January 12, 1922] 



NATURE 



63 



In a recent communication M. Bruhat has deduced 

 from thermodynamical reasoning that the heat of 

 vaporisation of a liquid at the absolute zero tends to 

 a limiting value, not zero, and also that an adiabatic 

 expansion sufficiently extended should always result 

 in liquefaction. These conclusions have been objected 

 to by M. Ari^s. The author now shows that on the 

 basis of the kinetic theory M. Bruhat's results are 

 probable. — L. de Broglie : The theory of the absorp- 

 tion of the X-rays by matter and the principle of 

 correspondence. — A. DauviHier ; Contribution to the 

 study of the structure of the elements of intermediate 

 atomic weight. — E. Carvallo : The problem of rela- 

 tivity in dielectrics. ^ — R. Boulouch : The problem of 

 achromatism. — H. P61abon : The constitution of 

 selenium. Different specimens of grey selenium are 

 regarded as mixtures in variable proportions of two 

 modifications, a and fi, the o modification having a 

 high resistance, the p a low resistance. The change 

 in the specific resistance with temperature shows that 

 til.- a changes into the fi modification with absorp- 

 tion of heat. It is the a-selenium which is sensitive 

 to light.— C. Stachling : The radio-activity of the 

 uranium oxides. The changes in the radio-activitv of 

 the green oxides of uranium are attributed to the slow 

 absorption of moisture ; the black, stronglv ignited 

 oxide has a constant radio-activity, and is not 

 hydrated on standing. — P. Woog : Relations between 

 molecular properties and the capacity of fixing iodine 

 of certain hydrocarbons. — M. Samec and V. SsajevlJJ : 

 The composition of agar. — A. Schoep : Kasolite, a 

 new radio-active mineral. The mineral was found 

 at Kasolo, Belgian Congo, and occurs along with 

 curite and chalcolite. It contains lead and uranium, 

 and analysis gives the composition as 



3Pb0.3U03-3SiO,-4H,0. 

 — H. Hubert: New researches on the storm squalls in 

 western Africa. — A. Petit : The cytology of two bac- 

 teria. — L. Daniel : New researches on grafts of 

 Helianthus. An account of further experiments of 

 grafting sunflowers on Jerusalem artichokes, with 

 special reference to the weights of the tubers. — L. 

 Emberger : Contribution to the cytological study of 

 the sporangium in ferns. — M. Boel : The automatic 

 adaptation of the angle of attack of flight in living 

 insects. Study on the mechanism of natural flight. — 

 M. Nicloux and G. Welter : The gravimetric quantita- 

 tive micro-analysis of urea. Application to the estima- 

 tion of urea in i c.c. of blood. The urea is precipi- 

 tated as xanthylurea, and weighed on a Kuhlmann 

 balance to o-ooi milligram.— E. Aubel : The attack of 

 glucose and levulose by the pyocyanic bacillus. 

 Glucose gave formic and acetic acids, with some ethyl 

 alcohol. Levulose gave the same products, together 

 with lactic acid.— E. Chatton and A. Lwofl : A new 

 family of Acinetians, Sphenophryidae, adapted to the 

 branchia of the acephalous molluscs. — P. Courmont, 

 A. Rochaix, and F. Laupin : The rhythm of the dis- 

 appearance of ammonia in the course of the purifica- 

 tion of sewage by activated sludge. — A. Lnmiire : The 

 mechanism of the accidents caused by the injection 

 of the serum of epileptics. — L. Blum : The anti- 

 phlogistic action of calcium salts. 



Official Publications Received. 



Office scicntiflque et technique des PSches Maritimeg. Notes et 

 M^moires No. 10: Le Controle Sanitaire de I'Dstrdiculture. Par 

 Dr. G. Borne, F. Di^nert, et G. Hinard. No. 11: Le Conseil Inter- 

 national pour I'Exploration de la Mer. Compte rendu Sommaire 

 de la Session tenue ik Copenhague, Juillet, 1921. (Paris : Ed. 

 Blondol la Rougrery.) 



UniTersity of Illinois : Eng-ineering' Experiment Station. Bulletin 

 No. 124: An Investigation of the Fatigue of Metals. By Prof. 



H. P. Moore and J. B. Kommers. Pp. 185. (Urbana : Uniyersity 

 of Illinois.) 95 cents. 



Report on the Administration of the Meteorological Department 

 of the Government of India in 1920-21. Pp. 14-fl chart. (Simla.) 

 4 annas. 



Department of Fisheries, Bengal and Bihar and Orissa. Bulletin 

 No. 17 : Statistics of Fish Imported into Calcutta for the Year 

 ending 31st March, 1921. Pp. ii+13. (Calcutta : Bengal Secretariat 

 Book Depflt.) 8 annas. 



Department of Agriculture, Madras. Bulletin No. 80 : The 

 Entomologist's Crop Pest Calendar for the Madras Presidency. By 

 T. V. Raraakrishna Ayyar. Pp. 4+4 plates. (Madras: Director 

 of Agriculture.) 2 annas. 



The Marine Biological Station at Port Erin (Isle of Man). Being 

 the Thirty-fifth Annual Report of the former Liverpool Marine 

 Biology Committee, now the Oceanography Department of the 

 University of Liverpool. (Read before the Liverpool Biological 

 Society, November 11. 1921). Drawn up by Prof. J. Johnstone. 

 Pp. 36. (Liverpool : University Press.) 



Notes from the Roval Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Vol. 6. Ad- 

 ditional Plate Number. Addition to Numbers 29-30 (January, 1917>. 

 Plates 1-37. 2». net. Vol. 13. No. (i2. Pp. 67-100+plate8 170-179. 

 1«. 6d. net. (Edinburgh : H.M. Stationery Office.) 



Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Vol. 53, part 1 

 (No. 3) : Geological Observations in the South Shetlands, the 

 Palmer Archipelago, and Graham Island, Antarctica. By D. Fer- 

 pruson. Pp. 29-56+plates 1-4. 6«. 6d. Vol. 53, part 1 (No. 4) : A 

 Contribution to the Petrogranhy of the South Shetland Islands, 

 the Palmer Archipelago, and the Danco Land Coast, Graham Land, 

 Antarctica. By G. W. Tyrrell. Pp. .57-80.— Vol. 53, part 1 (No. 5) : 

 On the Innes \\ ilson Collection of Rocks and Minerals from the 

 South Shetland Islands and Trinitv Island. By Dr. H. H. Thomas. 

 Pp 81-90. 1x. M. (Edinburgh : R. Grant & Son; London: Williams 

 & Norgate.) 



Diary of Societies. 



THURSDAY, Janxjaet 12. 



RoiAL Aeronautical Societi (Juvenile Lecture) (at Royal Society 

 of Arts), at 3.— Major D. C. H. Hume: Boats that Fly. 



London Mathematical Society (at Royal Astronomical Society), 

 at 5. — J. E. Campbell : Einstein's Theory of Gravitation as an 

 Hypothesis in Differential Geometry (II).— Miss G. D. Sadd : 

 Rational Plane Curves.— Fritz Lettenmeyer : Neuer Beweis des 

 allgemeinen Kroneckerschen Approximationssatzes. — T. Carle- 

 man : A Theorem Concerning Fourier's Series. — T. Stuart : 

 Parametric Solutions of Certain Diophantine Equations.— W. P. 

 Milne : Apolarity and the Weddle Surface. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 6. — Exhibition of Cine- 

 matograph Films.— P. Torchio, with explanatory notcB by Dr. 

 C C. Garrard : Investigations and Tests on High-tension Switch- 

 gear.— F. Gill : Telephone Inventors of To-day.— F. Gill : The 

 Audion.— F Gill : Electricity in the Home. 



Oil and Colour Chemists' Association (at Food Reform Club, 

 2 Furnival Street, E.C.), at 7.30.— A. H. Keable : Super Centri- 

 fugal Force and its Application to the Clarification of Varnish 

 and Dehydration of Oil. 



Optical Societt (at Imperial College of Science and Technology K 

 at 7.30.— Dr. C. J. Peddle : The Manufacture of Optical Glass.— 

 Dr. J. W. French: The Barr and Stroud 100 ft. Self-contained 

 Base Rangefinder.— T. Smith : The Optical Three Aperture* 

 Problem. 



Institute of Metals (London Section) (at Sir John Cass Technical 

 Institute), at 8— Col. N. Belaiew : The Inner Structure of the 

 Crystalline Grain. 



Harveian Societt (Annual General Meeting) (at 11 Chandos Street. 

 W.l), at 8.15.— Dr. G. de Bee Turtle: Some Points on Spasm in 

 the Alimentary Tract (Presidential Addressl. 



RoTAL Societt of Medicine (Neurology Section), at 8.30. — Sir 

 Frederick Mott and Dr. Uno : Changes in the Brain in Oasea 

 of Surgical Shook. 



Societt of Antiquaries, at 8.30. 



FRIDAY, Januart 13. 



RoTAL ASTEONOMICAL SOCIETY, at 5.— J. S. Parask6vopoulo8 : Jupiter 

 in 1915 and 1916: Rotation Period in Different Latitudes, from 

 Observations at the National Observatory, Athens.— Prof. O. 

 Forbes : Solar Motion from 1922 Radial Velocities.— Major W. J. 8. 

 Loekyer : The Use of a Graduated Wedge in Stellar Classifica- 

 tion and Parallax Work. 



RoTAL Society of Medicine (Clinical Section), at 5. 



Junior Institution of Engineers, at 8.— E. C. West : Arti- 

 ficial Ice. 



Royal Society of Medicine (Ophthalmology Section), at 8.30.— 

 M. L. Hepburn : Experience Gained from 150 Trephine Operar- 

 tions for Glaucoma.— H. Neame : Epibulbar Leucoma with Intra- 

 ocular Involvement. 



MONDAY, January Ifi 



Royal Geographical Society (at Lowther Lodge, Kensington 

 Gore), at 5.— O. J. 8. Crawford : The Archaeology of the Ord- 

 nance Survey Maps. 



Royal College of Suhoeons or England, at 5.— Sir Arthur Keith : 

 Hunterian Lecture. 



Society of Chemical Industry (London Section) (at Chemical 

 Society), at 8.— E. H. Richards and O. C. Sawyer: Further 

 Experiments with Activated Sludge. 



Abistoteliaw Society (at University of London Club, 21 Gower 

 Street), at 8.— H. J. Paton : Plato's Theory of tiKavCa. 



NO. 2724, VOL. 109] 



