TOO 



NATURE 



[November 22, 1900 



Acetylphenylacet)lene behaves in an exceptional manner, giving 

 phenylacetylene and acetic acid. — On the constitution of cam- 

 phoric acid and the migrations which occur within its molecules, 

 by M. G. Blanc. — On the evolution of terpene derivatives in 

 the geranium, by M. Eug. Charabot. Acidity diminishes as 

 the plant grows, and the amount of ester increases, possibly at 

 the expense of the geraniol. The ketonio compounds occur 

 chiefly at the time when the plant possesses the maximum 

 respiratory activity. — On the presence of invertine or sucrase in 

 grapes, by M. V. Marlinand.— The old course of the Aar, near 

 Meiringen (Switzerland), by M. Maurice Luglon. —On the 

 regeneration of confined air by means of sodium peroxide, by 

 MM. Desgrez and Balthazard. A reclamation of priority 

 against H. G. F. Taubert. 



New South Wales. 



Linnean Society, September 26. — The Hon. James Norton, 

 President, in the chair. — Phosphorescent fungi in Australia, 

 by D. McAlpine. Phosphorescent fungi are generally natives of 

 •warm climates, and the largest number of Agarics possessing 

 this property, for any locality, has been met with in Australia. 

 Out of twenty-one species known altogether, fifteen occur in 

 Australia, while five of them are confined to the Island 

 •Continent. Pleurotus candescens, F.v.M., is very common in 

 the neighbourhood of Melbourne during April and May, and 

 was specialty studied in connection with the phenomenon of 

 phosphorescence or luminosity. Luminosity was practically 

 •confined to the gills, which were found to be decidedly acid. 

 The light probably proceeded from excreted luminous metabolic 

 products known as phosphorescents. — On a new genus and two 

 new species of Australian Coccidae, by E. Ernest Green. A 

 species of Rhizococcus from Acacia deciirrens at Mittagong, 

 N.S.W., and one oi Antecei'ococcus (gen. nov.) from Pittosporutn 

 eugenioides, at Bathurst, N.S.W. , are described. — Observations 

 on the tertiary flora of Australia, with special reference to 

 Ettingshausen's theory of the tertiary cosmopolitan flora. Part ii. , 

 by Henry Deane. The aspect of the subject particularly con- 

 sidered in this paper is the venation of leaves and its untrust- 

 worthiness in the determination of botanical affinities. Plants 

 cannot be classified by their leaves, as their form and venation 

 do not in any way correspond to the acknowledged botanical 

 divisions. It is found that the same types occur in widely 

 diff'erent orders and diff'erent types in the same genus. As to 

 variability of types in the same genus, examples from the genera 

 Qtiercus and Eucalyptus were given ; and illustrations of closely 

 similar and even undistinguishable leaves of distinct genera and 

 orders were mentioned. — Notes on the botany of the interior of 

 New South Wales, Part i., by R. H. Cambage. This first in- 

 stalment is descriptive of the characteristics, distribution and 

 relation to geological formation, of the more conspicuous mem- 

 ibers of the flora, such as the Eucalypts, Acacias, &c., noticeable 

 'between Bourke and Cobar, a distance of about 100 miles. — A 

 ifish disease from George's River, by R. Greig Smith. Under 

 ' the proposed name of Vibrio bresmiae an organism is described 

 ■which was isolated from the carcass of a fish found dying under 

 suspicious circumstances in George's River. The organism is 

 pathogenic to fish, producing death in about two days. It is 

 >non-phosphorescent, but is otherwise closely allied to this group 

 of vibrions. — Australian land planarians : descriptions of new 

 species, and notes on collecting and preserving. No. ii. , by 

 Thos. Steel. Three new species of Geoplana from Western 

 Australia are described, and the occurrence of a new variety of 

 G. quinquelineata, F. and H., is noted. These are of interest 

 as being the first land planarians recorded from this part of 

 Australia. The same new variety of G. quinquelineata is also 

 irecorded from South Australia, and a description of it is given. 

 Another Geoplana found in the vicinity of Sydney is described 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, November 22. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Further Note on the Spectrum of Silicium : Sir 

 Norman Lockyer, K.C. B., F.R S — On Solar Changes of Temperature and 

 Variations in Rainfall in the Region Surrounding the Indian Ocean : Sir 

 Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S., and Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer.— On the 

 Restoration of Co-ordinated Movements after Nerve Crossing with Inter- 

 change of Function of the Cerebral Cortical Centres : Dr. R. Kennedy. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Telegraphs and Tele- 



' • phones at the Paris Exhibition, 1900 : John Gavey. 



NO. 1621. VOL. 63] 



Anthropological Institute, at 8 30 —On the Berbers of Algeria, and 

 their Connections with Prehistoric Egypt : D. Randall-Maciver and A. 

 Wilkin. 



FRIDA y, November 23. 



Physical Society, at 5 —An Automatic Wheatstone's Bridge : W. C. D. 

 Whetham. — The Anomalous Di.-persion of Carbon : Prof. R. W. Wood. — 

 The Liquefaction of Hydrogen : Dr. M. W. Tiavers.— On the Refrac- 

 tion of Sound by Wind : Dr. E. H. Barton. 



SATURDAY, November 24. 

 Essex Field Cli'r (Museum of Natural History, Stratford), at 7.— On 

 the V.^riatio^s in the Marine Animals on Coast of Essex during the 

 last Ten or Twelve Years: Dr. H. C. Sorby, F.R. S.— Notes on'the 

 Eocene Fauna and Flora of Walton-on-Naze : J. P. Johnson. — British 

 Wild Flowers Photographed from Nature : J. C. Sbenstone. 



MONDAY, November 26. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 8. 30. — Expedition to Lake Tanganyika 



and the Country to the North : J. E. S. Moore. 

 Society of Arts, at 8.— Electric Oscillations and Electric Waves: Prof 



J. A. Fleming. F.R.S. 

 Institute of Actuaries.— Inaugural Address by the President, C. D 



Higham. 



TUESDA y, November 27. 

 Anthropological Institute, at 8.30. — On Stone Implements from 



Tasmania : J. Paxton Moir. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Paper to be further discussed: 



The Metropolitan Terminus of the Great Central Railway : G. A. Hobson 



and E. Wragge. Paper to be read and discussed, time permitting : 



Machinery for the Manufacture of Smokeless Powder : Oscar Guttmann. 

 Royal Photographic Society, at 8. — Analytical Portraiture : Francis 



Gallon, F.R.S. 



WEDNESDA Y, November 28. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — Malaria and Mosquitoes : Major Ronald Ross. 



THURSDA Y, November 29. 

 Goldsmiths' Institute Chemical Society, at 8.30. — The Profession of 



an Industrial Chemist : Dr. J. Lewkowitsch. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Correspondence of Berzelius and Schonbein. 



By Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S 77 



Some Observations on Animal Hypnotism. By 



C. S. S 78 



Our Book Shelf:— 



" Memoranda of the Origin, Plan and Results of the 

 Experiments conducted at Rothamsted ; Fifty- 

 seventh Year of the Experiments, 1900." — R. W. 79 

 Dale: " The Scenery and Geology of the Peak of 



Derbyshire" • • 80 



Celli : "Malaria" 80 



Westell : " A Year with Nature."— R. L. . . . 80 



Curran : " The Geology of Sydney and the Blue 

 Mountains : a Popular Introduction to the Study of 



Geology" . 81 



Cole : " Light Railways at Home and Abroad" , . • 81 

 Schaffers : " Les Plaques Sensibles au Champ Elec- 

 trostatique." — H. A. W. . . . .... 82 



Durfee : '* The Elements of Plane Trigonometry " 82 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Autotomic Curves. —A. B. Basset, F.R.S 82 



A Remarkable Dolphin.— R. Lydekker, F.R.S. . 82 

 The Optics of Acuteness of Sight. — Dr. A. S. 



Percival 82 



Electric Traction Troubles 83 



Agricultural Demonstration and Experiment. By 



Prof. Wm. Somerville, F.R.S 84 



Horicultural Practice . 86 



Some Remarkable Earthquake Effects. {Illus- 

 trated.) 87 



Investigations of the Habits and Folk Lore of 



Australian Aborigines 88 



Notes 88 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Leonid Meteors 92 



Elements of Comet 19005 (Borrelly-Brooks) .... 92 



New Variable Star in Lyra 9^ 



Visual Observation of Capella (o- Aurigae ) 92 



Huxley's Life and Work. By the Rt. Hon. Lord 



Avebury, F.R.S 92 



The Numbers of the American Bison. By R. L. . 96 



University and Educational Intelligence 97 



Societies and Academies 97 



Diary of Societies 1°° 



