144 



NATURE 



[June 7, 1900 



only traces of a peroxide, attempts were made to prepare 

 lithium peroxide in the wet way, by the action of hydrogen 

 peroxide upon solutions of lithium salts. A thermochemical 

 study of the products showed that some Li^Oj is formed in this 

 way. — On the unknown earths contained in crude samaria, by 

 M. Eug. Demar9ay. The oxide isolated contains neither 

 samarium nor gadolinium, and is of an atomic weight between 

 these two elements. The chief lines of the spark and absorption 

 spectrum are described. — The reduction of erythrulose and the 

 preparation of a new erythrite, ^-erythrite, by M. Gabriel 

 Bertrand. Ordinary erythrite is easily oxidised by the sorbose 

 bacterium to the ketone erythrulose, 



CH2(OH).CO.Cn(OH).CH20H, 



and this on treatment with sodium amalgam gives a mixture of 

 two erythrites, one identical with the original inactive erythrite, 

 the other, separated by means of its acetal, is active, possessing 

 a rotatory power [a] °= -4° 76. — Action of cyanogen chloride 

 upon acetone- dicarboxylic ethyl ester, by M. Juvenal Derome. 

 The cyano-derivative produced, 



(CO2C2H5). CH. CN . CH2(C02C2Hs), 



readily forms metallic salts, the hydrogen adjacent to the 

 cyanogen group being replaced. — On the metallic combinations 

 of diphenylcarbazone, by M. P. Cazeneuve. — Osmotic pressure 

 of the egg and experimental polyembryony, by M. E. Bataillon. 

 — On the sub-fossil Lemuridge of Madagascar, by M. Guillaume 

 Grandidier. — On the discovery of a cave containing animal re- 

 mains at Bains-Romains, near Algiers, by MM. E. Ficheur and 

 A. Brives. The remains found include the bones of the species 

 Bubahis, Bos, Ceivus, Antilope, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros and 

 Equus. The presence of man was indicated by a molar, flint 

 heads, and the presence of calcined bones. — Mode of action of 

 antileucocytic serums upon the coagulation of the blood, by M. C. 

 Delezenne. The mode of action appears to be identical with 

 that of a peptone, the intravenous injection of a leucolytic agent 

 being the same in all cases, the destruction of the white cor- 

 puscles circulating in the blood. — On the restoration to life 

 obtained by the rhythmical compression of the heart, by MM. 

 Tuffier and Hallion. A claim for priority against M. Batelli. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, June 7. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8. — On a Viviparous Syllid Worm : E. S. Goodrich. 

 — On the Genera Phseoneuron, Gilg., and Dicellandra, Hook f. : Dr. 

 A. Itapf. — On the Structure and Affinities of Echiunis nnicinctus : 

 Miss Embleton. 



Chemical Society, at 8.— Diphenyl- and Dialphyl-ethylenediamines, 

 their Nitro-derivatives, Nitrates, and Mercurochlorides : W. S. Mills. 

 •^Condensation of Ethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate with Bases and /3- 

 ketonic Esters : Dr. S. Ruhemann and H. E. Stapleton. — The Constitu- 

 tion of Pilocarpine : Dr. H. A. D. Jowett. — The Nitrogen Chlorides 

 derivable from w-Chloroacetanilide and their Transformations : Dr. 

 F. D. Chattaway, Dr. K. J. P. Orton, and W. H. Hurtley.— Derivatives 

 of Cyanocamphor and Homocimphoronic Acid : Dr. A. Lapworth. 



RoNTGEN Society (St. Bartholomew's Hospital), at 8.— Dr. Lewis Jones 

 will show an Influence Machine of American design.— Mr. James Wims- 

 hurst, F.R.S., will give a short statement of his work in the design and 

 the perfecting of the several forms of his Influence Machine. — Dr. R^my, 

 of Paris, will show a new Localising Apparatus. 



FRIDAY, June 8, 



Royal Institution, at 9.— The Effect of Physical Agents on Bacterial 

 Life : Dr. Allan Macfadyen. 



Physical Society, at 5.— On the Magnetic Properties of Iron and 

 Aluminium Alloys, Part II. : Dr. S. W. Richardson.— Note on 

 Crystallisation produced in Solid Metal by Pressure : W. Campbell.— 

 On the Viscosity of Mixtures of Liquids and of Solutions : Dr. C. H. 

 Lees. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at B.— Note on a Meteoric Shower 

 South of Corvus : W. F. Denning.— Theory of the Motion of the Moon, 

 Part III. Chapter vi. : Ernest W. Brown.— The Solar Eclipse of 1900 

 May 28 observed at Stonyhurst : Rev. W. Sidgreaves.— The Solar Eclipse 

 of iQoo May 28 observed at Norwich : G. J. Newbegin.— The Total Solar 

 Eclipse of 1900 May 28 observed at Navalmoral, Spain : Rev. S. J. 



Johnson. Probable Papers : Description of the Durham Almucantar : 



R. A. Sampson.— The Cause of the Shadow Bands seen in connection 

 with Total Eclipses of the Sun : G. Johnstone Stoney. 



Malacological Society, at 8.— Note on Two Apparently Undescribed 

 Species of Bensonia : W. T. Blanford.— The Non-marine Mollusca of 

 Norfolk Island : E. R. Sykes.— Among the Exhibitions will be Specimens 

 of Vobitilithes abyssicola, Eburna papillaris, and Bullia aKtiulata from 

 South Africa, also Cypraea nigricans, together with other New Cale- 

 donian Cowries : G. B. Sowerby.— Dissections of the Genitalia of Acavus : 

 W. B. Randies. 



NO. 1597, VOL. 62] 



MONDAY, June ii. 

 Soc^ETY OF Chemical Industry, at 8.— The Maintenance of Aeratior» 

 as a Standard of Purity of Sewage Effluents : W. J. Dibbin and G. 

 Thudichum.— The Composition and Determination of Cerium Oxalate r 

 Dr. Frederick B. Power and Frank Shedden.— The Production of Nitrate 

 of Soda in Chili : F. G. Welch. 



TUESDAY, June 12. 

 Anthropological Institute, at 8.30. 



Royal Photographic Society, at 8.— The Construction of Photographic 

 Objectives : Mathematical Investigation : H. L. Aldis. 



THURSDAY, June 14. 



Royal Society, at 4.— Election of Fellows. At ^.-^o.— Probable 



Papers : Some New Observations on the Static Diffusion of Gases and 

 Liquids, and their Significance in certain Natural Processes occurring in 

 Plants : H. T. Brown, F.R.S., and F. Escombe.— The Electrical Effects 

 of Light upon Green Leaves (Preliminary Communication) : Dr. A. D. 

 Waller, F.R.S.'— The Exact Histological Localisation of the Visual Area 

 of the Human Cerebral Cortex : Dr. J. S. Bolton.— The Diffusion of 

 Ions produced in Air by the Action of a Radio-active Substance, Ultra- 

 violet Light and Point Discharges: J. S. Townsend.— Data for the 

 Problem of Evolution in Man. V. On the Correlation between Duratiorr 

 of Life and the Number of Offspring : Miss M. Beeton, G. U. Yule, and 

 Prof. K. Pearson, F.R.S.— On an Artificial Retina and a Theory of 

 Vision, Part I. : Prof. J. C. Bose. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.30. — Some Multiform Solutions of the 

 Partial Differential Equations of Physical Mathematics and their Appli- 

 cations, Part ii.: H. S. Carslaw. — Some Quadrature Formula: W. F. 

 Sheppard. — Notes on Concomitants of Binary Quantics : Prof. 'ElHott, 

 F.R.S. — Extensions of the Riemann-Roch Theorem in Plane Geometry : 

 Dr. Macaulay.— On the Invariants of a certain Differential Expression 

 connected with the Theory of Geodesies : J. E. Campbell. — On the Con- 

 stants which occur in the Differentiation of Theta Functions : Rev. M, 

 M. U. Wilkinson. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Modern Physical Chemistry. By R. T. G 121 



Mesozoa and Enantiozoa. By A. W 122 



The Duration of the British Coal-fields. By 



Bennett H. Brough 124 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Rabl : " Ueber den Bau und die Entwicklung der 



Linse."— R. L 125 



Riley : " Building Construction for Beginners "... 125 

 Gregory : " Catalogue of the Fossil Bryozoa in the 

 Department of Geology, British Museum (Natural 



History). The Cretaceous Bryozoa " 125 



Letters to the Editor:— 



The Kinetic Theory, o. Planetary Atmospheres.— 



Prof. G. H. Bryan, F.R.S 126 



The Severn Bore. (lihistraied.) VaughanComish 126 



Bamboo Manna. — David Hooper 127 



Solution Theory Applied to Molten Iron and Steel.— 



John Parry * . . . 12S 



The Bacterial Treatment of Sewage, illustrated.) 



By Dr. Frank Clowes 128 



The Total Eclipse of the Sun. {Illustrated.) By 



C. P. B 132 



Notes ^ 133 



Our Astronomical Column:— 



Photographic Observation of Eros 137 



Occupation of Saturn 137 



Harvard College Observatory • • I37 



Liverpool Observatory 1 37 



Temperature Control of Spectrograph I37 



Advancement of Electrical Chemistry. {With 



Diagram.) By Dr. F. Mollwo Perkin 13S 



Road Locomotion. By Prof, Hele-Shaw, F.R.S. . 139 



The University of Birmingham 141 



University and Educational Intelligence. {Illus- 

 trated.) 141 



Societies and Academies ^43 



Diary of Societies ^44- 



