:8o 



NATURE 



[November i, 1917 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Trattato di Chimica Generale et Applicata all' Indus- 

 tria. Vol. i., Chimica Inorganica. By Prof. E. 

 Molinari. Parte Prima. Pp. xiv + 560. (Milano : U. 

 Hoepli.) 12.50 lire. 



The Cambridge Pocket Diary, 1917-18. Pp. xv + 

 261. (Cambridge : At the University Press.) 



With the French Flying Corps. By C. D. Winslow, 

 Pp. 190. (London : Constable and Co., Ltd.) 35. 6d. 

 net. 



Plant Materials of Decorative Gardening : The 

 Woody Plants. By Prof. W. Trelease. Pp. 204. 

 (Urbana : The Author.) 



TJie Museum : A Manual of the Housing and Care 

 ■of Art Collections. By M. T. Jackson. Pp. xi + 280. 

 (London : Longmans and Co.) 6s. 6d. net. 



A Treatise on the Elements of Electrical Engineer- 

 ing. Vol. i., Direct and Alternating Current Machines 

 and Systems. By W. S. Franklin. Pp. x + 465. (New 

 York : The Macmillan Co. ; Londoa : Macmillan and 

 Co., Ltd.) 4.50 dollars. 



The R.P.A. Annual for 1918. (London : Watts and 

 Co.) IS. net. 



Charles Blount, Gent. : His Life and Opinions, to 

 which is added the Second Apparition of Mrs. Veal. 

 By Mysticus. Pp. 40. (London : Watts and Co.) 6d. 

 net. 



Memoirs of the Geological Survey. Summary of 

 Progress of the Geological Survey of Great Britain 

 and the Museum of Practical Geology for 1916. Pp. 

 IV + 56. Explanation of Sheet 248. The Geology of 

 the South Wales Coalfield. Part iv., The Country 

 around Pontypridd. By Dr. A. Strahan, R. H. Tidde'- 

 man, and Dr. W. Gibson. Second edition. Revised 

 bv Dr. W. Gibson and T. C. Cantrill. Pp. ix+i6o. 

 <London : H.M.S.O.; E. Stanford, Ltd.) 15. 6d. net 

 and 3s. 6d. net respectively. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, November i. 



Royal Society, at 4.30.— The Reflexion of Light from a Regularly 

 Stratified Medium: Lord Rayleigh.— Two Cases of Coneenital Night- 

 blindness : Sir William Abney. — Duration of Luminosity of Electric 

 Discharge in Gases and Vapours. Further Studies : Hon. K. J. Strutt.— 

 Surface Reflexion of Earthquake Waves : G. W. Walker.— Characteristic 

 Frequency and Atomic Number : Dr. H. S. Allen. 



Chemical Society, at 8.— //-q : 4-Dinitroietraphenylfuran : A. G. Francis. 

 —Studies in Catalysis. VIIL Ttiymochemical Dnta and the Quantum 

 Theory. High Temperature Reactions : W. C. McC. Lewi-s.— Studies in 

 the Phenylsuccinic Acid Series. V. I he Interconversion of the Esters 

 of r- and w«o-diphenylsuccinic acid : H. Wren and C J. Still.— Metal- 

 analo|;ues of Carbon (deduced from solubility relationships). L : S. S. 

 S.-ihni.—" Uniform Movement"! uring the Propagation of Flame: W. 

 Mason and R. V. Wheeler.— Studies upon the S'ulphonation of Beta- 

 naphlhyjamine : A. G. Green and K. H. Vakil.— The Limitations of the 

 Balance : B. Blount. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.— Annual General Meeting.- Tetrahedra 

 in Relation to Spheres and Quadrics : J. H. Grace.— The Continuation of 

 the Hypergeometric Series: Prof. M. J. M. Hill.— Restricted Fourier 

 Series and the Convergence of Power-series : Prof. W. H. Young — 

 Invariants and Covariants of Linear Homogeneous Differential Equations " 

 Prof E. B. Stouffer.— The Simultaneous System of Two Quaternary 

 Quadratic Forms : H. W. Turnbull. 



MONDAY, November 5. 

 Society of Chemical Industry, at 8.— Patent Law in Relation to British 

 Chemical Industry: Dr. F. W. Hay. 



TUESDAY, November 6. 



Mineralogical Society (Anniversary Meeting), at 5.30.— Etched Crystals 

 of Gypsum : Miss E. Smith.— The Mesosiderite-Grahamite Group of 

 Meteorites: Dr. G. T. Prior.— Changing the Plane of a Gnomonic or 

 Stereographic Projection: Prof. H. Hilton.— Cleavage Angles in a 

 Random Sec ioii of a Crystal : Prof. H. Hilton. 



Zoological Society, at 5.30.— Lantern Exhibition of Photographs of 

 Mammals and Reptiles from the Society's Gardens: D. Seth-Smith.— 

 Some Additions to the known Dragonfly Fauna of Borneo, with an 

 account of New Species of the Genus Coeliccia : Lieut. F. F. Laidlaw.— 

 The Use of the Names Plesiosauria and Sauropterygia : G. A. Bouleneer. 

 —Some Observations upon Concealment by the Apparent Disruption of 

 Surface m a Plane at Right Angles to the Surface : J. C. Mottram. 



RoNtgen SociETY.at 8.I5-— Presidential Address: The Part Played by 

 X-rays in the War : Captain G. W. C. Kaye. 



Institution Of Civil Engineers, at 5.30.— Presidential Address: H. E. 

 Jones. 



WEDNESDAY, Novembek 7. 



Geophysics Committee, at 5. — Magnetic Surveys and Charts: Dr. S. 

 Chapman. — Magnetic Survey of the United Kingdom : Dr. G. W. Walker. 



Faraijay Society, at 8.— General Di.scussion on Pyrometers and Pyro- 

 metry : Introductory Address: Sir Richard Gl.izebrook. — High Tem- 

 perature Production and its Measurement : Dr. E. F. Northrup (Trenton, 

 N.J.).— Pyrometer Standardisation: Dr. Ezer Griffiths and F. H. 

 Schofield. — 'I he Advantage of Burying the Cold Junction of a Thermo- 

 couple as a means of Maintaining it at a Constant Temperature : R. S. 

 Whipple. — The Automatic Control Measurement of High Temperatures : 

 Richard P. Brown (Philadelphia). — Pyrometry applied to ihe Hardening 

 of High-speed Steel: Piof. J. O. Arnold.— Determining the Tempera- 

 ture of Liquid Metals by means of Optical Pyrometers : Cosmo Johns. — 

 Pyrometry from the Standpoint of Ferrous Metallurgy : Dr. W. H. 

 Hatfield. — The Mei.surement of High Temperature by means of Pottery 

 Materials: H. Watkin. — Base-metal Thermo-electric Pyrometers: C. R. 

 Darling. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8. — The Reductase Test for Milk: 

 Paul S. Arup. — Note on Jets for Burettes : J. H. Coste. — Analytical 

 Examination of Acorns and Chestnuts : Julian L. Baker and H. F. E. 

 Hulton. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 5.30. 



Geological Society, at 5.30. — The Nimrud Crater in Turkish Armenia : 

 Dr. Felix Oswald. 



Entomological Society, at 8. 



'/■//6^.ff5Z?/}K, November 8. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Probable Papers : The Structure, Evolution, and 

 Originof the Amphibia. I. The "Orders" Rachitoini and Stereospondyli : 

 D. M. S. Watson. — The Enzymes concerned in the Decomposition of 

 Glucose and Mannitol hy Bacillus colt cotninunis, II. Experiments of 

 Short Duration with an Kniulsion of the Organisms. III. Various Phases 

 in the Decomposition of Glucose by an Emulsion of the Organisms : E. C. 

 Grey. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 6. — President's Address ; 

 C. H. Wordingbam. 



Optical Society, at 8. —Certain Optical Stores Captured from the Enemy : 

 Lt.-Col. A. C. Williams. 



FRIDAY, November 9. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Stone Worship in the Near East 161 



Ocean Drift Fiuits. By D. M ... 162 



Observation, Philosophy, and Teaching. By <J) . . 162 



Our Bookshelf 163 



Letters to the Editor:— 



On an Appearance of Colour Spectra to the Aged. — 



R. Brudenell Carter 164 



An Optical Phenomenon. — Dr. F. J. Allen . . 165 

 Native Grasses of Australia. — Prof. Henry Fairfield 



Osborn . • ... ... 165 



Vegetable Pathology and the Vicious Circle.— Dr. 



Jamieson B. Hurry ... 165 

 Coal-gas for Motor Traction. {Illustrated.) By 



Lt.-Commdr. H. E. Wimperis 166 



A National Food Policy. By C. C 167 



University Representation in Parliament. By 



T. LI. Humberstone 168 



The Education Bill 169 



Prof. Edward Hull, F.R.S. 169 



Notes 170 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



The Planets in Novemljer 174 



New Zealand Standard Time X74 



New Stars in Spiral Nebulae .... 174 



The Utilisation of Condemned Army Boots .... 175 



The Organisation of Engineering Training . . . 175 



The Offspring of Deaf Parents .176 



The Utility of the Useless. By Dr. O. Charnock 



Bradley 176 



University and Educational Intelligence .... 178 



Societies and Academies 179 



Books Received 180 



Diary of Societies 180 



ST. 



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



Advertisements and business letters to be addressed to the 

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Editorial Communications to the Editor. 

 Telegraphic Address : Phusis, London. 



NO. 2505, VOL. 100] 



Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



