844 



NATURE 



[August 26, 1920 



— L. Tonelli : Researches on primitive functions, iii. 

 — V. Sabatini.: Leucitic lavas of the volcano of Roc- 

 camonfina. This deals mainly with the composition 

 of the spurs, and particularly with the presence of 

 leucite. — B. Peyrouel : A parasite of the lupin, 

 Blepharospora terrestris. In December, 1919, plants 

 of lupin were received infected with this parasite 

 from Pantano and Pratolongo, near the Lake of 

 Regillo. It appears to kill the plants, completely 

 destroying the tubercles of the roots. The question 

 is raised as to whether the parasite is of American 

 origin, but the author considers it probably an in- 

 digenous type that has recently become destructive.- — 

 T. Levi-Civita : Harmonics in the neighbourhood of an 

 assigned function. The problem is reduced to the 

 determination of the Newtonian function having the 

 given function as its density.- — R. Perotti : Nitrogeji 

 of the cyanic group in manures. A contribution to 

 the determination of the mechanism of action of 

 cyanic nitrogen in vegetable nutrition and the condi- 

 tions for its utilisation.^ — M. Ascoli and A. Fagiuoli : 

 Sub-epidermic pharmacodynamic experiences, ii. The 

 action of nituitrin is discussed. The limit of reactivity 

 in normal subjects fluctuates about a dilution of 500. 

 — L. Cattolica : Obituary notice of G. Dalla Vedova, 

 professor of geography in the Universitv of Rome. — 

 Sig._ Baglioni : The life and work of the late Luigi 

 Luciani, professor of pathology at Parma from 1875 

 to 1880, and afterwards professor of physiology at 

 Siena, Florence, and Rome in succession. 



March 21. — F. D'Ovidio, president, in the chair. — 

 Q. Majorana : Gravitation, ix. Gravitation may be 

 partly absorbed by matter, and. this absorption may 

 give rise to heat. Bodies will then have tVk'o kinds 

 of mass, apparent and real, and the real density of 

 the sun will then be three times its apparent or 

 astronomical density. An experimental test is being 

 arranged at Turin for studying the action of 

 100 quintals of lead on a small central mass.— O. 

 Chisini : Contact of curves of diramation for an 

 algebraic function of two variables. — M. De Angelis : 

 Crystalline forms of nitrodichloroacetanilide. This sub- 

 stance is dimorphic, modifications a and jS both being 

 monoclinic and prismatic, the former with a:b:c = 

 1-1507: I : 1-1348 and /3=66° 23', the latter with the 

 values 1-5792 : I : 1-0952 and 62° 23-5'. The second 

 form is decidedly unstable, and when left in the 

 mother-solution, or even dried, it transforms in time 

 into an aggregate of crystals of the stable phase. — 

 R. Perotti : Measure^ of the ammoniating power of 

 soils. The best conditions for employing the method 

 of solutions are 10 c.c. solution of peptone of 1-5 per 

 cent, in test-tubes, adding 5 c.c. of a mixture formed 

 0/ 50 grams of earth in 500 grams of water ; cultiva- 

 tion for four days in a thermostat at 20^-25° C, and 

 determination of ammonia bv distillation on oxide of 

 magnesia.— M. Ascoli and A." Fagiuoli : Sub-epidermic 

 pharmacodynamic experiences, iii. Certain alkaloids, 

 such as atropine, pilocarpine, muscarine, physo- 

 stigmine,_ morphine, eserine, nicotine, cocaine, and 

 scopolamine, which offer a cutaneous reaction of 

 oedematogenous type, are referred to. 



Books Received. 



The Theory of Electric Cables and Networks. By 

 Dr. A. Russell. Second edition. Pp. x + 348. 

 (London : Constable and Co., Ltd.) 245. net. 



Wild Creatures of Garden and Hedgerow. By 

 Frances Pitt. Pp. ix+285. (London : Constable and 

 Co., Ltd.) 125. net. 



NO. 



2652, VOL. 105] 



Every Boy's Book of Geology. By Dr. A. E. True- 

 man and W. P. Westell. ' Pp. 315. (London: 

 R.T.S.) 6s. net/ 



The . Fall of the Birth-Rate. By G. Udny Yule. 

 Pp. 43. (Cambridge : At the University Press.) 4s. 

 net. 



Kritik der Abstammungslehre. By Prof. J. Reinke. 

 Pp. V+133. (Leipzig: j. A. Barth.) 13 marks. 



History of the Theory of Numbers. By Prof. L. E. 

 Dickson. Vol. ii., Diophantine Analysis. Pp. xxv-l- 

 803. (Washington: Carnegie Institution.) 



An Introduction to the Study of Hypnotism : 

 Experimental and Therapeutic. By Dr. H.E. Wing- 

 field. Second edition. Pp. viii+195. (London: Bail- 

 Here, Tindall, and Cox.) ys. 6d. net. 



Industrial Colonies and Village Settlements for the 

 Consumptive. By Sir German Woodhead and P. C. 

 Varrier-Jones. Pp. xi+151. (Cambridge: At the 

 University Press.) 105. 6d. net. 



A Handbook of Physics and Chemistry.' By H. E. 

 Corbin and A. M. Stewart. Fifth edition. Pp. viii + 

 496. (London : J. and A. Churchill.) 155. net. 



CONTENTS. p 



The Forthcoming Census 



Prof. Alexander's Gifford Lectures. By the Right 



Hon. Viscount Haldane 



Principles and Practice of Surveying. 



797 



798 



By Lt.-Col. 



H. S. Winterbotham Sqi 



Australian Hardwoods. By A. B. J 802 



The Columbian Tradition. ByJ. L. E. D S03 



Our Bookshelf 8o4 



Letters to the Editor: — 



University Grants. — Prof. W. H. Perkin. F. R.S. . 805 

 Use of Sumner Lines in Navigation. ( Wit A Diagram. ) 



—Dr. John Ball 806 



Relativity and Hyperbolic Space. — Prof. Alex. 



McAulay 808 



The Antarctic Anticyclone. — R. M. Deeley . . 808 

 A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes. {Illus- 



■ trated.) By Prof. Robert H. Goddard ?09 



New Aspects in the Assessment of Physical 



Fitness. By Dr. F. G. Hobson 8r2 



Oceanography and the Sea-Fisheries. Presidential 

 Address to the British Association. By Prof. 

 W. A. Herdman, C.B.E., D.Sc, Sc.D., LL.D., 



F.R.S. 813 



Summaries of Addresses of Presidents of Sections 



of the British Association 825 



The British Association at Cardiff. By R. V. S. . 830 

 Sir Norman Lockyer's Contributions to Astro- 

 physics. By Prof. A. Fowler, F.R.S 831 



Notes' 834 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Discovery of a Nova in Cygnus 838 



Parallax of the B-type Star Boss 1517 838 



Publications of the Astronomical Laboratory at 



Groningen, No. 29 838 



Universities, Research, and Brain Waste 839 



The Sun as a Weather Prophet. By W. W. B. . . 839. 

 Cotton Industry Research ..... ... 840 



Sugar Cultivation in India. By Dr. W. E, Brenchley 840 

 University and Educational Intelligence .... 841 



Societies and Academies 842 



Books Received . , 844 



