48o 



NATURE 



[August 15, 19 18 



<jf rotation in about thirty-two days. — ^J. T. Tate and 

 P. D. Foote : Resonance and ionisation potentials for 

 electrons in cadmium, zinc, and potassium vapours. 

 TJie results agree within the limits of experimental 

 error with the values as calculated from the quantum 

 relation hv — eV, where v is the frequency of the single 

 radiation in the case of resonance potentials or the 

 limiting frequency of the series of radiations in the 

 case of ionisation potentials. — E. H. Hall : The validity 

 of the equation P = dw/dT in thermo-electricity. The 

 equation is known to be unverified experimentally. 

 The author gives a brief, critical discussion of the 

 validity of some theoretical proofs by which the equa- 

 tion has been deduced .^ — C. Barus : The equations of 

 the rectangular interferometer. A discussion under 

 the headings of : Auxiliary Mirror, Rotating Doublet, 

 Ocular Micrometer, and Collimator Micrometer. — 

 S. Hatai : The brain-weight in relation to the body- 

 length, and also the partition of non-protein nitrogen 

 In the brain of the grey snapper (Neomaenis griseus). — 



F. G. Pease : The rotation and radial velocity of the 

 central part of the Andromeda nebula. The radial 

 velocity —-^16 km. is found. The change of rotational 

 velocity with distance from the centre seems to be 

 linear. 



(Proceedings, vol. iv., No. 2), Februarv, iqi8. — 



G. N. Lewis, E. D. Eastman, and W. H. Rodebush • 

 The heat capacity of electro-positive metals and the 

 thermal energy of free electrons. The experiments go 

 to indicate that in the metals considered the difference 

 between the heat capacity observed and that calculated 

 may be regarded as representing the actual heat capa- 

 city of the more loosely bound electrons in these 

 metals.— E. H. Hall: Thermo-electric diagrams on the 

 P-V-plane, An analysis of the electromotive force of a 

 thermo-electric circuit on the assumption that the 

 "free" electrons within the metals are the only ones 

 moving progressively in the maintenance of a current, 

 and the onlv ones taking part in thermo-electric action. 

 — G. Stromberg : A determination of the solar motion 

 and* the stream motion based on radial velocities and 

 absolute magnitudes. The stream motion is probablv 

 a local effect caused by a preferential motion of the 

 stars in both directions around the centre of the stellar 

 system. There appears to be a tendency towards 

 smaller values of the declination of the sun's apex for 

 the intrinsicallv faint stars. — L. R. Jones: Disease 

 resistance in cabbage. In every case the selected head- 

 strains transmitted in considerable degree their re- 

 sistant qualities, and certain of them did so in high 

 ■degree. A discussion of the results in their general 

 significance is also given. — -L. Page : Is a moving star 

 retarded by the reaction of its own radiation ? An 

 extended analysis of the forces acting upon the electron 

 leads to the conclusion that the moving electron, and 

 hence any moving matter, suffers no retardation 

 through its motion. — S. J. Barnett : Electromagnetic 

 induction and relative motion. II. The experiments 

 appear to support the- hypothesis for the existence of 

 the aether, and to be inconsistent with the principle of 

 relativity. 



(Proceedings, vol. iv., No. 3), March, 1918. — F; 

 Payne: The, effect of artificial selection on bristle 

 number in Drosophila ampelophila and its interpreta- 

 tion. There are at least two factors for extra bristle 

 number, one of them located in the first and one in 

 the third chromosome. — A. W. L. Bray : The reactions 

 of the melanophores of Amiurus to light and to adrena- 

 line. The melanophores in the skin of the Amiurus 

 react to direct stimulation by adrenaline, and are sub- 

 ject to nervous control mediated through the eye.— 

 J. Loeb : Further experiments on the sex of partheno- 

 genetic frogs. The frogs produced by artificial 

 parthenogenesis can develop into adults of full size 



NO. 2546, VOL. lOl] 



and entirely normal character. — E. Dershem : The. 

 resolving powers of X-ray spectrometers and the tung- 

 sten X-ray spectrum. The theory of resolving power 

 is given with the results of experiments on tungsten, 

 in which the endeavour was made to obtain as high a 

 resolving power as possible.^ — C. Barus and M. Barus : 

 Note on methods of observing potential differences 

 induced by the earth's magnetic field in an insulated 

 moving wire. A simple apparatus is described, and 

 an elementary estimate first given. The apparatus was 

 then modified, producing intensification, and new ob- 

 servations were made. — C. D. Perrine : Dependence of 

 the spectral relation of double stars upon distance. 

 There is an indication that some external cause is 

 operating in more or less definite regions of 

 our stellar system upon the conditions which 

 produce spectral class.^ — C. D. Perrine : Hypothesis to 

 account for the spectral conditions of the stars. The 

 spectral condition of a star depends chiefly upon its 

 size an(J mass, and the external conditions of density 

 of cosmical matter and relative velocities of star and 

 matter. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Australasian Antarctic Expedition, igii-14. Scien- 

 tific Reports. Series C. Zoology and Botany, Vol. v., 

 Part 2, Brachyura. By M. J. Rathbun. Vol. v., 

 Part 3. Copepoda. By Dr. G. S. Brady. Vol. v., 

 Part 4. Cladocera and Halocypridae, By Dr. G. S. 

 Brady. (Sydney : W. A. Gullick.) is. each. 



Ingots and Ingot Moulds. By A. "vV. and H. 

 Brearley. Pp. xv+218. (London : Longmans and 

 Co.) 165. net. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Old Universities and New Needs, By Prof. 



Frederick Soddy, F.R.S 461 



Applied Biology 462 



Our Bookshelf 463 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Value of Insectivorous Birds.— Rt. Hon. Sir 

 Herbert Maxwell, Bart., F.R.S. ; Dr, Walter 



E, Collinge 464 



Preparing "Palates" of Mollusca. — Prof. G. H. 



Bryan, F.R.S. 464 



Statistical Studies of Dietaries , . 465 



The Afforestation Question in Britain. By E. P. 



Stebbing 466 



Agricultural Education in South Africa and 



Australia. By B 467 



Notes ,. 468 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Borrelly's Comet 472 



The August ISIeteois 472 



The Future of the Iron and Steel Trades. By 



H. C. H. C 472 



New X-Ray Tubes 473 



The Position of University and Higher Technical 



Education. By Prof. R. A. Gregory 473 



Scientific Organisations of the Allied Nations . . . 477 

 University and Educational Intelligence .... 478 



Societies and Academies 478 



Books Received 480 



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