240 



NATURE 



[May 17, 1917 



and a key provided for their ready determination. 

 Two forms hitherto placed in Tachydromus have been 

 transferred to the new genera Platyplacopus and 

 Apeltonotus. — Dr. J. Stephenson : Zoological results of 

 a tour in the Far East : Aquatic Oligochaeta from 

 Japan and China. In this paper Dr. Stephenson 

 gives an account of certain Oligochaete worms obtained 

 by Dr. Annandale in Japan and China. The speci- 

 mens were all found in fresh water and comprise five 

 species, three species and one genus being described 

 as new. Criodrilus bathybates was found in Lake 

 Biwa at the remarkable depth of 180 ft. — Dr. N. 

 Annandale : Zoological results of a tour in the Far 

 East : Hydrozoa and Ctenophora. The Hydrozoa dealt 

 with in "this paper are mostly from the Tale Sap, in 

 Lower Siam, where they were found living in brackish 

 water. A single fresh-water form, Cordylophora 

 lacustris, was obtained in the Tai Hu Lake in China. 

 The paper includes an account of the habitat, adapta- 

 tions, and distribution of all the" Hydrozoa inhabiting 

 brackish water connected with the Indian Ocean. 

 Asenathia piscatoris, a new genus and species of 

 Medusa from the Matla River, is also described, and 

 it is suggested that the form may possibly represent 

 the medusoid generation of a peculiar little hydroid 

 recently described by Ritchie from Port Canning under 

 the name Anntdella gemmata. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Steel and its Heat Treatment. By D. K. Bullens. 

 Second impression. Pp. vii-t-441., (New York: John 

 Wiley and Sons, Inc. ; London : Chapman and Hall, 

 Ltd.) 175. 6d. net. 



Seeding and Planting. By Prof. J. W. Toumey. 

 Pp. xxxvi -1-455. (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 

 Inc. ; London : Chapman and Hall, Ltd.) 165. 6d. 

 net. 



• The Elementary Principles of Wireless Telegraphy. 

 By R. D. Bangay. Part ii. Second edition. Pp. 241. 

 (London : The Wireless Press, Ltd.) 2s. 



Some Compounds of Boron, Oxygen, and Hydro- 

 gen. By M. W. Travers, N. M. Gupta, and R. C. 

 Rav. (London : H. K. Lewis and Co., Ltd.) is. net. 



The Glastonbury Lake Village. By A. Bulleid and 

 H. St. G. Gray, and others. Vol. ii. Pp. xxxiii-xl-t- 

 353-724. (Glastonbury : Antiquarian Society.) Two 

 vols., 3 guineas net. 



Optical Theories. By Prof. D. N. Mallik. Pp. 181. 

 (Cambridge : At the Universitv Press.) 75. 6d. net. 



The Cancer Problem : A Statistical Study. By 

 C. E. Green. New edition. Pp. ix+140. (Edin- 

 burgh and London : W. Green and Son, Ltd.) 



Royal Botanic Gardens,- Kew. Bulletin of Miscel- 

 laneous Information, 1916. (London: H.M.S.O.) 



Microscopical Determination of the Opaque 

 Minerals. Bv Dr. J. Murdoch. Pp. vii+165. (New 

 York : J. Wilev and Sens, Inc. ; London : Chapman 

 and Hall, Ltd.) qs. 6d. net. 



Handbook for Rangers and Woodmen. Bv J. L. B. 

 Taylor. Pp. ix-l-420. (New York : J. Wiley and 

 Sons, Inc. ; London : Chapman and Hall, Ltd.) 

 115. 6d. net. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, May 17. 



RovAi, SociRTV, at 4. -JO. — Bakerian I,ecture: The Configuration of Astro- 

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



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

 Alternatives : Prof. W. Bateson. 



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

 Russia : r>. T. Chadwick. 



Institution of Elf.ctrical Engineers, at 6. — Annual general meeting. 



FRIDAY, May 18. 

 Royal Institution, at 5.30. — The Complexity of the Chemical Elements : 



Prof. F. Soddy. 

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

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



SA TURDA Y, May 19. 

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

 Thomson. 



MONO A Y, May 21. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 5.30. — Anniversary Meeting. 



President's Address. 

 Aristotelian Society, at 8. — Some Aspects of the Philosophy of 

 Plotinus : Dean W. R. Inge. 



TUESDAY, May 22. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Architectural Design in Organisms : Prof. 



D'Arcy Thompson. 

 Royal ANTHKoroLOGiCAL Institute, at 5. — Tattooing in South-Eastern 

 New Guinea : Capt. F. R. Barton. 



THURSDAY, May 24. 



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

 Alternatives : Prof. W. Bateson. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 5.30. — The Resourees and Future of 

 British Columbia : Dr. J. F. Unstead. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 3. — Anniversary Meeting. 



Aeronautical Institute, at 8.— The, Testing of Materials for Aero- 

 nautical Construction : Ede;ar A. Allcut. 



Institution of Mining and Mei allurgv, at 5.30. — Shall Great Britain 

 and America Adopt the Metric System? : W. R. Ingalls. 

 FRIDAY, May 25. 



Royal Institution, at 5.30. — Breath lessness : J. Barcroft. 



Physical Society, at 5. — An Investigation of Radium Luminous Cora- 

 pound : C. C. Paterson, J. W. T. Walsh, and W. F. Higgins.— The 

 Resistance to the Motion of a Lamina, Cylinder, or Sphere in a Rarefied 

 Gas : F. J. W. Whipple.— The Effect of Stretching on the Thermal and 

 Electrical Conductivities of Wires : Dr. C. H. Lees. 

 SATURDAY, May 26. 



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

 Thomson. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



NO. 2481, VOL. 99] 



Eleven British Mathematicians. By G. B. M. . . 

 The Fresh-water Fishes of Russia. By C. T. R. . 

 Chemistry Books for School and Laboratory. By 



C. S. 



Our Bookshelf . 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Classical Education and Modern Needs. — M. D. Hill 

 Aeroplanes and Atmospheric Gustiness. — S. L. 



Walkden 



The Preparation of "Blood Charcoal." — Sydney 



W. Cole 



Studies in Genetics. ByJ. A. T 



Engineering Experiment Stations 



Prof. Emil von Behring. By C. J. M 



Notes 



Our Astronomical Column :— 



Comet 1917a (Mellish) 



Displacements of Solar Lines 



The Problem of Spiral Nebulae 



Elias Ashmole, F.R.S., Founder of the First Public 



Museum of Natural History. By R. T. Gunther 



Public Schools and Nature Study. By the R6v. 



Hilderic Friend 



An Institute of Applied Optics for France. By 



E. S. Hodgson . . '. 



The Man of Science in the Community of To-day. 



By Prof. D. Eraser Harris 



University and Educational Intelligence 



Societies and Academies 



Books Received 



Diary of Societies 



221 



222 



223 



22q 



225 



226 



226 



228 



228* 



230 



234 

 234 



234 



2J5 



236 



236 

 238 

 238 

 240 

 240 



Editorial and Puhlishing 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. 



