December 26, 1895] 



NATURE 



In addition to the above lines there are others with which no 

 celestial coincidences have been traced. 



Some of the unknown lines at first noted in the red have been 

 observed again in the gases obtained from other specimens ; it is 

 important to note that remarkable variations in the spectra have 

 been observed in passing from one specimen to another. 



Although the evidence in favour of a new gas is already very 

 strong, no final verdict can be given until the spectra of all the 

 known gases, including argon, have been photographed at atmo- 

 spheric pressure and the lines tabulated. This part of the inquiry 

 is well in hand. 



mquiry 



November 28. — " Examination of Gases from certain Mineral 

 VVaters." By Alexander Kellas and Prof. William Ramsay, 

 F. R.S. 



A sample of gas of an inflammable nature from " Allhusen's 

 Well," Middlesbrough, was tested for argon. The usual con- 

 stituents, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, &c., were removed by the 

 usual absorbents, magnesium, copper oxide, «S:c., and finally by 

 sparking with oxygen over caustic soda. The spectrum of the 

 residue was carefully compared with that of argon, and the lines 

 were all found to be coincident. No new lines appeared, nor 

 was any helium yellow visible. An incombustible gas from 

 another well at the same place was also tested, and was found 

 to contain 0-5 per cent of argon. 



Some gas from a boiling spring near Reykjavik, Iceland, was 

 found to contain a greater proportion of argon than is present 

 in air, viz. 1-14 per cent. No helium could be detected in the 

 gas, nor were there any lines which could not be recognised as 

 l)elonging to argon. 



" On the Percentage of Argon in atmospheric and in respired 

 Air." By Alexander Kellas. 



Experiments were made on the comparative amount of argon 

 in ordinary air, and in air which had been frequently breathed, 

 with the view of ascertaining whether, if the proportion of 

 oxygen and carbon dioxide in air be very much altered, 

 argon would either enter into, or be expelled from, the respira- 

 tory system. The experiments show that the proportion of 

 argon to nitrogen remains nearly normal, even when the air 

 has been greatly altered in composition by respiration. 



From the experimental results it appears that 100 c.c. of 

 nitrogen and argon of breathed air contains i*2io c.c. of argon. 

 This percentage is larger than that in normal air. One of two 

 suppositions may be made : either the increased amount is due 

 to the air having been confined over water during breathing, or 

 argon is given o^ from blood in greater amount than it is absorbed, 

 when the composition of the air in the lungs is so much altered ; 

 the. former appears the more probable supposition. In any case 

 the difference is not great ; and it would appear that argon, like 

 free nitrogen, plays no important part in the animal economy, 

 save as a diluent. 



Linnean Society, November 21. —Mr. J. G. Baker, F.R.S., 

 Vice-President, in the chair. — His Grace the Duke of Bedford, 

 Messrs. Bernard Arnold and E. B. Fernan were elected Fellows 

 of the Society. Mr. B. B. Woodward was admitted. — The Rev. 

 (i. Henslow exhibited a MS. common-place book of the latter 

 end of the fourteenth century. The entries in Latin and English 

 were found to consist chiefly of medical recipes in which about 

 200 plants are named for their user, and some methods of distill- 

 ing Aqua: vita described. In addition were some notes on 

 geometry and astronomy, and calculations of altitudes and 

 superficies. Mr. Baker thought the number of plants named at 

 the date referred to was a matter of some interest to botanists, 

 iind suggested publication of the list of names with their identi- 

 fication where possible.— Mr. Henslow also exhibited a series 

 of shells of Btucintim nndatwn and Ftisus antu/tttis, showing 

 the variation in form which occurs in the reparation of injury 

 sustained at an early stage of life, the subsequently renewed 

 whorls assuming shapes resembling those of other species in the 

 fiame genus, and even in other and very different genera. 

 Usually the uninjured whorls could be detected by the apex 

 l)eing of the normal character ; but in some cases the abnormality 

 appeared to be congenital, being carried completely into the ape. 

 This raised the question whether these were acquired characters 

 and hereditary, having been impressed upon the offspring 

 i .orn after the parent shell had been injured, and renewed by 

 -rowth. Mr. E. R. Sykes and Mr. B. B. Woodward offered 

 - >me criticism in the discussion which followed, and deprecated 

 the suggestion of anything like " mimicry," the resemblances in 

 'question being regarded as purely accidental.— Mr. T. H. 

 Jiuftham exhibited lantern slides of a red marine alga, 



NO. 1365. VOL. 5,;] 



Bontumaisonia hamtfera, Hariot, found floating in the sea 

 at Falmouth. This species, recorded previously only from 

 Japan, bears thickened branches terminating in a hook (hence 

 the specific name), in this respect resembling B. calif omica, 

 Buffham, which was also shown. Various microscopic cha- 

 racters of each were described and compared with those of 

 B. asparagoides, Ag. It was suggested that if B. hamifera had 

 been introduced from Japan, it could only have been from spores, 

 or possibly the hamose branches might develop into plants, since 

 the Falmouth specimens were quite fresh, and must have been 

 living near the place of discovery. — Remarks on the mode of 

 distribution of alga; were made by Mr. George Murray and Mr. 

 E. A. Butters. — Dr. D. Morris, C.M.G., read a paper on the 

 development of a single seed in the fruit of the cocoanut palm 

 {Cocos nucifera). Alluding to the occurrence of palms with 

 twin and trifid stems arising from one base, it was shown that 

 these were due (i) to several seeds in one fruit; (2) to more 

 than one embryo in a seed ; or (3) to a branching of the primary 

 shoot. In cases cited by Rumphius, Forbes and others, several 

 seeds were found in one fruit. The course of the development 

 of the single cell was illustrated by means of lantern slides. 

 The obliteration of the two cells began about the second or 

 third week after the spathe was open. By the end of the 

 seventh week they were reduced to narrow slits, which were 

 still traceable in the mature fruit. — On behalf of Mr. A. J. Ewart, 

 Prof. Harvey Gibson gave an abstract of a paper on assimilatory 

 inhibition, the causes by which it may be induced, and their 

 influence on vitality. It was shown that most inhibitory agencies 

 operate by inhibiting the initial stages in assimilation, but any 

 cause affecting the rapidity of removal of carbohydrates from 

 assimilatory cells will also aff'ect their power of assimilation, the 

 commencement of which is determined mainly by the develop- 

 ment of the chlorophyll pigment, but is also influenced by other 

 indeterminate factors probably plasmatic in origin. The paper 

 dealt mainly with the discussion of experiments with a large 

 number of plants, and criticism of the results arrived at by other 

 investigators. An interesting discussion followed, in which Dr. 

 Scott, Prof. Reynolds Green, and Prof. Weiss took part. — Mr. 

 A. C. Seward gave the substance of a paper on a new species 

 of Pinites from the Wealden (England). 



The Institution of Civil Engineers, December 17. — Sir 

 Benjamin Baker, K.C.M.G., President, in the chair. — The 

 design and testing of centrifugal fans, by Mr. H. Heenan and 

 Mr. W. Gilbert. The object of the experiments recorded in 

 this paper was to determine the best form of fan-blade and fan- 

 case, and the most economical diameter and speed of a fan, to 

 produce any required volume of air at a given pressure. The 

 comparative output of fans of the same type, but differing in 

 size, showed that, if they were run at the same tip-speed and 

 produced the same water-gauge, the air-discharge would be 

 proportional to the centre section of the fan, that was, to the 

 diameter multiplied by the width. A series of tests made to 

 determine the efficiency of an expanding chimney was also 

 described. Air was passed from a fan through a delivery tube 

 into an expanding chimney, the sides of which could be set at 

 any desired angle to the centre line of the tube. The efficiency 

 for any angle was obtained by dividing the vacuum observed at 

 the throat of the chimney, by the calculated vacuum due to the 

 reduction of velocity of the air as it passed from the inlet to the 

 outlet of the chimney. The results of the tests showed that the 

 angle on each side might be as much as 15° without loss of 

 efficiency. The air speed recommended at the chimney outlet 

 was 20 feet per second, and the efficiency with this speed varied 

 between 0*43 for 6" opening, and 0-42 for 15° opening on each 

 side. 



Mineralogical Society, November 19. — Anniversary meet- 

 ing.— Prof N. S. Maskelyne, F.R.S., in the chair.— The fol- 

 lowing officers and members of Council were elected : Presi- 

 dent, Prof. N. S. Maskelyne, F.R.S. ; Vice-Presidents, Rev. 

 S. Haughton, F.R.S. , Dr. Hugo Miiller, F.R.S. ; Treasurer, 

 Mr. F, W. Rudler ; Foreign Secretary, Prof. J. W. Judd, 

 F.R.S. ; General Secretary, Mr. L. Pletcher, F.R.S. ; ordinarj' 

 members of Council, Prof. Green, F.R.S., Mr. Harker, Prof. 

 Lewis, Mr. Pringle, Mr. Prior, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Tutton. Mr. 

 Watts, Prof. J. Geikie, F.R.S., Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Kitto, 

 Lieut. -General C. A. McMahon. Mr. J. H. Collins was 

 elected an auditor in place of Mr. F. Rutley, resigned. The 

 Rev. Mark Fletcher and Mr. R. C. Webb were elected members 

 of the Society. — Mr. Wm. Barlow read a paper on homogeneous 

 structures and the symmetrical partitioning of them, and 



