3AO 



NATURE 



[December 27, 1917 



Royal Meteorological Society, December 19. — Major 

 H. G. Lyons, president, in the chair. — P. Bolton : The 

 computat;on of wind velocity from pilot balloon ob- 

 servations. In this problem the required wind veloci- 

 ties occur as the bases of a succession of triangles in 

 which two sides, a, b, and the included angle C are 

 obtained by simple calculations from theodolite ob- 

 servations. To solve such triangles directly by the 

 ordinary slide-rule method, the two numbers a, h on 

 the logarithmic scale must be brought into coincidence 

 on the logarithmic sine scale with two angles differ- 

 ing by the magnitude of the angle C. When this has 

 been done the other elements of the triangle can be 

 read off directly. The paper suggests a means of re- 

 ducing the labour of setting the scales. A prepared 

 chart of logarithmic sine curves is used, which in 

 effect takes the place of the logarithmic sine scale of 

 the slide rule. The other scales are rearranged with 

 the view of reducing "the arithmetical work involved 

 in the complete solution of the problem.— E. G. 

 Bilham : The use of monthly mean values in climato- 

 logical analysis. The objects of the paper are : — (i) 

 To determine to what extent computations based on 

 calendar monthly mean values are vitiated by the fact 

 that the latter are of unequal length ; and (2) to pro- 

 vide means of applving numerical corrections on 

 account of errors arising from this cause. The mean 

 month is defined as an exact one-twelfth division of 

 the year, or 30-437 days, and that period is used as the 

 standard to which the results derived from the actual 

 months are reduced. The matter is of special interest 

 in connection with the computation of Fourier co- 

 eflRcients to represent the seasonal variation of a 

 meteorological element such as temperature. Regard- 

 ing the 3'ear as a cycle of 360°, errors arise from the 

 fact that the monthly mean values will in general 

 differ by small amounts from the ordinates of the curve 

 corresponding with 15°, 45°, etc. The corrections to be 

 aoplied to the original monthly means and to the 

 Fourier amplitudes have been determined. The use 

 of these corrections is suggested as an alternative to 

 the emplovment of five-day means in cases where 

 special accuracy is required. 



Calcutta. 

 Asiatic Society of Bengal, November 7.— Sir Charles 

 Eliot : Zoological results of a tour in the Far East. 

 Molliisca nitdibranchiata (ascoglossa). The author 

 describ'es a new species of Stiliger remarkable in the 

 possession of pointed oral tentacles and tentacular 

 prolongations of the foot. The species was found in 

 pools of brackish water at the edge of the Tal^ Sap, 

 or inland sea of Singgora, in Peninsular Siam. — S. 

 Kemp : Zoological results of a tour in the Far East. 

 Decapoda and Stomatopoda. In the course of his tour 

 in Japan, China, and the Malay Peninsula Dr. 

 Annandale obtained eightv-five species of Decapoda 

 and Stomatoooda. Considered as a whole, the main 

 interest of this large collection lies in the fact that all 

 the species were obtained in fresh or brackish water. 

 Little attention has hitherto been paid to the habitat 

 of Decapoda, and, as a rule, no indication is to be 

 found in the literature as to whether a species inhabits 

 fresh, brackish, or salt water. Dr. Annandale's col- 

 lection supplies precise information on this point, and 

 shows that a surprisingly large number of forms have 

 been able to establish themselves in water that is fresh 

 or of greatly reduced salinity. — Karm Chand Mehta : 

 Some observations and experiments on the rust on 

 Launea asplenifolia, D.C. The cause of rust on this 

 plant is Puccinia hutteri. The author has had diseased 

 plants under his observation for a year. He describes 

 the habit and behaviour of the parasite and host, and 

 discusses some microscopic details of the parasite. 

 NO. 2513, VOL. 100] 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Creative Psychics : The .\rt of Regeneration. By F. 

 Henkel. Pp.' 81. (Los Angeles: Golden Press.) 25 

 cents. 



A Text-book of Inorganic Chemistry. Edited by 

 Dr. J. Newton Friend. Vol. iv., Aluminium and its 

 Congeners, including the Rare Earth Metals. By 

 H. F. V. Little. Pp. xx + 485. (London: C. Griffin 

 and Co., Ltd.) 155. net. 



The Cause, Prevention, and Treatment of Cancer 

 and other Diseases. By Lt.-Col. W. H. Hildebrand. 

 Pp. viii-n63. (London : Cole and Co.) 



James Geikie : The Man and the Geologist. By Dr. 

 M. I. Newbigin and Dr. J. S. Flett. Pp. xi-t-227. 

 (Edinburgh : Oliver and Boyd ; London : Gurney and 

 Jackson.) js. 6d. net. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



5^ ri//?Z'/4K, December 29. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Electricity and Electric Currents : Prof. J. A. 

 Fleming. 



TUESDAY, January i. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.^ — The Electric Current as a Heater and Chemist : 

 Prof. J. A. Fleming. 



THURSDAY, January 3. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Electricity as an Illuminator and Doctor 



Prof. J. A. Fleming. 

 Child Study Association, at 5.30. — Disciission : The Education of the 

 Clever Child : Openers : G. F. Daniell and Miss M. Berryman. 

 SATURDAY, January 5. 

 Royal Institution, at •». — Electric Dynamos, Motors, Transformers, and 

 Railways: Prof. J. A. Fleming. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Education and Organised Thought. By E. W. H. 321 



The Fundus Oculi of Birds 322 



A Naturalist in Costa Rica . 323 



Our Bookshelf 324 



Letters to the Editor:— 



Labyrinths in English Churches. — Rev. C. S. Taylor 324 



An Optical Phenomenon. — Dr. F. J. Allen 324 

 A Traveller in Lapland. {Ilhistrated.) By Prof. 



Grenville A. J. Cole, F.R.S. ... ... 325 



Stellar Dynamics and Statistical Mechanics. By 



H. S. Jones .... 326 



Prof. Franklin P. Mall 328 



Notes 328 



Our Astronomical Column '.— 



Comets 332 



Union Observatory, Johannesburg 332 



New Zealand Astronomical Tables 332 



Development and Uses of the Static Electrical 



Machine 332 



The Asiatic Society of Bengal 333 



New French Magnetic Charts By Dr. C. Chree, 



F.R.S ... 334 



Rainfall in Norway during igi6. By R. C. M. . . . 334 



Plant Diseases in the West Indies 335 



Mineral Nomenclature and Colour . . . 335 



A Village Community in Papua. By Sidney H. Ray 335 



Oil Prospects in the British .Isles 336 



Experiments on Tribo-electricity .... 336 

 The Relation between Chemical Constitution and 



Physiological Action. By Dr. F. L. Pyman . . . 337 



University and Educational Intelligence .... 338 



Societies and Academies 338 



Books Received 340 



Diary of Societies ... 340 



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Advertisements and business letters to be addressed to the 

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Editorial Communications to the Editor. 

 Telegraphic Address : Phusis, London. 

 Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



