2 8o 



NATURE 



[June 6, 191 8 



direct product of the electrical resolution, but are in 

 reality an extension of the helium spectrum. Two of 

 these lines may, perhaps, be represented as lines of 

 combination series. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, May 21. — M. Leon Guignard 

 in the chair. — P. Termier : Contribution to the know- 

 ledge of the tectonic of the Asturias.— C. de la Vallde 

 PouBsin : The best approximation of the functions of 

 a ■ real variable by expri?ssions of given order. 

 E. Aries : The saturated vapour pressures of tetratomic 

 bodies. The method described in earlier papers is 

 applied to the cases of ammonia, acetylene, and phos- 

 phorus trichloride. From the experimental data avail- 

 able a full comparison is only possible in the case of 

 ammonia, and for this the agreement between the 

 experimental and calculated values is very satisfactory. 

 — J. Pdris : Some remarks on certain developments in 

 series. — A. Buhl : The series of Taylorian poly- 

 nominals and Weierstrass domains. — M. Luizet : 

 Observations of the brightness of Nova Licorne.^ — 

 .\. Vironnet : The cooling and evolution of the sun. — 

 C. Matignon : Ferro-sili^ons not attacked by acids. 

 Analyses are given of six ferro-silicons and one ferro- 

 boron and the loss on treatment with four acid solu- 

 tions, two of nitric acid and two of mixtures of acetic 

 and butyric acids, studied. The comparative losses 

 under similar conditions are tabulated. — MM. Masson 

 and Faucon : The absorption of ultra-violet radiations 

 by the phenylmethanes. Details of measurements 

 are given for benzene, toluene, diphenylmethane, and 

 triphenylmethane.^ — Ed. Chauvenet and Mile. L. Nicole : 

 The basic nitrates of zirconyl. — D. Berthelot and R. 

 Trannoy : The sugar content of Sorghum saccharaluni 

 at different stages of growth. The results of analvses 

 of juice taken on eight dates between August 10 and 

 November 30 show a maximum sugar content about 

 October 5. It is shown that the richness in sugar can 

 be calculated from the density of the juice.— L. Cavd : 

 The antiseptic value of some essential oils. The ex- 

 periments were carried out on diluted sewage, and 

 the amounts of essential oil determined stopping all 

 bacterial growth. Results are given for forty-five 

 essences, phenol being used as a standard of com- 

 parison. Two-thirds of the essential oil examined 

 proved to be stronr^er antiseptics than phenol, oil of 

 thyme being the most powerful.- -M. Folley : The 

 aorta in exophthalmic goitre. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



The British Academy. Cosmic Law in Ancient 

 Thought. By T.W.Rhys-Davids. Pp. n. (London: 

 H. Milford.)' js. net. 



Italian Mountain Geology. By C. S. DuRiche 

 Preller. 2 parts. Part i., pp. 99; part 

 192. (London : Dulau and Co., Ltd.) 



The Art of Health. By J. Long. 



pp. 107 to 



, . ^ Pp. xi+ 192. 



(London : Chapman and Hall, Ltd.) 5s. net. 



An Introduction to the History of Science. Bv Prof. 

 W. Libby. Pp. x + 288. (London: G. G. Harrap 

 and Co., Ltd.) 55. net. 



.Acoustics for Musicians. By Prof. P. C. Buck. 

 Pp. 152. (Oxford : Clarendon Press.) 75. 6d. net. 



a Description oi Echiuin jndaicum, a New .Species from Pale.stine; C. C. 

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

 ship between the Symbionis in a Lichen : R. Paulson .ind 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, Junk 8. 



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

 Patten. 



MONDAY, June 10. 



Aristotelian Society, at 8.— The Ontological Argument for the Exist- 

 ence of Cod : Prof. A. A. Cock. 



Royal Geographical SociETY.at 8.— The P>ackbone of Africa : Sir .Mfred 

 Sharpe. 



SociKTY OF Engineers, at s. 30. —War on and under the Sea: Edwin 

 Hall. 



TUESDAY, June ii. 



Zoological Society, at 5.30. — On Two New Elasmobranch Fishes from 

 the Upper Jurassic Lithographic Stone of Bavaria : Dr. A. Smith Wood- 

 ward. — The Function of Pathology in Evolution : Morley Roberts. 

 WEDNESDAY, June 12. 



British Association Geophysical Committee (Royal Astronomical 

 Society), at 5.— Z)/>C7«j/t!«.- The Tides. Opener, Prof. H..Lamb, followed 

 by Prof. Love, Mr. Proudman, and others. 



THURSDAY, June 13. 

 Optical Society, at 7.— The Prevention of Filming in Enclosed Optical 

 Instruments: H. S. Ryland.— A Chart for Finding the Number of Lenses 

 in, and Size of, a Block : Horace Lee. — Charts for Assisting in the Selec- 

 tion of Suitable Glasses for Cemented Doublets : T. Smith. 



FRIDAY, Junk 14. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. 



Physical Society, at $.— Discussion : The Teaching of Physics in Schools : 

 Opener, Sir Oliver J. Lodge. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Symmetry in Nature. By Dr. A. E. H. Tutton, 



F.R.S 261 



Electricity Meters. By Dr. A. Russell 262 



Natural History Observations 263 



Our Bookshelf 263 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Construction for an Approximate Quadrature of the 



Circle.— Robert E. Baynes 264 



The " Wolf-note " in Pizzicato Plaving. {Illustrated.) 



C. V. Raman .264 



The " Hay-box" Principle in Cooking.— An Inquirer 264 



British Oligochset Worms.— Rev. Hilderic Friend . 264 

 The Position of Natural Science in the Educational 



System of Great Britain. By W. A. T 265 



Science and Administration. By Lt.-Col. W. A. J. 



O'Meara, C.M.G 266 



"After the War." By Prof. H. Louis 268 



Notes 269 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Early History of the Solar System 273 



Stellar Investigations at Mount Wilson 273 



Spectra of Chromosphere and Corona . 274 



The Metric System and Decimal Coinage. By 



Harry AUcock 274 



Progress of the Education Bill 277 



Organisation of Glass Industries 277 



The Royal Observatory, Greenwich 278 



University and Educational Intelligence 278 



Societies and Academies 279 



Books Received 280 



Diary of Societies . 280 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



^ THURSDAY, June 6. 



RoYAi. Sociktv, at 4- 30-— Brevity, Frequence of Rhythm and Amount of 

 Reflex Nervous Discharge as Indicated by Reflex Contraction : N. B. 

 Dreyer and Prof. C. S. Sherrington. 



ROYAi lNSTiTUTiON,.at 3.— The Abode of Snow ; Its .\ppearance. Inhabi- 

 tants, and History : Sir F. Younghusband. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 4.30.— A Revision of Some Critical Species of Echium 

 [Viper's Bugloss], as Exemplified in the Linnean and other Herbaria, with 



Editorial and Publishing Offices : 



MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd., 



ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON, W.C.2. 



Advertisements and busiitess letters to be addressed to the 

 Publishers. 



Editorial Communications to the Editor. 

 Telegraphic Address : Piiusis, London. 

 Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



NO. 2536, VOL. lOl] 



