220 



NATURE 



[May io, 191 7 



Petrograd. 

 Imperial Academy of Sciences (Physico-Mathematical 

 Section), January i8. — A. A. Marliov : Some limiting 

 formulae of the calculus of probabilities. — V. V. 

 Zaienskij : The structure of the female sexual organs 

 and the ripening of .the egg of Salpa bicaudata. — 

 A. S. Vasiljev : The transit instrument and the zenith 

 telescope in latitude observations. — O. I. Ruzeneva : 

 Plants collected by V. C. Dorogostajskij in the 

 Jablonovoj range (East Siberia). — K. A. Nenadlievifi : 

 The bismuth minerals of Transbaikalia. — O. V. Rosen : 

 The malacological fauna of the province of Terek. 

 Description of two new si>ecies of the genus Buliminus 

 from Transcaucasia. — A. §estakov : Materials for the 

 fauna of the Vespidae of the genus Cerceris, Latr. 

 (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae), of Turkestan. — V. Sol- 

 datov : Notes on two new species of Lycodes from the 

 Okhotsk Sea. — V. A. Steklov : The approximation of 

 functions by means of Cebysev's polynomials, and on 

 quadratures. — A A. Borisiak : The osteology of the 

 genus Indricotherium. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Rivers as Sources of Water Supply. By Dr. A. C. 

 Houston. Pp. vi + 96. (Lx)ndon : John Bale, Sons, 

 and Danielsson, Ltd.) 55. net. 



The Origin of the World, By R. McMillan. 

 Cheaper edition. Pp. xv+139. (London: Watts and 

 Co.) IS, 



The Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. Report on 

 the Physical Welfare of Mothers and Children. Eng- 

 land and Wales. Vol. i., pp. xvi + 434; vol. ii., pp. 

 viii + 190. (Dunfermline : Carnegie United Kingdom 

 Trust.) 



Text Book on Motor Car Engineering. By A. 

 Graham Clark. Two vols. Vol. i., Construction. 

 Pp. xix+437. Vol. ii., Design. Pp. xvi + 368 + 21. 

 (London : Constable and Co., Ltd.) Each Ss. 6d. net. 



The Range of Electric Searchlight Projectors. By 

 J. Rey. Translated by J. H. Johnson. Pp. xiv + 152. 

 (London : Constable and Co., Ltd.) ' 12s. 6d. net. 



Contributions to Embryology. Vol. vi. Nos. 15-19. 

 (Washington : Carnegie Institution.) 



The Mosquitoes of North and Central America and 

 the West Indies. By L. O. Howard, H. G. Dyar, 

 and F. Knal. Vol. iv. , Systematic Description. (In 

 two parts.) Part ii. (Washington : Carnegie Insti- 

 tution.) 



Lezioni di Antropologia. By Prof. F. F. Frassetto. 

 Vol. iii. Pp. xiii+422. (Bologna : Libraria Mareg- 

 gani.) 



Ozone : Its Manufacture, Properties, and Uses. By 

 Dr. A. Vosmaer. Pp. xii + 197. (London : Constable 

 and Co., Ltd.) los. 6d. net. 



The Aviator and the Weather Bureau. By Dr. F. A. 

 Carpenter. Pp. 54. (San Diego : San Diego Cham- 

 ber of Commerce.) 



The Aviation Pocket-Book for 1917. Bv R. B. 

 Matthews. Pp. xix+300. (London : Crosby Lock- 

 wood and Son.) 45, 6d. net. 



Higher Education and the War. By Prof. J. 

 Burnet. Pp. x-J-238. (London : Macmillan and Co., 

 Ltd.) 45. 6d. net. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



TfiURSDAV. May io. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30.— Permanent Periodicity in Sunspots: Sir Joseph 

 Larmor and N. Yamaga. — The High-fregnency Resistance of Multiple- 

 stranded In<;ub ted Wire : Prof G. W. O Howe. 

 Royal TifiTiTUTiON, at 3.— Pagan Religion at the Time of the Coming of 

 .Christianity : Prof. Gilbert Murray. 



FRFDAY, May ii. 

 Royal Institution, at 5.30. — Radioactive Haloes: Prof. J. Joly. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. — (i) Convection'and Diffusion within 

 Giant Stars. (2) T hermal Diffusion pnd the Stars: S. Chapman. — 



Observations of Ch. 7085 R.T. Cygni in 1912-17: A. N. Brown. — Solar 

 Prominences, iqi6: G. J. Newbegin. — Baxendell's Observations of 

 Vari.nble Stars, Ninth Instalment: H. H. Turner and Miss M. A. Blagg. 



Phvsical Society. — Meeting postponed until May 25. 

 SATURDAY, May 12. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Electrical Properties of Gases : Sir J. J. 

 Thomson. 



TUESDAY, May 15. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Architectural Design in Organisms — The 

 Laws of Growth and Form : Prof. D'Arcy Thompson. 



Zoological Society, at 5.30. — Demonstration of the Behaviour of Living 

 Birds and Mammals in the Presence of Snakes : Dr. P. Chalmers 

 Mitchell. — Lan em Exhibition of Birds Now or Recently Living in the 

 Society's Collection : D. SethSmith. 



Royal Statistical SociKTV, at 5.15. 



Illuminating Enginekking Society, at 5. — Annual Meeting. — Discus- 

 sion : Economies in Lighting in Relation to Fuel Saving. 



Institution of Petroleum Technologists, at 8. — The Estimation of 

 Toluene in Crude Petroleum : S. E. Bowrey. 



WEDNESDAY, May 16. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30. — The Blind Sufferers from the War, and 

 their Future Employment : Sir C. Arthur Pearson, Bart. 



Geological Society, at 5.30. 



Royal Meteorological Society, at 5.— Report on the Phenological 

 Observations for 1916 : J. E. Clark and H. B. Ada.Ties. 



Roval Microscoi'ical Society, at 8 Annual Exhibition of Microscopic 



Aquatic Life. 



THURSDAY, May 17. 



Royal Socibtv, at 4.30. — Bakerian Lecture : The Configuration of Astro- 

 nomical Masses and the Figure of the Earth. — J. H. Jeans. _ ^ 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Chromosome Theory of Heredity and the 

 Alternatives : Prof. W. Bateson. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30. — The Future of Indian Trade with 

 Russia : D. T. Chadwick. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 6. — Annual general meeting. 

 FRIDAY, May 18. 



Royal Institution, at 3.30. — The Complexity of the Chemical Elements : 

 Prof. F. Soddy. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 6. — The Construction of 

 Turbine-Pumps : A. E. L. Chorlton. 



SATURDAY, Uav 19. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Electrical Properties of Gases : Sir J. J. 

 Thomson. 



CONTENTS. PAGB 



Educational Ideals .* 201 



Geometry and Analytical Mechanic^ 201 



A Text-book of Genetics 202 



Our Bookshelf . . 203 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Flat-foot in Young Women.— M.D,, F.R.S.E. . 204 

 Classical Education and Modern Needs. — R. W. 



Livingstone; H. G. Wells ... 205 

 The Frequency of Snow in London. — Fredk. J. 



Brodie; E. L. Hawke .... 205 



A Canvas-attacking Fungus. — J. Ramsbottom . . 206 

 Diffraction Phenomena in the Testing of Optical 



Surfaces. — S. K. Banerji 206 



The Ramsay Memorial Fund 207 



Industrial Research in Canada 207 



The Cultivation of Medicinal Herbs 208 



Prof. H. F. E. Jungersen. By W. C. M 209 



Sir Armand Ruffer, C.M.G. By H. G. P, 209 



Notes 210 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



A New Comet (Schaumasse) 214 



Comet 1917^ (Mellish) 214 



Comet 19161^ (Wolf) 214 



The Aquaiids of Halley's Comet ......... 214 



Osmotic Pressure. By G. S. . . . . . . . . . . . 214 



Economics of Life Insurance 215 



The United States National Research Council . . 216 



University and Educational Intelligence 216 



Societies and Academies 217 



Books Received . 220 



Piary of Societies 220 



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 : Gerrard 8830. 



NO. 2480, VOL. 99] 



