2 l6 



NA TURE 



[July i, 1897 



Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, June 21. — M. A. Chatin in the 

 chair. — On the Abelian functions, by M. H. Poincar^. — Ex- 

 pression of the small transverse components of velocity in the 

 gradually varied outflow of liquids, by M. Boussinesq. — Note 

 on the seventh volume of the " Annales de I'observatoire de 

 Bordeaux," by M. Lftvvy. — Examination of some spectra, by 

 M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. A discussion of some points raised 

 by MM. Eder and Valenta on the spectrum of gold.— Note by 

 M. Pomel accompanying the presentation of his work on the 

 " Mammiferes quaternaires fossiles algeriens, monographic des 

 Porcins." — ^M. Hatt was nominated a member in the Section 

 of Geography and Navigation, in the place of the late M. 

 d'Abbadie. — On the universal deluge, by M. F. E. Paumier. — 

 On the movement of the perihelia of Mercury and Mars, and 

 of the node of Venus, by M. Simonin. — On the surfaces which 

 can, in several different movements, develop a family of Lame, 

 by M. Eugene Cosserat. — Observations by M. Darboux on the 

 preceding communication. — On a class of hyperabelian func- 

 tions, by M. H. Bourget. — On certain equations analogous to 

 differential equations, by M. C. Bourlet. — Observations on the 

 preceding communication, by M. Appell. — On a class of ds"- of 

 three variables, by M. Levi-Civita. — Application of photography 

 to the measurement of indices of refraction, by MM. Auguste 

 and Louis Lumiere. The plate, the refractive index of which 

 is to be measured, is coated very thinly with the sensitive 

 emulsion. It is then faintly illuminated by rays from a point 

 (a minute hole in a sheet of metal). Under these circumstances 

 a halo is produced, arising from reflexion at the back of the 

 plate, the edges of which are quite sharp, and whose diameter 

 determines the refractive index. To apply this method to the 

 measurement of the refractive index of liquids, the back of the 

 )jlate is wetted with the liquid, and backed with a piece of 

 black velvet soaked in the same. Data are given for water 

 and glycerine. — On a new self- registering apparatus for sub- 

 marine cables, by M. Ader. The improvements consist 

 of devices for reducing the inertia of the moving parts. 

 The wire carrying the cable current forms part of a minute dyna- 

 mometer, placed in a powerful magnetic field formed by a 

 permanent magnet. The oscillations are recorded photo- 

 graphically ; a practical trial over the Brest-St. Pierre and 

 Marseilles-Algiers cables showed that the number of signals 

 transmitted per minute was from 15 to 27 times that of the 

 maximum obtainable by the Kelvin recorder. — On a new electro- 

 lytic condenser of large capacity and on an electrolytic current 

 rectifier, by M. Ch. Poliak. By passing firstly an alternating 

 current and then a continuous current between aluminium 

 electrodes in an alkaline solution, the plates become coated with 

 an extremely thin crystalline deposit of oxide, which is practically 

 non-conducting. A condenser is thus obtained in which the 

 -oxide film acts as the dielectric, and the extreme thinness of 

 this film is the cause of its very high capacity. — Double and 

 triple lines in spectra produced under the influence of an 

 external magnetic field, by M. Zeeman. —On the sulpho- 

 antimonites of potassium, by M. Pouget.— On the fluidity of 

 fused nickel, by M. Jules Gamier. — Combinations of tellurium 

 iodide and bromide with the corresponding hydracids, by M. R. 

 Metzner. — The electrolytic analysis of brass and bronze, by M. 

 Hollard. — The reaction between formaldehyde and potash, by 

 M. Delepine. A thermo-chemical study. —Destruction of organic 

 matter in toxicological researches, by M. A. Villiers. The use 

 of manganese salts with a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric 

 acids is recommended. — On caffotannic acid, by MM. P. 

 Cazeneuve and Haddon. — Coleopterine, a red pigment in the 

 wing shells of some Coleoptera, by M. A. B. Griffiths. — On the 

 decolorisation of wine ; new interpretation based upon the 

 function of iron salts, by M. H. Lagatu. — On the subrenal 

 capsules, the renal organs, and lymphoidal tissue of lopho- 

 branchial fishes, by M. E. Huot. — On a new Copepod, by M. 

 EmileBrumpt. The new species is found as a parasite oi Poly cirri is 

 atirontiacus (Grube), and is named Saccopsis Alleni. — Action of 

 mineral salts upon the development and structure of some gram- 

 ince, by M. Ch. Dassonville. The graminaceae studied, when they 

 were cultivated in pure water, showed a more feeble develop- 

 ment in all the tissues, but a much greater lignification. — On the 

 propagation of Psetidoconimis vitis (Debray), by M. E. Roze. — 

 On the discovery of new strata containing fossils of mammals in 

 the Island of Corsica, by M. Charles Deperet. — On some locali- 

 sations of morphine in the organism, by MM. A. Antheaume 

 and A. Mouneyrat.— New experiments on nerve irritation by 



electric rays, by M. B. Danilewsky.— The diurnal oscillatory 

 movement of the atmosphere, Ijy M. Dechevrens. — On the 

 tornado of June 18, at Asnieres, and the storm phenomena 

 observed on the same day, by M. Joseph Jaubert. — On the 

 tornado of |une 18, by M. Leon Teisserenc de Bort. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Britain and Ireland : Dr. J. L< 



J, Hirzel).-The 



Lov 



Books.— The Yew Trees of Gr 

 (Macmillan). — Elektrische Strome : Prof. E. Cohn (Leipzig, 

 New Africa : Dr. A. Schulz and A. Hammar (Heinemann). — The Life- 

 Histories of the British Marine Food-Fishes: Prof. Mcintosh and A. T. 

 Masterman (C. J. Clay) — Lectures on the Action of Medicines : Dr. T. 

 Lauder Brunton (M.acmillan) — Botanische Wanderungen in Brasilien : Dr. 

 W. Detmer (Leipzig, Veit). — Ostwald's Klassiker der Exakten Wissen- 

 schaften, Nr. 86, 87 (Leipzig, Engelmann).— Monthly Current Charts of the 

 Atlantic Ocean (London). — Die Mechanik in Ihrer Enwickelung : Dr. E. 

 Mach (Leipzig, Brockhaus). — L'Ann^e Biologique, Premiere Annie 1895 

 (Paris, Schleicher). — Macmillan's Geography Readers, Book 4 (Macmillan). 

 —Thirty Years of Teaching : Prof. L. C. Miall (Macmillan). 



Pamphlets. — Die Gesetze der Rotationselemeiite der Himmelskorper : 

 C. A. Lilje (Stockholm). — The Extinction of War, Poverty and Infectious 

 Diseases (Truelove).— The Science of Speech : A. M. Bell (Washington). 



Serials. — Engineering Magazine, June (Tucker). — B.^tanische Jahr- 

 biicher, Dreiundzwanzigster Band, 4 Heft (Leipzig, Engelmann). — Journal 

 of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, June (Spon). — Proceedings of the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1897, Part 1 (Philadelphia). 

 — Sitzungsberichte der K. B. Gesellschaft der Wissenschaflen, Math. 

 Naturw. Classe, 1896, i. and ii. (Prag) —Twentieth Annual Report of 

 the Connecticut Agricultural Exploration Station (New Haven) — Archives 

 of Skiagraphy, No. 4 (Rebman). — Good Words, July (Isbister). — Sunday 

 Magazine, July (Isbister). — Longman's Magazine. July (Longmans). — 

 Humanitarian, July (Hutchinson). — Aus dem Archiv der Deutschen See- 

 warte, xix. Jahrgang, i8g6 (Hamburg). — Stances de la Soci^te Fran^aise de 

 Physique, 189S, 4^ Fasc. (Paris). — Transactions of the Leicester Literary 

 and Philosophical Society, Vol. iv. Part 8 (Leicester). — Manchester Micro- 

 scopical Society, Trans.actions and Annual Report, 1896 (Manchester). — 

 Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist, July (Bemrose). — Contemporary 

 Review, July (Isbister). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Lakes Rudolf and Stefanie. ByJ. W. G 193 



Exercises in Physics. By A. P. C. . 194 



Cosmic Ethics. By H. W. B 195 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Bennett: " The Flora of the Alps" 195 



Bryan: " First Stage Mechanics of Fluids" .... 196 



Sigsbee : " Illustrative Cloud Forms " 196 



Lee : " Among British Birds in their Nesting Haunts, 



illustrated by the Camera" 196 



Day: " The Indigenous Drugs of India " 196 



Letters to the Editor:— 



The Storm in Essex on June 24.— Sheffield Neave. 196 



On Mimicry.— Walter F. H. Blandford ..... 197 

 A Bacterium living in Strong Spirit. — V. H. Veley, 



F.R.S., and Lilian J. Veley 197 



A Well known Text-Book of Chemistry.— Prof. 



William A. Tilden, F.R.S 197 



The Gravitation Constant.— Dr. Charles Braun . . 198 



The American Excavations in Southern Babylonia 198 

 The Fresh-water Fauna of Lake Tanganyika. 



{Illustrated.) ByJ. E. S. Moore 198 



The Lawrence Medal. {Illustrated.) 200 



Julius Sachs. By Francis Darwin, F.R.S. . ... 201 



Professor R. Fresenius. By T. E 202 



Notes 203 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Personal Equations in Transit Observations .... 206 



Paris Observatory Report 206 



Belgian Time-Reckoning 206 



A New Classification of Stellar Spectra. By A. 



Fowler 206 



The American Association for the Advancement of 



Science 208 



The Analysis of Phonograph Records. {Illustra'ed.) 



By Dr. John G. McKendrick, F.R.S 209 



University and Educational Intelligence 213 



Societies and Academies 213 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 216 



NO. 1444. VOL. 56] 



