440 



NATURE 



[January 31, 19 18 



of the sea is the supersaturated solution of CaCOj, 

 and it is only necessary to introduce calcite crystals in 

 order to cause precipitation of this substance. — H. J. 

 Muller : An Oinothera-like case in Drosophila. Report 

 of an extended series of experiments, showing that it 

 will not do to accept evidence apparently in favour 

 of factor inconstancy without the support of highly 

 rigorous factorial analysis. — A. G. Mayer : Is death 

 from high temperature due to the accumulation of acid 

 in the tissues ? Death is probably due to the formation 

 of acid rather than to coagulation of proteid sub- 

 stances. 



VicrouiA. 

 Royal Society, November 8, 1917.— Prof. VV. A. 

 Osborne, president, in the chair. — R. S. Rogers : Chilo- 

 glottis pescottiana, sp. nov. The species was found at 

 Tallangatta, and is distinguished from others of the 

 genus in the distribution of the calli and the form of 

 the labellum. — Miss N. C. B. Allen : Magnetic deflec- 

 tion of rays; tabulation of v against RH, assuming 

 Laurentz theory. — F. Chapman : The occurrence of 

 Acrotreta in Lower Palaeozoic (Lancefieldian and 

 Heathcotian) shales. The discovery of this genus in 

 Victoria further supports the conclusion as to the 

 Upper Cambrian age of the Heathcotian and asso- 

 ciated beds. The new species is related to A. belli 

 from the Lower Tremadoc of North Wales and to 

 A. transversalis of the St. John Group, New Bruns- 

 wick.^ — F. Chapman : An apparently new type of Ceta- 

 cean tooth from the Tertiary of Tasmania. Scaptodon 

 lodderi is represented by a flattened conical tooth with 

 a small beve'led crown, which is otherwise allied to 

 teeth of the Physeter type. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Solectrics : A Theory explaining the Causes of Tem- 

 pests, Seismic and Volcanic Disturbances, and other 

 Natural Phenomena : How to Calculate their Time 

 and Place. Bv A. J. Cooper. Pp. 213. (London: 

 J. D. Potter.) ' 6s. 



Ambulance de 1 'Ocean. La Panne la Prothese du 

 Membre Inf^rieur. By Dr. F. Martin. Pp. viii+107. 

 (Paris : Masson et Cie.) 5 francs. 



The Philosophy of Benedetto Croce. The Problem 

 of Art and History. By Dr. H. Wildon Carr. Pp. 

 X + 213. (London : Macmillan and Co., I^td.) '/s. 6d. 

 net. 



Notions d'Acoustique. Instruments de Musique ; le 

 Telharmonium. By J. Rodet. Pp. 96. , (Paris : 

 Gauthier-Villars et Cie.) 3.50 francs. 



The Scientist's Reference Book and Diary, 1918. 

 (Manchester: J. Woolley, Sons, and Co., Ltd.)" 2s. 6d. 



Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. Report on the 

 Physical Welfare of Mothers and Children. Scotland. 

 Vol. iii. Pp. xxviii4-625-f illustrations. (Dunferm- 

 line : Carnegie U.K. Trust.) 



Third Melbourne General Catalogue of 3068 Stars 

 for the Equinox 1890, from Observations made at Mel- 

 bourne Observatory during the Period 1884-87 to 

 1894-1900. Pp. viii + 77. (Melbourne: A. J. MuUett.) 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Fanuary 31. 



ROVAL Society, at 4.30.— The Growth of Trees: A. Mallock.— Action of 

 Light Ravs on Organic Compounds, and the Photosynthesi'; of Organic 

 from Inorganic Compounds in Presence of Inorganic Colloids : Prof. B. 

 Moore and T. A. Webster.— The Isolation and Serological Differeniiat'on 

 of Bacillus ietnni: Capt. W. J. Tulloch.— An Investigation into the 

 Periodicity of Measles Epidemics in the Different Districts of London for 

 the years 1890-1912 : Dr. J. Rrownlee. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Revolving Fluid and the Weather Map : Sir 

 Napier Shaw. 



FRIDAY, February i. 



Royal Institution, at 5.30.— Gravitation and the Principle of Relativity : 

 Prof. A. S. Eddington. 



SATURDAY, Februarv 2. 



RovAL Institution, at 3.— The Ethics of thft War : P. H. Loyson. 



MONO A Y, February 4. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30.— High-temperature Processes and Pro- 

 ducts : C. R. Darling. 



Aristotelian Society, at 8.— -The Theory of a Limited Deity : Bishop 

 of Down. 



TUESDAY, February 5. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Problems of British Anthropology : Prof. 

 A. Keith. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30. — The Industrial Resources of South 

 Africa : C. du P. Chiappini. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 5.30.— The West Quay of Madras 

 Harbour: The Hon. Sir Francis J. E. Spring and Hugh H. G. Mitchell. 



RoNTGEN Society, at 8.15. — A Simple Means of Obtaining "Static 

 Currents" from an Induction Coil: Dr. G. B. Batten. — A Mobile Snook 

 Apparatus: E. E. Burnside. 



Zoological Society, at 5.30.— Notes on the Dingo in Australia : T. E. 

 Whitehead.— Notes on the Skull of Raua tigrina: Prof. B. L. Bhatta 

 and Baini Prashad. — Description of a New Snake of the Genus Oligodon, 

 from Upper Burma : G. A. Boulenger.— A New and a Rare Species of the 

 Golden Mole (Bematiscus) : Dr. B. Broom. 



WEDNESDAY, Februarv 6. 



Royal Society of Arts, .it 4.30.— The Development of the Mineral 

 Resources of the Empire : Prof. W. Frecheville. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 5.— Annual General Meeting.— A Modi- 

 fied Acetic Acid Reagent for Valenta Tests: K. K. Paikes. — Giticica Oil — 

 a New Drying Oil : E. Richards Bolton and Cecil Revis. 



Geological Society, at 5.30. 



Entomological Society, at 8. 



THURSDA V, Ffbruary 7. 



Royal Society, at \.-i.o.— Probable Papers: The Photo-Electric Action 

 of X-rays: Prof. O. W. Richardson.— The Parent of Actinium : F. Soddy 

 and J. A. iCranston. — The Absorption of the Radiation Emitted by a 

 Palladium Anticathode in Rhodium, Palladium, and Silver : E. A. Owen. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Illusions o^ the Atmosphere : The Travelling 

 Vortex and the Cyclonic Depression : Sir Napier Shaw. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 6. — Ninth Kelvin Lecture : 

 Kelvin as a Teacher : Prof. M. Maclean. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 5. — Two Bibliographical Rarities of the Society's 

 Library: (a)-Cupani, F., " Panphyton siculum," 1713; (A) Du Gort, 

 J. and P., -'L'Histoire et Pourtrait des Plantes," Lyon, 1561 : The 

 General Secretary. — Plant Distribution from the Standpoint of an Idealist : 

 H. P. Guppy. 



FRIDAY. February 8. 



Royal Institution, at 5.30.— Science and Ethics: Principal E. H. 

 GrifTiths. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. — Anniversary Meeting. 

 .S-.^ r 6^;? Z>/1K, February 9. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— 'J'he Ethics of the War : P. H. Loyson. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Some Chemical Manuals 421 



The World's Wheat Supply. By T. B. W 422 



The Problem of Human Instinct. By H. W. C. . . 423 



Our Bookshelf 424 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The East and West Asymmetry of Solar Prominences. 



— J- L .... 425 



Carnolite Ores and the Supply of Radium. — Prof. 



Bertram B. Boltwood ; J. H. Gaidiner 425 



The Growth of Conifers.— Prof. T. D. A, Cockerell 426 



The Outlook in French A giiculture 426 



Sir John Wolfe Barry, K.C.B., F.R.S 427 



Dr. William Greerwell, F.R.S 428 



Miss Ethel Sargant 428 



Notes . 429 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Planet Saturn 433 



Unit of Stellar Distance 433 



Relativity and Shifts of Fraunhofer Lines 433 



The " Annuaire Asfronomique " for 1918 . . . 433 

 Paris Academy of Sciences : Prizes Proposed for 



the Year igig ... ... 433 



Glass Technology . . . . . 434 



X-Rays and the War. By Capt. G. W. C. Kaye . 435 



University and Educational Intelligence 438 



Societies and Academies . . 438 



Books Received 440 



Diary of Societies 440 



Editonal and Publishing Offices : 



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ST. 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. 2518, VOL. 100] 



Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



