48 



NA TURE 



[November 14, 1895 



dynamical effect is equal to the geometrical variation of quantity 

 of movement suffered by the volume of water delivered per 

 second in its passage across the turbine. — On the time distribu- 

 tion of rain at Athens, by M. D. Eginitis. — On the process of 

 attacking the emerald and the preparation of pure glucina, by 

 M. P. Lebeau. — On a group of mineral waters containing 

 ammonia (bituminous waters), by M. F. Parmentier. — On the 

 estimation of tannins in wines, by M. E. Manceau. — Action of 

 chlorine on normal propyl alcohol, by M. Andre Brochet. Two 

 of the products of chlorination in the cold are a chloropropionic 

 aldehyde, CH^ . CHCl.COH, and dipropyl chloropropional, 

 CH3.CHCl.CH(OC3H7)2.— On ozotoluene, by M. Adolphe 

 Renard. Ozotoluene resembles the ozobenzene previously de- 

 scribed. It is a white opaque mass, commencing to decompose 

 at about 8°. It detonates on heating or by shock, but less 

 easily than ozobenzene. Its composition is represented by the 

 formula C7H8O6. — Study on the nitration of menthone, by M. 

 Konovaloff. By heating with nitric acid at 100° in a sealed tube 

 menthone yields nitromenthone CioH,7(N02)0. The alcoholic 

 solution of the latter with sodium ethoxide gives a salt, unde- 

 composed by boric, carbonic, or hydrosulphuric acids, corre- 

 sponding to the acid C10H19NO4 set free by sulphuric acid. The 

 nitromenthone is reduced with formation of a basic substance. 

 It is probably a tertiary nitromenthone of the composition 



CH3.CH 



^CHj - CO^ 



C(N02).C3H7. 



— On the fermentation of cellulose, by M. V. Omelianski. The 

 specific ferment destroying cellulose has been isolated by the 

 author, and is described in the paper. — Anatomy of the digestive 

 apparatus of the Orthoptera of the family of the Forfictdida, 

 by M. Bordas. — On the application of the experimental method to 

 the orogenic history of Europe, by M. Stanislas Meunier. — 

 Experiments relative to the direct manufacture of pure ethyl 

 alcohol, by the fermentation of Asphodehts ramosus and Scilla 

 maritima with cultivated pure wine yeasts, by M. M. G. Riviere 

 and Bailhache. — On the reclamation of the heath-lands of the 

 Dordogne, by M. Raoul Bouilhac. It is shown that the 

 reclamation of these sandy barrens is possible by the use of a 

 lime phosphatic manure. — Experimental congenital deformities, 

 by MM. Charrin and Gley. 



Amsterdam. 

 Royal Academy of Sciences, September 28. — Prof. Van 

 der Waals in the chair. — Mr. Jan de Vries read a paper on 

 addition theorems for elliptic integrals. — Prof. Kamerlingh 

 Onnes communicated measurements, made in the Leyden 

 laboratory, and already published in Dr. Lebret's dissertation 

 (July 1895) or* the variation with temperature of the Hall effect 

 ■in bismuth, the temperatures ranging from —74° to -f 240°. 

 Two samples of pure bismuth were experimented upon. The 

 temperature curve of one of the specimens showed a maximum 

 point at - 20° ; that of the other was not examined far enough. 

 The latter specimen was melted up into a glass tube, and the 

 variation in the electrical resistance measured between - 76° 

 and -(-240°. — At the request of Prof. Cohn of Strassburg and of 

 Dr. Zeeman of Leyden, Prof. Onnes gave an account of experi- 

 ments, made partly at Strassburg and partly at Leyden, on the 

 propagation of electrical waves in water. The result was : ( i ) 

 there is no dispersion for waves of the oscillation frequency of 27 

 to 97 millions per second ; (2) the refractive index for waves of 

 which there are a hundred millions a second, is equal to the square 

 root of the specific inductive capacity as measured by the statical 

 method. — Prof. Onnes further communicated : (i) a measure- 

 ment on the refractive index of glowing platinum, made by Dr. 

 2eeman in the Leyden laboratory. With Babinet's compensator 

 it was impossible to establish a variation with temperature of the 

 principal incidence and the principal azimuth, even when the 

 platinum mirror was heated to 800 C. Hence within the limits 

 of the errors of measurement the refractive index does not 

 change ; (2) a chart, showing the secular variation of magnetic 

 declination, by Dr. W. van Bemmelen ; (3) photographs of 

 vibrating strings made by a new method, that of intermitting 

 photography, by Dr. H. J. Oosting. — On behalf of Messrs. C. 

 A. Lobry de Bruyn and W. Alberda van Ekenstein, Prof. 

 Franchimont presented a paper on the reciprocal conversion of 

 glucose, fructose and mannose into one another under the influence 

 of alkalis. — Mr. van Diesen called attention to a copy, now in 

 the library of the Academy, of the second edition of the map of 

 North Holland, made in 1575, by order of the Duke of Alva, by 



NO. 1359, VOL. 53] 



Joost Jansz. Beeldsnyder. Of the first edition no copy seems to 

 be extant in Holland. The copy shown is the edition published 

 in 1610 by H. A. van Warmenhuysen. Though the map seems 

 to have been prepared with care as regards local details, the 

 triangulation is not correct. The "mile," given as scale, 

 probably the Spanish mile, has on this copy a length of 73 m,m. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books.— The Story of the Earth in Past Ages: Prof. H. G. Seeley 

 (Newnes).— Birds from Moidart and Elsewhere : Mrs. H. Blackburn (Edin- 

 burgh, Douglas). — Zoological Record, Vol. xxxi. (Gurney). — Histoire de la 

 Philosophie Atomistique : L. Mabilleau (Paris, Alcan). — Geological Survey 

 of Canada, various Maps, (Ottawa). — An Introduction to the Algebra of 

 Quantics: Prof. E. B. Elliott (Oxford, Clarendon Press).— The Reliquary 

 and Illustrated Archaeologist, new series. Vol. i (Bemrose). — Analyse des 

 Alcools and des Faux-de-Vie : X. Rocques (Paris, Gauthier-Villars)^^ 

 Applications Scientifiques de la Photographie : (5. H. Niewenglowski (Paris, 

 Gauthier-Villars). — Fourth Volume of Reports upon the Fauna of Liverpool 

 Bay, &c. (Liverpool, Dobb).— A Primer of the History of Mathematics: 

 W. W. R. Ball (Macmillan).— Science Readers : V. T. Murch^, Books v. 

 and vi. (Macmillan). — The Natur.-xl History of Eristalis Tenax, or the Drone 

 Fly : J. B. Buckton (Macmillan).— Studies in Economics : Dr. W. Smart 

 (Macmillan).— The Life of Joseph Wolf: A. H. Palmer (Longmans).— 

 Stanford's Compendium. Africa, Vol. 2 : South Africa : A. H. Keane 

 (Stanford). — Elementary Physical Geography : Prof. R. S. Tarr (Mac- 

 millan). — Elementary Physiography : J. Thornton, 8th edition (Longmans). 

 — The Intellectual Rise in Electricity : Dr. P. Benjamin (Longmans). 



Pamphlets.— De la Double Refraction EUiptique et de la T^trard- 

 fringence du Quartz : Prof. G. Quesneville (Paris).— The Rutherfurd Photo- 

 graphic Measures of Sixty-two Stars about tj Cassiopeiae : H. S. Davis (New 

 York).— Clouds and Weather : Captain D. Wilson-Barker (^Shipping World 

 Office). 



Serials. — Princeton Contributions to Psychology, September (Princeton, 

 N.J.).— ZeitschriftfurWissenschaftliche Zoologie, Ix. Band, 2 Heft (Leipzig, 

 Engelmann).— Geographical Journal, November (Stanford).— Bulletin of 

 the American Mathematical Society, October (New York, Macmillan).^ 

 L' Anthropologic, tome vi. No. 5 (Paris, Masson). — Zeitschrift fiir Physikal- 

 ische Chemie, xviii. Band, 2 Heft (Leipzig, Engelmann). — Scribner's Maga- 

 zine, November (S. Low).— Geological Magazine, November (Dulau). — 

 Journal of the Chemical Society, November (Gurney).— History of Man- 

 kind : F. Ratzel, Part 2 (Macmillan).— Mathematical Gazette, October 

 (Macmillan). — Science Progress, November (Scientific Press, Ltd.). — The 

 Evergreen, Autumn (Unwin). — Journal of the American Public Health 

 Association, October (Concord). — Proceedings of the Ph>^sical Society of 

 London, November (Taylor).— Journal of the Franklin Institute, November 

 (Philadelphia). — American Naturalist, November (Philadelphia). — Engi- 

 neering Magazine, November (Tucker). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Evolution of the Cosmos. By W. E. P 2$ 



Elementary Hieroglyphics 26. 



The Classification of Rocks 28. 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Laurie: "Facts about Processes, Pigments, and 



Vehicles."— Prof. A. H. Church, F.R.S 28; 



Cornish: " Practical Proofs of Chemical Laws." — T. . 29 



Ball: " Great Astronomers " 29- 



Letters to the Editor:— 



Sir Robert Ball and " The Cause of an Ice Age." — Sir 



Henry H. Howorth, K.C.I.E., F.R.S 29 



Curious Aerial or Subterranean Sounds. — Dr. W. T, 

 Blanford, F.R.S.; Ernest Van den Broeck; 



Prof. T. McKenny Hughes, F.R.S 30 



Cactacese in the Galapagos Islands. — W. Botting 



Hemsley, F.R.S « 31 



Slow Lightning. — Robert Bridges 31 



An Early Reference to Hydractinia? — Henry Scherren 

 Rooks and Walnuts. — Rev. George Henslow ... 32 

 A Substitute for Sulphuretted Hydrogen. — Chemicus 32 

 A German Imperial Institute. By Sir Philip Magnus 32 



The Planet Jupiter. By W. F. Denning 33, 



Notes 34. 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



The Temperature of the Sun 38- 



The Double Star 03-285 38 



The Spectrum of a Aquilae 38^- 



Variability of Red Stars 38 



Typhoid Fever Epidemics in America. By Mrs. 



Percy Frankland 38 



An Account of the Construction and Standardisa- 

 tion of Apparatus, recently acquired by Kew 

 Observatory, for the Measurement of Tempera- 

 ture. (Ilbistraied.) By E. H. Griffiths, F.R.S. . . 3^ 



University and Educational Intelligence 46 



Scientific Serials 46. 



Societies and Academies 47 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 48 



