3i6 



NA TURE 



[January 24, 1901 



straightened proboscis was dipped in water, and could not be 

 resumed until the organ was withdrawn ; thus supporting Prof. 

 Moseley's opinion that the sound was produced by forcing air 

 through the proboscis. Prof. Poulton also exhibited projected 

 photographs of Acraea unicolor var. alcippina recently received 

 from Sierra Leone by Mr. Herbert Druce, together with speci- 

 mens of Limnas chrysippiis var. akippus, which they closely 

 resemble. He showed that this Acrsea is represented in the 

 South and East Central regions of Africa by varieties which 

 correspond to the respective forms of L. chrysippus ; that in 

 fact the geographical coincidence between the two is much 

 closer than with the forms of the female of Hypolimnas misippus 

 and those of L. chiysipptis. The former is one example of 

 MUllerian mimicry, both forms being independently distasteful ; 

 while the female Hypolimnas is generally regarded as a Batesian 

 mimic. — Mr. Arnold T. Watson read a paper on the structure 

 and habits of the Ammocharidse, a group of marine Polychaete 

 worms which inhabit sandy localities and are protected by tubes 

 of unique structure. — Mr. I. H. Burkill read a paper on the 

 flora. of Vavau, a little known island of the Tonga group, on 

 which some remarks were made by the President. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, January 14. — M. Fouque in the 

 chair. — The President announced to the Academy the death of 

 M. Ch. Hermite, member of the Section of Geometry, and of 

 M. Adolph Chatin, member of the Section of Botany. — On the 

 theory of precession, by M. H. Poincare. The secular varia- 

 tions of the terrestrial equator, as determined by Stockwell, lead 

 to an entirely different coefficient from that obtained by Back- 

 lund using the method of Gylden. It is shown on analysis that 

 the coefficients obtained by Stockwell are correct, there being a 

 fundamental error in the method of Gylden. — Researches in the 

 formation of organic sulphur compounds, by M. Berthelot. A 

 study of the thermal properties of the mercaptans, the heats of 

 combustion and formation of ethyl mercaptan, ethyl sulphide, 

 amy] mercaptan, amyl sulphide, and allyl sulphide being given. 

 — New researches on the isomerism of the sulphocyanic ethers, 

 by M. Berthelot. Measurements of the heats of combustion and 

 formation of phenyl isosulphocyanide.— The gaseous products 

 disengaged by the action of heat from some igneous rocks, by 

 M. Armand Gautier. Granites from different sources were 

 heated in a vacuum with syrupy phosphoric acid, the gas evolved 

 measured and analysed. The quantities found were very con- 

 siderable, varying from 560 c.c. to 5438 c.c. per kilogram. The 

 gases found consisted of sulphuretted hydrogen, carbon mon- 

 oxide and dioxide, methane, hydrogen, nitrogen and argon. 

 From analyses of the gases given off at different stages, it is 

 shown that the gases are not simply stored up in the rock, but 

 result from reactions at the temperature of the decomposition. — 

 On the effects of the substitution of alcohol for sugar in food 

 upon muscular action, by M. A. Chauveau. The question as to 

 how far alcohol can replace sugar in a mixed diet is of consider- 

 able physiological interest, the question being attacked by means of 

 the respiratory coefficient. As a net result of a lengthy series 

 of experiments upon a dog, it is concluded that the alcohol 

 introduced, although very rapidly absorbed by the organism, only 

 participates to a very small extent, if at all, in the combustions 

 from which the muscular system draws the energy necessary to 

 its working. The alcohol is not an energy producing food, its 

 introduction into a food having rather the opposite effect. — On 

 the new Giacobini comet, by M. Perrotin. — On quadruply 

 periodic functions, by M. Georges Humbert. — On orthogonal 

 systems admitting of a group of Combescure transformations, by 

 M. D. Th. Egorov. — On the correlation of the experiments 

 made at Dijon in 1894 fir the application of the idea of a com- 

 mon return for telephonic circuits, and on experiments made 

 since 1894 on telephony without wires, by M. Rheins. — Action 

 of hydrogen upon bismuth sulphide, by M. H. Pelabon. The 

 action between hydrogen sulphide and bismuth is a reversible 

 one, and has been studied experimentally by the author at a 

 temperature of 610° C. Three reactions were studied, hydrogen 

 and the sulphide of bismuth, hydrogen sulphide and bismuth, 

 and hydrogen with a mixture of sulphur and bismuth. — On the 

 chlorobromides of thallium of" the type TIX33TIX, by M. V. 

 Thomas. — On the combinations of the chlorides of phosphorus 

 with boron bromide, by M. Tarible. Bromide of boron in presence 

 of the chlorides of phosphorus react with great facility to form 

 double compounds. These bodies, which are well crystallised. 



are decomposed by cold water, by chlorine, and by ammonia. — 

 On the new mode of preparing hydrated sodium peroxide, and 

 their properties, by M. George F. Jaubert. Although sodium 

 peroxide when treated with water is decomposed into oxygen 

 and caustic soda, if treated with moist air free from carbonic 

 acid, no decomposition takes place, water being absorbed and 

 hydrates formed. Hydrated sodium peroxide is stable in the 

 cold, and may be kept for six months without appreciable 

 alteration. — Determination of the latent heats of vaporisation of 

 some substances in organic chemistry, by M. W. Louguinine. 

 Figures are given for aniline, methylethylacetoxime, anisol and 

 butyronitril — Study of uranium nitrate, by M. Gichsner de 

 Coninck. Determinations of the densities of solutions of 

 uranium nitrate in nitric and sulphuric acids. — The oxidising 

 action of ammonium persulphate upon some immediate 

 principles of the organism, by M. L. Hugounenq. A study of 

 the oxidation of uric acid, bilirubin, hematin and blood by 

 ammonium persulphate. — On the structure of the vascular 

 plants, by M. G. Chauveaud.— On the occurrence of a mineral 

 smelling of free fluorine at Beaujolais, by M. Jules Gamier. — 

 On the Neomylodon and the mysterious animal of Patagonia, 

 by M. Andre Tournouer. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Death of the Queen By The Editor .... 293 

 An Alpine Crust-Basin. By Dr. Maria M. Ogilvie- 



Gordon 294 



Th? Zoological Record for 1899. By R. L 296 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Marshall : " Practical Lessons in Metal Turning " . . 297 



Goff: " Principles of Plant Culture " 298 



Bayley : " Photography in Colours " 298 



Bickerton : "The Romance of the Earth" ..... 298 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



Directions of Spirals in Horns — Dr. W. T. Blanford, 



F.R.S 298 



The "Usefulness" of Science. — F. C. S. Schiller . 298 

 The Field-mice and Wrens of St. Kilda and Shetland. 



G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton 299 



Sexual Dimorphism.— J. T. Cunningham; Prof. 



R. Meldola, F.R.S 299 



Very Cold Days. — Alex B. MacDowall .... 299 



National Physical Laboratory. {Illustrated.) . . . 300 

 The Present Condition of the Indigo Industry. By 



Dr. F. MoUwo Perkin 302 



The Royal Indian Engineering College 303 



H. W. Chisholm 304 



Notes . 304 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



New Variable Stars 309 



The Almucantar 309 



The Ethnology of Ancient History deduced from 

 Records, Monuments and Coins. {Illustrated.) By 



Prof. Alfred C. Haddon, F.R.S 309 



The Currents in the Gulf of St. Lawrence .... 311 



The Absorption Spectra of Saline Solutions . . . . 313 

 Conference of Science Masters in Public Schools. 



Wilfred Mark Webb 313 



University and Educational Intelligence 314 



Scientific Serial 314 



Societies and Academies 314 



NO. 1630, VOL. 63] 



