584 



NATURE 



[October 15, 189] 



<:ourse of lectures on human osteology, and a series of demon- 

 strations will be arranged to meet the requirements of those 

 working in the department. The dissecting-room will be open 

 daily for practical work and instruction. 



The Rev. H. Boyd, Principal of Hertford College, -has been 

 nominated Vice-Chancellor for the ensuing year. 



A mathematical fellowship has been awarded at Merton 

 College to Mr. Arthur Lee Dixon, B.A., formerly scholar at 

 Worcester College. Mr. Dixon was placed in the first class 

 both at Moderations and in the final Mathematical Schools. He 

 obtained the Junior Mathematical Scholarship in 1887 and the 

 Senior Mathematical Scholarship in 1891. Also at Corpus 

 Christi College a mathematical fellowship has been awarded to 

 Mr. Arthur Ernest Jolliffe, scholar of Balliol College. Mr. 

 Joliiffe was placed in the first class by the Mathematical Mode- 

 rators in 1889, and in the first class by the Examiners in 

 Scientiis mathematicis et physicis in 1891. He also obtained 

 the Junior Mathematical Scholarship in 1889. 



Cambridge. — The erection of the Newall telescope is nearly 

 completed. Prof. Adams was able to use it for the first time 

 last week, and took an observation of Neptune. 



Prof. Ewing announces that the new Engineering Laboratory 

 is ready for use, and will be occupied this term. 



Mr. F. Blackman, of St. John's College, has been appointed 

 Demonstrator of Botany. 



By the return of Prof. Jebb, the University enjoys the distinc- 

 tion of being represented in Parliament by a Senior Classic (Dr. 

 Jebb) and a Senior Wrangler (Sir G. G. Stokes). 



Sixty-four candidates entered for the examination in sanitary 

 science held last week. Of these forty-three have passed both 

 parts of the examination, and receive the diploma in Public 

 Health. 



The Lecturer in Geography (Mr. Buchanan, F.R.S.) will 

 this term lecture on physical and chemical geography, with 

 especial reference to land surfaces and their development under 

 climatic and other agencies. 



The vote in the Senate on the question whether a syndicate 

 shall be appointed to consider alternatives for Greek and Latin 

 in the Previous Examination will be taken on Thursday, 

 October 29, at 2 p.m. 



University Extension. — It is announced that Mr. T. D. 

 Galpin, of the firm of Cassell and Co., Limited, has offered to 

 the Dorset County Council the sum of ;i^iooo to be invested for 

 the purpose of providing scholarships to send natives of Dorset 

 to the Summer Meetings of Oxford and Cambridge. The 

 scholarships will be awarded to the writers of the best essays, 

 and it is proposed that the examination should be conducted by 

 the University Extension Committee of the Oxford Delegates of 

 Local Examinations. The scholarships are to be awarded 

 without distinction of sex, or any political, sectarian, or social 

 distinction whatever. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. 



The American Journal of Science, October 1891. Some of 

 the possibilities of economic botany, by George Lincoln Goodale. 

 This is the Presidential address delivered before the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, at Washington in 

 August last. — On the vitality of some annual plants, by T. Holm. 

 The author enumerates several species of plants which show a 

 tendency to vary from annual to biennial or perennial. — A 

 method for the separation of antimony from arsenic by the 

 simultaneous action of hydrochloric and hydriodic acids, by 

 F. A. Gooch and E. W. Danner. — Notes on allotropic silver, 

 by M. Carey Lea. The blue form of allotropic silver is mainly 

 considered. The action of light on this form is remarkable, for 

 its effect is first to increase the sensitiveness to reagents and then 

 to completely destroy it. This reversing action is analogous to 

 that which light exerts upon silver bromide. Mr. Lea has also 

 examined the point as to whether in the reduction of silver, the 

 allotropic or the normal form is produced, and he finds that when 

 the silver passes from the condition of the normal salt or oxide 

 to that of the metal, the reduced silver always appears in the 

 ordinary form. But when the change is first to sub-oxide or to 

 a corresponding sub-salt, the silver presents itself in one of its 

 allotropic states. — Structural geology of Steep Rock Lake, 

 Ontario, by Henry Lloyd Smyth. — On the so-called amber of 

 Cedar Lake, North Saskatchewan, Canada, by B. J. Harrington. 

 The resin or " retinite" examined by the author had a hardness 



NO. 1 1 46, VOL. 44] 



of about 2*5, and a specific gravity i "055 at 20° C. An analysis 

 gave for its composition, carbon 8o"03, hydrogen io'47, and 

 oxygen 9*50. — Geolc^ical horizons as determined by vertebrate 

 fossils, by O. C. Marsh. The method of defining geological 

 horizons by vertebrate fossils was first used by the author in 

 1877, and appears to afford the most reliable evidence of climatic 

 and other geological changes. It is now extended and revised. 

 A section accompanies the paper representing, in their geologi- 

 cal order, the successive strata at present known with certainty 

 from characteristic vertebrate fossils. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 Paris. 

 Academy of Sciences, October 3.— M. Duchartre in the 

 chair.— On the variations of composition of Jerusalem artichokes 

 from the point of view of mineral matters, by M. C. Lechartier. 

 The author gives the results of some investigations made at the 

 Rennes Agricultural Station, on the culture of artichokes in 

 soils differently treated. He has also studied atmospheric in- 

 fluences as indicated by cultures on similar plots for three con- 

 secutive years. — Observations of Wolf's comet made with the 

 great telescope of Toulouse Observatory, by M. E. Cosserat. 

 Observations for position were made and are recorded, extending 

 frona August 13 to September 28. — On the value of electrostatic 

 tension in a dielectric, by M. L. de la Rive. — On the simul- 

 taneous existence, in cultures of Staphylocoque pyogene, of a 

 vaccine substance capable of being precipitated by alcohol, and 

 of a substance soluble in alcohol, by MM. A. Rodet and J. 

 Courmont. — On some parasite Copepods, by M. Eugene Canu. 

 — Observations of the fall of a solar prominence into a spot, by 

 M. E. L. Trouvelot, The observations relate to some remark- 

 able luminous filaments occurring in a group of spots from 

 August 6 to August 10, 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



The Physical Geology and Geography of Ireland : E. Hull, 2nd edition 

 (Stanford),— On Surrey Hill?, a Son of the Marshes (Blackwood). — By Sea- 

 shore, Wood, and Moorland: E. Step (Partridge). — An Introduction to 

 Humaii Ihysiology: Dr. A. D. Waller (Longmans).— Guide to the Ex- 

 aminations in Physiography, and Answeis to Questions: W. J. Harrison 

 (Blackie).— Journal of the Chemical Society, October (Gurney and Jackson). 

 — London and Middlesex Nott-lock, vol. i.,No. 3(E. Stock). — Botanischer 

 Jahrbiicher fiir Systematik ' Pflanzengesschichte und Pflanzengeographie, 

 Vierzehnler Band, 3 Heft (Leipzig, Engelmano).— Quarterly Journal of the 

 Royal Meteorological Society, July (Stanford).— Meteorological Record, 

 vol. X. No. 40 (Stanford). — Himmel und Erde, October (Berlin). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Physical Chemistry. ByJ. W. R 561 



United States Fish Commission Reports 562 



The Catalogue of the Washington Medical Library. 



By Dr. A. T. Myers 563 



Our Book Shelf:— 



" Dictionary of Political Economy " 564 



*' South Africa, from Arab Domination to British 



Rule" 564 



Letters to the Editor :— 



A Pink Marine Micro-organism. — Prof. W. A. Herd- 

 man 565 



Advertisements for Instructors. — M 565 



" Rain-making." — W. R. Pidgeon 565 



Alum Solution.— Shelford Bidwell, F.R.S. ... 565 

 B. Sc. Exam. Lond. Univ. 1892. — Edward J. 



Burrell 565 



Some Notes.— J. J. Walker, F.R.S 565 



The Molecular Process in Magnetic Induction. 



{Illustrated.') By Prof. J. A. Ewing, F.R.S 566 



The Sun's Motion in Space. By A. M. Gierke . . . 572 



Notes 574 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Measurements of Lunar Radiation 577 



Two New Variable Stars 578 



A New Asteroid 578 



A New Comet 578 



The Iron and Steel Institute 578 



Carl Wilhelm von Nageli. By Dr. D. H. Scott . . 580 



University and Educational Intelligence 583 



Scientific Serials 584 



Societies and Academies 584 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 584 



