Q^ 



NA TURE 



[November i, 1900 



These facts have already been shortly noticed, but fuller details 

 are given in the present paper. — On the topographical correction 

 of pendulum observations, by M. J. Callet. The method 

 suggested has been worked out for two stations, La Berarde 

 and Lautaret, situated in the centre of the Alps. The 

 application of the corrections is tedious and lengthy, but 

 the errors of the results obtained are of the same order as 

 those inherent in the pendulum observations themselves under 

 favourable conditions. — Observations of the Perseids, made 

 at Athens, by M. D. Eginitis. The observations were carried 

 out between August 5 and August 12. The meteors were of a 

 reddish-yellow colour, of about the 5th magnitude, and 

 possessed a large number of radiant points. — First results 

 of researches on the recognition of the solar corona at 

 other times than during a total eclipse by means of the 

 calorific rays, by M. H. Deslandres. The possibility of detect- 

 ing the corona with the aid of a thermo-couple having been 

 proved during the recent total eclipse, daily observations with 

 the same apparatus have since then been carried out at 

 Meudon. The results, although incomplete, show that the 

 presence of the corona can be clearly detected under ordinary 

 conditions in this way. The observations will be continued 

 with more sensitive apparatus. — On the convergence of the 

 coefficients in the development of the perturbation function, 

 by M. A. Feraud. — On the intrinsic equations of motion of 

 a wire, and the calculation of its tension, by M. G. Floquet. 

 — On orthogonal systems admitting a continuous group of 

 transformations of Combescure, by M. D. Th. Egorou. — Index 

 of refraction of bromine, by M. Ch. Riviere. The index of 

 refraction of carefully purified bromine has been determined 

 for temperatures between 10° and 25° for wave-lengths 

 between 790 9 yuyu and 592*5 /U/"> and show that 

 bromine has very great dispersive power, that for rays 

 between A and D at 20° being '037, compared with "030 for 

 carbon bisitlphide. — The law of moduli. Thermochemical 

 moduli, by M. A. Ponsot. — On the ammoniacal arseniates of 

 cobalt, by M. O. Ducru. The existence of three distinct salts 

 is indicated, which can be distinguished by the pressures at which 

 ammonia commences to be given off. — On a general method 

 of preparation of mixed carbonates of phenols and alcohols, and 

 on the properties of some of these esters, by M. E. Barral. Of 

 the various methods proposed for the preparation of these mixed 

 esters, the best results are obtained by the action of carbonyl 

 chloride upon a solution of the phenol in alcoholic potash or 

 soda, the reagents being all employed in molecular proportions. 

 — Stereochemistry of nitrogen. The stereoisomeric hydrazones 

 of ethyl pyruvate, by M. L. J. Simon. The two isomeric hydr- 

 azones are obtained simultaneously, but in unequal quantities. 

 They differ considerably in melting points and solubilities. — 

 Acetals of monovalent alcohols, by M. Marcel Delepine. A 

 thermochemical paper. — On direct nitration in the fatty series, 

 by MM. L. Boauveault and Wahl. — Partial synthesis of laudan; 

 osine, by MM. Ame Pictet and B. Athanesesco. — On the 

 poUinisation of cleistogamous flowers, by M. Leclercdu Sablon. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDA y, November i. 



Chemical Society, at 8. — Dehydrohomocamphoric Acid and its Oxida- 

 tion Products: Arthur Lapworth. — Derivatives of Ethyl a-methyl-/3- 

 phenylcyanglutarate : W. Carter and W. Trevor Lawrence. — The 

 Nitration of Acetamino-o-phenylacetate (diacetyl-o-aminophenol) — a Cor- 



; rection : R. Meldola, F.R.S., and Elkan Wechsler.— Rhamnazin and 

 Rhamnetin : A. G. Perkin and J. R. Allison.— (i) Luteolin, Part III. ; 

 (2) Genistein, Part II.: A, G. Perkin and L. H. Horsfall.— Colouring 

 Matter of the Flowers of Delphinium consolida : A. G. Perkin and 



E. J. Wilkinson.— The Action of Alkalis on the Nitro-compounds of the 

 Paraffin Series, Part II. : Wyndham R. Dunstan, F.R.S., and Ernest 

 Goulding. — Hexachlorides of Benzonitrile, Benzaraide and Benzoic Acid : 



F. E. Matthews.— The Influence of Solvents on the Rotation of Optically- 

 active Cohipounds, Part I. : T. S. Patterson.— Note on Gallinek's Amido- 

 methylnaphthimidazole : R. Meldola, F.R.S., and F. H. Streatfeild.— 

 The Action of Heat on Ethyl-Sulphuric Acid : W. Ramsay and G. 

 Rudorf.— The Amqunt of Chlorine in ^ain-water collected at Cirencester : 

 Edward Kinch. 



RoNTGEN Society, at 8.— Presidential Address : Dr. J. B. Macintyre. 



FRIDAY, November a. ' 



GsoLOGisTs' Association, at 8.— Conversazione, with Exhibits of Objects 

 and Photographs. 



MONDA Y, November 5. 

 Society of Chemical Industry, at 8.— Preliminary Examination of 

 Applications for Patents : W. Lloyd Wise.^The Early Manufacture of 

 Sulphuric and Nitric Acids : Oscar Guttmann. 



NO. 1618, VOL. 63] 



TUESDA Y, November 6. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Addre'ss by the President, Mr. 



James Mansergh, and presentation of medals and prizes awarded by the 



Council. 



IVEDNESDAY, November 7. 

 Geological Society, at 8 — Additional Notes on the Drifts of the Baltic 



Coast of Germany : Prof. T. G. Bonney, F.R.S., and the Rev. Edwin 



Hill — On certain Altered Rocks from near Rastogne, and their Relations 



to others in the District : Dr. Catherine A. Raisin. 

 Society of Public Analysts, at 8. — The Determination of the Available 



Brewing Extract of Malt : Lawrence Briant. — The Definition of the 



Genuine Product: C. E. Cassal. — Notes on certain B.P. Tests: C. G. 



Moor and Martin Prie«t. 

 Entomological Society, at 8. 



THURSDAY, '^ovKunKKi. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.30. — Annual General Meeting. — On the 

 Transmission of Force through a Solid : Lord Kelvin, G.C.V.O. — In a 

 Simple Group of an Odd Composite Order every System of Conjugate 

 Operators or Sub-groups includes more than Fifty : Dr. G. A. Miller. — 

 Prime Functions on a Riemann Surface : Prof. A. C. Dixon, (i) Further 

 Note on Isoscelians ; (ii) On Two In-triangles which are similar to 'he 

 Pedal Triangle : R. Tucker. — (i) A General Congruence Theorem relating 

 to the Bernoullian Function ; (ii) On the Residues of Bernoullian Functions 

 for a Prime Modulus, including as Special Cases the Residues of the 

 Eulerian Numbers and the I-numbers : Dr. Glaisher, F.R.S. — On Green's 

 Function for a Circular Disc : H. S. Carslaw. — On the Real Points of 

 Inflexion of a Curve: A. B. Basset, F.R.S. — -On Quantitative Substi- 

 tutional Analysis : A. Young. 



Institution of Klectrical Engineers, at 8. — Inaugural Address : 

 Prof. J. Perry, F.R.S. 



FRIDAY, November 9. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 8. | 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A New French Forestry Text-Book. By Prof, W. R. 



Fisher .' i 



Topographic Surveying. By C, W. W. ..... 2 



The Ethnography of British Columbia. By Prof. 



Alfred C. Haddon, F.R.S 3 



Our Bookshelf : — 



Archbutt and Deeley : " Lubrication and Lubricants." 



F. W. B 4 



Alexander : "Darwin and Darwinism, Pure and Mixed," 



— E. B. P 5 



Maycock : " Electric Wiring Tables " 5 



Seton-Thompson : " Raggylug, the Cottontail Rabbit, 



and other Animal Stories 5 



Letters to the Editor :— 



The Leonids — a Forecast. ( With Diagravis. ) — Dr. 



G. Johnstone Stoney, F.R.S., and Dr. A. M, W. 

 Downing, F.R.S 6 



Examinations in Experimental Science. — A. H. F, . . 6 

 Literature of Coffee and Tobacco Planting. — G. H. 



James • 7 



Autotomic Curves.— H. Langhofne Orchard; 



Arthur S. Thorn 7 



The Present Condition of the Indigo Industry, By 



Dr. F. MoUwo Perkin 7 



The Form and Size of Bacteria. By Dr, Allan 



Macfadyen and J. E, Barnard {Illustrated) 



Notes 10 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences in November . 14 



Ephemeris of Eros for November 14 



Fireballs 14 



Temperature Observations during Solar Eclipse ... 14 

 Domenico Cirillo and the Chemical Action of Light 

 in Connection with Vegetable Irritability. By 



Prof. Italo Giglioli 15 



Metalliferous Deposits {Illustrated.) 18 



'Conference of Delegates of Corresponding Societies 



of the British Association 20 



University and Educational Intelligence 21 



Scientific Serials 21 



Societies and Academies . . . 22 



Diary of Societies 24 



