2l6 



NA TURE 



[June 29, 1893 



1893- 



Corn- 



Observations of the Solar Eclipse of April i6, 

 municated by Dr. Common, F.R.S. 



This report merely states the work undertaken by the British 

 observers during the recent total solar eclipse, and the number 

 and kind of photographs that were obtained. This information 

 has appeared, from time to time, in these columns. A more de- 

 tailed report, giving the results of the discussion of the pictures 

 will shortly be published. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, June 12 — M. Lcewy in the chair. — 

 Experimental verifications of the theory of weirs without lateral 

 contraction, the sheet being free below, by M. J. Boussinesq. — 

 On a simplification introduced into certain formulae depending 

 upon the resisting power of solids by introducing the greatest 

 linear extension A which can be supported by the material, in 

 the place of the corresponding elastic force R^, by M. J. Bous- 

 sinesq. In formulas relating to the strength of elastic solids in 

 motion, mechanicians as a rule introduce a quantity R,, denoting 

 the greatest tension which a fibre can sustain upon unit sectional 

 area without breaking, instead of the maximum elongation A 

 which does not endanger the texture. M. Boussinesq shows 

 that many formulae may be considerably simplified by introducing 

 A. Thus the maximum velocity V which can be safely impressed 

 upon an element of a solid under concussion is related to the 

 velocity of sound in the solid and to A in a manner given by the 

 formula ¥ = ;{•» A, where /J is a constant depending on the 

 figure and mass of the solid, and ai is the velocity of sound 

 in it. If V be the peripheral velocity of a flywheel in the form 

 of a narrow ring with a large radius, the maximum safe velocity 

 is given by the formula V = ii);y/^. — On various methods of ob- 

 serving the so called anomalous focal properties of diffraction 

 gratings, by M. A. Cornu. — On the extraction of zirconia and 

 thorina, by M. L. Troost. — Study of some new phenomena of 

 fusion and volatilisation produced by means of the heat of the 

 electric arc, by M. Henri Moissan. — On Liouville's linear 

 element surfaces, and surfaces with constant curvature, by M. 

 Emile Waelsch. — On a general property of electric and mag- 

 netic fieldf, by M. Vaschy.— Study of the filtration of liquids, 

 by M. R. Leze. A porous vessel containing the liquid to be 

 studied was placed in a test-tube and subjected to very rapid 

 rotation. By a comparison of the weights of the porous vessel 

 and its contents before and after notation, the velocity of outflow 

 through the porous walls due to centrifugal force was ascer- 

 tained. Taking that of distilled water as unity, the 

 figure for a five per cent, solution of sodium chloride 

 was I '023, for the nitrate i'o5l, for ammonium sulphate 0993. 

 The velocity of efflux for alcohol solution showed a minimum 

 at 40°, where it was 0'5o. The numbers are those for a pres- 

 sure of eight or ten atmospheres applied during ten minutes, 

 during which the tubes travelled from 40 to 50 km. — On the 

 combinations of molybdates and sulphurous acid, by M. E. 

 Pechard.— On bromine-boracites ; bromine compounds of iron 

 and zinc, b)' MM. G. Rousseau and H. Allaire. — On fluorides 

 of copper, by M. Poulenc. — Action of electricity upon the car- 

 burisation of iron by cementation, by M. Jules Gamier. — On the 

 rotatory power of bodies belonging to an homologous series, by 

 M. Ph. A. Guye. It is shown theoretically that if the schematic 

 tetrahedron is slightly deformed, the rotatory powers of a homolo- 

 gous series of bodies must pass through a maximum. — On the 

 rotatory powers of the ethers of valeric and glyceric acids, by 

 MM. Ph. A. Guye and L. Chavanne. This paper contains 

 experimental evidence supporting the conclusions of the previous 

 paper. — Heat of formation of some derivatives of indigo, by M. 

 R. d'Aladern. — On right-handed licareol, by M. Ph. Barbier.' — 

 A new apparatus for measuring the intensity of perfumes, by M. 

 Eugene Mesnard. The instrument is based upon the property 

 of essence of terebenthine of extinguishing the phosphorescence 

 of phosphorus when mixed with the surrounding air in a certain 

 minimum proportion. The phosphorescent body is a small piece 

 of starch dipped into a concentrated solution of phosphorus in 

 carbon bisulphide. After once determining the quantity of 

 essence necessary to extinguish phosphorescence, the quantity 

 of essence contained in air may be ascertained by passing suffi- 

 cient of the air through the apparatus to produce extinction. 

 This air is mixed with other air containing a known quantity of 

 the essential oil or other perfume to be examined, and the 

 odoriferous power of the latter is given by the quantity required 

 to produce a " neutral " scent. — On the fertilisation of the Puc- 

 cinicei, by M. Paul Vuiliemin.- — Magnesian chalk of the environs 



NO. 1235, VOL. 48] 



of Guise (Aisne), by M. H. Boursault. — On the cavern of 

 Boundoulaou (Aveyron), by MM. E. A. Martel and Kmile 

 Riviere. — On the utilisation of the waste products of the vine- 

 yard, by M. A. Muntz. — Mode of action of the substances pro- 

 duced by microbes upon ihe circulatory apparatus, by MM. 

 Charrin and Gley. — On a soluble derivative of ^-naphthol, by 

 MM. Dujardin-Beaunietz and Stackler. — On morbid inter- 

 currencies in sulphate of quinine fevers, by M. Alcide Treille. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Primitive Music': R. Wallaschek (Longmans). — Life with Trans- 

 Siberian Savages : B. D. Howard (Longmans). — Nineteen Charts of the Isle 

 of Wight and Solent Tides from Portland Bill to the Owers : T. B. C West 

 and F. H. Collins (Potte/).— Photography Annual, 1803 (IHffe).— Lehrbuch 

 der Zoologie, new edition : Dr. R. 'Hertwi^ (Jena, Fischer). — Das Kleinc 

 Botanische Practicum fiir Anfanger, new edition : Dr. E. Srrasburgur(Jena, 

 Fischer). — Die Pilzgarten einiger Sudamerikanischer Ameisen : A. MoUer 

 (Jena, Fischer), — Smithsonian Meteorological Tables (Washington). — On 

 the Chemistry of the Blood: L. C. Wooldridge (K. Paul).— Walks in the 

 Ardennes, new edition : edited by P. Lindley (London). — On Englirfi 

 Lagoons: P. H. Emerson (Nutt). 



Pamphlets. — The Condition of the Western Farmer: A. F. Bentley 

 (Baltimore). — Report of theTiustees of the South African Museum, 1892 

 (Cape Town). — II Terremoto a Roma del 22 Gennaio, 1892 : Dr G. Agamen- 

 none (Roma). — The Brighton Life Table: Dr. A. Newsholme (Brighton).— 

 Die Medicinische Electrotechnik und ihre Physikalischen GrundU,gen ; Dr, 

 J. L. Hoorweg (Leipzig, Engelmann). — Ueber das Ncrian ocer Ober- 

 Laurentian von Canada: F. D. Adams (Stuttgart, Koch).— Geometrical 

 Constructions for Cutting from a Cone of Revolution ; E. A. Engler (St. 

 Louis), 



Serials. — Proceedings of the Bath Natural History and Antiquarian 

 Field Club, Vol. vii. No. 4 (Bath). — Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 2, 

 No. 1 (Wellington). — Bulletin of the New York Mathematical Society, 

 Vol. 2, No. 9 (New York, Macmillan). — Journal de Physique, June (Paris). 

 Stances de la Socidte Franc^aise de Physique, November-December, 1S92 

 (Paris). — Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. xxxi. 

 No. 140 (Philadelphia). — Procetdings of the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia, 1893, Part i, January-March (Philadelphia). — Bulletins de 

 la Soci6i6 d' Anthropologic, No. 5, June 15 (Paris, Masson). — Reale Insti- 

 tuto Lombardo di Scienze e Letture, Rendiconti, Serie 2, Vol. 26, fasc. xL- 

 xii. (Mllano, HoepH). — Phycological Memoirs : edited by G. Murray, Part s 

 (Dulau).— Zeitschrift fur Physikalische Chemie, xi. Band, 6 Heft (Leipzig, 

 Engelmann). — The American Naturalist, June (Philadelphia).— Bulletin « 

 la Soci^t^ d'Encouragement pour I'lodustrie Nationale, Avril (Paris). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Electro Dynamics. By P. D 193 



Captain Cook's Journal. By Sir J. D. Hooker, 



K.C.S.I., F.R.S 195 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Miers and Crosskey : " The Soil in Relation to 



Health" 196 



Michie and Harlow: " Practical Astronomy. " — W. 



J- L 197 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Publication of Physical Papers. — ^James Swin- 

 burne 197 



The Glacier Theory of Alpine Lakes. — Graham 



Officer; Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, F.R.S. . 198 



Vectors and Quaternions. — Alfred Lodge 198 



Sagacity in Horses. — William White 199 



Tercentenary of the Admission of William Harvey 



to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge ... 199 

 Some Points in the Physics of Golf. IIL {With 



Diagram.) By Prof. P. G. Tait 20» 



Notes a04 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet Finlay (1886 VU.) ao8 



Stars having Peculiar Spectra ao8 



The Sun's Motion through Space 3o8 



An Ascending Meteor 209 



The Satellites of Jupiter 209 



Turacin : a Remarkable Animal Pigment containing 



Copper. By Prof. A. H. Church, F.R.S 209 



Artificial Immunity and Typhoid Fever 311 



The Centenary of Gilbert White ai2 



Interference Bands and their Applications. {With 



Diagrams.) By Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S 2ia 



Frost Freaks. (With Diagram.) 214 



University and Educational Intelligence 21S 



Scientific Serial 215 



Societies and Academies 215 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 216 



