72 



NA TURE 



[May 19, 1S98 



Bouvier and II. Fischer. — On the structure and evolution of 

 the protoplasm of the Mucorinacete, by M. L. Matruchot. — On 

 the resistance of seeds to immersion in water, by M. Henri 

 Coupin. Seeds differ greatly in their resistance to water, some 

 living about the same time whether the water be renewed or 

 not, others dying much sooner in the latter case. — Contributions 

 to the knowledge of volcanic rocks in the French Alps, by MM. 

 W. Kilian and P. Termier. — On a quaternary tufa recognised at 

 Montigny, near Vernon, by M. Gustave F.Dollfus. — On the land- 

 slip of Saint-Pierrede-Livron, and the infiltration of layers of tufa, 

 by M. E. A. Martel. — Embryological notes on the migration of 

 spinal ganglia, by M. A. Cannieu. — Contribution to the study 

 of the albumenoid materials contained in cereal and leguminous 

 flours, by M. E. Fleurent. — On the periods of treatment of black 

 rot in the south-east of France. — A local magnetic pole in 

 Europe, note by M. Mascart. M. Leist, of Moscow, has dis- 

 covered at Kotchetovka, a village in the province of Koursk, a 

 local magnetic pole where the magnetic needle stands vertically. 

 A distance of 20 metres from this spot sufiflces to change the 

 angle of dip by 1°. — Earthquake of May 6, 1898, communicated 

 by M. Loewy. 



St. Louis. 



Academy of Science, April 18.— Mr. Carl Kinsley read a 

 paper on series dynamo electric machines. He showed, by the 

 results of tests of machines, that the relations between electro- 

 motive force, current, and speed can be represented by a surface. 

 This is easily done, since for widely different currents, and for 

 both dynamos and motors, the total induced electromotive force 

 is strictly proportional to the speed when the current is constant. 

 He stated that Frolich's empirical equation can be used to repre- 

 sent large portions of this surface, as suggested by Prof. F. E. 

 Nipher. It was stated that the way in which a series motor 

 will operate from a series generator can be predetermined ; and, 

 for cases reported, it was shown that computed results, through- 

 out the complete range of working conditions, gave an average 

 agreement with observed results to within 0*05 per cent. The 

 method explained in the paper enables an engineer to design 

 «uch a power transmission circuit accurately from shop tests of 

 the machinery, and to operate the series motor at constant 

 speed under all loads. It was shown that the resistance of the 

 generator does not vary with the speed. This makes it possible 

 to use a small series generator as a speed indicator, and so 

 obtain instantaneous values of engine speeds from the voltmeter 

 ■or ammeter readings, if the resistance of the outside circuit is 

 kept constant. The practicability of this method of determining 

 engine speeds was fully shown by the results reported in the 

 paper. — Prof. J. H. Kinealy made some informal remarks on 

 the ventilation of schools, and by means of a number of 

 stereopticon views showed the different methods adopted for 

 supplying the air required to the different rooms of school- 

 houses. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, May 19. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Heat : Lord Rayleigh. 



Chemical Society, at 8. — The Action of Formaldehyde on Amines of the 

 Naphthalene Series : G. T. Morgan. — On the Constitution of Oleic Acid 

 and its Derivatives, Part I. : F. G. Edmed. 



FRIDA Y, May 20. 



JioYAL United Service Institution, at 3 — Experiences with Rontgen 



Apparatus in Afghanistan': Surgeon-Major Beevor. 



SA TURD A Y, May 21. 



RovAL Institution, at 3. — Biology of Spring : J. Arthur Thomson. 



Geologists' Association (Paddington Station, G.W.R.), at 1.40. — 



Excursion to Penn and Coleshill. Director : W. P. D. Stebbing. 

 Essex Field Club (at Chingford), at 7.— On the Preparation of Marine 

 Animals as Transparent Lantern Slides : Dr. H. C. Sorby, F.R.S. 

 MONDA Y, May 23. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — Electric Traction : Prof. Carus Wilson. 

 Roval Geographical Society, at 3.— Anniversary Meeting. 



TUESDA K, May 24. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — The Goldfields of British Columbia : W. Hamil- 

 ton Merritt. 

 Linnean Society, at 3.— Anniversary Meeting. 

 R'iyal Victoria Hall, at 8.30.— Wood : Prof H. Marshall Ward, 



THURSDA Y, May 26. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Heat : Lord Rayleigh. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers at 8. 



NO. 1490, VOL. 58] 



FRIDA I', May 27. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— Sir Stamford Raffles and the Malay States : 

 Lieut. -General the Hon. Sir Andrew Cl.-^rke. 



Physical Society, at 5. — A Simple Interference Method of Reducin;; 

 Prismatic Spectra: Mr. Edser and Mr. Butler —Some further Experi- 

 ments on the Circulation of the Residual Gaseous Matter in Cro jkes' 

 Tubes: Campbell Swinton. 



SATURDAY, May 28. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— -The Biology of Spring : J. Arthur Thomson. 

 Geologists' Association (Liverpool Sneet Station, G.E.R.). at 11 45.—- 



Long Excursion to Aldeburgh and We<;t!eton. Directors : W. Whitaker, 



F.R.S., F. W. Harmer, and E. P. Ridley. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Praktikumder Wissenschaftlichen Phot igraphie: Dr. C. Kaiser- 

 ling (Berlin, Schmidt). — Industrial Electricity : translated and adapted from 

 the French of H. de Graffigny, and edited by A. G. Elliott (Whittaker).— 

 Alternating Currents of Electrcity : A. Still (Whittaker). —The Angora 

 Goat : S. C. Cronwright Schreiner (Longmans) —Scientific Method in 

 Biology: Dr. E. Blackwell (E. Stock).— Report of Investigations on the 

 Life History of Salm .n (GU-isgow).— Supplement to the Bibliography of 

 Algeria from the Earliest Times to 1895: Sir R. L. Playfair (Murray),— 

 The Blood : how to examine and diagnose its Diseases : Dr. A. C. Coles 

 (Churchill).— Applied B.icteriology : T. H. Pearmain and C. G Moor, 2nd 

 edition (Bailliere).— Elementary Conies: Dr. W H. Besant (Bell).— 

 Examples in Analytical Conies for Beginners: W. M. Baker (Bell). — Five 

 Years in Siam : H. Warington Smyth, 2 Vols. (Murray).— De Danske 

 Barkbiller : E. A. Lovendal (Kjobenhavn, Det Schubotheske Forlag). 



Pamphlets.— West Florida and its Relation to the Historical Carto- 

 graphy of the United States (Baltimore).— Die Jungfraubahn Elektrischer 

 Betrieb und Bau : C. Wiist-Kunz ,^nd L. Thormann (Zurich, Fussli).— 

 Second Annual Report of the New York Zoological Society (New York).— 

 London County Council : Report of the Technical Education Board for 

 the Year 1897-98 (King) Light and Fire Making; H. C. Mercer 

 (Philadelphia, MacCalla).— Metric Equivalents of Imperial Weights and 

 Measures and Thermometric Equivalents {Pharmaceutical Journal 

 Office).— The Adulteration of Dairy Produce : R. H. Wallace (Edinburgh, 

 Anderson).— Kromscop Colour Photography : F. Ives (Photochromoscope 

 Synilicate). 



Serials.— Engineering Magazine, May (222 Strand) —Journal of the 

 Franklin Institute, May (Philadelphia).— American Journal of Science, 

 May (New Haven).— Bulletin de la Soci^te Imp^riale des Naturalistes de 

 Moscou, 1897, No. 3 (Moscou).— Notes from the Leyden Museum, 

 January (Leiden, Brill). Psychological Review, May (Macmillan).— 

 Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania for 1897 

 (Hobart). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Ambroise Pare, Surgeon to the King 49 



Cayley's Mathematical Papers. By G. B. M. ... 50 

 Our Book Shelf: — 



" An Elementary Course of Physics" . .51 



Battandier and Trabut : " L'Algerie. Le Sol et les 



Habitants, &c." 5^ 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Electric Light Wires as Telephonic Circuits.— Rev. 



F. J. Jervis-Smith, F.R.S 51 



Sub-Oceanic Terraces and River Channels off the 

 Coast of Spain and Portugal.— Dr. Edward Hull, 



F.R.S 51 



Bacteria on an Ancient Bronze Implement.— W. G. S. ; 



Dr. G. Lindsay Johnson 51 



Ebbing and Flowing Wells.— W. F. Sinclair ... 52 

 Technical High Schools— A Comparison. {Illus- 

 trated.) By Sir Philip Magnus 52 



The Science Buildings at South Kensington .... 54 



Liquid Hydrogen 55 



Notes 57 



Our Astronomical Column ; — 



Observations of Variable Stars 60 



Comet Perrine (March 19) 60 



France and International Time 60 



A New Long Period Variable 60 



The Royal Society's Conversazione 61 



The Present Position of some Cell Problems. 



{Illustrated.) By Prof. J. B. Farmer 63 



Vasco da Gama, By Sir Clements R. Markham, 



F.R.S 67 



University and Educational Intelligence 69 



Societies and Academies 7° 



Diary of Societies 72 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 72 



