128 



NATURE 



[April 2, 1896 



in the waters of the Seine and its principal tributaries, by 

 M. Th. Schkesing. The amount of nitric acid reaches its 

 minimum about August, and its maximum in February. — Study 

 of the stability of ships by the method of small models, by M. J. 

 Leflaive. — A new property of the surface of a wave, by A. 

 Mannheim.— On groups of operations, by M. Levavasseur. — 

 On a means of communicating to the X-rays the property of 

 being deviated by the magnet, by M. A. Lafay. A 

 bundle of rays from a Crookes' tube was allowed to imprint 

 on a sensitive plate the shadow of a platinum wire supported 

 on a very thin sheet of silver. When the whole was placed in a 

 powerful magnetic field (400 C.G.S. units), the reversal of the 

 current produced a sensible deflection of the image, if the needle 

 was strongly electrified by being placed in connection with the 

 negative pole of the induction coil. If the needle was not 

 electrified, no sensible deflection of the image could be pro- 

 duced. — On the mechanical action proceeding from a Crookes' 

 tube, by M. J. R. Rydberg. On repeating the experiments of 

 MM. Gossart and Chevallier, it was found that the actions 

 observed on the radiometer had their origin in the well-known 

 layer of positive electricity with which the external antikathodic 

 surface of the Crookes' tube is covered during the discharge. By 

 covering the radiometer with a metallic gauze screen, it is pos- 

 sible to take Rontgen photographs through it, without any 

 rotation or mechanical effect being observable. — Origin of 

 the Rontgen rays, by M. Jean Perrin. From the experiments 

 described, the conclusion is drawn that the Rontgen rays 

 are developed only at those points where the kathode rays 

 are arrested, and that this is true whatever material may be 

 used for the tube. — Researches concerning the properties of the 

 X-rays, by MM. Prince B. Galitzine and A. de Karnojitzky. 

 By taking photographs with the rays of tourmalines superposed 

 at various angles, results were obtained showing clearly that with 

 crossed plates the photo-chemical action was reduced. From this 

 the authors draw the conclusion that the X-rays correspond to 

 transversal vibrations. — On the reduction of the time of exposure 

 in Rontgen photographs, by M. G. Meslin. A magnet is used 

 to create a magnetic field perpendicular to the kathode rays 

 inside the tube. A good print of the hand was obtained 

 after twenty-five seconds' exposure. — On the same, by 

 M. Basilewski. A sheet of paper coated with a fluorescent 

 substance is placed between the plate and the object. A 

 photograph of the hand was obtained in ten minutes. 

 —On the same, by MM. A. Imbert and H. Bertin- 

 Sans. A magnet is used to deviate the kathode rays within the 

 tube. Good results were obtained for the hand with exposures 

 varying from one to five minutes. — On the X-rays, by M. 

 Piltschikoff". — On the resistance to the passage of the Rontgen 

 rays of some liquid and solid substances, by MM. Bleunard and 

 Labesse. The study of the coefficients of absorption for saline 

 solutions showed that the opacity increases with the atomic 

 weight of both metal and non-metal. — Action of the X-rays on 

 precious stones, by MM. A. Bugueit and A. Gascard. — Three 

 cases of the surgical application of Rontgen photographs, by M. 

 P. Delbet. — The Rontgen rays in the eye, by M. Wuillomenet. 

 — On a new element contained in the rare earths, of samarium, 

 by M. E. Demarfay. The new element is obtained by fractional 

 crystalHsation from fuming nitric acid of the portion of the rare 

 earth rich in samarium. — Action of reducing agents upon the 

 nitroso-compounds of ruthenium, by M. L. Brizard. — On the 

 amalgams of molybdenum and some properties of metallic 

 molybdenum, by M. J. Feree. Amalgams with compositions 

 approximating to MoHgp, MoIIgo, and MoaHgj are described. 

 The molybdenum obtained by distilling away the mercury 

 from the amalgams is pyrophoric. —On the products of the 

 distillation of wood, by M. E. Barillot. — On isomerism in the 

 aromatic series, by M. O. de Coninck. — On rhodinol and 

 its transformation into menthone, by MM. Ph. Barbier and 

 L. Bouveault. — On the parasite of black-rot, by M. A. 

 Prunet. — On the mode of formation of helicoidal coproliths, 

 by M. Leon Vaillant. — On the attribution of the genus 

 Vertebraria, by M. R. Zeiller. — On vegetation in an atmo- 

 sphere vitiated by respiration, by M. L. Mangin. — On two 

 new bacteria of the potato, by M. E. Roze. — On the optical 

 isomorphism of the felspars, by M. F. Wallerant. — On the 

 vegetable and mineral debris of the soundings from the Caiidan, 

 in the Bay of Biscay, by M. Bleicher. — Oceanographical observa- 

 tions made during the voyage of the Caudan, in the Bay of 

 Biscay, by M. J. Thoulet. — On photography through opaque 

 bodies, by M. A. Gassend. 



NO. 1379. VOL. 53] 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



London. 



THURSDA V, April 2. 

 LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— Monograph of the Genus Stemona, Lour : C. 



H. Wright.— On African Alga; : W. and G. S. West. 

 Geologists' Association (Waterloo Station), at 4.55. — Excursion to 



Swanage. Corfe Castle, Kimeridge, &c., ending Tuesday, April 7. 

 Camera Club, at 8.15.— Cloud Forms and Tropical Weather : Captain 

 Wilson Barker., 



FRIDAY, April 3. 

 Quekett Microscopical Club, at 8. 



FRIDA y, April id. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 8. 

 Geologists' Association, at 8. 

 Malacological Society at 8. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Text-Book of Comparative Anatomy : Dr. A. Lang, translated 

 by H. M. and M. Bern.-ird, Part 2 (Macmillan).— Royal University of 

 Ireland, Calendar for 1896 (Dublin, Thorn). — Reduction of Greejiwich 

 Meteorological Observations. P.art 3. Temperature 1841-1890 (London). — 

 Report of the Commissioner of Education for the Year 1892-93, Vol. i 

 (Washington). — Outlines of Logic and Metaphysics : J. E. Erdmann, trans- 

 lated by Dr. B. C. Burt (Sonnenschein). — M^thode et Principes des 

 Sciences N.aturelles. Introduction a 1' Etude de la M^decine : Th. Funck- 

 Brentano (Paris, Bataille). — The Astronomy of Milton's "Paradise Lost" : 

 Dr. T. N. Orchard (Longmans).— The Principles of Sociology : Prof. T. H. 

 Giddings (Macmillan).- Our Country's Butterflies and Moths : W. J. 

 Gordon (Day). — Soci^t^ d'Encouragement pour I'lndustrie Nationale. 

 Annuaire pour I'Ann^e 1896 (Paris). — Le Climat de la Belgique en 1895 : A. 

 Lancaster (Bruxelles). — Die Protrophie : A. Minks (Berlin, Friedlander). — 

 Physiological Papers : Prof. H. N. Martin (Baltimore, Johns Hopkins 

 Press). 



Pamphlets. — Kosto Komparatibo en Chile del Gas i de la Eliktrizidad, 

 &c. : A. E. Salazar i K. Newman (Santiago). — Energetik und Hygiene des 

 Nerven-systems in der Schule : Dr. H. Griesbach (Munchen, Oldenbourg). 

 — Metric System of Weights and Measures : G. T. P. Streeter (Gee). — 

 Philip's Special Map of the Nile Valley, &c. (Philip). — Philip's Special 

 Large Scale War Map of the Soudan (Philip). 



Serials.— Sunday Magazine, April (Isbister). — Good Words, April (Is- 

 bister). — Longman's Magazine, April (Longm-ins). — Chambers's Journal, 

 (Chambers) —Natural Science, April (Rait).— Bulletin of the American 

 Mathematical Society, March (Macmillan). — Humanitarian, April (Hutchin- 

 son).— History of Mankind : F. Ratzel, translated, Part 7 (Macmillan). — 

 Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, March (Victoria Street).— Pro- 

 ceedings of the American Philosophical Society, July (Philadelphia). — 

 Century Magazine, April (Macmillan). — National Review, April (Arnold). — 

 Memoires de la Section Caucasienne de la Soci^ttf Imperiale Russe de 

 G6ographie, livre xvii. livr" i.— Ditto, livre xviii. — Jahrbuch der Meteoro- 

 logischen Beobachtungen der Wetterwarte der Magdeburgischen Zeitung, 

 Band xiii., 1894 (Magdeburg). — Contempor.-iry Review, April (Isbister). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The History and Manufacture of Explosives. By H. 505 



Entomology and Evolution. By Dr. F. A. Dixey . 506 



A Philosophy of Man 508 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Rockwell : " Roads and Pavements in France "... 508 



Lascelles : " Single Salt Analysis " 508 



Rod way : " The West Indies and the Spanish Main " 508 

 Letters to the Editor:— 



Velocity of Propagation of Electrostatic Force. — Prof. 



J. Willard Gibbs 509 



An Unu.sual Solar Halo. ( JVziA Diagram. )— William 



J. S. Lockyer 5^9 



Remarkable Sounds.— Th. Delprat 510 



An Excellent View of the Retinal Circulation. — James 



W. Barrett 51° 



Butterflies and Hybernation.— Dan. Pidgeon ... 510 



Children's Drawings.— Hiram M. Stanley .... 510 



Testacellahaliotidea.—l.\Aoydi'Boz^2i\di 510 



An Early Swarm of Bees.— A. Page 510 



The Management and Protection of Forests. I. . 510 

 The New Process for the Liquefaction of Air and 



other Gases. [Illustrated.') 515 



Anianus Jedlik. By Augustus Heller 516 



Notes 517 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



New Variable Stars ., S^9 



Comet Perrine-Lamp 5^9 



Search Ephemeris for Comet 1889 V 520 



Institution of Naval Architects 520 



Recent Work with Rontgen Rays. [With Diagrams.) 522 



Report on the Use of Antitoxin in Diphtheria . . . 524 



University and Educational Intelligence 525 



Scientific Serials 526 



Societies and Academies 526 



Diary of Societies 528 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 528 



