26o 



NATURE 



[May 30, 19 1 8 



types, description and characteristic species ; (v) general 

 conclusions and synopsis.— A. McKerral : The Burmese 

 sesamum vaHeties. Notes on their variation and 

 growth. After discussing the literature dealing with 

 this crop and the importance of sesamum to Burmese 

 agricultui-e, the author proceeds to describe the dif- 

 ferent varieties grown in Burma and their variations, 

 using as a basis material collected from the principal 

 sesamum districts and grown at the Talkon Agricul- 

 tural Station. The description is followed by a tenta- 

 tive classification of the Burmese sesamums based on 

 the branching habit, vegetative period, and colour of 

 the seed, and by a discussion of the abnormalities 

 which occur. In conclusion, the author discusses the 

 possibilities of improvement, especially through single- 

 plant- selection. 



Victoria. 

 Royal Society, March 14. — Mr. J. A. Kershaw, presi- 

 dent, in the chair. — Prof. O. Nordstedt : Australasian 

 Characeae. This synopsis includes about fifty species 

 of Chara and Nitella, one of Talypella, and one of 

 Lychnothamnus, and was communicated by A. D. 

 Hardy, who incidentally remarked on the over- 

 production and subsequent decay of the species of 

 Nitella in some Victorian reservoirs. — A. D. Hardy: 

 Note on pentamery in Narcissus. The author 

 •described an inflorescence of " Soleil d'Or" 

 {N. tazetta) in which five flowers were normal, 

 the sixth having the floral formula of K5C5A5+,5G5. 

 ■Careful search amongst many thousands of flowers of 

 this species during the season failed to discover a 

 similar specimen. The only other case of a similar 

 kind known to the author was that of Crocus 

 {K5 C5 A5 G5), quoted by Worsdell in " Principles of 

 Plant Teratologv." 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



The Invertebrate Fauna of Nottinghamshire. By 

 'Prof. J. W. Carr. Pp. viii + 618. (Nottingham : 

 J. and H. Bell, Ltd.) 



Manuale di Fisica ad uso delle Scuole Secondaire e 

 Superiori. By Prof. B. Dessau. Vol. iii. Pp. vii + 

 760. (Milano : Society Editrice Libraria). 23 lire. 



A Handbook of Briquetting. By Prof. G. Franke. 

 Translated by F. C. A. H. Lantsberry. Vol. ii. 

 Pp. xi+-2r.4. (London: C. Griffin and Co., Ltd.) 

 15^. net. 



"Inasmuch " : Some Thoughts concerning the 

 Wreckage Of the War. By J. Oxenham. Pp. 26. 

 (London: Methuen and Co., Ltd.) 6d. net. 



Aids in the Commercial Analysis of Oils, Fats, and 

 their Commercial Products. 'By G. F. Pickering. 

 Pp. viii+133. (London r C. Griflin and Co.; Ltd.) 

 75. 6d. net. 



Tropical Wild Life in British Guiana : ' Zoological 

 Contributions from the Tropical Research Station of 

 ithe New York Zoological Society. By W. Beebe. 

 Vol. i. "Pp. 504. (New York: Zoological .Societv; 

 London: Witherby and Co.) 12s. 6d. net. 



Practical Organic and Bio-Chemistry. By R. H. A. 

 Plimmer. New edition. Pp. xii + 636. (London: 

 Longmans and Co.) iSs. net. 



Tychonis Brahe Opera Omnia. Tomi Quarti. 

 Fasc. Prior. Pp. 376. (K^benhavn K.) 



The Problem of Man's Ancestry. Bv Prof. F. 

 Wood-Jones. Pp.48. (London : S.'P.C:K.) 7d.net. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Mav 30. 



RovAL SociRTV, at 4.30.— A Method of Avoiding Collision at Sea: Prof- 

 J. Joly —A Statistical Survey of Colour Vision : Dr. R. A. Hoitstoun.— 

 The Production of Anthoeyaiiins and Anthocyanidins. III. : Dr. .\. E. 

 Evere-st. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Abode of Snow; its Appearance, In- 

 habitants, and History : Sir F. Younghusband. 



Institution of Electrical E.vginebrs, .it 6. — Annual General Meeting. 



Royal SoctExv of Arts, at 4.30.— The Cotton-mill Industry of India: 

 Hon. Sir Dinshaw E. Wacha. 



SATURDAY, June i. 



RovAL Institution, at 3. — Problems in Bird-migration : Prof. C. J. 

 Patten. 



MONDAY, June 3. 



Royal GEOGRAPHicAb Society, at 5. 



Society of Chejiical Industry, at 7.30.— A Cadmium- vapour Arc Laixip: 

 Dr. H. J. S. Sand.-The Estimation of Tin in High-grade Wolfram Ores 

 and the Use of Lead as a Reducing Agent in Pearce's Assay : A. R. 

 .Powell. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30.— Oermani' m : Rev. Chancellor Lias. 

 WEDNESDAY, June 5. 



Geologic.m. Society, at 5.30. 



Entomological Society, at 8. — Studies in Rliynchophora. IV. A Pre- 

 liminary Note on the Male Genitalia : D. Sharp. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 5. — A Method for the Colorimetric 

 Estimation of Cobalt : E. G. Jones. — Nucleic Acid and its Analytical 

 Examination: A. C. Chapman —(i) Opium Wax. (2) Estimation of 

 Morphine in Opium by Polarimeter : Jitendra Nath Rakshit. — The Appli- 

 cation of the Valenta Turbidity Test to Mineral Oils : P. J. Fryer. — The 

 Valenta and Crismer Tests : J. H. Johnston and Dr. A. W. Stewart. — A 

 New Method of Identifying Starches : A. W. BIyth.— Two Plant Products 

 ' from Colombia, S.A. : A. L. Bacharach. 



THURSDAY, June 6. 



RcvAL Institution, at 3. — The Abode of Snow ; Its -Vppearance, Inhabi- 

 tants, and History : Sir F. Younghusband. 



LiNNKAN Society, at 4.30— A Revision of Some Critical Species of Echiuin 

 (Viper's Buglos.s]. as Exemplified in the Linnean and other Herbaria, with 

 a Description of Echiiim jiidnicuin, a New Species from Palestine : C. C. 

 Lacaita.— Experiments with Cyclamen : Capt. A. W. Hill. — The Relation- 

 ship between the Symbionis in a Lichen : R. Paulson and S. Hastings.-^ 

 Abnormal Apple-blossoms and Fruit : W. C. Worsdell. 



FRIDAY, June 7. 

 Royal Institution, at 5.30. — The Romance of Petroleum: Sir B. 

 Redwood. 



SATURDAY, June 8. 

 R-oyal Institution, at 3. — Problems in Bird-migration: Prof. C. J- 

 Patten. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Gardening: Old and New 241 



Principles and Methods of Science Teaching . . . 241 



Aviation Engines, By H. E. W 242 



Our Bookshelf 242 



Letters to the Editor:— 



The Promotion of Post-graduate Work and Research. 



—Prof. M.J. M. Hill, F.R.-S. ; W. A. T. . 243 

 Proposed Society of Science Students. -;-J. -A. Butler, 



P. E. Owens ._...' 244 



Clouds at the Koyal Academy. By J. S.D. . 244 



The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland 245 



The Relations of Geodesy to Geology. By H. G. L. 246 



Climatology and an Abandoned Flying School . 247 



Notes 248 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



May Meteors . 252 



Distance of the Pleiades 252 



The Spectro-scopic Binary 42 Capricorni 2i;2 



The Total Solar Eclipse of June 8, 1918 . . -253 



Diurnal Variation of Atmospheric Pressure. By 



W. W. B 253 



Reconstruction in France. By B 254 



Radiation and the Electron, {llbistrated.) II. By 



Prof. R. A. Millikan 254 



Geological Structure in Relation to Magnetic Dis- 

 turbance ..... 257 



University and Educational Intelligence . . . 253 



Societies and Academies 25- 



Books Received 2$^ 



Diary of Societies 26q 



ST. 



Editorial and Publishing Offices: 

 MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd., 

 MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON, VV.C.2. 



Advertisements and business letters to be addressed to the 

 Publishers. 



NO. 2535, VOL. lOl] 



Editorial Communications to the Editor. 

 Telegraphic Address: Piiusis, London. 

 Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



