;i2 



X.I TURE 



[JULV 



'D> 



189: 



least soluhle gas known. - New formation of glycollic aldehyde, 

 by H. J. H. Kenton. The acid, CjIl^Og.alljO. previously pre- 

 pared by the author, yields glycollic aldehyde when heated with 

 water ; the aldehyde readily jxilynicrises, yielding an amorphous 

 hexose, C,H, .<),;. — Kthereal salts of ethanetctracarboxylic acid, 

 by J. Walker and I. R. .\ppleyard. — On the occurrence of argon 

 n the gases enclosed in ri^ck salt, by P. I'. Bedson and S. Shaw. 

 The nitrogen given ofT by the Middlesburj;h brine contains about 

 the same proportion of argon as does atmospheric nitrogen. — On 

 the dissociation of gold chloride, by T. K. Rose. — On some 

 physical properties of the chlorides of gold, by T. K. Rose. — 

 The dissociaticjn of liquid nitrogen peroxide (part ii.): the in- 

 fluence of the s<jlvent. by J. T. Cundall. The dissociation of 

 nitrogen peroxide in solution is de|)endent on the temperature 

 and on the nature of the solvent ; solutions in fourteen " inactive" 

 solvents have been quantitatively examined. — Condensation of 

 lienzil with ethylic acetoacetate, by F. R. Japp and d. D. 

 Lander. — On a method for preparing the formyl derivatives of 

 the aromatic amines, by }1. R. Hirst and J. B.Cohen. The 

 primary aromatic amines yield formyl derivatives when treated 

 with formamide in acetic acid solution. — .\ modification of 

 Zincke's reaction, by M. R. Hirst and J. B. Cohen. The con- 

 densation of aromatic hydrocarbons w ith l)cnzyl chloride, chloro- 

 form, &c., is readily brought about by amalgamated aluminium 

 foil. — A method for preparing cyanuric acid, by W. II. .Arch- 

 deacon and J. B. Cohen. Cyanuric acid and hydrogen chloride 

 are obtained on heating urea and pho^ene in toluene solution at 

 230° in sealed tubes. — The oximes of benzaldehyde and their 

 derivatives, by C. .M. I-uxmore. — On a colouring matter from 

 l.omalii Hidfolia and Lomalia loni^/olia, by E. H. Rennie. .\ I 

 yellow colouring matter, which seems to be hydroxyla|)achol, is i 

 found adhering to the seeds of the two s|)ecies of Lomatia. — The ' 

 colouring and other constituents contained in Chay root (part ii. ), ' 

 by A. G. Perkin and J.J.I lummel. In addition to the constituents 

 previously isolated from Chay root, the authors now describe a 

 hystazarin monomethyl ether and the three anthragallol dimethyl 

 ethers. — The six dichlorotoluenes and their sulphonic acids, by 

 W. I*. Wynne and \. Greeves. — The disulphonic acids of toluene 

 and of ortho- and para-chlorololuene, by W. P. Wynne and J. 

 Bruce. — Contributions to our knowledge of the aconite alk,iloids. 

 Part xii. The constitution of pseud.iconitine ; preliminary 

 notice, by W. R. Ounstan and V. II. Carr. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, July 15. — M. Marcy in the chair. — 

 Researches on the electric discharge of the torpedo, by iM. 

 d'.-Vrsonville. The author hits investigated this discharge by 

 means of self-registering ap|>aratus, and has rendered it ap- 

 )>arent by passing the current through various disjiositions of a 

 set of small incandescent lamps. .\t ig' C. the mean duration 

 of a discharge is from 0"I to 005 second. With torpedos from 

 25 to 35 cm. in diameter, kept for eight days in the laboratory 

 lasins, the K..M.K. oscillates tjetween 8 and 17 volts, and the 

 intensity l>etwecn i and 7 amjK-res. There is no diflerence of ' 

 potential l>etween the two faces of the organ in repose. The 

 two organs function synergically and with the same intensity, 

 each organ having several sections giving independent discharges. 

 During a discharge, the organ rises from 02" to 03 in tem- 

 |K.Tature if short -circuilefl, Init does not l>ecome heated if in open 

 circuit. The electricity is produced in the organ itself, and not 

 in the nerves serving it. M. Marey followed up this paper with 

 a few appreciative remarks, emphasising the auth<»r's point that 

 new light on the nature of muscular action might be ex|)ected 

 from oWrvalions on the electric organs of the torpeilo, and 

 asserting that the author intends studying the effect of certain 

 )Hiiv>ns and physical agents of which the action <jn muscles is 

 .1 ' ' An.— f)n a iK'd of (xitassium and aluminium phos- 

 ; i in .Vlgeria, and on the genesis of these miner.tls, 



I Tarnot. — Calculation of fluid trajectories, by M. 



1 he. — A comparison Ijctween electric motors with 



' currents and those with alternating currents, 



by .M. I>ue/.. -- On the atworplion spectrum of liquid 

 air. by Profs I.iveing and Dewar. Janssen's law that 

 '' ■ ... ' : , , , ..y. the square of the density 



■ that these tnrticular bands 



u: , ..i ..L :ilcs produced fty ctmdensation, 



or 10 the e: molecules of ordinary mass, encounters 



which arc in - 1 ,xs their free path is diminished. An 



examinati^m of the .tl/v»rption s|)ectrum of liquid air and com- 

 |";ifi»on with that of litjuid oxygen under ordinary pressures 



NO. 1343, VOL. 52] 



shows that a thickness of 0*4 cm. of liquid oxygen gives a much 

 greater band intensity than I -9 cm. of liquid air. The bands in 

 the liquid air spectrtim become more intense as the nitrogen boils 

 oflf. Nlixtures of liquid air anil oxygen confirm Janssen's law at 

 low tem|)eratures. Solid air, whether containing solid oxygen 

 or not must remain doubtful, shows practically the sante character 

 and intensity of absorption as liquid air, hence the encounter 

 theory is not borne out by exix'riment. — .\ction of the infra-red 

 rays on silver sulphide, by M. II. Rigollot. Using silver sulphide 

 as an electrochemical actinometer, its sensitiveness to infra-red 

 rays has Iwen recognised far lieyond the last visible radiations. 

 The E. M.F. jiroduced may possibly be due to a calorific 

 action. — On the detection and presence of laccase in plants, by 

 M. G. Berlrand. Laccase has been recognised in many plants ; 

 a list is given. It appears only to be found in the rapidly 

 developing parts, the older [XJrtions of plants not yielding this 

 diastase-like substance. — t^n the essence of Linaloe, by MM. 

 Ph. Barbier and L. Bouveault. This essence consists essentially 

 of licireol with small quantities of a sesquiterpene, of licarhodol, 

 and di.-itomic and tetratomic terpenes, together with 01 percent. 

 of a ketone, CgllijO. — On the penetration of embryos of 

 " I'anguillule stercorale '" into human blootl and the relation 

 between the jire-sence of these embryos and certain fevers of hot 

 countries, by M. P. Teissier. — On a transition form between 

 cartilaginous and osseous tissues, by M. Joannes Chatin. The 

 Gecko (Plalydactylus fasdtiilaris, Daud.) has furnished the 

 tissue described. — On pelagic fishing in the deep sea, by MM. 

 L. Boutan and E. P. Racovitza. The author is not able to 

 confirm the existence of types specially adajited for life at great 

 depths. Me gives a list of forms found at from 400 to 500 

 metres below the .surface, and shows that they are nearly the 

 same as the forms asserted by Chun to be characteristic of great 

 depths (1400 metres) ; the same types have even been collected 

 near the surface. M. Je Lacaze-Duthiers made some remarks 

 on this paper, and particularly called attention to the suitability 

 of the Banyuls station for this kind of work. — The jihenoniena 

 of karyokinesis in the Uredin;v, by M.\I. G. Poirault and M. 

 Raciborski. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Distribution of Animals. liv R. Lydekker, 



F.R.S ' 289 



Alkali Manufacture. HyJ. T.Dunn 290 



Physical Analogues of Protoplasmic Movement . 291 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



.Marshall : " .Ksthetic Principles" 292 



I'r.ili : " .\n .\naly.sis of Astronomical Motion" . . . 292 

 Letters to the Editor: — 



The Physical Properties of .-Vrgon. — Lord Rayleigh, 



F.R.S 293 



The Teaching I'niversitv for London. — W. T. 

 Thiselton-Dyer, C.M.G., F.R.S.: Prof. E. 

 Ray Lankester, F.R.S. : Alfred W. Bennett . 293 

 The l%arlieNl Magnetic .Meridians. — Captain Ettrick 



W. Creak, F.R.S 295 



\'ariegation in Flowers and Fruits. — J. D. La 



Touche 295 



.Sricnie Scholarships al Cambridge. — W. A. Shen- 



stone ; D. Rintoul ... 295 



Sir John Lubbock and the Teaching University for 



London 295 



Post-Graduate Study and Research at Cambridge . 296 



The Health of London 298 



The Recent Race of Auto-Mobile Carriages in 



France. (///mlnUiil.) 300 



Notes 300 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Altitude and Azimuth of Polaris 305 



Observations of I louble Stars 305 



.'\ tircai Nebula in .Scorpi 305 



.\ew \'iirial)le Stars 306 



The British Medical Association ... 306 



Helium, a Constituent of Certain Minerals. I. 

 {///iislr,t/,;/.\ liy Prof. William Ramsay, F.R.S., 

 Dr. J. Norman Collie, an.l Mr. Morris Travers . 306 



University and Educational Intelligence jjS 



Scientific Serials 308 



Societies and Academics 310 



