144 



NATURE 



[June 9, 1898 



116°, consequently phenyl a;8-dibromic propionic methyl ether. 

 The leaves of this plant, too, are rich in methyl cinnamite. 

 This is the first instance of cinnamic methyl ether being found 

 in the vegetable kingdom. — Prof, van Bemmelen made on behalf 

 of Dr. E. A. Klobbie a communication entitled "Qualitative- 

 analytic determination of osmic tetroxide," which will be inserted 

 in the report of the meeting. — Prof. H. A. Lorentz on optical 

 phenomena, depending on the mass and the charge of the ions 

 (II.). The author discussed the question whether the density of 

 the absorbing gas itself and of other gases, with which it is 

 mixed, has any influence on the position of the absorption lines 

 in the spectrum. The formulae show no appreciable influence, 

 if the absorption is small in a layer of the thickness of one wave- 

 length. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDA y, June 9. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. — On a New Constituent of Atmospheric Air : 

 Prof. W. Ramsay, F.R.S., and Morris H. Travers. — 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 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. Morley. — On the 

 •Calculus of Equivalent Statements (eighth paper) : H. MacCoU. — On the 

 Conformal Representation of a Pentagon on a Half Plane : Miss M. E. 

 Barwell. — On a Continuous Group defined by any Given Group of Finite 

 Order (second paper) : Prof Burnside, F.R.S. 



FRTDA K, June 10. 

 |"RovAL Institution, at 9. — Some Experiments with the Telephone : 



Lord Rayleigh. 

 I'^lOYAL Astronomical Society, at 8. — Observations of Phenomena of 

 Jupiter's Satellites in the Year 1897: John Tebbutt. — Occultations of 

 Ceres and Venus : Cambridge Observatory. — Reply to Dr. Rambaut's 

 Note on the Effect of Chromatic Dispersion : David Gill. — Right Ascen- 

 sions and Declinations of Eight Stars in Aquarius, and their Probable 

 Proper Motions : C. J. Merfield.— Further Researches 'on the Orbit of 

 y Lupi : T. J. J. See. — On the Actinic Qualities of Light as affected by 

 different Conditions of Atmosphere]: Rev. J. M. Bacon. 

 ' Physical Society, at 5. — Exhibition of a Model illustrating Dr. Max. 

 Meyer's New Theory of Audition: Prof. S. P.Thompson, F.R.S. — 

 Attenuation of Electric Waves along a Line of Negligible Leakage : Dr. 

 E. H. Barton. — Diffusion Convection : A. Griffiths. 

 Malacological Society, at 8. — On the Land Shells of Curagoa and the 

 Neighbouring Islands : Edgar A. Smith. — On the Anatomy and 

 Synonymy of the Genus of Mariaella (Gray) : W.-M. Webb.— A Note 

 on a New Form of Arionidae from the Alps in Austria : J. F. Babor. — 

 Descriptions of New Land Shells from Ceylon : _E. R. Sykes. — List of 

 the Land and Freshwater MoUusca of South Africa : J. C. Melvill and 

 J. H. Ponsonby. 



SATURDAY, S^ii^ 11. 

 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 1.50.— Ex- 

 to Godalming. Director : T. Leighton. 



TUESDAY, June 14. 

 Royal Horticultural Society.— Lecture on Hybrid Orchids. 

 ^Anthropological Institute, at 8.30.— Evidence of Lake Dwellings on 

 the Banks of the Costa, near Pickering, North-east Yorkshire, with Illus- 

 trative Specimens : Captain the Hon. Cecil Duncombe.— Exhibition of a 

 Large Collection of Stone Implements from Illinois and Ontario, with 

 Descriptive Remarks : Rev. James Oliver Bevan. — On Marriage Laws 

 and Customs of the Cymri : R. B. Holt. 



WEDNESDAY, June 15. 

 Royal Meteorological Society, at 4.30.— Frequency of Non-Instru- 

 mental Meteorological Phenomena in London with Different Winds from 

 1763 to 1897 : R. C. Mossman.— Progress of the Exploration of the Air 

 by means of Kites at Blue Hill Observatory, Mass., U.S. A.: A. Lawrence 

 Rotch. 

 Royal Microscopical Society, at 7.30.— Exhibition of Sponges : B. W. 



Priest. At 8.— Report on the Foraminifera of the Malay Archipelago 



(continuation) : F. W. Millett. 



THURSDAY, June 16. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. ,„ . . , ,,, 



Linnean Society, at 8.— Observations on the Seasonal Variations of Ele- 

 vation in a Branch of Horse-Chestnut Tree : Miller ►Christy.- On 

 Pantopoda collected by Mr. W. S. Bruce in the Neighbourhood of 

 Franz-Josef Land : G. H. Carpenter.— Morphological Relationships of 

 the Actiniaria and Madreporaria : J. E. Duerden.— On some Fossil 

 Leporines : Dr. C. I. Forsyth Major. 

 Chemical Society, at 8.— Ballot for the Election of Fellows.— Prepara- 

 tion of a Standard Acid Solution by Direct Absorption of Hydrogen 

 Chloride : Dr. G. T. Moody.— Researches on the Terpenes. III. 

 Halogen Derivatives of Fenchene and their Reactions. IV. On the 

 Oxidation of Fenchene : J. A. Gardner and G. B. Cockburn. 

 SATURDAY, June 18. 

 Geologists' Association (London Bridge, L.B.S.C), at 12.25.— Excur- 

 sion to Crowborough. Directors : G. Abbott and R. S. Herries. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLET, SERIALS &c., RECEIVED. 



Books.— Dante's Ten Heavens : E. G. Gardner (Constable) —Die Zelle 

 und die Gewebe : Prof. Dr. O. Hertwig, II. (Jena, Fischer).— Lehrbuch 

 der Botanik fur Hochschulen : Prof. Strasburger and others, Dritte Verbes- 

 serte Auflage (Jena, Fischer).— Th. Thorodssen, Geschichte der Island- 

 ischen Geographie, Autorisierte Ubersetzung von A. Gebhardt, Zweiter 

 Band (Leipzig, Teubner).— Angling Days : J. Dale (E. Stock).— Essai sur 

 la Classification des Sciences : Prof. E. Goblot (Paris, Alcan). — Auto- 

 mobiles sur Rails: J. Dumont (Paris, Gauthier-Villars). — Ostwald's 

 Klassiker der Exakten Wissenschaften, Nos. 93 to 96 (Leipzig, Engelmann). 

 —Practical Plant Physiology : Prof. W. Detmer, translated by S. A. 

 Moor (Sonnenschein). — Year-Book of the Scientific and Learned Societies 

 of Great Britain and Ireland, 15th Annual Issue (Griffin). — The Heat 

 Efficiency of Steam Boilers : B. Donkin (Griffin). — Introduction to 

 Algebra : Prof. G. Chrystal (Black). 



Pamphlet. — Summary Survey of the Geological Survey Department for 

 the Year 1897 (Ottawa). 



Serials. — Berichteder Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Freiburg i.B., 

 Zehnter Band, i, 2, 3 Heft (Freiburg i.B.). — Bulletin of the American 

 Mathematical .Society, May (N.Y., Macmillan). — Astrophysical Journal, 

 May (Chicago). — Zeitschrift fiir Physikalische Cheraie, xxvi. Band, i Heft 

 (Leipzig) — Bulletins de la Soci6t6 d' Anthropologic de Paris, Tome viii. No. 6 

 (Paris, • Masson). — National Review, June (Arnold). — Scribner's Magazine, 

 June (S. Low).— Strand Magazine. June (Newnes).— Fortnightly Review, 

 June (Chapman). — Engineering Magazine, June (222 Strand). — Transac- 

 tions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Vol. xxxviii. Parts 3 and 4 ; 

 Vol. xxxix. Part i (Edinburgh, Grant). — Proceedings of ditto, Vol. xxii, 

 No. I (Edinburgh, Grant). — Meteorological Record, Vol. xvii. No. 67 

 (Stanford). ^Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 

 April (Stanford).— Geographical Journal, June (Stanford).— Journal of 

 Botany, June (West). — Observatory, June (Taylor). — Atlantic Monthly, 

 June (Gay). 



Geological Model of London and Suburbs : J. B. Jordan (Stanford). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Lord Rayleigh's " Sound." By L. R. W 121 



Hawks and Hawking. By R. L 122 



The Rudiments of Physics and Chemistry .... 123 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Buchanan White : " The Flora of Perthshire." — 



I. H. B 124 



Ricks: "Manual Training: Woodwork. A Hand- 

 book for Teachers " 124 



Barringer : "A Description of Minerals of Com- 

 mercial Value " 124 



" Ludwig Otto Hesse's Gesammelte Werke, herausge- 

 geben von der Mathematisch-Physikalischen Classe 

 der Koniglich Bayeirschen Akademie der Wissen- 

 schaften."— G 124 



Ives: " Kromskop Colour Photography " 124 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Liquid Hydrogen.— Prof. J. Dewar, F.R.S. ... 125 

 Printed Matter and Photographic Plates. — A. A. C. 



Swinton 125 



The Transport of Live Fish. — D. O'Connor . ... 125 



Ceremonial Dances of the American Indians . . . 125 

 On a New Constituent of Atmospheric AJr. By 

 Prof. William Ramsay, F.R.S., and Morris W. 



Travers 127 



Lyon Playfair. By H. E. R 128 



Osbert Salvin, F.R.S. By N 129 



Notes 129 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Companion to Procyon 134 



The Liverpool Observatory 134 



Sunspot Periods and Natural Phenomena 134 



Double and Multiple Southern Stars 134 



The Royal Observatory, Greenwich 134 



Gutta Percha. (Illustrated.) By Dr. E. F. A. Obach 136 

 Horn-feeding Larvae. [Illustrated.) By W. H. 



McCorquodale 140 



University and Educationallntelligence 141 



Societies and Academies 141 



Diary of Societies 144 



Books, Pamphlet, Serials, &c., Received 144 



NO. 1493, VOL. 58] 



