NATURE 



\_Nov. I, 



lime seizes the CN of another molecule, leaving the CjIIs to 

 combine with the displaced hydrogen to form ethane. Thus — 



Na CoHgCN NaCN + CgHsH 



+ = 



Na C2H5CN + CoH,NaCN. 



The sodium cyan-ethyl then combines with a third molecule of 

 C.jH.-,CN to form the sodium derivative CfiHj,NaNj of the new 

 polymer ; this unstable compound is finally decomposed in con- 

 tact with water, with formation of caustic soda and the new 

 polymer itself. The constitution of this singular compound 

 was conclusively proved to be — 



C^Hfi— C(NH) 



CH(CH3)CN. 

 In a similar manner the methyl polymer was obtained by the action 

 of sodium upon methyl cyanide, marsh-gas, CH4, Vieing evolved, 

 and a white substance formed, which, on decompo-ition by 

 water, yielded the polymer C4HflN2 as an oil, eventually 

 crystallizing in white needles melting at 52<'-53° C. 



The British Consul at Barcelona, in a report to the Foreign 

 Office on the agriculture of his district, says that a voracious 

 caterpillar which made its appearance in myriads last year 

 amongst the cork forests and stripped the trees completely of 

 their foliage, is now attacked and devoured by another insect, a 

 species of beetle, of a dark -green colour, and armed with a 

 horn with which it cuts up the worms or caterpillars. Besides 

 this deadly enemy, two others are at war with the caterpillar: 

 a crab {cangrejo), and an insect, hitherto unknown, which 

 destroys the bags containing the newly-laid eggs of the butter- 

 flies. There is very little doubt that the caterpillars will soon 

 be completely exterminated . 



A School of Forestry has been opened at Akhaltzik, in 

 the Caucasian provinces. The scholars will be selected fro n 

 the native forest-police actually in the service of the Russian 

 Government. The increased demand made on the forest staff 

 by the law which was passed last April, and wh'.ch is in force 

 in many districts since July, is the cause of the founding of this 

 school. The officials hope that with an increased staff they will 

 be able to check the devastation of Russian forests. 



Dr. a. Julien and Prof. H. C. Bolton have submitted to 

 the New York Academy of Sciences a Report on the results of 

 their researches on sonorous sands. They have collected samples 

 from all parts of the world, and, on close examination, found 

 that all sonorous sands are clean ; that no dust or silt is found 

 mixed with the sand ; that the diameter of the angular or 

 rounded grains ranges between o<3 and 0'5 of a millimetre ; and 

 that the material may be siliceous, calcareous, or any other, 

 provided its specific gravity is not very great. When these 

 sands are moistened by rain or by the rising tide, and the mois- 

 ture is evaporated, a film of condensed air is formed on the sur- 

 face of each grain, which acts as an elastic cushion, and enables 

 the sand to vibrate when disturbed. In sands mixed with silt 

 or dust, these small particles prevent the formation of a con- 

 tinuous air-cushion, and therefore such sands are not sonorous, 

 If this theory be correct, sonorous sand must become mute by 

 the removal of the film of air. Experiments of the authors prove 

 that by heating, rubbing, and shaking, the sand is "killed." 

 All these operations tend to destroy the film of air condensed 

 on the surfaces. On the other hand, samples of sonorous sand 

 were exhibited which had been kept undisturbed for many years. 

 They had retained their sonorousness, but, after having been 

 rubbed for some time, became almost mute. The aim of the 

 authors is now to make a sonorous sand. 



Messrs. A. C. McClurg and Co., Chicago, have issued the 

 fifth edition of "A Manual of the Vertebrate Animals of the 

 Northern United States," by David Starr Jordan, President of 



the University of Indiana. The work has been wholly re-written 

 and the order of arrangement is reversed, the lowest forms Ijein 

 placed first. 



We have received the third edition of Mr. Milnes Marshall's 

 well-known text-book " The Frog : an Introduction to Anatomy, 

 Histology, and Embryology." The present edition, we are told 

 in the preface, has been carefully revised, and an account of the 

 development of the frog has been added. 



Mr. J. Russell has put together a short account of the 

 life and system of Pestalozzi. It is callel "The Student's 

 Pestalozzi," and is based on " L'Histoire de Pestalozzi," by 

 Roger de Guimps. Messrs. Swan Sonnenschein and Co. are the 

 publishers. 



The latest issue of the Proceedings and Transactio ns of the 

 Nova Scotian Institute of Natural Science (vol. vii. Part 2) 

 includes the following papers : — Glacial geology of Nova Scotia, 

 by the Rev. D. Honeyman ; list of Nova ScDtian butterflies, by 

 Arthur P. Silver ; on the elementary treatment of the propaga- 

 tion of longitudinal waves, by Prof, J. G. Macgregor ; Carboni- 

 ferous flora, with attached spirorb2S, by the Rev. D. Honey- 

 man; fishes and fish development, by Harry Piers; Carboni 

 ferous of Cape Breton, by E. Gilpin, Jun. ; Japanese magic 

 mirror, by Harry Piers ; museum meteorites, by the Rev. D, 

 Honeyman ; and Nova Scotian superficial gealogy, systematize! 

 and illustrated, by the Rev. D. Honeyman. Tnere is also an 

 appendix on birds of Nova Scotia, by Andrew Dovns, edited 

 by Harry Piers. 



Messrs. William Wesley and Son have just issued No. 92 

 of their " Natural History and Scientific Book Circular," con- 

 taining an important list of books on botany. 



W^E have received Mr. J. H. Steward's Catalogue (Part 5) of 

 improved magic and dissolving-view lanterns and slides, with a 

 complete catalogue of photographs for the magic lantern. 



The Calendar of the Huddersfield Technical School and Me- 

 chanics' Institute for the forty-eighth session, 1888-89, has been 

 issued. From the report of the Governors for the session 

 1887-88 it appears that the institution has been making good pro- 

 gress "on every side." The buildings will soon have to be 

 enlarged, and the Governors look forward to the hearty support 

 and co-operation of the town a:id neighbourhood in this under- 

 taking. 



We leai-n from Science that a manufacturing firm in New York 

 has sent to the United States Department of Agriculture speci- 

 mens of a new fibre they are making from the stalk of the cotton- 

 plant. The samples received strongly resemble hemp, and 

 seem to be adapted to all the uses hemp is put to. A few fibres 

 of it twisted together in the hand show remarkable tensile 

 strength, although no exact comparative tests with other fibres 

 have yet been made. A collection of the fibres of hemp, flax, 

 jute, ramie, &c., from all parts of the world is being made by 

 the Department, and a new instrument has been invented by 

 which it is expected that the tensile strength of each will be 

 ascertained with great accuracy. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Common Seal {Phoca vitiilind) from British 

 Seas, presented by Mr. Geo. Stevenson ; a Tawny Owl {Syrnium 

 aluco) from Ross-shire, presented by Mr. J. Weston ; a Little 

 Grebe ( Tachybaptes fltiviatilis), British, presented by Mr. Bibby ; 

 a Starred Tortoise ( Testudo stellata) from Ceylon, presented by 

 Mr. William Ford ; an Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) from 

 Florida, presen'.ed by Mr. G. A. Ruck ; a Puff AMev{Vipera 

 arietans), an African Cobra {Naia haje) from North Africa, 

 presented by Mr. Herbert E. White ; a Macaque Monkey 

 {Miicacus cynomolous i), a Larger Hill-Mynah {Graaila ittter- 



