i4o 



NATURE 



[April 12, 1917 



Mendel and Sarah E. Judson : Some interrelations be- 

 tween diet, growth, and the chemical comjxjsition of 

 the body. Changes in the water, ether extract, and ash 

 content of the bodv have been determined under vari- 

 ous conditions. — T. W. Richards and C. Wadsworth : 

 Part iii. Further study of the atomic weight of lead of 

 radio-active origin. Atomic weight of four different 

 examples of isotopic lead not hitherto tested was 

 determined, with the results varying from 20700 to 

 20608. — W. H. Dall : Some anomalies in geographic 

 distribution of Pacific Coast Mollusca. Observa- 

 tions in regard to long-continued studies by the 

 author. — W. R. Miles : Some psycho-physiological pro- 

 cesses as affected by alcohol. The percentile effects 

 of the ingestion of alcohol upon a related group of 

 processes, such as the patellar reflex latency, lid re- 

 flex latency, and patellar reflex amplitude, were studied. 

 — L. R. Cary : The influence of the marginal sense 

 organs on metabolic activity in Cassiopea xamachana, 

 Bigelow. Muscular activity is a relatively unimport- 

 ant factor in determining the metabolic activity of 

 Cassiopea. — F. Boas : New evidence in regard to the 

 instability of human types. — G. P. Baxter and H. W. 

 Starkweather : A revision of the atomic weight of tin. 

 The value Sn= 118-703 (C! = 35-457) is found. — A. G. 

 Mayer : Further studies of nerve conduction in Cas- 

 siopea. — C. Schuchert : The earliest fresh-water Arthro- 

 pods. If the Eurypterids and Limulids arose in the 

 fresh water we can explain why they and the terres- 

 trial scorpions do not pass through a crustacean stage. 

 It may well be that the Trilobites retaining the nau- 

 plius stage do not give rise to these stocks. We may look 

 for this ancestral stock in one still more primitive 

 which seems to have 'Xirmanently invaded the rivers 

 of the land either in Prcterozoic time or in Walcott's 

 Lipalian time. — W. H. Longiey : Observations upon 

 tropical fishes and inferences from their adaptive 

 coloration. The observations here presented undermine 

 many speculative explanations of animal coloration 

 in terms of natural selection. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



The Properties of Aerofoils and Aerodynamic 

 Bodies. By A. W. Judge. Pp. x + 298. (London : 

 Whittaker and Co.) i5.f. net. 



Electric Traction. By A. T. Dover. Pp. xviii-f 

 667 -(-illustrations and folding plates. (London : 

 Whittaker and Co.) 185. net. 



Herbs Used in Medicine. (First Series.) With de- 

 scriptive and explanatory notes by Mrs. J. D. Ellis. 

 Pp. 32. (London : National Herb-growing Associa- 

 tion.) 35. 



Clothing and Health. By Prof. H. Kinne and 

 A. M. Cooley. Pp. vii4-302. (New York: The Mac- 

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

 35. net. 



The Pruning-Manual : Being the Eighteenth Edition 

 of the Pruning-Book. By L. H. Bailey. Pp. xiii + 

 407. (New York : The Macmillan Co. ; London : 

 Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 8s. 6d. net. 



The Passing of the Great Race : or The Racial Basis 

 of European History. By M. Grant. Pp. xxi-F232. 

 (London : G. Bell and Sons, Ltd.) 85. 6d. net. 



On Growth and Form. By D'Arcy W. Thompson. 

 Pp. XV -I- 793. (Cambridge: At the University Press.) 

 2 IS. net. 



The Method of Enzyme Action. By Dr. J. Beatty. 

 Pp. ix-f 143. (London: J. and A. Churchill.) 5s. net. 



Descriptive Catalogue of the Documents Relating 

 to thfe History of the United States in the Papeles Pro- 

 cedentes de Cuba, deposited in the Archivo General 

 de Indias at Seville. By Prof. R. R. Hill. Pp. 302. 

 (Washington : Carnegie Institution.) 4 dollars 



NO. 2476, VOL. 99] 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, April 12. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, ai 6. — Wayleaves: C. Vernier. 



Optical Society, at 8. — Light Kilters for Eye Proiection : L. C. Martin. 

 — Accuracy of Ob*ervation and Precision in Measurement : Dr. G. A. 

 Carse. — Some Methods of Analy-^ing Lens Systems : S. D. Chalmers. — A 

 Simple Proof of the Expre-sion for the Focal Power of a Thick Lens : 

 C. Cochrane. 



FRIDAY, April 13. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. — Mi.ssing B.D._ Stars : Rev. J. G. 

 Hagen. — Observations made during the Partial Eclipse of the Sun on 

 1917, January 22. at the Temporary University Observatory, Rostow-on- 

 Don, Kussia : S. D. Tscherny. — The Positions of Some Pole Stars, and 

 a New Determination of the Constants of Aberration : L. Becker. — The 

 Motion of the Perihelion of Mercury deduced from the Classical Theory 

 of Relativity : L. Silbersteiii. 



TUESDAY, April 17. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Old Free Russia: Prof. C. R. Beazley. 



Zoological Society, at 5.30. 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5.15. 



WEDNESDAY. April 18. 



Royal Microscopical Society, at 8 — The Life-history of the Meningococci 

 and other Bacteria : Dr. E. C. Hort and V. Martin Duncan. — Notes on 

 Physarum ctirtierini,G. Lister and Sturgis ; a New British Species: 

 H. J. Howard. 



Geological Society, at 5.30. — The Morphology and Development of the 

 Ammonite Septum: Prof. H. H. Swinneiton and A. E. Trueman. 



Royal Meteorological Society, at 5. — The Diurnal Variation of 

 Atmospheric Pressure at Benson, Oxon., during 1915 : E. G. Bilham. — 

 Atmospheric Electrical Phenomena during Rain : Lieut. C. D. Stewart. 

 THURSDAY. April 19. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Industrial Finance after the War; The 

 Character of the Industrial Struggle of To-day : Prof. H. S. Foxwell. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.50. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 5. — The Heteranjiumsof the British Coal Measures: 

 Dr. D. H. Scott. — Hypophysis and Premandib.ular Cavities; a Sug- 

 gestion : E. .S. Goodrich. — Wooden Scratching Tools maue by an African 

 Parrot: MissN. Layard. 



Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, at 5. 30. — Annual General 

 Meeting.— Slope Measurement at Messina: W. Whyte. — Platinum in 

 Spain : F. Gillman. 



FRIDAY, April 20. 



Royal Institution, at 5.30. — The Future of Wheat-growing in England : 

 Prof. R. H. Biffen. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 6.— Presidential Address : M. 

 Longridge. 



SATURDAY, April 21. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— -Serial Navigation : Prof. G. H. Bryan. 



CONTENTS. PAGf 



Twentieth-century Chemistry 121 



British Plants and Botanical Terms 122 



Our Bookshelf . 123 



Letters to the Editor: — 



A Very Penetrating Radiation in the Atmo.sphere. — 



Dr. G, C. Simpson, F.R.S .124 



Airplanes and Atmospheric Gustiness. — Prof. Alex- 

 ander McAdie ... . 125 



The Bedrock of Educational Progress 126 



Scientific Aspects of Glasshouse Cultivation. By 



E. J. R 127 



The New Food Orders. By Prof. W. M. Bayliss, 



F.R.S. 128 



A Ministry of Health 128 



Notes . . 129 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



Comet 1917a (Mellish) 133 



The April Lyrids 133 



Variability of Uranus . . 133 



The " Annuaire Astronomique " for 1917 133 



Heat Economy in Metal Melting 133 



Liquid Fuel. ByJ. W. C 134 



Recent Progress in Spectroscopy. II. By Prof, E. P. 



Lewis I H 



University and Educational Intelligence 137 



Societies and Academies i^^S 



Books Received 140 



Diary of Societies . . 140 



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 : Piiusis, London. 

 Telephone Number : Gerrard 8830. 



