May 19, 192 1 j 



NATURE 



383 



pounds. The author regards a crystaUine structure as 

 racemic if it is composed of equal numbers of dextro- 

 rotatory and laevorotatory molecules. The optical ac- 

 tivity is only an accessory phenomenon depending on 

 the nature of the molecules of each configuration, and 

 is zero in the particular case of simple enantiomorphs. 

 — J . de Lapparent : The episodic character of the layers 

 of carboniferous limestone in the Boulonnais and the 

 dolomitisation of certain of them. — S. Stefanescu : 

 Some morphological characters of the crown of the 

 molars of mastodons and elephants. — R. Soueges : 

 The embryogeny of the labiates. The development 

 of the embryo in Mentha viridis. — A. Goris and C. 

 Vischniac : The alkaloids of valerian. The authors' 

 results confirm those of Waliszewski and Chevalier. 

 ^'alerian root contains two alkaloids, chatinine 

 (soluble in ether) and valerine (insoluble in ether, but 

 soluble in chloroform). The proportions found in the 

 root are very small, and, as their physiological action 

 is slight, these substances probably have no bearing 

 on the therapeutic action of the valerian. — J. Politis : 

 The mitochondrial origin of the anthocyanic pigments 

 in fruits. — E. Licent : The structure aiid evolution of 

 the nucleus in the meristem cells of some Euphor- 

 biaceae.— R. de Litardiere : Remarks on the chromo- 

 somic processes in the diploidic nuclei of Podophyllum 

 Peltatum. The author's observations on the evolution 

 of the somatic chromosomes of P. peltatum, given 

 in detail, are not in accord with those of Overton.— 

 A. Desgrez and H. Bierry : Food rations and vita- 

 mins. — A. Lumiire : Surface tension and the ana- 

 phylactic shock. Reply to the criticisms of W. 

 Kopaczewski. — A. Vandel : The regeneration of the 

 genital glands in Planaria. — A. Labbe : The adaptive 

 modifications of Dutialiella salina. — A. Magnan : The 

 variation in weight of the lowering and lifting" 

 muscles according to the extent of the wing-surface in 

 birds. — S. and A. Mayer : The fundamental organic 

 substance of amylopectin. The amylopectin was 

 separated by electrodialysis from a starch solution. 

 Its chemical and physical properties are compared 

 with those of the amylose solution obtained in the 

 process of preparation. — E. Roux : Some remarks on 

 the action of light and heat radiations in heliotherapy. 



Books Received. 



Coke-Oven and By-Product Works Chemistry. By 

 Thos. B. Smith. Pp. x+180 + 7 plates. (London: C. 

 Griffin and Co., Ltd.) 215. 



The Clayworker's Hand-book. By Alfred B. Searle. 

 Third edition, revised. Pp. viii-l-381. (London : C. 

 Griffin and Co., Ltd.) 2i-'«. 



The Way of a Trout with a Fly, and Some Further 

 Studies in Minor Tactics. By G. E. M. Skues. Pp. 

 xvi+259. (London : A. and C. Black, Ltd.) iHs. 

 net. 



Tables of Refractive Indices. By R. Kanthack. 

 Vol. ii. : Oils, Fats, and Waxes. Pp. 295. (London : 

 Adam Hilger, Ltd.) 25^". net. 



Atlas M^t6orologique de Paris. By Joseph L^vine. 

 Pp. vi+83-l-ix plates. (Paris : Gauthier-Villars et 

 Cie.) 20 francs. 



Principles and Methods of Physical Anthropology. 

 By Rai Bahadur S. C. Roy. (Patna University 

 Readership Lectures, 1920.) Pp. xiii+iSi. (Patna: 

 Government Printing Office.) 5 rupees. 



The Psychology of Everyday Life. By Dr. James 

 Drever. Pp. ix4-i64. (London: Methuen and Co., 

 Ltd.) 6s. net. 



Handbook of Instructions for Collectors. Fourth 

 edition. Pp. 222. (London : British Museum (Natural 

 History).) 55. 



NO. 2690. VOL. 107] 



A Handbook of the British Lichens. By Annie L. 

 Smith. Pp. vii+158. (London: British Museum 

 (Natural History).) 65. 6d. 



Calculus for Beginners : .\ Text Book for Schools 

 and Evening Classes. By H. Sydney Jones. Pp. ix+ 

 300. (London : Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 65. 



Cotton Spinning. By W. S. Taggart. Vol. ii. 

 Sixth edition, with Appendix. Pp. xv+291. (London : 

 Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 8s. 6d. net. 



Eminent Chemists of our Time. By Dr. Benjamin 

 Harrow. Pp. xvi-f248. (London : T. Fisher Unwin, 

 Ltd.) gs. net. 



Some Birds of the Countryside : The Art of Nature. 

 By H. J. Massingham. Pp. 208. (London : T. Fisher 

 Unwin, Ltd.) i2.s. 6d. net. 



Smithsonian Institution : Lnited States National 

 Museum. Report on the Progress and Condition of 

 the United States National Museum for the Year 

 ending June 30, 1920. Pp. 210+3 plates. (Washing- 

 ton : Government Printing Office.) 



Annual Report of the Director, L'nited States Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey, to the Secretary of Commerce 

 for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1920. Pp. 173. 

 (Washington : Government Printing Office.) 



Fermat's Last Theorem : Proofs by Elementary 

 .Algebra. By M. Cashmore. Third edition. Pp. 67. 

 (London : G. Bell and Sons, Ltd.) 25. 6d. net. 



Fisheries : England and W'ales. Ministry of 

 .Agriculture and Fisheries : Fishery Investigations. 

 Series iii., Hydrography. Vol. i., The English 

 Channel. Part vi., Across the Mouth of the Channel. 

 Pp. iii+32. (London : H.M.. Stationery Office.) 5s. 

 net. 



Official Statistics : What thev Contain and How to 

 Use Them. By Prof. A. L. Bowley. (The World of 

 To-Day.) Pp. 63. (London : Oxford Universitv 

 Press.) 2-s. 6d. < 



The Moral and Social Significance of the Conception 

 of Personality. By the late Arthur G. Heath. Pp. 

 viii+159. (Oxford: Clarendon Press.) ys. 6d. net. 



Catalogue of the Fossil Bryozoa (Polyzoa) in the 

 Department of Geology, British Museum (Natural 

 History). The Cretaceous Bryozoa (Polyzoa). Vol. 

 iii. : The Cribrimorphs. Part i. By Dr. W. D. Lang. 

 Pp. i2 + cx+269+viii plates. (London : British 

 Museum (Natural History).) 30.V. 



A Book about the Bee. By Herbert Mace. Pp. x-f 

 138. (London : Hutchinson. and Co.) 45. net. 



A Monograph of the Pheasants. (In four volumes.) 

 By William Beebe. Vol. ii. Pp. xv + 269+plates. 

 (llondon : H. F. and G. Witherby.) 12Z. los. net. 



.Activism. By Henrv L. Eno. Pp. viii + 208. 

 (Princeton : Universitv iPress ; London : Oxford U^ni- 

 versity Press.) 65. 6d. net. 



Introduction to General Chemistry : .\n Exposition 

 of the Principles of Modern Chemistr}'. By Prof. H. 

 Copaux. Translated by Dr. Henn,' Leffmann. Pp. 

 x+i9<. (Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son and Co.) 

 2.00 dollars net. 



Diary of Societies. 



THURSDAY, Mat 19. 



Royal Institition of Great Britain, at 3.— E. Law : The Archi- 

 tecture and -\.rt of Hampton Court Palace : I. In Tudor Times. 



Institute or Patholooi and Reseakch (at St. Mary'8 Hospital, 

 Paddington), at 4.30. — Dr. H. H. Dale: Anaphylaxis and Im- 

 munity. 



RorAL Institute of British .-Vbchitects, at 5.— R. E. Fry : Archi- 

 tectural Heresies of a Painter. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Dermatology Section) (Annual General 

 Meeting), at 5. 



Institution of ^Tining and ifETArLUBor (at Geological Society), 

 at 5.30— E. H. Clifford: Scheme for Working the City Deep Mine 

 at a Depth of 7000 ft. — The following Papers will be submitted 

 for Discussion :— F. P. Caddv : Stope Measuring at the Passagem 

 Mine of the Gold ]krines of Ouro Preto, Ltd.— J. A. P. Gibb Notes 

 on Some Useful Alignment Charts. 



Chemical Society (Informal Meeting^ at 8. 



