November 6, 19 19] 



NATURE 



271 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, October 6.— M. L^on Guignard 

 in the chair. — H. Deslandres : Remarlcs on the con- 

 stitution of the atom and the properties of band 

 spectra. A continuation of communications previously 

 made on the same subject. Band spectra may be con- 

 sidered as being formed of transversal and longitudinal 

 vibrations, but the exact part of the spectrum which 

 can be attributed to the one or the other of these 

 cannot as yet be precisely determined. — G. Charpy and 

 J. Durand : A cause of rupture of steel rails and a 

 means of suppressing it. It has been proved bv several 

 observers that a frequent cause of breakage of steel 

 rails, not possessing any local faults due to manu- 

 facture, consists in the formation of verv fine fissures 

 appearing on the surface carrying the wheel after a 

 certain period of use, and it has been proposed that, 

 after a careful inspection of the permanent way, these 

 fissured rails should be detected and removed. The 

 critical age of steel rails appears to be about ten years. 

 The author has found that the incipient cracks are 

 removed by annealing, and suggests a method by 

 which it would be possible to anneal the rails without 

 . removal from the track. — E. Ariis : The equation of 

 state of ethyl formate. — G. A. Boulenger : The genus 

 Sapheeosaurus, a Rhynchocephalian of the Kimmeridge 

 formation of Cerin. The examination of the speci- 

 mens at the Lyons Museum leads the author to agree 

 with the views of L. Lortet as to the classification of 

 this reptile, as opposed to the interpretation of 

 D. M. S. Watson. — N. E. Norlund : An extension of 

 the polynomials of Bernoulli. — M. Stoilow : The 

 analytical representation of functions of several com- 

 plex variables. — G. Serf : The transformations of linear 

 partial differential equations with two independent 

 variables. — J. Rey : The experimental predetermina- 

 tion in the laboratory of the characteristic of a light- 

 house at the horizon. The distribution of the light 

 intensity in the horizontal plane is studied by means 

 of a series of metallic screens, pierced with a regular 

 series of small holes of accurately known diameter. 

 The results of such a study are shown in a graph. — 

 Ch. Bouiin and L. J- Simon: The action -of stannic 

 chloride on dimethyl sulphate. The products of the 

 reaction at a temperature of aVout 114° C, the boiling 

 point of stannic chloride, are methyl chloride and 

 stannic sulphate. 



Sydxky. 

 Linnean Society of New South Wales, .August 27. — 

 Mr. J. J. Fletcher, president, in the chair. — W. W. 

 Froggatt ; A new species of wax scale [Ceroplastes 

 murrayi) from New Guinea. The author describes a 

 wax scale found on the wild mango in the forests 

 fringing the Kikori River, Delta Division, British 

 New Guinea. The scale, for which the name Cero- 

 plastes mmrayi is proposed, produces a solid mass of 

 hard, white, wax-like secretion, forming a rounded 

 dome over the resting gravid female coccid. The 

 characters of the female are described. Male un- 

 known. — G. F. Hill : Australian Stratiomyidae 

 (Diptera), with description of new species. Six 

 new species are prouosed, belonging to the genera 

 -Retina, Hermetia, Odontomvia, Sargus, and Wal- 

 lacea, two of these genera (Hermetia and Wallacea) 

 not having previously been recorded from .Australia. — 

 J. Mitcliell : Two new Trilobltes from Bowning, 

 N..S.W. The Trilobite described in this paper under 

 the name of Dalmanitcs (Hausmaunia) loomiesi was 

 formerly joined with Hausmannia (Dalmaniles) meri- 

 diaiius, Etheridge and Mitchell. The examination of 

 additional and much better specimens has shown that 

 the two forms are specifically distinct, and accordingly 



NO. 2610, VOL. 104] 



each of the two forms originally described under the 

 name H. meridianus has now been given specific 

 rank. The cephalic characters of the other Trilobite 

 proved to be so unusual that the writer deemed it 

 advisable to propose a new genus (Adastocephalum) 

 of the Phacopidae for its reception. The chief generic 

 feature in the genotype is the absence of glabellar 

 furrows and lobes. — A. A. Hamilton : An ecological 

 study of the salt-marsh vegetation in the Port Jackson 

 district. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, November 6. 



RovAL Society (jointly with the Royal Astronomical Society), at 4..^o. 

 —Sir Frank Dyson, Prof Eddingtnn, and Others : Discussion on the 

 Resuhs of the Observations obtained at the Total Solar Eclipse on May 29, 

 7Q19. 



Linnean Society, at 5. 



RovAL College of Physicians, at 5.— Dr, A. P. Reddard : Some Remarks 

 on Chronic Arthritis (Bradshaw Lecture). 



Chemical Society, »( 8.— F. G. Donnan and W. E. Gamer: Equilibra 

 across a Copper Ferrocvanide and an Amyl Alcohol Membrane.— 

 R. R. Le G. W orslev and P. W. Robertson : The Peroxides of Bismuth. 

 — T. M. Lowry and R. G. Early : The Properties of Ammonium Nitrate. 

 Part I. The Freezing-point and Transition-iemperatur^-s.—R. H. Vernon : 

 Organic Derivatives of Tellurium. Part I. Dimethyl-telluronium-di-iodide. 

 —J. Reilly and W. J. Hickinboitom: Intiamolerular rearrangement of the 

 Alkylarylamine. Formation of 4-amino-«-butvlbenzene. — H. Swann : A 

 New Modification of 3:4-DinitrndtmethylaniUne — G. Le Bas : (i) The 

 Refrartivities of Un.'^aturated Substances ; (2) The Molecular Refractions 

 of Benzene and Arr>matic Derivatives.— R. R. Baxter and R. G. Far g her : 

 Some i:3-Benzodiazolearsini[: Acid's and their Reduction Products. 



Royal Society of Meduink CObstetrlcs and Gynaecology Section), at 8. 

 —Dr. D. Robinson : The Role of the Cinematograph in the Teaching of 

 Obstetrics (Cinematograph Demonstration).— Dr. H. Spencer : Nine Cases 

 of Inversion of the Uterus. 



FRfDAY^ November 7. 

 Royal Society of Mi-uicine (La'-vngologySection), at 4. 

 RovAi. A-;tronomicat, Society (Geophysical Committee), at 5. — Col. 



Sir S. G. BurrarJ, Prof. A. E. H. Love, and Others : Discussion on 



Isostasv. 

 TErHNicAL Inspection Associ.'\tio\- (at Royal Society of Arts), at 7.30.— 



Prof. Baly : The Spectroscope in the Science of To-day. 

 Royal Society of Mfijicine (AnEctht-tirs Section), at B.30.— Dr F. E. 



Shipway : Intratracheal Insufflation of Ether in Operations which involve 



Bleeding into the Air l*assages. 



MONDAY, NuVEMHPR 10. 

 RoYAi. Geo<;raphical Society (at Kensington Gore, S.W.7), at 5.— 



Lt.-Col. G. A. Beazeley : Surveying in Mesopotamia during the War. 

 Biochemical Society (at King's College), at 5.30. 

 Royal Society of Mrdicink (War Section), at 5.30 — Surg.-Rear-Admiral 



Sir Robert Hill : Presidential Address. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Graduates' Association, 



at 8. — F. M. Green : Modern Steam Turbine's. 

 Surveyors' Institution, at 8.— A. Young: Pre.sident's Opening Address. 



TUESDAY, November h. 

 Royal College of Physicians, at s-— Dr. E. G.Browne: The Origins 



and Development of Arabian Medicine. 1. The Translations (VII.-IX. 



Cent.). (FitzPatrick Lecture.) 

 Royal Anthropological Insiitute, at 8 15.— S. Hazzledine Warren : 



A Stone-axe Factory at Penmaenmawr. 



WEDNESDAY, November 12. 

 Conjoint Boaro of Scn;.>JTiFic Societies {at Royal Society), at 5. — 



Discussion of Draft Report on the Metric Svstem. 

 Royal Aeronautical Society (at Royal Society of Arts), at 8.— 



C. A. Swan: Some Physical and Psychical^Effects of Altitude. 



THURSDAY, Novemuek m. 



Royal Society, at 4. -.o. — Probable Papers: Prof. W. P.. Bottomley : The 

 Fffect of Nitro£en-fixin2 Organisms and Nucleic Acid Derivatives on 

 Plant Growth.— W. Robinson : The Microscopical Features o' 

 Mechanical S' rains in Timber and the Bearine of these on the Structure 

 of the Cell-\v-l! in Plants.— Agnes Arber : 'I he Vegetative Mornhologv of 

 Pistia and the I emnaceze.— Lt. Col. R. MrCarrison: The Genesis ot 

 fEdema in Beri-heri.— W. J. Young, A. BreinI, J. J. Harris, and 

 W. A. Osborne: EfTect of Exercise and Humid Heat upon Pulse Rate. 

 Blood Pressure. Rodv Temperature, and Blood Cou'-entrat on. 



Royal College of Physicians, at 5. — Dr. E. G. Browne : The Origins 

 and Devei'^pment of Arabian Medicine : II. l"'ourGreat Medical Writers 

 of Persia (IX. -XL Cent.). (FitzPatrick Lecture.) 



Institution of Electrical Engineehs (.^t Institution of Civil 

 Engineer';), at 6.— Roger T. Smith : Presidential Inaugural Address. 



Oi'TicAL Society, at 7,30, 



FRIDAY^ November 14. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. 

 Royal Society of Medicine (Clinical Section), at 1;. 

 Physical Society, at 5.— S. Butterworth : The Self-Inductance of Single 



Layer Flat Coils.— Dr. N. W. McLachlan : An Experimental Method 



of Determining the Primary Current at Break in a Magneto.— F. H. 



Newman : Note on a Modified Form of the Wehnelt Interruptor. (With 



Demonstration.) 



SATURDAY, November 15. 

 Physiological Society (at London* School of Medicine for Women), at 



4. 30. 



