8o 



NATURE 



[March 22, 1917 



determination of the legal time. As an alternative to 

 summer time produced by the sudden change of one 

 hour, a gradual method is suggested, reducing the 

 interval between each two consecutive midnights 

 during the spring months by 30 seconds. — E. Ariis : 

 The law observed by the four Massieu functions tor 

 bodies taken in corresponding states. — R. Gamier : 

 The irregular singularities of linear differential 

 equations, — W. H. Young : The theory of the con- 

 vergence of Fourier's series. — Et. Delassus : The 

 general notion of movement for holonomial and non- 

 holonomial systems. — E. Jouguet : Secular stability. — 

 H. Villat : A cailculation of resistance in a limited 

 fluid currents— L. Fabry and H. Blbndel : The 

 provisional elements of the planet, discovered by M. 

 Sy at Algiers, October 2, 1916.. From the calculation 

 of the provisional elements the planet would appear 

 to be new.— F. Grandjean : The application of the 

 theory of magnetism to anisotropic liquids. — S. 

 Meunier : Complement of observations on the part 

 played by micro-organisms in fossilisation. — A. 

 Robin : Comparative analyses of the heart and muscles 

 in healthy and phthisical individuals, with some 

 therapeutic applications. — J. Cluzet : New electrical 

 syndromes observed in the wounded.- — M. Ranjard : 

 Contribution to the study of the diagnosis of war 

 deafness. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Sikkim. By L. S. S. 

 O'Malley. Pp. xii + 317. (Cambridge: At the Uni- 

 versity Press.) 6s. net. 



Science and Education : Lectures delivered at the 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain. Edited, with an 

 Introduction, by Sir E. Ray Lankester. Pp. 200. 

 (London : W. Heinemann.) is. net. 



Plants Poisonous to Live Stock. By fl. C. Long. 

 Pp. vi-hiig. (Cambridge: At the University Press.) 

 6s. net. 



Cours de Physique. By Prof. E. Rothe. Deux. 

 Partie. Thermodynamique. Pp. xv + 328. (Paris: 

 Gauthier-Villars et Cle.) 13 francs. 



Peaceful Penetration. By A. D. McLaren. Pp. 224. 

 {London : Constable and Co., Ltd.) 3s. 6d. net. 



Germanism from Within. By A. D. McLaren. 

 Pp. x-(-363. (London: Constable and Co., Ltd.) 

 7s. 6d. net. 



Field Crops for the Cotton-Belt. By Prof. J. O. 

 Morgan. Pp. xxvi-{-456. (New York: The Mac- 

 millan Co.; London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 

 75. 6d. net. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY. March 22. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Observations ind Experiments on the Sus- 

 cep'ibUity and Im iitniity of Rats toward*. Jensen's Rat Sarcoma : 

 T. C. Motiram .nnd Dr. S. Russ. — Problems Bearing «>n Residual Affinity : 

 Spencer Pickering.— ResiHual Magnetism in «el.iti 'n to Magnetic "-Jhield- 

 int' : Prof. F.. Wilson and Prof. J. W. NichoKon. — The Soar and Lunar 

 Diurnal Variations 1 f Terrestrial Magre i-im : Dr. S. Chapman. 



Royal Institution, a' ?. — Modem Improvements in Telegraphy and 

 lelephony": Prof. I. A. Fleming. 



Royal GEot;KAPHiCAL Society, at 5.— Modern Methods of Finding the 

 Latitu e w,th a Theodolite ; Dr. J. Bell. 



Institution of Elf.ctrI'AL Engineers, at 8.— Machine Switching Tele- 

 phone Ge r : F. R McBeny. 



Ili.umin.\ting Enginj-kking Society, at 5. — DisCussioft : Fluorescence 

 a' d Phosphorescence anil their Use to Produce Luminous EfTects : 

 Opener, F. ri. Glew. 



FRIDAY, Mavch 23. 

 Royal Institution, at s.^o.^Magic in Names E. Clodd. 

 Ph\sical Society, at 5.— Third Guthrie Lecture: Molecular Orientation: 

 Prof. P. Langevin. 



SATURDAY, March 24. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Russian Ideali-m: S. Graham. 



TUESD * Y, March 27. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— -Geological War Problems: Prof. J. W. 

 Gregory. 



Royal Society oi» Arts, at 4.30. — Land Settlement in South Australia : 



The Hon F. W. Your g. 

 Royal Antmkoi'oi.ogical Institute, at 5 — S'^uth Slav Customs and 



Beliefs as Illustrated in Old Ballads and in Tales by Serb .\uthors; .Mi s 



M. E. Durham. 

 Institution f)F Civil Engineers, at 5.30. — The Decimal System of 



Coin.-ige, Weights, and Measures: H. Allcock. 



WEDNESDAY, March 28. 



Geological Sociktv, at 5. 30. 



Ins'iitution of Naval .\kchitkcts, at it a.m. — Presidents .Vdilres^ : 

 The Karl of Durham, K G.— Standardis:itton as ^ppl ed to the Machinery 

 for Cargo Boats; !>. B Morison. — A Method of Obtaining for -ihip Design 

 the Spacing of Bulkheads acco dmg to he R\il'< of the International 

 Convention : W. J. Lovett At 3 p.m.— Str ss Determ nation in a Flat 

 Plate : J. Montgomerie. -The Closing of .Ml Sh'p Si Ir Apertures from the 

 Bridge: Sis»nor K. BenveMuti. — ' escription of an Apparatus for Inter- 

 preting Stability ''or the U-e of Shii.nias'ers : T. Graham. At 7. 30 p.m. — 

 The Sirenet and Inrer Structure of Mdd Steel Prof. W. K. Dalby.— 

 Design of Pin Joints based on Ultimate Strength : Lieut. W. A. Scoble. 



THURSDAY, March 29. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Teleph'>n\ : Prof J. A. Fleming. 



An<ONAUTiCAL INSTITUTE, at 8. — The Necessity for New and Special 

 Treatment ot Metals Employed in Aircrafc Construction : J. de Koz'owski. 



Institution' of Naval .\rchitect.s, at ii a.m. — Further E."cp riments 

 upon Wake and Thrust Deduction Ppiblems ; W.J. Luke — Some Kxperi- 

 ments on the Ir.fluence of Running Balance of Propellers on the Vibration 

 of .Ships: J. J. King-Salie . — Theorv of Wave Motion on Witer: Sir 

 George Greenhill. At ; p.m. — Marine Application of Reduction Gears of 

 Floatine Frain Type: I H. Maca pine. — l.aunchi g: P. A. Hillhouse 

 and W. H. Riddlesworth. — Buoyancy and Stability of .Submarines : Prof. 

 W. Hovgaard. 



LiNNF.AN Society, at 5. — Prof. T. H. Morgan's Work on the Mechanism 

 of Heredity : W. Bateson. 



FRIDAY, March 30. 

 Royal Institution, at 5.30. — Recent Developments of Molecular Physics : 



Prof J. H. Jeans. 

 Geologists' Association, at 7.30. — Cephalopoda, and their Value in 



Geological Study : W. F. Gwinnell. 



SATURDAY, March 31. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Russian IdcUism : S. Graham. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Mathematical Analysis. By G. B. M 61 



Physical Chemistry. By A. F 62 



Our Bookshelf . 62 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The Horizontal 'I'emperature Gradient and the Increase 



of Wind with Height —Major E. Gold. D.S.O. 6^ 



A Fixed System of Grating Inter erence Bands. (IUik 



(rated.)— C K. Venkata Row . . 63 



Mountain Sickness. — Dr. John Knott .... .64 



Borneo and Its Inhabitants, {/llustrated.) . 64 



The Flotation Method of Ore Concentration . . 66 



Major Sydney D. Rowland. By C. J. M 67 



Notes . 68 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



Comets 1915a and I9i6i^ 72 



The Sun-spot Zones 72 



A Group of Fossil Plants. By Prof. A. C. Seward, 



F.R.S. . 73 



Meteo'ology and the Solar Constant 73 



Science and Modern Languages in Civil Service 



Examinations. By Prof. J. Wertheimer . . 74 

 The Value of Research in Science. By Sir Alfred 



Gibbs Bourne, F. R.S., K.C.I. E. ..... 75 



University and Educational Intelligence ... • 7^ 



Societies and Academies 77 



Books Received 80 



Diary of Societies 80 



Editorial and Publishing Offices : 



MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd., 



ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON, W.C. 2 



Advertisements and business letters to be addressed to the 

 Publishers. 



Editorial Communications to the Editor. 

 Telegraphic Address : Phusis, London. 

 Telephone Number : Gekrarv 8830. 



NO. 2473, VOL. 99] 



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