October i i. 1894] 



NATURE 



O^o 



heated in a tube closed at one end explodes with violence and 

 production of flame. The powder behaves very curiously if 

 touched in one place with a heated rod ; the particles are set in 

 rapid whirling motion by the escaping oxygen, and the rise of 

 temperature is so great as frequently to terminate in local com- 

 bustion. This unusual phenomenon gradually extends through- 

 out the whole mass, oxygen being copiously and continuously 

 evolved in an almost perfectly dry state. When much more 

 strongly heated the substance melts and then evolves water 

 vapour, the residue consisting of ordinary sodium hydrate. 

 Analyses indicate that the substance possesses the composition 

 liNaO.j. Its production from sodium peroxide and alcohol in 

 all probability occurs in accordance with the following equa- 

 tion, sodium ethylate being the secondary product : 



Na.O. + CjUjOH = CjHjONa + HNaO.>. 

 The probable existence of this new sodium compound was 

 pointed out by Prof. Tafel in a previous communication con- 

 cerning the action of alcoholic mineral acids upon sodium 

 peroxide, and he has now been able to isolate it. He considers 

 it to be the hydrate of a trioxide of sodium NaoOj. It dissolves 

 in ice-cold water without decomposition, but at temperatures 

 very little higher the solution slowly evolves oxygen. If alcohol 

 is added to this solution the evolution of gas is considerably 

 augmented and the solution deposits after some hours crystals 

 of Mr. Vernon Harcourt's hydrate of sodium peroxide, 

 NaoO.j.SIIoO. Hydrochloric acid converts it into sodium 

 chloride, hydrogen peroxide, and gaseous oxygen. In order to 

 prepare the new compound, twelve grams of sodium peroxide 

 and two hundred cubic centimetres of ice-cold absolute alcohol 

 are convenient quantities to take ; they should be well shaken 

 together in a closed tiask, the liquid and the fine white sandy 

 product separated from any undecomposed lumps of peroxide, 

 rapidly filtered, the white sand-like substance washed with cold 

 alcohol and ether, and stored in a desiccator. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Diana Monkey {Cercopithccus diana, 9 ) 

 from West Africa, presented by Mrs. Collcult ; a Mozambique 

 Monkey [Ceycopilheciis pygerythrus, 9) from East Africa, 

 presented by Mr. H. J. Clowes ; a Macaque Monkey (Macacus 

 cynomo/gus, i ) from India, presented by Mrs. Morris ; a 

 Leopard {Felis pardtis) from East Africa, presented by Mr. 

 Thomas E. Remington ; a Two-spotted Paradoxure {Nandinia 

 Unotala) from West Africa, presented by Dr. Sydney W. 

 Thompstone ; a Moose (Akes viachlis, i ) from Sweden, 

 presented by Mr. Guy Nickalls ; a Bennett's Wallaby {llalma- 

 turus heniiettii, i) from Tasmania, presented by Captain G. 

 W. Brook ; two Horned Screameis (Palaiitadta cornula) from 

 Para, presented by Mr. H. A. Astlelt ; a Banded Parrakeet 

 {I'alicornis Jascialiis, 9 ) from India, presented by Mr. Thomas 

 Hodgson; a Green Turtle [Chel'one z'iridi^); a Hawks-billed 

 T\itt]e (C/tdoni: imiruata) from the East Indies, deposited; a 

 Mexican Guan {Pcmlope purpurascciii) from Central America, 

 two American Wigeon {Manca americand) from Brazil, a 

 Short-tailed Parrot (Pjc/tyrits brachyurits) from the Upper 

 Amazon, purchased ; two Kaccoons (Procyott lotor) ; a Persian 

 Gazelle (Gazclla siibgiilUrosa, i ), born in the Gardens, three 

 Bar-tailed Pheasants {Phasianus rcevesii), an Amherst 

 Pheasant {ThattmaUa amherslio:), bred in the Gardens. 



OUR ASIRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



NECtJLOSlTiES .NEAR THE Pi.ElADES. — For many year?, says 

 Prof. E. E. Barnard in the Astronomisc/ie Naclirichtcii, No. 

 3253, he has known of a vast and extensive nebulosity north of 

 the Pleiades. This is not to be confounded with the nebulosities 

 round the cluster revealed by photography during the last ten 

 years, and all of which are included within the circle on the 



NO. 1302, VOL. 50] 



accompanying illustration. The wisps and patches of nebulous 

 matter outside the circle are shown upon a photograph taken by 

 Prof. Barnard with the Willard lens which he has rendered 

 famous, the plate being exposed for ten hours, fifteen minutes. 



The curved and streaky streams of celestial mist in the illustra- 

 tion are apparently connected with the Pleiades, though some 

 nf them extend irregularly for several degrees each side of the 

 cluster. Prof. Barnard hopes to obtain still clearer pictures of 

 the nebulosities by extending the time of exposure. 



SCIENCE IN THE MAGAZINES. 



"PAST and west, as everyone knows, are merely relative 

 ■'-' terms. Elisee Reclus, in the Contemporary, traces the 

 normal line of separation between the two halves of the 

 ancient world which best deserve these names, considering the 

 matter from an historical point of view. The true and natural 

 partition between east and west of the ancient world is a trans- 

 verse zone running from north to souih between the Arctic Sea 

 and the Gulf of Oram. This almost uninhabited zone begins 

 just west of the plains of the Lower Indus, in the desert tracts of 

 Lower Beluchistan, and ends in the barren reaches between the 

 Obi and the Yenisei. Such a zone divides the world into two 

 halves having continental masses of nearly equal size. The 

 evolution of humanity was worked out differently on the two 

 sides ol this line, and the two developments are traced in the 

 article referred to. 



A very exhaustive article is contributed by Mr. John Rae to 

 the same review, under the title "The Work of the Beer 

 Money." The author describes what the County Councils have 

 done for technical education since the passing of the Local 

 Taxation (Customs and Excise Act) of 1S90, when funds for the 

 purpose of furthering such instruction became available. To 

 those who expected great things, the survey will be disappoint- 

 ing ; for it shows that in many cases the moneys have been 

 expended almost uselessly. Better results, however, could 

 hardly be expected, for it must be remembcied that the County 

 Councils had to create the machinery with which 10 carry on 

 the work. On this account many mistakes have been made, 

 "but," says Mr. Rae, "they [the Councils] have gone about 

 matters in a practical way, and when they have made mistakes 

 they have shown themselves quick to repair them. Much of the 



