90 



NATURE 



[March 17, 19 10 



spectcograph, specially designed . for the determination of 

 radial velocities. Special . attention has been given to 

 securing constancy of temperature, with such . success that 

 the variations during several months have amounted to 

 two-: or three-hundredths of a degree. — J. Boussinesq : 

 The integration of the equations of waves of emersion by 

 Maclaurin's formula, in series always convergent, for a 

 deep^ endless canal and for an indefinite basin. — A. Haller 

 and Ed.: Bauor : The alkylation of fatty ketones by the 

 use of sodium amide. By successive treatments with 

 sodium amfde and inethyl iodide, pinacoline was converted 

 into (CH3)3.C.CO.CH2.CH3, and ultimately into 



: ; ; (ch3)3.c.co.ch(ch3),. 



In benzene solution this was further acted upon by sodium 

 amide and methyl iodide, the syrtimetrical hexamethyl- 

 acetone {CH3)3.C.CO.C(CH3)3 being formed. Various 

 derivatives of these ketones, together with the correspond- 

 ing ethyl compounds, are described. — Richard Dedekind 

 was elected a foreign associate. — H. Andoyer : New funda- 

 mental trigonometrical tables. — J. Guillaume : Observa- 

 tions of the sun made at the Observatory of Lyons during 

 the third quarter of 1909. Observations were possible on 

 sixty-seven days, the results being summarised in three 

 tables, showing the number of spots, their distribution in 

 latitude, and the distribution of the faculse in latitude. — 

 Ch. Gallissot : The phenomenon of Purkinje. An experi- 

 mental study of the luminosity of two points, red and blue. 

 The brightness of these artificial stars could be altered by 

 known amounts. It is concluded that Purkinje 's pheno- 

 menon has no sensible influence from the sixth magnitude 

 upwards. — Arnaud Denjoy : The measurement of 

 ensembles. — M. de Segruier : The symmetrical group and 

 the alternating group. — W. Stekloff : The development of 

 an arbitrary function in series proceeding in accordance 

 with certain fundamental functions. — Joseph Marty : 

 Developments according to certain singular solutions.— 

 Sigismond Janiszew^ski : Contribution to the geometry 

 of general plane curves. — M. Hadamard : Liquid waves. 

 — Marcel Brillouin : Questions of mathematical physics. — 

 A. Diifour : Unsymmetrical triplets ; an example of an 

 asymmetry of position proportional to the square of the 

 magnetic field. The chromium line 5247-56 forms a triplet 

 in the magnetic field the axis of symmetry of which is 

 displaced towards the violet. This asymmetry of position 

 with respect to the initial line increases as the square of 

 the field. — E. Caudrelier : The discharge of inductors : 

 the capacity of the electrodes. — Andr6 Kling : A new 

 method of estimating dextro-tartaric acid. The estimation 

 is, based on precipitation as calcium racemate.^L^o 

 Visrnon : The diffusive power of certain artificial colouring 

 matters. A study of diffusion shows that dye-stuffs 

 considered as soluble in water fall into two clearly 

 differentiated groups ; those of the first group, of which 

 piqric acid is the type, form true solutions ; those of the 

 second group are only apparently soluble, and are in- 

 capable of diffusion, such as Congo red. — Pierre Dupuis : 

 The action of phosphorus trichloride upon guaiacol.^Aug. 

 Chevalier : The forest resources of the Ivory Coast. 

 Results of the scientific expedition in western Africa. 

 . The products include kola and coffee, both in the wild 

 state, a gum analogous to gum arable, and several gum- 

 resins. — Auguste Joxe : The modes of opening of achenes 

 and kernels at the time of germination. — Ed. Griffon: 

 Variation in grafting and asexual hybridation. — Gabriel 

 Valiet : The penetration and bactericidal action of the 

 ultra-violet rays with respect to the chemical constitution 

 of the media. — H. Bordier and R. Horand : The action 

 of the^ ultra-violet rays on trypanosomes. Trypanosoma 

 lewisi in the blood of a rat was killed by an exposure for 

 fifteen seconds to the ultra-violet rays of a quartz mercury 

 vapour lamp. These trypanosomes were absolutely un- 

 affected by a prolonged exposure to the X-rays.— Mm6. 

 Marie Phisaiix : The natural immunity of batrachians and 

 snakes against the poisonous mucus of the former: the 

 mechanism of this immunity. — A. Briot : Properties of the 

 serum of sero-anaphylactised rabbits. — R. Robinson : The 

 dimensions of the caecum and typhlectasis. — J. Thoulet : 

 A lithological submarine map of the coast of Languedoc. 

 — B. Galitzine : The determination of the epicentre of an 

 earthquake from the data of a single seismic station. 

 NO. 2107, VOL. 83] 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAV, Makch 17. 

 Royal SociKTV, at 4.30. — Hakcrian Lecture: The Pressure of Light 



against the Source : the Recoil from Light : Prof. J. H. Poynting, 



F.R.S., and Dr. Guy Barlow. 

 Institution^ of Electrical En(;ineers, at 8. — Further discussion : 



(i) Short Circuiting of Large Electric Generators and the Resulting Forces 



on Armature Windings : (2) The Design of Turbo Field Magnets for A.C; 



Generators with Special Reference to Large Units at High Speeds : 



Miles Walker. 

 Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, at 8. — Annual Meeting. — 



Folloived by : The Suiface Condenser in Mining Power Plant: W. A.' 



MacLeod. 

 Linnean Society, at 8. — The Life-history oi Cheriites himalayensis, SteK, 



on the Spruce, Picea niorinda, and Silver Fir, Abies Webhiatut : E. P. 



Stebbing. — A Contribution toward a Knowledge of the Neotropical 



Thysanoptera : R. S. Bagnall. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 8.— Compounding and 



Superheating in Horwich Locomotives: G. Hughes. 

 Optical Society, at 8. — .^orae Measurements of Stereoscopic Power: 



D. P. Boatman and R. J. Lucking. — Optical Instruments for Naval 



Purposes: T. Y. Baker. 



FRIDAY, March 18. 

 Royal Institution, at g.— The Dynamics of a Golf Ball : Sir J. J. 



Thomson: F.R.S. 

 Institution OF Civil Engineers, at 8.— The Construction of Warships: 



N. Maas. 

 Society of Dyers and Colourists, at 8.— The Coal Tar Colour 



Industry of England; the Causes of its Progress and Retardation: 



Ignatius Singer. 



SATURDAY, March 19. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Electric Waves and the Electromagnetic 



Theory of Light : Sir J. J. Thomson, F.R.S. 



MONDA Y, March 21. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — Light, Luminaries and Life: Rev. A. 

 Irving. 



Institute of Actuaries, at 5.— (i) On the Valuation of the Payment 

 on the Death of a Pensioner of the Excess of his Contributions, with or 

 without Interest, over his Pension Payments ; (2) On a Method of 

 Scheduling Particulars for the Valuation, in certain cases, of Prospective 

 Pensions based on Terminal Salaries : T. '1 inner. 



TUESDAY, March 22. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Further discussion : Birming- 

 ham Sewage-disposal Works : J. D. Watson. — Salisbury Drainage : 

 W. J. E. Binnie. 



WEDNESDAY, March 23. 

 Geological Society, at 8. 



CONTENTS. PACK 



The Life of Lord Kelvin. By Prof. A. Gray, F.R.S. 61 



Dynamic Electricity. By Prof. Gisbert Kapp ... 65 



An Artist-Ornithologist in Egypt , 66 



The Evolution of Agriculture. By A. E. Crawley . 67 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Pettigrew : "A Manual of Locomotive Engineering" 67 



Redgrove : "Matter, Spirit, and the Cosmos " . , . 68 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



The Colour of Water. — Sir E, Ray Lankester, 



K.C.B., F.R.S 68 



The Stability of an Aeroplane. — W. H. Dines, 



F.R.S. ; Prof. G. H. Bryan, F.R.S 68 



Colour-Blindness. — Prof. Frank Allen 69 



Practice and Knowledge. — Dr. John Aitken, F. R. S. 70 

 Accelerated Velocity of Jupiter's Red Spot Hollow. — 



Scriven Bolton 70 



A Radium Experiment. — F. Harrison Glew ... 71 



Substitutes for Rubber. By C. Simmonds .... 71 



Report of the Royal Commission on Canals ... 72 



Dr. E. Perceval Wright 73 



Notes 74 



Our Astronomical Column:— 



Comet I9i0rt 79 



Halley's Comet . 79 



Pidoux's Comet 79 



The International Aero and Motor Boat Exhi- 

 bition 79 



Explorations in the Glacier Tributaries of the 

 Shay'ok River, Kashmir Territory. By Lieut. - 



Colonel H. H. Godwin-Austen, F.R.S Si 



Botanical Papers from Cambridge. By D, H. S. . 82. 

 The Production of Blackwater Fever. By Dr. 



H. W. Armit %i 



The Organisation of Technical Education. By 



Dr. R. T. Glazebrook, F.R.S. . 83 



University and Educational Intelligence ..... 86 



Societies and Academies 87 



Diary of Societies 90 



