : An Interferometer for the Testing of Camera Lenses. — 

 W. Shackleton : The Testing of Heliograph Mirrors 



RfiNTGEN Society fat University College), at 8.15. 



Harveian Society of London (at Paddington Town Hall), at 8.30.— 



D. C. L. Fitzwilliams : The Neevi of Children and their Treat- 

 ment. 



FRIDAY, April 15. 

 Royal College of Surgeons of England, at 5. — Prof. A. Keith : 



Demonstration of the Contents of the Museum. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers (Students* Meeting), at 6.30. — 



E. a. Phillipson : The Increased Eflioiency of the Locomotive. 

 Junior Institution of Engineers, at 8. — C. R. Sams : The Metering 



of Steam. 



SATURDAY, April 16. 

 Royal Institution op Great Britain, at 3. — Dr. H. H. Dale : 

 Poisons and Antidotes. 



MONDAY, April 18. 

 Royal College of Surgeons of England, at 5. — Prof. S. J. Shat- 



tock : Demonstration on Pathological Specimens in the Museum. 

 Royal Institute of British Ahchitfcts. at 8. — A. E. Munby : The 



Utility of Research on Building Materials 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 8. — Dr. S. .7. Lewis : Recent Applications 



of the Spectroscope and the Spectrophotometer to Science and 



Industry. 

 Chemical Industry Club (2 Whitehall Court), at 8. — Dr. A. Rule: 



India. 

 Royal Geographical Society (at -Eolian Hall), at 8.30. — Brig.-Gen. 



Sir Percy Sykes : South Persia and the Great War. 



TUESDAY, April 19. 



Royal Institution of Great Britain, at 3. — Prof. A.. Keith : 

 Darwin's Theory of Man's Origin in the Light of Present-Day 

 Evidence. 



Royal Horticultural Society, at 3. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Therapeutics and Pharmacology Sec- 

 tion) (Annual General Meeting), at 4.30. — Sir Leonard Rogers: 

 Treatment of Leprosy and Tuberculosis with Sodium Gynocardate. 

 —Dr. R. R. Walker:" The Action and Uses of Kaolin in the Treat- 

 ment of Asiatic Cholera. 



Royal Society of Medicine, at 5.— General Meeting 



