24 



NATURE 



[November 5, 1891 



stannates, by M. Leteur. The aiuhor has prepared the fol- 

 lowing bromostannates, the general method consisting in mixing 

 concentrated solutions of the two bromides, and evaporating the 

 mixture in a vacua n or dry air: SaBr4NH4Br, SnBr4NaBr 

 + 6H0O, MgBr., . SnBr4 + loHoO.— On a new crystalline 

 ferric oxychloride, by M. G. Rousseau. Concentrated solu- 

 tions containing more than 80 per cent, of FcjCIg, if kept 

 for some time at a temperature between 160^ and 220° C, 

 give rise to crystalline ferric oxychloride, 2Fe203. FcaClj-SHoO. 

 The author has studied the decomposition of solutions of ferric 

 chloride at temperatures higher than 220°. Between 225' and 

 280" anhydrous oxychloride (aFcoO;, FejClg) was obtained. At 

 temperatures between 300° and 340° a new oxychloride was 

 formed, having the composition 3Fe203. FejClfi. — On the estima- 

 tion of thallium, by M. H. Baubigny. — On the solution of 

 bismuth chloride in saturated solutions of sodium chloride, and 

 on the basic salicylate of bismuth, by M. H. Causse. — On a 

 characteristic difference between the alcoholic radicles substi- 

 tuted in place of carbon and nitrogen, by M. C. Matignon. 

 From a thermo-chemical investigation the author finds 

 that the substitution of an alcoholic radicle for nitrogen 

 increases the heat of combustion more than the sub- 

 stitution of the same radicle for carbon. — Action of ben- 

 zoic acid on essence of turpentine, by MM. G. Bouchardat 

 and J. Lafont. — On the formation of quaternary iodides 

 of ammonium by the action of trimethylamine, in concen- 

 trated aqueous solutions, or the hydriodic ethers of several 

 primary and one secondary alcohol, by MM. H. and A. Malbot. 

 — On a new albuminoid substance in the blood serum of man, 

 by M. C. Chabrie. — The soluble substances of the pyocyanic 

 bacillus producing fever, by M. A. Charrin. — Experimental 

 progressive muscular atrophy, by M. Roger. — Some anatomical 

 characteristics oi Hyperoodoti rostratiis, by M. E. L. Bouvier. — 

 Apropos the chromatophores of Cephalopods, by M. Raphael 

 Blanchard. — Physiology of the nerve which enables us to 

 localize sounds, by M. Pierre Bonnier. — On a method for 

 destroying insects injurious to the beetroot and cereals, by M. 

 Decaux. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



London. 



THURSDAY, November 5. 



LiNNKAN Society, at 8. — A Theory of Heredity based on Force instead of 

 Matter : Rev. Prof. Henslow. 



Chemical Societv, at 8. — The Disociation of Liquid Nitrogen Peroxide : 

 J. Tudor Cuudall.— The Magnetic Ritation of the Ammonium and 

 Sodium Salts of Fatty Acids : Dr. Perkin, F. R.S. — The Vapour- Pressures 

 and Molecular Volumes of Acetic Acid and of Carbon and Tin Tetra- 

 chlorides : Prof S. Young. — The Ortho- and Para-nitro Derivatives of 

 Orthotoluidine : A. G. Green and T. A. Lawson. — Researches on the 

 Gums of Arabin Group, Partll. : C. O'Sullivan, F.R.S. 



Camera Club, at 8.30. — The Action of Light and Heat upon the Haloid 

 Silver Salts: Dr. J." J- Acworlh. 



FRIDAY, November 6. 



Physical Society, at 5. — On Corresponding Temperatures, Pressures, and 

 Volumes : Prof. Sydney Young. 



Geologists' AssocrATioN, at 8. — Conversazione. 



SATURDAY, November 7. 



Essex Field Club, at 7. — Notes concerning the Distribution of Mollusca 

 in the Thames Estuary : A. J. Jenkins. — Some Remarks upon the 

 Aquatic Plants and Algae of the Thames Marshes: A. J. Jenkins.— 

 On the Occurrence of Westleton Beds in part of North-Western Essex: 

 J. French. 



SU.VDAV, Novemuer 8 

 Sunday Lecture Society, at 4 — The Personal Life of Shakespeare : W. 

 E. Church. 



MONDAY, November 9. 

 Camera Club, at 8.30. — Lenses, II. : Lyonel Clark. 

 TUESDA Y, November 10. 

 Mineralogical Society, at 8.— Anniversary Meeting. 

 Institution OF Civil Engineers, at 8. — President's Address: George 



Berkley. — Presentation of Medals, Premiums, and Prizes. 

 Photographic Society, at 8. 



WEDNESDAY, November ii. 

 Geological Society, at 8. — On Dacrytherium ovinum from the Isle of 

 Wight and Quercy: R. Lydekker. — Supplementary Remarks on Glen 

 Roy : Thos. F. Jamieson. 



THURSDAY, November 12. 



Mathematical Society, at 8. — On the Classification of Binodal Quartic 



Curves: H. M. Jeffery, F.R.S.— On Selective and Metallic Reflection: 



A. B. Basset, F.R.S. —On a Class of Automorphic Functions: Prof. W. 



Burnside.— The Contacts of Systems of Circles : A. Larmor.— Note on the 



NO. I I 49, VOL. 45] 



Identity 4 (.1/ - i);(.v - i) = Y-'±/Z2: Prof. G. B. Mathews.— Note on 

 Finding the G Points of a given Circle with respect to a given Triangle of 

 Reference : J. Griffiths. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Description of the 

 Standard Volt and Ampere Meter U'sed at the Ferry Works, Thames 

 Ditton: Captain H. R. Sankey (late R.E.)aiid F. V. Andersen. 



Cameka Club, at 8.30. — A New Method of Photography by Artificia 

 Light : E. J. Humphery. 



FRIDAY, November 13. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 8. 



Institution of Civil Enginbrrs, at 7.30. — Description of the Works on 

 the Barking and Pitsea Extension Railway : Henry E, Stilgoe. — Rail Pile 

 Bridges in Ceylon : Harry Bucknall. 

 Camera Club, at 8. — Retouching : Redmond Barrett. 

 SATURDAY, November 14. 

 RoYAi!, Botanic Society, at 3.43. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Natural Theology : Sir G. G. Stokes (Black). — Elementary Trigonometry : 

 J. M. Dyer and Rev. R. H. Whitcombe (Bell).— Fundamental Problems; 

 Dr. P Carus, 2nd edition (Chicago). — L' Amateur d'Oiseaux deVoliere : H. 

 Moreau (Paris. Bailliere). — Les Coquilles Marines: A. Locard ( Paris. Eail- 

 liere).— Colour-Blindness and Colour- Perception : Dr. F. W. Edridge- 

 Green (Paul). — Handleiding tot de Kennis der Flora van Nederlandsch 

 Indie : Dr. J G. Boerlage, Tweede Dee!, Eerste Stuk (Leiden, Brill).— Star 

 Groups : J. E, Gore (Lockwood). — Elementary Thermodynanj^cs : J. Parker 

 (Cambridge University Press). — Report on the Meteorology of India in 

 1889 : J. Eliot (Calcutta). — Copernic et la Decouverte du Systeme du 

 Monde: C. Flammarion (Paris, Marpon and Flammarion).— Moral Teach- 

 ings of Science : A. B. Buckley (Stanford). — Further Reliques of Constance 

 Naden : edited by G. M. McCrie (Bickers).— The Wire and the Wave : 

 J. Munro (R.T.S.).— Ytterligare om Gadolinit-Jordens Molekylarvigt : 

 A. E. Nordenskiold (Stockholm). — Notes on the Recent Geometry of the 

 Triangle: J. Griffiths (Simpkin). — Journal of the Royal Microscopical 

 Society, October (Williams and Norgate). — Illustrations of the Flora of 

 Japan, vV. i. No-^. 7. 8. 9 'Tokyo). 



PAGE 



CONTENTS. 



Electricity and Magnetism. By Prof. A. Gray ... i 

 Biology of Seaside Plants. By W. Botting Hems- 

 ley, F.R.S 3 



Ricardo's " Political Economy." By W. E. J. ... 4 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Schnauss : " Photographic Pastimes : a Hand-book for 



Amateurs " 5 



"On Surrey Hills" 5 



Munro: " Heroes of the Telegraph " S 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Koh-i-Nur. {Illustrated.)— Vxoi. N. Story 



Maskelyne, F.R.S 5 



A Rare Phenomenon.— Dr. M. A. Veeder; Prof. 



J. G. MacGregor; R. N. Hudspeth 7 



Apparent Size of Objects near the Horizon.— T. W. 



Backhouse 7 



Proper Motions of the Stars.— W. H. S. Monck . . 8 

 California Foxes. —Prof. Edward S. Holden ... 8 

 A Plague of Small Frogs. -R. Haig Thomas ... 8 

 Botany of the Emin Relief Expedition. By W. T. 

 Thiselion Dyer, C.M.G., F.R.S. ; Major I. A. M. 



Jephson 8 



Town Fogs and their Effects. {Illustrated.) By Dr. 



W.J. Russell, F.R.S. ; W.Watson 10 



The Anatomy of the Dog. {Illustrated.) 16 



Notes 18 



Our Astronomical Column : - 



The Telluric Spectrum 21 



Tempel-Swift's Periodic Comet 21 



Catalogue of Rutherfurd's Photographs 2i 



The Institution of Mechanical Engineers 22 



University and Educational Intelligence ... 23 



Societies and Academies 23 



Diary of Societies 24 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received .... 24 



