May 17, 1900] 



NATURE 



71 



reaction, but the excess of calories in a zinc reaction over those 

 in a copper reaction appears to be fairly constant. Starting with 

 640 calories, the value, according to Cialt, when copper is dis- 

 solved in nitric acid of sp. gr. 1*360, we should have 1357 

 calories when zinc is dissolved, provided the chemical action is 

 the same in each case. All the calorimetrical results from the 

 different specimens of alloys would theoretically lie upon the 

 straight line drawn between 604 and 1357. This is practically 

 so from pure copper to the copper 70 per cent, alloy, but beyond 

 that there is less heat produced than that indicated by the straight 

 line law, the maximum deviation lying at about copper 37 per 

 cent. The .specimen containing 38 38 per cent, copper, which 

 is not far from the alloy CuZn2, shows a loss of 32 calories. The 

 only way in which this deficit can be accounted for is by sup- 

 posing that the action of this alloy on nitric acid produces a 

 larger quantity of nitric oxide than in the case of pure copper. 

 But, allowing full force to this argument, it cannot account for 

 as much as lo calories of the deficit. There is, therefore, a 

 residual deficit as yet unaccounted for on chemical grounds. 

 The author states that it is desirable that experiments should 

 be conducted on the zinc-copper alloys with solvents which give 

 a simpler chemical action than that produced by nitric acid. The 

 chairman pointed out that the results obtained by Gait for an 

 alloy which appeared to be a chemical compound, were in close 

 agreement with what would be expected from the existence of 

 the Volta contact force. Prof. Armstrong said that the action of 

 nitric acid on brass or zinc and copper was a function of the 

 quantity of acid present, its strength, the temperature and the 

 pressure ; and that, therefore, it was unsatisfactory to conduct 

 experiments using nitric acid as a solvent. He suggested the 

 use of a solution of bromine in which finely-powdered zinc, cop- 

 per and brass are easily soluble with a simple chemical reaction. 

 Mr. Tomlinson pointed out that it was impossible to use the 

 ordinary formula for the calculation of the Volta effect from the 

 heat of formation of alloys, unless we know exactly the chemical 

 composition of the alloy which is produced. Mr. W. R. Cooper, 

 referring to Mr. Tayler's paper, said it was difficult to see that 

 anything could be proved by the application of the Kelvin theory 

 to a metallic contact, unless there is ground for believing that 

 some particular alloy of fixed composition is always formed. 

 There is also a further difficulty in converting heat of formation 

 into E.M.F. in cases where the metals have different valencies, 

 for there is no reason why one valency should be selected rather 

 than the other. Referring to Dr. Gladstone's paper, Mr. Cooper 

 said that it was possible that the difference in the reducing powers 

 of mixtures and alloys might be due to local action, which would 

 be more pronounced in the case of alloys. More hydrogen 

 would be evolved, and the reduction would lie more complete. — 

 Prof. S. P. Thompson then showed an electromagnetic experi- 

 ment. A circular coil capable of carrying a strong current was 

 placed with its axis horizontal in a tank of water. Into the 

 tank were also placed some small magnets in sealed glass tubes 

 so adjusted as to have a density approximately equal to that of 

 water. The magnets just floated or just sank. On running a 

 current through the coil it was possible to "fish" for the mag- 

 nets, which, acted upon by the magnetic field, immediately made 

 their way to the coil. When the current was carefully reversed 

 upon the approach of a magnet, repulsion instead of attraction 

 took place, and the magnet retreated. In general, however, 

 reversal of the current produced reversed polarity in the magnet, 

 and attraction still persisted. — The Society then adjourned until 

 May 25. 



Chemical Society, May 3.— Prof. T. E. Thorpe, Presi- 

 dent, in the chair. — The following papers were read : —The 

 substituted nitrogen chlorides and nitrogen bromides derived 

 from ortho- and para-acet-toluide, by F. D. Chattaway 

 and K. J, P. Orton. Hypochlorous and hypobromous acids 

 convert ortho- and para-acet-toluide into substituted nitrogen 

 chlorides and bromides, which readily undergo transformation 

 into the isomeric substituted toluides. — The estimation of hypo- 

 iodites and iodates ; and the reaction of iodine monochloride 

 with alkalis, by K. J. P. Orton and W. L. Blackman. The 

 authors' method of estimating hypoiodites is based on the oxida- 

 tion of sodium arsenite by hypoiodites, but not by iodates. The 

 initial reaction of iodine monochloride and alkalis is represented 

 by the equation ICl -f 2MOH = MIO -t- MCI -^ H„0 ; conversion 

 of the metallic hypoiodite into iodide and iodate* becomes com- 

 plete after twenty-four hours.— Products of the action of sulphur 

 dioxide on ammonia, by E. Divers. Amongst the products of 

 spontaneous decomposition of ammonium amidosulphite is 

 NO. 1594, VOL. 62 j 



found a substance of acid properties to which the author assigns 

 the constitution 



,so,.o 



NH( 



-NH, 



—On brazilin (iv.), by A. W. Gilbody, W. H. Perkin, jun., and 

 J. Yates. From a study of the reactions of brazilin and tri- 

 methylbrazilin, the authors conclude that brazilin probably has 

 the constitution 



HO.C.CH:C.CO 



CH.CHaCrCH.C.OH 



HC.CH : C.CH(OH)-CH C : CH.C.OH 



— On haematoxylin (v.), by W. H. Perkin, jun., and J. Yates. 

 The study of the oxidation products of tetramethylhnematoxylin 

 leads to the view that haematoxylin ha? the constitution 



HO.C.C(OH) : C.CO CH.CHj.C : CH.C.OH 



II I I I II . 



HC.CH— ^C.CH.CH(On).CH C : CH.C.OH 



— Note on the function of the characteristic meta-orientating 

 groups, by A. Lapworth. 



Anthropological Institute, April 24.— Mr. C. H. Read, 

 President, in the chair. — Dr. W. H. R. Rivers described a 

 genealogical method of collecting social and vital statistics 

 which he had used with success when in Torres Straits with 

 the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition. Genealogies of 

 the inhabitants of Murray Island and Mabuiag were com- 

 piled which went back for three to five generations, and 

 included nearly all the families at present on those islands. 

 In working out these genealogies, the only terms of rela- 

 tionship used were father, mother, child, husband and wife, 

 and care was taken to limit those terms to their English 

 sense. The chief difficulties were the prevalence of adop- 

 tion in Murray Island and the custom of exchanging names 

 in Mabuiag. The trustworthiness of the genealogies was 

 guaranteed by the fact that nearly every detail was derived 

 independently from several informants. These genealogies 

 afford material for the exact study of numerous sociological 

 problems ; thus the system of kinship can be worked out very 

 thoroughly by ascertaining the native terms which any individual 

 applies to other members of his family, i.e. the subject can be 

 investigated entirely by means of concrete examples, and abstract 

 terms of relationship derived from European sources avoided. 

 The genealogies also afford material for the study of totemism, 

 marriage customs, naming customs, &c. By this method also 

 vital statistics may be collected, both of the present and the past. 

 The genealogies compiled in Torres Straits supply data for the 

 study of the size of families, the proportion of the sexes, the 

 fertility of mixed marriages, &c. The method has the further 

 advantage of bringing out incidentally many facts in the recent 

 history of the community, to which it gives increased definiteness 

 and concreteness. The paper was discussed at some length by 

 the President, Mr. Gomme and Dr. Japp.— Dr. A. C. Haddon, 

 F.R.S., exhibited a large number of lantern slides illustrating 

 various native industries in British New Guinea ; the photographs 

 were taken during the recent Cambridge Anthropological Expe- 

 dition. The most complete series was one showing all the 

 stages in the manufacture of pottery by Port Moresby women ; 

 other slides illustrated the manufacture of canoes at Keapara 

 with stone implements. Photographs were shown of the process 

 of pile-driving and the erection of buildings, as well as of fire- 

 making, and various women's industries, such as tattooing, 

 making string, &c. — Mr. Gowland pointed out a number of 

 parallels from Korea to the mode of pottery-making described 

 by Dr. Haddon. — The secretary laid before the meeting a brief 

 account of the proceedings of the Cretan Exploration Fund, and 

 of the discovery by Mr. A. J. Evans, at Gnossus, of a collection 

 of clay tablets inscribed with pictographic signs. 

 Paris. 



Academy of Sciences.— M. Maurice Levy in the chair. — 

 The President announced to the Academy the loss by death of 

 M. E. Grimaux, member of the Section of Chemistry. — Prepara- 

 tion of the )8-alkyloxy-acyanocrotonic esters, isomers of the aceto- 

 alkylcyanacetic esters, by M. A. Haller. The true acetyl- 

 alkylcyanacetic esters, CHs.CO.CRlCNj.CO.OCoH.,, have bten 

 prepared by Held by acting with cyanogen chloride upon the 

 sodium derivative CHa.CO.CR.Na.CO.OCaHj ; the isomeric 

 ester of the enol form, CH3.C(OH) = C(CN).CO.OC3H5, are 

 obtained by first converting the sodium into the corresponding 



