38o 



NATURE 



[January io, 191 8 



suits are tabulated hi three groups showing the num- 

 ]>er of . spots, their distribution in latitude, and the 

 distribution of the faculae in latitude.— M. Philippon ; 

 The manufacture of silica bricks. A summary of the 

 conclusions resulting from researches made at the 

 Dunes factory during 1916 and 1917. Full details will 

 be given in a latGr communication. The bricks now 

 being made melt at about 1780" C, and have up to 

 the present supported 200 melts in the Martin furnace. 



Ph. Glangeaud : The geology of the neighbourhood of 



Bort (Corrt'ze).— Ph. Flajolet : Disturbances of the 

 magnetic meridian at Lyons (Saint-Genis-Layal) dur- 

 ing the second quarter of 1917.— P. Guerin : The 

 stamen and the development of the pollen of the sages. 

 — L. Daniel : Heredity of the abbreviation of develop- 

 ment in the cultivated carrot and beet. — R. Sou^ges : ' 

 The embryogeny of the Alismaceae.--J. Laborde : The 

 constitution of the fixed acidity^of healthy and disease,d 

 wines. — E. Kayser : Contribution to the study of 

 alcoholic ferments.— L. Mencifire : Physiological pro- 

 perties and medico-surgical applications of guaiacol 

 and benzoic acid. These two substances, associated 

 with other substances of the aromatic series, have 

 powerful antiseptic properties, and the advantage 

 of not being toxic to the cell. Examples of their ap- 

 plication in practice are given. — G. A. Le Roy : The 

 photographic analysis of fresh and preserved eggs. 



BOOKS RECEIVED, 



French Scientific Reader. Edited, with Introduc- 

 tion, Notes, and Vocabulary, by Dr. F. Daniels. Pp. 

 xvi + 748. (New York and London : Oxford University 

 Press.) I05. 6d. net. 



Tommy Smith at the Zoo. By E. Selous. Pp. vii + 

 183 + 8 illustrations. (London : Methuen and Co., Ltd.) 

 IS. gd. net. 



How to Enlighten our Children. By Dr. "M. Schar- 

 lieb. Pp. 202. (London : Williams and Norgate.) 

 3s. 6d. net. 



A Course of Pure Geometry, containing a Complete 

 Geometrical Treatment of the Properties of the Conic 

 Sections. By Dr. E. H. Askwith. New edition. Pp. 

 xi + 284. (Cambridge: At the University Press.) 

 ys. 6d. net. 



The Historical Register of the University of Cam- 

 bridge. Edited by Dr. J. R. Tanner. Pp." xii+ii86. 

 (Cambridge : At the University Press.) 12s. 6d. net. 



Cambridge Essays on Education. Edited by Dr. 

 A. C. Benson. Pp. xix + 232. {Cambridge: At the 

 University Press.) 75. 6d. net. 



Elements of Constructive Philosophy. By Dr. J. S. 

 Mackenzie. Pp. 487. (London : G. Allen and Unwin, 

 Ltd.) 125. 6d. net. 



The Principles of Audosis and Clinical Methods for 

 its Study. By A. W. Sellards. Pp. vi + 117. (Cam- 

 bridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press.) 45. net. 



The Fishing Village and other Writings. Bv W. 

 Omer-Cooper. Pp.184. (Bournemouth : H. G. Com- 

 min.) 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDA Y, January io. 



Institution OF Electrical Engineers, at 6.-ElectricaI .Signalling and 

 Control on Railways : C. M. Jacobs. 



Mathematical Association (London Day Training College), at ii.— 

 Ihe Uses and Functions of a School Mathematical Library : Dr. W. P. 

 Milne.-Nomography : Dr. S. Brodetsky.-Some Suggestions for a 

 i'resentment of xMathematics m Closer Touch with Reality : G. Goodwill.— 

 At 2.30.— President's address : Mathematicx and Individuality: Prof. T. P. 

 Nunn.-Z)i^^««,<,«; The Position of Mathematics in the New Scheme of 

 nie Board of Education for Secondary Schools : Openers : W. D. Eggar, 

 P. Abbott, Miss J. Dow. 



NO. 2515, VOL. 100] 



FRIDAY, January ii. 



RovAL Geographical Society (Kensington Town Hall), at 3.30.— The Old 

 Life in Egypt : Miss Mary Brodrick. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. 



MONDAY, January 14. 



Faraday Society, .it 5.30. — Discussion : The Setting of Cements and 

 Plasters.— The Mechanism of the Setting Process in Plaster and Cement : 

 Dr. C. H. Desch.— Crystalloids ?/. Colloids in the Theory of Cements : Prof. 

 H. Le Chatelier.— The Theory of Setting : Prof. F. G. Donnan.-The Con- 

 stitution and Hydration of Portland Cement : A. A. Klein.— The Setting 

 and Hardening of Portland Cement : George A. Rankin. — The Setting of 

 Cement in its Relation to Engineering Structures : Bertram Blount. — 

 Note on the Colloidal Theory of Setting : John Rhodin.— The Effect 

 of the Addition of Suitable Slag on the Setting Properties of Portland, 

 Cement : E. H. Lewis and E. Deny. — Ancient and Modern Mortar : 

 W. J. Dibdin. 



TUESDAY, January 15. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Palestine and Mesopotamia : Prof. Flinders 

 Petrie. 



Illuminating Engineering Society, at 5.- Ten Years of Illuminating 

 Engineering; its Lessons and Future Prospects : L. Gaster. 



Institution of Petroleum Technologists, at 8.— The Petroleum 

 Industry of Rumania : Capt. T. S. Masterson. 



MiNERALOGiCAL SociETY, at 5.30.— Rock Diagrams : Dr. J. W. Evans.— 

 The Use of the Gnomonic Projection in the Calculation of Crystals : Dr. 

 G. F. Herbert Smith. 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5.15. — Urban Housing Problems: J. 

 Calvert Shensley. 



WEDNESDAY, January 16. 



Royal Meteorological Society, at 5. — Annual General Meeting. 



Royal Microscopical Society, at 8. — Presidential Address: The Royal 

 Microscopical Society during the Great War— and After : E. Heron- 

 Allen. 



Entomological Society, at 8.— Annual Meeting. 

 THURSDAY, January 17. 



Linnean Society, at 5.— (i) Restoration of the Head of Osteolepis; (2 

 Femur of Pterodactyl from the Stonesfield Slate: E. S. Goodrich.— Some 

 Early Cape Botanists : J. Britten.— A Hybrid Stachys : C. E. Salmon. 



Institution op Mining and Metallurgy, at 5.30. — The Incidence of 

 Taxation upon Metalliferous Mining in the British Isles : H. Louis. — 

 Molybdenum in Norway : E. R. Woakes. 



FRIDAY, January 18. 



Royal Institution, at 5,30.— Studies on Liquid Films : Sir James Dewar. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 6.— Traction on Bad Roads 



or Land : L. A. Legros.— Utility of Motor Tractors for Tillage Purposes : 



A. Amos. 



SATURDAY, January 19. 

 Roval Institution, at 3.— The Chemical Action of Light : Prof. W. J. 

 Pope. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



German Commercialism and the War. By Sir T. E. 



Thorpe, C.B., F.R.S 361 



Three American Books for Gardeners. By W. W, 362 



Analytical Dynamics. By G. H. B 363 



Our Bookshelf 364 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The January Meteors of 1918. — W, F. Denning ; 



Winifred L. Lockyer 365 



National Museums in Peril 365 



Sands for Glass Manufacture 368 



Organisation for Industrial Expansion in South 



Africa 368 



Notes ... .... 369 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Encke's Comet 372 



The Nearest Star Known . 372 



The Interior of a .Star 372 



The Viscosity of Slag at High Temperatures. By 



H. C. H. C. 



373 



The Learning Process in a Snail 374 



Screw Gauges ... 374 



Marine Biology . . . 37r 



The Development of British Agriculture and 



Fisheries . . * 37^ 



University and Educational Intelligence . . . . 377 



Societies and Academies 379 



Books Received 380 



Diary of Societies 380 



Editorial and Publishing Offices: 



MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd., 



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



Advertisements and business letters to be addressed to the 

 Publishers. 



Editorial Communications to the Editor 

 Telegraphic Address : Phusis, London. 

 Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



