June 30, 192 1] 



NATURE 



575 



orchids. Several distinct zones of vegetation can be 

 distinguished. The pecuharities of the fauna can be 

 correlated directly with the vegetation. — Col. M. J. 

 Godfery : The fertilisation of the orchid genus Cephal- 

 anthera. The author holds that Cephalanthera is an 

 old genus, and was not derived from Epipactis. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, June 6. — M. Georges Lemoine 

 in the chair. — The president announced the death of 

 M. J. B. A. Gaillot, correspondant for the section of 

 astronomy. — G. Friedel : The calculation of the inten- 

 sity of X-rays diffracted by crystals : A correction. — S. 

 Pincherle : An integral equation in the complex 

 domain.- — B. Gambier : Applicable surfaces and the 

 equation of Laplace. — M. Auric : The theory of ideal 

 algebraical numbers. — A. Tian : The stability and the 

 reversibility of the transformations of the hydrosols 

 obtained by the hydrolysis of salts. — Mile. Wolff : 

 Studies on the molecular refraction and specific rota- 

 tory power of furfuralcamphor and some of its deriva- 

 tives. — Mile. S. Veil : AUotropic varieties of oxides. 

 The conductivity of various metallic oxides measured 

 at varying temperatures has been shown to increase 

 with the temperature, similarly to electrolytes. Magnetic 

 iron oxide and cadmium oxide offer peculiarities, since 

 the conductivitj-temperature curves for these show 

 points of inflection. These changes can be attributed 

 to the formation of allotropic forms of the oxides. — C. 

 Cheneveau : The variation of the specific refraction of 

 dissolved salts in dilute solution. A study of the specific 

 refraction of dilute solutions of ammonium nitrate, 

 potassium chloride, and magnesium nitrate. ^M. Billy : 

 The peroxide of titanium. The hydrates of titanium, 

 hitherto regarded as derived from the oxide TiO^, are 

 shown to be complexes of hydrogen peroxide and the 

 peroxide TijO.,. — E. Andre : Contribution to the study 

 of the oils from grape-seeds. — J. Martinet and O. 

 Dornier : Some new sulphonic derivatives of oxindol 

 and of isatin. — A. Mailhe" and F. de Godon : The pre- 

 paration of mixed secondary and tertiary phenolic 

 amines. The vapours of aniline and ethyl alcohol 

 passed over alumina at 350° to 380° C. gave a mix- 

 ture of mono- and di-ethylanilines. The method is 

 shown to be of general application. — F. Zambonini : 

 The palmierite of Vesuvius and the minerals which 

 accompany it. — M. Romieux : The controversy as to 

 the displacement of shore levels and the phenomena 

 of equideformation.— J. Cvijic : Relief of the sea- 

 shore and river terraces. — A. Carpentier : Discovery of 

 a Weald flora in the neighbourhood of Avesnes. — P. 

 Schereschewsky : Systems of clouds. Suggestions for 

 a new system of cloud observations. Dififerent states 

 of the sky should be observed simultaneously from a 

 number of stations spread over a wide area. — O. 

 Mengel : Influence of the relief and of the heating of 

 the soil on surface winds. — M. Bridel and R. Arnold : 

 A method allowing the application to plants of the 

 biochemical method of detecting glucose. The method 

 is based on the property possessed by emulsin of caus- 

 ing the combination of glucose with the alcohol hold- 

 ing it in solution. Full details of the technique of 

 extraction and purification of the plant product before 

 submitting it to the action of the emulsin are given. 

 — N. T. Giunji : The botanical determination of foreign 

 beans.— G. Bioret : The Graphideae.— E. Chatton : 

 False and true myogenesis in the pelagic Copepods. 

 An error due to the non-recognition of coelomic para- 

 sitic Peridinians. — C. Perez : A supposed interstitial 

 tissue in the testicle of lizards. A criticism of a recent 

 communication on the same subject bv M. Christian 

 Champy. — H. Bierry and F. Rathery • Liver, blood 

 plasma, and proteid sugar. The authors point out 

 what they believe to be a function of the liver not 



NO. 2696, VOL. 107] 



hitherto noted, a qualitative and quantitative change 

 in the composition of the blood plasma after passing, 

 through the liver. — J, P. Langlois ; A moving belt for 

 the study of walking and of work. A modification-, 

 and improvement of a similar apparatus set up by 

 Benedict at Washington. — MM. H. Vallee and 

 Carre : Anti-aphthous haemo-prevention and haemo- 

 vaccination. — G. Bourguignon : Chronaxy in neuro- 

 muscular Wallerian degenerescence in man. 



New South Wales, 

 Linnean Society, April 27. — Mr. G. A. Waterhouse,. 

 president, in the chair. — G. L Playfair : Australian 

 fresh-water flagellates. An account of the forms 

 known from collections made in the neighbourhood of 

 Sydney and Lismore. Mention is made of 172 forms 

 representing 39 genera, of which 96 forms and i genus; 

 are new. — E)r. R. Greig-Smith : Note upon the extrac- 

 tion of acids from cultures. In testing the products 

 of fermentation of dextrose by a film yeast, succinic 

 acid was obtained as the only fixed acid. The extrac- 

 tion of the fixed acids from bacterial or from yeast 

 cultures is a monomolecular reaction. The prepara- 

 tion of salts by neutralising the acids until a pink 

 colour is obtained in the presence of phenolphthalein 

 may be faulty because the reaction is slower than is; 

 generally supposed. — Dr. A. B. Walkom : The occur- 

 rence of Otozamites in Australia, with descriptions 

 of specimens from Western Australia. Three species 

 of Otozamites and some obscure coniferous remains^ 

 are described from near Mingenew. The rocks in 

 which they occur consist of dark red ferruginous; 

 sandstone, which, with its wide distribution, con- 

 stitutes an important stratigraphical horizon, and 

 probably indicates a warm, moist climate for northern) 

 .Australia in Jurassic time. 



Books Received. 



Le Mouvement sclentifique Contemporain en) 

 France. No. i : Les sciences naturelles. By Dr. G. 

 Matisse. Pp. 160. (Paris : Payot et Cie.) 4 francs. 



Relations Intellectuelles avec les Centraux? 

 "Ecrasons ITnfame." By Maurice Lecat. Pp. viii+ 

 128. (Louvain, Ave. des Allies 92 ; Bruxelles, Ave 

 bois Cambre.i6 : The Author.) 



Faune de France. By P. Paris. No. 2 : Olseaux.. 

 Pp. iv+473. (Paris : P. Lechevalier.) 40 francs. 



Handbook of Chemistry and Physics : A Ready- 

 Reference Pocket Book of Chemical and Physical 

 Data. By Prof. C. D. Hodgman and others. Eighth 

 edition. Pp. 711. (Cleveland, Ohio: Chemicaf 

 Rubber Co.) 3 dollars. 



Imperial Institute : Indian Trade Enquiry. Reports 

 on Timbers and Paper Materials. Pp. ix+57. (Lon- 

 don : J. Murray.) 45. net. 



Psychoanalysis, Sleep and Dreams. By Andr^ 

 Tridon. Pp. xlli+i6i. (London: Kegan Paul anrf 

 Co., Ltd.) 7s. 6d. net. 



A Dictionary of Chemical Solubilities : Inorganic. 

 By Dr. A. M. Comey. Second edition, enlarged ancT 

 revised. Pp. xviIi+1141. (New York: The Mac- 

 millan Co. ; London : MacmlUan and Co., Ltd.) 725. 

 net. 



La Radlologie et la Guerre. By Prof. Mme. P. 

 Curie. Pp. 144+xvI plates. (Paris: F. Alcan.> 

 8 francs. 



British Mammals. Written and Illustrated by A. 

 Thorburn. (In 2 vols.) Vol. 11. Pp. vi+ loS+plates^ 

 26-50. (London : Longmans, Green and Co.> 

 loL \os. net the 2 vols. 



Common Stones : Unconventional Essavs In Geo- 

 logv. Bv Prof. G. A. T- Cole. Pp. 259. (Commom 



