- 33^ 



NA TURE 



[August 2, 1900 



James S. Dunlop, M.A., B.Sc, Houldsworth Research Students 

 in the University of Glasgow. 



"The Distribution of Molecular Energy." By J. H. Jeans, 

 B.A. Communicated by Prof. J. J. Thomson, F.R S, 

 Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, July 23.— M. Maurice Levy in the 

 chair. — Notice on Charles Friedel, by M. Georges Lemoine. — 

 Visual observations of the corona of May 28, made by Mr. 

 W. H. Wesley at Algiers, with the Coude equatorial of 

 0"3i8 metre aperture, by M. Loewy. — Phosphoric acid in 

 the presence of saturated solutions of calcium bicarbonate, 

 by M. Th. Schloesing, Solutions of phosphoric acid were 

 added to saturated solutions of calcium bicarbonate, and 

 carbon dioxide withdrawn by a slow current of air. From the 

 analyses of the precipitated salt, interesting conclusions are 

 drawn as to the use of superphosphates as manure. — Report 

 upon the proposed revision of the arc of the meridian at Quito, 

 by M. Poincare. The Commission report that it is of opinion 

 that the proposed revision of the arc of meridian at Quito should 

 be carried out. The arc measured should be 6° instead of 4° 5', the 

 work being done by the staff of the Geographical Service of the 

 Army under the control of the Academy of Sciences. — On the 

 limited problem of three bodies, by M. Levi-Civita. — On the 

 position and actual appearance of a new star, transformed 

 into a nebula, by M. G. Bigourdan. The nebular constitution 

 ascribed by Prof. Pickering to this new star, discovered by 

 Mrs. Fleming, must have been derived from spectroscopic 

 examination, since at the present time the object appears 

 clearly as a star, withoui any trace of nebulosity. — Total eclipse 

 of the sun of May 28. Note on the observations made at the 

 Observatory of Algiers, by W. H. Wesley. A description 

 of the study of the lower coronal regions. — Observations of the 

 total eclipse of the sun of May 28, made in Spain, at Hellin, 

 Albacete, and at Las Minas, by M. G. Bigourdan. — Observation 

 of the solar ecHpse of May 28, made at Albacete, in Spain, by 

 M. J. Eysseric. — Observation of the total eclipse of the sun of 

 May 28, at Las Minas, in Spain, by M. Salet. — On a system of 

 differential equations equivalent to the problem of ;« bodies, 

 but admitting of one more integral, by M. W. Elert. — 

 On the elastic flying machine, by M. L. Lecornu. — On the 

 electrocapillary functions of aqueous solutions, by M. Gouy. — 

 The spectrum of radium, by M. Eug. Demar9ay. Mme. 

 Curie has succeeded in obtaining a specimen of radium chloride 

 in which the barium is so far reduced that only a feeble 

 spectrum of three principal rays is obtained. The radium lines, 

 although much stronger than in the specimens previously 

 studied, show no new ray that can be attributed to radium. In 

 its general character the spectrum of radium approximates to 

 those of the metals of the alkaline earths. — Solubility of a 

 mixture of salts having a common ion, by M. Charles Touren. — 

 On a new complex acid and its salts, palladio oxalic acid and 

 palladio-oxalates, by M. H. Loiseleur. Four new substances are 

 described, palladio-oxalic acid and its silver, sodium, and barium 

 salts. The acid is the first complex acid containing palladium that 

 has been isolated. — On some osmyloxalates, by M. Wintrebert. 

 — Action of some finely divided metals, platinum, cobalt and irt)n, 

 upon acetylene and ethylene, by MM. Paul Sabatier and 

 J. B. Senderens. Platinum lalack has no action upon pure 

 acetylene at ordinary temperatures, but at 150° ethylene and 

 hydrogen, together with small quantities of benzene and ethane, 

 are produced. With cobalt, the reaction commences at 200°, 

 ethane and hydrogen being the principal products. Iron 

 behaves similarly to cobalt. With ethylene, platinum and 

 copper produce practically no effect ; cobalt gives ethane, 

 hydrogen and methane, and similarly with iron. — Synthesis 

 of paramethoxyhydratropic acid, by M. J. Bougault. The 

 author concludes that in identifying phloretic acid with 

 the synthetical paraoxyhydratropic acid, M. Trinius was 

 in error. — Influence of hydrobromic acid upon the velocity 

 of the reaction of bromine upon trimethylene, by M. 

 G. Gustavson. — The organic solutions of ferric chloride, 

 by M. CEchsner de Coninck. The iron salt is removed 

 from solutions in methyl and ethyl alcohols, acetic ether 

 and acetone by repeated filtration through animal charcoal. — 

 On the nature of the reserve carbohydrates of the St. Ignatius 

 bean and nux vomica, by MM. Em. Bourquelot and J. Laurent. 

 The albumen of these seeds appears to contain several mannane 

 and galactanes of different molecular weights.— On the genera 

 Palythoa and Epizoanthus, by M. Louis Roule. — A teratological 

 process, by M. Etienne Rabaud. — The nepheline rocks of the 



NO. T605, VOL. 62] 



Puy de Saint-Sandoux, by M. A. Lacroix.— The sub-Pyreneal 

 erosions, by M. L. A. Fabre.— On the existence of carboni- 

 ferous strata in the region of Igli, by M. Ficheur.— On the 

 agglutination of blood corpuscles by chemical agents, and on 

 the conditions of medium which favour or prevent it, by M. E. 

 Hedon. — On the influence of phosphates and of some other 

 mineral substances upon the proteolytic diastase of malt, by 

 MM. A. Fernbach and L. Hubert. — The bacteriolysis of an- 

 thrax, by M. G. Malfitano.— On the function of the nucleus in 

 the formation of haemoglobin and in cellular protection, by M. 

 Henri Stassano.— On the collection of potable water and pro- 

 tection of springs, by M. Leon Janet. 

 Cape Town. 

 South African Philosophical Society, June 27.— L. 

 Peringuey, President, in the chair. — Mr. E. H. L Schwarz 

 exhibited copies of some Bushman drawings which he had found 

 near Nieuwoudtsville. Along with the usual reproductions of 

 men and animals, there are certain puzzling figures which have 

 not been recorded from other localities. One of these consists 

 of a rude slipper-like form with seven bars across it ; another 

 is a circle with seven periphe ral radiating bars, and a third shows 

 three concentric circles, from the outer of which there extend 

 twenty-one bars. Mr. Schwarz thought that the first-mentioned 

 figure might be a tally. — Dr. Corstorphine gave a short note on 

 an old beach deposit on the site of the South African Brewery at 

 Woodstock, which had been brought to his notice by Mr. A. W. 

 Ackermann, architect, Cape Town. Some of the sections 

 show a layer of shells and water-worn boulders some three feet 

 thick resting on the slate and covered by about three feet of 

 sand and soil, but within thirty yards the deposit entirely thins out. 

 The shells all belong to species found on the present beach. — 

 A copy of a report on a submarine disturbance, from the 

 magistrate at Walfish Bay, forwarded by Major Stanford, was 

 read by the secretary. The magistrate stated that on May 31 

 or June i last, a new island appeared about 100 yards N.E. of 

 Pelican Point. The island was about 150 feet long by 30 feet 

 wide, and stood 12 feet above high water. It was composed 

 of a tenacious clay ; soundings gave 7-10 fathoms around it ; 

 steam was observed rising from the clay, and an intense smell 

 of sulphuretted hydrogen was perceptible, even at a distance 

 of five miles. — Mr. Sclater gave an account of some inscribed 

 stones found in Cape Town. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Weapons and Wounds. By W. G. M 313 



Plants of the Past. By A. C. S. . . . . 315 



Photography in Natural Colours. By Philip E. B. 



Jourdain ... 316 



Our Book Shelf: — 



Tschirch : "Die Harze und die Harzbehalter." — 



J. B. C .316 



Barrett : " The Lepidoptera of the British Islands." — 



W. F. K 317 



Letter to the Editor: — 



The Plankton of the Bay of Biscay.— G. Herbert 



Fowler 3i7 



The Teaching of Mathematics. By Prof. John 



Perry, F.R.S. . ... 317 



Analytical Portraiture. By Francis Galton, F.R.S. 320 

 A Recollection of King Umberto. By Prof. W. E. 



Ayrton, F.R.S. ... 320 



Notes 321 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Comet Borrelly- Brooks, 1900 b 324 



Catalogue of Double Stars . 324 



Some Results obtained with a Storage Battery of 

 Twenty Thousand Cells. {Illustrated.) By Prof. 



John Trowbridge 325 



The Cruise and Deep-sea Exploration of the Siboga 

 in the Indian Archipelago. {Illustrated.) By 



A. A. W. H ... 327 



Experimentation on Emotion. {With Diagram.) 



By Prof. C. S. Sherrington, F.R.S 328 



The Centenary of the Royal College of Surgeons . 331 

 Facts of Inheritance. By Prof. J. Arthur Thomson, 



F.R.S. 



University and Educational Intelligence 



Scientific Serials . 



Societies and Academies 



334 

 335 

 335 



