264 



NATURE 



[July 14, i: 



with neat solutions of special problems ; such subjects as the 

 methods of teaching " Progressions " in Algebra might well 

 afford interesting material for discussion. 



There are several interesting papers in the Journal of Botany 

 for June and July 1898.— A figure is given of the newest addition 

 to our phanerogamic flora, Stachys alpina. — Vix. H. N. Dixon 

 adds also a new moss (from Perthshire) to the British flora, 

 Plageothecium Mul/erianum.—ThQ "Recent Literature on 

 Algse," by Miss Ethel S. Barton, contributed from month to 

 month, is a useful feature. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, July 4.— M. Wolf in the chair.— 

 The Perpetual Secretary announced to the Academy the death 

 of M. Ferdinand Cohn, Correspondant in the Botanical Section. 

 — M. Van Tieghem added a short appreciation of the work of 

 the late Prof. Cohn.— Numerical tables for facilitating the de- 

 velopment by interpolation of the disturbance function, by 

 M. O. Callandreau.— On the elastic equilibrium of a dam of 

 masonry of triangular section, by M. Maurice Levy.— On the 

 maintenance of the motion of a pendulum without disturbance, 

 by M. G. Lippmann. A series of instantaneous impulses is 

 given to the pendulum, equal, but of contrary signs, the algebraic 

 sum of the disturbance being equal to nothing. If the impulses 

 are imparted as the pendulum swings through its position of 

 equilibrium, each separate disturbance also becomes vanishingly 

 small.— New observations on the Zeeman phenomenon, by MM. 

 Henri Becquerel and H. Deslandres. In a very intense magnetic 

 field (35,000 C.G.S. units) the bands of nitrogen and cyanogen 

 (the "carbon spectrum") show no signs of doubling nor enlarge- 

 ment, although the rays of the air spectrum were, under the 

 same conditions, strongly divided. Most of the rays examined 

 undergo the division into triplets announced by M. Zeeman ; 

 certain rays, however (\ = 3788-01, A. = 3743 '45 in the iron 

 spectrum), split up into five. The distribution of these split-up 

 rays, considered as a function of the wave length, shows signs 

 of periodicity. — On the decomposition of water by chromous 

 salts, and on the use of these salts for the absorption of oxygen, 

 by M. Berthelot. Solutions of pure chromous chloride, free 

 from all trace of free acid, give no trace of hydrogen gas, even 

 after eleven years. In presence of a trace of hydrochloric 

 .acid, a minute quantity of hydrogen is evolved, which becomes 

 very appreciable at 250° C. Hence acid solutions of chromous 

 chloride cannot be used for the removal of oxygen in exact work, 

 -except in the case of hydrogen. — On the reaction between 

 hydrogen gas and nitric acid, by M. Berthelot. Hydrogen is not 

 absorbed by pure nitric acid, either in the cold or at 100", even after 

 twenty hours contact. — Preparation and properties of calcium 

 hydride, by M. Henri Moissan (see p. 257). — On apple orchards 

 on pasture land, by M. Ad. Chatin. — Notice on the life and work 

 of M. Paul Serret, by M. Darboux. — Velocity of propagation 

 of discontinuities in media at rest, by M. Paul Vieille. — The 

 relation of metallic envelopes to the Hertzian oscillations, by 

 M. Edouard Branly. The Hertzian oscillations are completely 

 arrested, even by a very thin metallic envelope, if the latter is 

 hermetically closed. — Mechanism of the discharge by the X- 

 rays, by M. G. Sagnac. — Irreversible isothermal transformations 

 of a mixture. Development of the conditional relation of 

 equihbrium, by M. A. Ponsot. — On blue glass with chromium 

 base, by M. Andre Duboin. Account of some experiments on the 

 production of blue glass. The three glasses, 4-5Si02. Al.Pg. 3BaO, 

 4'5SiO,.Alj03.i 5CaO,r5BaO,and28Si02.9B,03.i6Ba0.3Al203, 

 coloured either with potassium bichromate or chromic oxide, give 

 very fine blue glasses. — On copper selenate and its use in the 

 .preparation of selenic acid, by M. R. Metzner. Selenium is 

 converted into selenious acid, and this oxidised in solu- 

 tion with chlorine. Copper oxide is added to this 

 liquid, and evaporation gives fine prisms of copper selenate. 

 Pure selenic acid is obtained from this by electrolysis. — 

 Action of hydrogen upon potassium paratungstate, by M. L. A. 

 Hallopeau. At a low temperature a mixture of the blue oxide 

 with the dioxide of tungsten is obtained. At a higher tem- 

 perature tungsten bronze (KjO.WO^ + WO2.WO3) is formed. 

 — Volumetric analysis in alkaline solution by a ferrous reducing 

 agent, by M. Andre Job. The reducing liquid is made by 

 adding an acid solution of ferrous ammonium sulphate to an 

 excess of sodium pyrophosphate. The excess of the iron salt 



NO. 1498, VOL. 58] 



can be exactly determined by standard iron solution. The 

 solution in sodium pyrophosphate is colourless and remains so 

 during the oxidation, and is as energetic in its reducing power 

 as stannous chloride. — Volumetric analysis of a mixture of acid 

 ethyl phosphates and phosphoric acid, by M. J. Cavalier.— On the 

 estimation of phosphoric acid, by M, Henri Lasne. A discussion 

 of the results given by M. Leo Vignon. — On the phenylurethanes 

 of the ethers and nitriles of some oxy-acids, by M. E. Lambling. 

 The urethanes described were the phenylurethanes of ethyl 

 lactate, trichlorolactate, of trichlorolactic nitrile, glycoUic ether 

 and nitrile, phenyl glycollic ether and nitrile, and o- and /3-ethyl 

 oxybutrates. — On a new combination of acetylene with cuprous 

 oxychloride, by M. R. Chavastelon. By the action of water 

 upon the compound C\i.fl\^.C^\i^, previously described, the 

 substance CU.2O.CU2CI2.C2H.2 is obtained. — On ethane-pyrocate- 

 chol, by M. Ch. Moureu.— On the elimination of chlorides in 

 rickets, by M. Gichsner de Coninck. — Absorption of liquids by 

 textiles, by M. Leo Vignon. Textiles have a specific absorbing 

 power for each liquid, the order of magnitude of this constant 

 being silk, wool, and cotton. — The hematozoa of goitre, by M. 

 E. Grosset. The parallelism between goitre and malaria is 

 shown to be very well marked, and drawings are given of 

 parasitic organisms, hematozoa, always present in the blood of 

 recent cases of goitre. — On the functions of the pancreas in the 

 Squalidse, by M. Emile Yung. — On the development and 

 structure of the larva of some cheilostomatous bryozoa, by M. 

 Louis Calvet. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Evolution of the Moral Instinct. By F. G. ... 241 



The Animals of Essex. By R. L. 242 



The American Excavations in Mesopotamia . . . 243 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Barlow : "A Manual on General Pathology for 



Students and t'ractitioners."— F. W. T 244 



Packard: "A Text- Book of Entomology, including 

 the Anatomy, Embryology and Metamorphoses of 



Insects."— L. CM 244 



Klein : " The Mathematical Theory of the Top " . . 244 

 Stokes : " William Stokes, his Life and Work (1804- 



1878)."— F. W. T . _ 245 



George: " Practical Organic Chemistry " 245 



Bruce: "Food Supply" 245 



•' Royal Gardens, Kew. Bulletin of Miscellaneous 



Information, 1897" 245 



Letters to the Editor :— 



The Spectrum of Metargon.— Prof. W. Ramsay, 

 F.R.S., M. W. Travers, and Edward C. Cyril 



Baly 245 



Liquid Hydrogen.— Dr. W. Hampson 246 



The Distribution of Prepotency.— Francis Galton, 



F.R.S 246 



Zoology as a Higher Study.— Prof. William A, 



Haswell, F.R.S 247 



The Nature and Habits of Pliny's Solpuga.— Prof. 



A. J. Cook .247 



The Weather of this Summer.— Alex. B. MacDowall 247 



The Natural History Museum 247 



Animallntelligence : an Experimental Study. By 



Prof. C. Lloyd Morgan . . 249 



The Flora and Fauna of British India ... 250 



A. Kerner von Marilaun. By Dr. Otto Stapf ... 251 



Notes 252 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Cometary News 258 



Stars having Peculiar Spectra 258 



The Constant of Aberration and Stellar M^nitudes , 258 



The Eclipsed and Un-eclipsed Sun 258 



The Plankton of Lake Mendota. By W. G. . . . 259 

 Destruction of the French Observatory in Mada- 

 gascar 259 



Tides in the Gulf and River St. Lawrence .... 260 

 The Duke of Devonshire on University Extension 260 

 Some Conditions affecting Geyser Eruption. {Illus- 

 trated.) By T. A. Jaggar, jun 261 



University and Educational Intelligence 263 



Scientific Serials . 263 



Societies and Academies 264 



