24 



NATURE 



[May 3, 1894 



5erpenl5, by MM. C. Phisalix and G. Bertrand. A claim for 

 priority. — Experimental researches on the place of fnrniation of 

 urea in the animal organism. Preponderating nle of the liver 

 in its form.tiion, l>y .M. Kaufmann. The formation of urea is 

 not entirely localised in the liver ; all the tissues produce a 

 certain quantity, though Ihey are nut so active as this organ. 

 The production of urea seems to be allied to the phenomena of 

 nutrition in the various tissue;, and the phenomena of elabora- 

 tion of nutritive materials in the blood by the hepatic gland. — 

 The production of "glycosurie " in animals by psychical means, 

 by M. Paul Gibier. The case of a dog is quoted in which 

 isolation from its usual companions isfolioued after about three 

 days by the appearance of sugar in the urine. The phenomenon 

 persisis during deprivation of liberty ai;d companionship, but 

 immediately ceases on restoration of the animal to its usual con- 

 ditions. — On a new and special sense, by M. Danion. — A con- 

 tribution to the study of the pest of fresh waters, by M. E. 

 Bataillon. The diplobacillus described attacks fish at all stages 

 of life. It also attacks crayfish. 



Amsterdam. 



Royal Academy of Sciences, January 27 (supplement). — 

 Prof, van de Sande Bakhuyzenin the chair. — Prof. Ivamerlingh 

 Onnes gave the results of the me.isurements of Mr. C. II. Wind 

 on the Kerr phenomenon in polar reflciion on nickel. The 

 result is that the difference between the observed phase and that 

 giren by the theory of Prof. II. .\. Lorentz has a constant 

 value, as pointed out by Sisfingh and introduced in Goldham- 

 mer's theory. For the phase of Sisfingh the value of 37" was 

 found. According to Drude's theory, it ought to be 60°. The 

 difference is here much more marked than in the case of cobalt, 

 from which Zeeman concluded in favour of Goldhammer's 

 theory, and it leaves no doubt as to the validity of this conclu- 

 sion. The experiments were described of Air. M. de Haas, 

 who has repeated the measurements of the coeflicient of vis- 

 cosity of methyl-chloride at temperatures approaching the 

 critical temperature, previously made in Ins laboratory by Dr. 

 L. M. T. Stoel. The results uf Stoel were confirmed, and the 

 method was modified so as to give the viscosity in absolute 

 measure. The viscosities of CI .Me and COo in the neighbourhood 

 of the critical point were also confirmed. .\ sufficient accord- 

 ance was found with the theorem, that in Van der Waals' cor- 

 responding states of two fluids the viscosity is in a definite 

 ratio that can be calculated from the critical data. 



March 31. — Prof, van de Sande Bakhuyzen in the chair. — 

 Prof. H. Behrens gave an account of experiments on 

 alloys of iron with chromium and tungsten, performed by 

 Mr. van Lingen and himself in the laboratory of the 

 Polytechnic School at Delft. In a ferrochrome with I3'3 Cr, 

 S'5 C, a ground mass was found, showing a hardness 

 a little superior to iron, and yielding Fe and Cr to hydrochloric 

 acid. By treatment with aqua regia the metal was disinte- 

 grated, and when observed under the microscope showed well- 

 defined moooclinic prisms, which had a hardness between that of 

 quartz and topaz (7'5)> ""d resisted the corrosive action of aqua 

 regia for a lortnight. .After washing with a heavy solution 

 (3-g- i-S), the composition of this compound was found to be 

 75-8 Fe, l6-8Cr, 6'7C. Chromium steel, with 75 Cr, 2-5 C. 

 was subjected to the same treatment, yielding grains and small 

 prisms of the same form and hardness. Analytical examination 

 gave the following result :— 735 Fe, 20 o Cr, 67 C. From 

 this the empiric lormula CrX'jFe- can be deduced. .Similar 

 crystals were isolated from a ferrochrome with 50 per cent. Cr, 

 much chromium being dissolved in strong hydrochloric acid. 

 From fcrrotungiten, containing much Mn and .S, beautiful 

 rhombic octahedra were obiaincd, containing 695 Fe, 28 9 W, 

 I 6 S ; from another sample, poor in Mn and S, similar crystals, 

 composed of 652 Fe. 28'6 \V. Hnih have a hardness superior 

 to felspar. Kvid.r'. ' I.udncss of these .alloys must 

 l«e ascribed to wc tuls of lltrte demeiils, not, as 



heretofore to alio:. , ns of iron. This investiga- 

 tion will be extended loferromanganese and to bronzes, contain- 

 ing Al and S.— Prof. Kamerlingh Onnes described the experi- 

 menn on electrolytic pr>larisation,madc by Dr.T. H. Mecrbury in 

 Prr>f V. .\. Julius' laboratory at Utrecht. The polarisation during 

 ■' ■ 'I with a capillary electrometer by 

 •' I'rinciple, the apparatus giving the 



I- - s- — s ■■ '■■'ne. The maximuui of Cathoilic 



polansation was reached one second after the beginning of the 

 |>ularising current. A formula for the increase of polarisation 



NO. 1279, VOL. 50] 



with time differing from that of Witkowski was deduced 

 from theory. A careful repetition of Root's experiment on the 

 transmission of electrolytic hydrogen by platinum foil of j}^ mm. 

 gave a negative result. Insufficient isolation or some other 

 error may have been the cause of what Root had observed. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED 



Books.— A Vindication of Phrenology : W. M. Williams (Chatio and 

 Windus). — E.vkursionsbuch ium Studium dcr Dogelstimmcn : Dr. A. Voigt 

 (Bctlin, Oppenhcim). — Electric Lij^ht Instaltations : Sir D. Salomons, 

 Vol. 3, Apparatus. 7th edition (Whiitakcr).— A Manual of the Geology of 

 India; R. D.Oldham. 2nd edition (K. Paul).— A Manual of Ethics: J. S. 

 Mackenzie. 2nd edition (Clivc). — Primer of Navigation ; A. T. Flagg (Mac- 

 millan).— Eight Hours for Work : J. Rae (Macmiltan). 



Pami-tilets. — Die .^bstammungstehreund die Errichtung eines In<;litutes 

 ffir Transformismus : Dr. R. Behla (Kiel, Lipsius and Tischer) — The 

 Principles of Elliptic and Hyperbolic Analysis : Dr. A. Macfarlane (Boston, 

 dishing) — Lcs Femmes dans la Science : A. Rcbiire (Paris. Nony). 



Sekials — Zeitschrift fur Physikalische Chcmie. xiii. Band, 4 Heft (Leip- 

 zig, En^clmann). — Memoirs of the Geoloeical Survey of India. Palaeonto- 

 logia tndica, series 9, Vol. 2, Part 1 ; The Echinoidca of Cutch : J. W. 

 Gregory (K. Paul).— Familiar Wild Birds ; W. Swayslaiid. Part i (CasNcllX 

 — Zeitschrift fur Wi*;scaschaft!ichc Zoologic, Ivii. Band, 5 Heft (Leipzig, 

 Engelmann). — Mitilieilmigcn dpr Pr.ihisiorischcn Commission der Kais. 

 Akad. der Wissenschaften, 1 Band, No. 3 (Wieo, Tempsky). — Natural 

 Science, May (Macmillan). — American Journal of Slathematics, Vol. xvi. 

 No. 2 (K. Paul).— Quarterly Journal of Micro-icopical Science Special 

 Complimentary No. dedicated to E. Ray Lankester (Churchill). — Agncul- 

 lural Gazeitc of New South Wales, March (Sydney). — Records of the 

 Geological Survey of India. Vol. xxvii. Part i (Calcutta). — Geographical 

 Journal, May (Stanford).— Conicmporar>' Review, M.iy (Isbivier). — New 

 Review, May ( Hcinemann).— Scnbner's Magazine, May (Low).— Sunday 

 Mag.izine, May (Isbister). — Humanitarian, May (Sonncnschein). — Long- 

 man's Magazine, May (Longmans). — Good Words. May (Isbister). — 

 Century Magazine. May (Unwin). — Chambers's fournal, May (Cbambersj. 

 — English Illustrated Magaz ne. May (Strand). — Geological Magazine, 

 MaytK. Paul). — Travaux de la Scciticdes Naturalistes ^i I'Untversut^ Im- 

 perialc de Kharkow, tome xxvii. 1892-93.— A Manual of Orchidaceous 

 Plants, Part x. (Veitch). — The Natural History of Plants : Prof. A. K. von 

 Mahlauo, translated by Prof. F. W. Oliver, Part i (BUckie). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Modern Incandescent Electric Lamp .... i 



Algedonics. Ily C. LI. M j 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Wilder: " Physiology Practicums " 4 



llampson: "The Fauna of British India, including 



Ceylon ami Hurmah." — W. F. K 4 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Panmixia.— Prof. W. F. R. Weldon, F.R.S. ... 5 

 On some .Sources of Error in ilie Study of Drift. — Prof. 



T. McKenny Hughes, F.R.S 5 



On the Trilubercular fheory. — E. S. Goodrich . . 6 



Zoological Regions.— C. B. Clarke, F.R.S 7 



The Earthquakes in (Ireece — C. Davison 7 



"Vermes." — Dr. Wm. Blaxland Benham .... 7 



On Iron Crows' Nests. — Walter G. McMillan ... S 



Early .Vrrival of Birds. — J. Lloyd Bozward .... S 



Irritability o( Plants.— R. M. Deeley S 



The Action of Light on the Diphtheria Bacterium. — 



J. Erede S 



Centipedes and their Young. — Dr. R. v. Lenden- 



feld 8 



Marsupilcs in the I>le of Wight. C. Grifiith .... S 



Poincare on Maxwell and Hertz S 



The Recent Work of the Cataract Construction 



Company 11 



The Epping Forest Controversy . ...'..... 12 



The University of London 13 



Notes 13 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



.\n Aslronumical Expedition from Harvard 18 



I'Jcmcnts and Ephcmcris of Gale's Comet 18 



The Hatchery for Sea Fishes, of the Fishery Board 



for Scotland at DUiibar. liy Dr. T. Wemyss Fulton 18 

 The Forthcoming Congress of Hygiene and Demo- 

 graphy 19 



Sewer Gas and Typhoid Fever ly 



Another New Branchiate Oligochxte. By Frank 



E. Bcddard, F.R.S 20 



University and Educational Intelligence 20 



Scientific Serials 21 



Societies and Academies . 22 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 24 



