I20 



NATURE 



[June 2, 1898 



measured. The correction for cooling must be measured with 

 great exactness. In the preliminary results quoted the values of 

 J lie between 422 and 426. ^On some experiments in submarine 

 acoustic telegraphy with the aid of a microphone, by M. E. 

 Hardy. — On the osmosis of liquids through a membrane of vul- 

 canised rubber, by M. G. Flusin. Since the measurement of 

 the limiting osmotic pressure could not be carried out with this 

 membrane, the velocity of the osmotic current was determined 

 from the liquid into ethyl alcohol. The amounts of liquid 

 absorbed by the rubber were also determined, but these figures 

 are not proportional to the velocities of osmosis. — Improvement 

 of over-exposed negatives, by M. Mercier. The plate is immersed 

 for two minutes in a solution of tartar emetic, dried and de- 

 veloped as usual with hydroquinone.— On an apparatus for 

 aerating boiled or distilled water, by M. Maillet. —Recapitulation 

 of the atomic weights calculated by the method of limited 

 densities, by M. Daniel Berthelot. By the methods given in 

 preceding nptes the atomic weights of carbon, sulphur, nitrogen, 

 and chlorine are calculated. The agreement between the 

 numbers so obtained, and those obtained by chemical methods is 

 so close that the original assumption may be regarded as proved, 

 Avogadro's law being strictly true only at extremely small 

 pressures. — On the determination of the molecular weights of 

 gases; reply of M. Marqfoy to M. Daniel Berthelot.— On 

 reaction zones, by M. Albert Colson.— On the phosphorescent 

 mixtures formed by strontium sulphide, by M. J. R. Mourelo. — 

 On the limits of inflammability of combustible vapours, 

 by MM. H. Le Chatelier and O. Boudouard.— Spectrum analysis 

 of some non-conducting minerals by fused salts, by M. A. de 

 Gramont. — Synthesis of safranine, by M. Georges F. Jaubert. — 

 Action of aluminium chloride and of chlorine in presence of 

 aluminium chloride upon anhydrous chloral, byM. A. Mouneyrat. 

 By the action of AICI3 upon chloral at 100°, besides the products 

 already discovered by Combes, pentachlorethane, CCI3.CHCI.2 

 is obtained, and the tetrachlorethylene which forms the main 

 iproduct of the reaction is formed from this by further heating 

 with AICI3. With chlorine, under similar conditions, a good 

 yield of hexachlorethane is obtained. — Estimation of phosphoric 

 acid in sufjerphosphates, by M. Leo Vignon.— New observations 

 on Feripattis, by M. E. L. Bouvier.— On the carbon monoxide 

 normally contained in the blood, by M. Maurice Nicloux. The 

 amounts of gas given by the blood of animals from the country 

 is sensibly the same as in that of animals in towns (Paris). The 

 carbon monoxide would appear to be produced within the 

 organism itself.— On fungi intermediate between Tricophytons 

 and Ackorions, by M. E. Bodin. — On the minerals of the 

 ■/basaltic fumerolles of Royat (Puy-de-D6me), by MM. A. 

 Lacroix and P. Gautier.— On the apatite from certain granulitic 

 enclosures from Chuquet-Genestoux, by MM. A. Gonnard and 

 Adelphe.— Urinary acidity and its determination, by M. Charles 

 Xapierre. — Earthquake of May 6, 1898, communicated by M. 

 Michel Levy. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, June 2. 

 Royal lNSTiTUTid>f, at 3. — Modern Methods and their Achievements 



in Bacteriology : Dr. E. E. Klein. 

 LiNNEAN Society, at 8. — Notes on some Lories : Prof. St. George Mivart, 

 F.R.S. — A Revision of the Genus Symblepharis : E. J. Salmon. — On the 

 Food of the Uropoda : Surgeon-Captain H. A. Cummins. 

 Chemical Society, at 8. — The Action of Ether on Organic Acids and on 

 Carbohydrates in Presence of Hydrogen Bromide : H. J. H. Fenton and 

 Mildred Gostling. 



FRIDA Y, June 3. 

 Royal Institution, at g.— The Development of the Tomb in Egypt: 



Prof. W. M. Flinders Petrie. 

 Geologists' Association, at 8. — Fossil Sharks and Skates, with special 

 reference to those of the Eocene Period : A. Smith Woodward. 

 SA TURD A Y, June 4. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — The Temples and Ritual of Asklepios at 

 Epidaurus and Athens : Dr. R. Caton. 



MONDAY, June 6. 

 liOYAL Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Circumnavigation of Lake 



Bangweulu : Poulett Weatherley. 

 Society of Chemical Industry, at 8.— The Conditions existing in 



Acetylene? Generators : Prof. V. B. Lewes. 

 Institute of Actuaries, at 5.— Annual General Meeting. 



TUESDAY, June 7. 

 Zoological Society, at8 .30.— On some Crustaceans from the South 

 Pacific. Part II. Macrura anomala : L. A. Borradaile.— Report on 

 the Gephyrea collected by Mr. J. Stanley Gardiner at Rotuma and 

 Funafuti : Arthur E. Shipley.— Fourth Report on Additions to the 

 Batrachian Collection in the Natural History Museum : G. A. Boulenger, 

 F.R.S. 



IVEDNESDA Y, June 8. 



Geological Society, at 8.— On the Discovery of Natural Gas in East 

 Sussex : C. Dawson.— Note on Natural Gas at Heathfiel.l Station (Sussex): 

 Dr. J. T. Hewitt. — On some High-Level Gravels in Berkshire and Oxford- 

 shire : O. A. Shrubsole. — The Giobizerina-yisx\% of Barbados : G. F. 

 Franks and Prof. J. B. Harrison. With an Appendix on the Foraminifera, 

 by F. Chapman. 



THURSDAY, June 9. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Probable Papers: Experiments on' Aneroid 

 Barometers at Kew Observatory and their Discussion : Dr. C. Chree, 

 F.R S. — The Nature of the Antagonism between Toxins and Anti- 

 Toxins : Dr. C. J. Martin and Dr. T. Cherry. — Some Differences in the 

 Behaviour of the Real Fluids from that of the Mathematical Perfect 

 Fluid: A. Mallock. — On the Heat Dissipated by a Platinum Surface at 

 High Temperatures : J. E. Petavel. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Modern Methods and their Achievements in 

 Bacteriology : Dr. E. E. Klein. 



Mathematical Society, at 8. — On the General Theory of An- 

 harmonics : Prof.|E. O. Lovett. — Point-Groups in a Plane, and their Effect 

 in determining Algebraic Curves: F. S. Macaulay.— On a Regular 

 Rectangular Configuration of Ten Lines : Prof. F. Morlev. — On the 

 Calculus of Equivalent Statements (eighth paper) : H. MacColl. 

 FRIDAY, June 10. 



Royal Institution, at 9. — Some Experiments with the Telephone : 

 Lord Rayleigh. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 8. 



Malacological Society, at 8. 



SATURDAY, June n. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Temples and Ritual of Asklepios at 

 Epidaurus and Athens : Dr. R. Caton. 



Geologists' Association (Waterloo Station, S.W.R.), at i 50.— Ex- 

 cursion to Godalming. Director : T. Leighton. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLET, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books.— City and Guilds of London Institute. Report of the Governors, 

 March 1898 (Gresham College).— A Text-Book of Entomology : Prof A. S. 

 Packard (Macmillan).— Britain's Naval Power : H. Williams, Part 2 (Mac- 

 millan).— The Pruning Book : L. H. Bailey (Macmillan).— A Primer of 

 Psychology: E. B. Titchener (Macmillan).— Weather Lore: R. Inwards, 

 3rd edition (E. Stock) —Ackworth Birds : Major W. B. Arundel (Gurney).— 

 Elementary Practical Zoology: F. E. Beddard (Longmans).— Outlines of 

 Sociology : L. F. Ward (Macmillan).— A System of Medicine : edited by 

 Prof. T. Clifford AUbutt, Vol. v. (Macmillan).— Through Unknown 

 Thibet : Captain M. S. Wellby (Unwin). 



Pamphlet.— Remarkable Eclipses : W. T. Lynn, 3rd edition (Stanford). 



Serials. — Psychological Review Monograph Supplements, Vol. 2, No. 3 

 (Macmillan).— Longman's Magazine, June (Longm.ins).— Sunday Magazine, 

 June (Isbister).— Good Words, June (Isbister).— Chambers's Journal, June 

 (Chambers).— Publications of the British Fire Prevention Committee, Nos. 

 I to 7 (i Waterloo Place).— Humanitarian, June (Hutchinson).— Sitzungs- 

 berichte der Physikalisch-Medicinischen Societat in Erlangen, 29 Heft, 1897 

 (Erlangen).— Natural Science, June (Dent).— Century Magazine, June 

 (Macmillan).- Notes from the Leyden Museum, July and August, 1897 

 (Leiden, Brill) —National Geographic Magazine, May (Washington). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Systematic Bacteriology. By Prof. A. A. Kanthack 97 

 The Physical Properties of Crystals. By W. H. 



and G. Chisholm Young 99 



Modern Development of the Atomic Theory. By 



"W. A. T IOC 



Our Book Shelf:— 



" The Linacre Reports."— S. J. H 100 



Tognini : " Anatomia Vegetale " 100 



Montemartini : ' ' Fisiologia Vegetale " lOO 



Bolas : " Glass Blowing and Working " loi 



Wyatt : "Experimental Mechanics" lOi 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Notes on the Bugonia-Superstitions. — The Occur- 

 rence of Eristalis Tenax in India. — Kumagusu 



Minakata ... loi 



Rainfall and Earthquake Periods. ( With Diagram. ) 



—Prof. J. P. O'Reilly 103 



Ebbing and Flowing Wells.— F. R. Mallet .... 104 

 Navigation. i^With Diagrams.) By Captain J. F. 



Ruthven 104 



Anniversary Meeting of the Linnean Society ... 107 



Notes 108 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Sun Worship by Tusayan Indians m 



Stellar Radiations 112 



The late Prof. Souillart 112 



The Industrial Applications of Electro-Chemistry. 



By Dr. Thos. Ewan 112 



The Strangling of an Elephant 115 



University and Educational Intelligence 116 



Scientific Serials . 117 



Societies and Academies. {Illustrated.) 117 



Diary of Societies 120 



Books, Pamphlet, and Serials Received 120 



NO. 1492, VOL. 58] 



