624 



NA TURE 



[April 30, 1896 



]'akis. 

 Academy of Sciences, April 20. — M. A. Cornu in the 

 chair. — On the subject of an unpublished letter of Gauss, by 

 M. de Jonquieres. — On a temporary case of parasitism of the 

 Glyciphagus domesticus of Geer, by M. E. Terrier. An account 

 of a case where this species of Acarus, usually free, Vjecame 

 parasitic, with the result that two houses into which it was 

 accidentally introduced became uninhabitable. Energetic 

 measures of isolation and disinfection by sulphurous acid had 

 to be adopted to stamp out the parasite. — The truffles (Terfas) 

 of Mesrata, in Tripoli, by M. Ad. Chatin. — The ex- 

 traction of the terpene alcohols contained in essential oils, by 

 M. A. Haller. The essence is treated with a quantity of suc- 

 cinic or phthalic anhydride sufficient to convert the whole of the 

 alcohol into the corresponding acid ether. Treatment of this 

 with aqueous sodium carbonate gives the sodium salt of the 

 acid ether, and this, digested with an excess of caustic soda, 

 gives the alcohol free from hydrocarbons on appropriate puri- 

 fication. As an alternative method, the essence containing the 

 alcohol is diluted with ether and treated with metallic sodium, 

 then to the sodium derivative so formed the succinic or phthalic 

 anhydride is added, and the salt worked up as before. — On the 

 approximate value of the coefficients of terms of high order in 

 the development of the principal part of the disturbance function, 

 by M. A. Feraud. A study of the mutual influence of two 

 planets upon each other, both of which are moving in elliptic 

 orbits. — On the biuniform transformations of algebraic surfaces, 

 by M. P. Painleve. — On the diffi-action of the Rontgen rays, 

 by MM. L. Calmette and G. T. Lhuillier. By the use of two 

 metallic screens pierced with narrow slits, photographs were 

 obtained consistent with the assumption that the Rontgen rays 

 exhibit the phenomenon of diffiraction. The results obtained in- 

 dicate that the wave-lengths are longer than those of light, but the 

 photographs are hardly clear enough for exact measurement. The 

 experiments are being continued. — Observations on a communi- 

 cation of MM. Benoist and Hurmuzescu, by M. A. Righi. A 

 discussion of the conditions favourable to the discharge of an 

 electrified body by the X-rays. The author maintains the 

 accuracy of his earlier observations regarding the production of 

 a positive charge upon isolated conductors by the Rontgen rays, 

 and states that the potentials so produced are of the same order 

 as contact electromotive forces. Hence a*^ry delicate electro- 

 meter is required to exhibit these effects. — Photography in the 

 interior of a Crookes' tube, by M. G. de Metz. The kathode 

 rays in the interior of a Crookes' tube possess one of the pro- 

 perties of the Rontgen rays, inasmuch as they penetrate 

 aluminium, cardboard and paper, but are stopped by platinum 

 and copper. — Observations on the preceding, by M. Poincare. 

 The kathode rays, on striking the platinum or aluminium screen, 

 may give rise to X-rays, which then go through the metallic 

 plates. The kathode rays themselves may not necessarily 

 possess this property. — On the compensation of the directing 

 forces, and the sensibility of the galvanometer with moving coil, 

 by M. H. Abraham. By attaching a small mass in front of the 

 moving coil of a Deprez-d'Arsonval galvanometer so as to 

 slightly displace its centre of gravity, and properly regulating 

 the inclination of the instrument by means of its levelling 

 screws, the effective sensibility is increased one hundred-fold, and 

 is of the order, of a Thomson galvanometer of equal resistance. 

 — Rotatory dispersion of active non-polymerised liquid bodies, 

 by MM. Ph. A. Guye and C. Jordan. An experimental study 

 of normal and abnormal rotatory dispersion. The chief con- 

 clusions drawn are that active liquid bodies, not polymerised, 

 present only normal rotatory dispersion, and that there is no 

 simple relation between the refrangibility of the radiations and 

 the rotatory dispersion. — On a new series of sulphophosphides, 

 by M. Ferrand. These compounds, of which the copper, iron, 

 silver, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, lead, and 

 aluminium salts are described, are thio-pyrophosphates, and pos- 

 sess the general formula M'4P2S7. — The spontaneous adaptation of 

 muscles to changes in theirfunction, by M.Joachimsthal.— Influence 

 of induced currents on the orientation of living bacteria, by M. L. 

 Lortet. Living bacteria, in the form of mobile bacilli, are very 

 sensible to the action of currents from a Ruhmkorff coil, and 

 immediately set themselves in the direction of the current. 

 This effect is only produced when the organisms are living, and 

 is not observed after the introduction of an antiseptic, such as 

 carbolic acid. Living organisms are unaffected by a constant 

 current. — On the internal appendages of the male genital 

 apparatus of the Orthoptera, by M. A. Fenard. — On the mem- 



NO. 1383. VOL. 53] 



brane of the Ectocarpus fulvescens, by M. C. Sauvageau. — On 

 the abortion of the principal root in one species of the genus 

 Iinpatiens (L.), by M. C. Brunotte. — The biochemical pre- 

 paration of sorbose, by M. G. Bertrand. A specific organism, 

 which can be obtained by exposing a mixture of wine and vinegar 

 to the air for some time, is the cause of the conversion of sor- 

 bite into sorbose in the fermentation of the juice of various 

 species of Sorbus. The direct production of sorbose in the fer- 

 mentation of the latter is dependent upon the introduction of 

 the organism by small reddish flies (the vinegar fly, Drosophila 

 funebris). —Or\ winter observations in the caves of the Gausses 

 (Padirac, &c.), by M. E. A. Martel. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — A Scientific Demonstration of the Future Life : T. J. Hudson 

 (Putnam). — Studies in Ancient History: J. F. M'Lennan, 2nd series (Mac- 

 millan). — A Dictionary of Chemical Solubilities. Inorganic : Dr. A. M. 

 Comey (Macmillan). — The Theory of Sound : Lord Rayleigh, Vol. 2, new 

 edition (Macmillan).— Analytical Psychology : J. F. Stout, 2 Vols. (Sonnen- 

 schein).— Forschungsberichte aus der Biologischen Station zu Plon : Dr. O. 

 Zacharias, Theil 4 (Berlin, Friedlander).— Know your own Ship : T. Walton 

 (Griffin). —Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, Vol. v. Part i 

 (Calcutta).— The American Lobster : Dr. F. H. Herrick (Washington).— 

 Artistic and Scientific Taxidermy and Modelling : M. Browne (Black. — 

 Royal University of Ireland. Examination Papers, 1895; a Supplement to 

 the University Calendar for the Year 1896 (jBublin). 



Pamphlets. — The Physiology of the ifSorbohydrates : a Rejoinder to Dr. 

 Raton's further Criticism : Dr. F. W. PaVy (Churchill).— City and Guilds of 

 London Institute Report to the Governors, March 1896 (Gresham College). 

 — Neber einige FJigenschaften der Rontgen, schen XStrahlen : Drs. Winkel- 

 mann and Straubel (Jena, Fischer). 



Serials. — English Illustrated Magazine, May (198 Strand). — Quarterly 

 Review, April (Murray). — Good Words, May (Isbister). — Sunday Magazine, 

 May (Isbister).— American Journal of Psychology, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Worcester, 

 Mass.). — Encyklopaedie der Naturwissenschaften, Dritte Abthg., 30 to 33 

 Liefg. (Breslau, Trewendt). — Journal of the Sanitary Institute, April (Stan- 

 ford). — Longman's Magazine, May (Longmans). — Chambers's Journal, 

 May (Chambers).— Terrestrial Magnetism, No. 2 (Chicago).— Journal of the 

 Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. Ixiv. Part 2, No. 3 (Calcutta).— Proceedings 

 of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1895, Part 3 (Phila- 

 delphia). — Bulletin of the American Museuni of Natural History, Vol vii. 

 (New York).— Field Columbian Museum. Archsological Studies among 

 the Ancient Cities of Mexico, Part i : W. H. Holmes (Chicago).— Natural 

 Science, May (Rait).— Schriften der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in 

 Danzig. Neue Folge, Neunten Bandes, Erstes Heft (Danzig). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Intellectual Rise in Electricity 601 



Artificial Colouring Matters. By Prof. R. Meldola, 



F.R.S 603 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Wundt : " Grundriss der Psychologic " . ..... 604 



Bouty : " Cours de Physique de I'Ecole Polytechnique" 604 

 Guillaume : " Les Rayons X, et la Photographic a 



travers les Corps Opaques " 604 



Letters to the Editor:— 



Blood-Brotherhood.— T. L. Patterson ...... 604 



Megalithic Folk-lore.— S. E. Peal ■ . . 605 



The Glacial Drift in Ireland.— Henry J. Seymour . 605 

 The Bright Meteor of April 12.— W^orthington G. 



Smith 605 



Remarkable Sounds. — Kumagusu Minakata . . . 605 



The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. [Illustrated.) . 605 



The Place of Science in Education 607 



Notes 609 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



The Spectrum of Mira 612 



Comet Swift, 1896 612 



Recent Work with Rontgen Rays 613 



Colour Photography. By Prof. G. Lippmann. . . . 617 

 The Influence of Atmospheric and Oceanic Cur- 

 rents upon Terrestrial Latitudes. By Prof. Simon 



Newcomb, F.R.S 618 



The Past, Present, and Future Water Supply of 



London. By Dr. E. Frankland, F.R. S 619 



University and Educational Intelligence 622 



Societies and Academies 623 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 624 



