6oo 



NA TURE 



[April i8, 1895 



iron boats containing lithium, and collect argon over mercury at 

 the exit end of the apparatus.— On the spectra of selenium 

 and some natural selenides, by M. A. de Gramont. The 

 minerals examined are : Berzcline Cu, Se, Zorgite (PbCuJ Se, 

 Clausthalite PbSe, Eucairite Cu„ Se.Ag._.Se, Guanajuatite or 

 Frenzclite Bi.Sej.— On the estimation of thiophene in benzene, 

 by M. G. Deniges. Two methods are given, both depending 

 on the use of the mercury reagent previously described. In 

 aqueous solution the reagent precipitates the compound (SOj 

 HgOHg>».C,HjS «»hen heated with the impure benzene 

 in a closed flask at loo= for about fifteen minutes with frequent 

 shaking. In methyl alcohol solution the precipitate SO^tHgO); 

 Hg.CjHjS is produced; in this case the benzene is 

 miscible with the reagent, and hence the reaction is much 

 facilitated. — On the action of potassium permanganate on 

 various organic substances, by M. E. Maumene. — On the 

 calcium phosphate of milk, by M. L. Vaudin. The 

 conclusions are drawn that: (l) Milk contains citric acid as 

 alkaline citrate, which aids in keeping its calcium phosphate in 

 solution. (2) This solution occurs owing to the effect of lactose 

 in preventing the precipitation of calcium citrate from solution. 

 (3) Every influence modifying or destroying the molecular 

 equilibrium of the salts dissolved in milk, tends to precipitate 

 tricalcic phosphate together with calcium citrate. — The sand- 

 stone of Taveyannaz and its relationships with the " flysch," 

 by MM. L. Duparc and E. Ritter. — On the calcium carbonate 

 of lake-waters, by M. Andre Delebecque. — On the connection 

 of latitudinal displacements of lines of barometric maxima 

 with the movements in declination of the moon, by M. A. 

 Poincare. The mean atmo'pheric conditions are powerfully and 

 regularly influenced by the moon at each tropical revolution, 

 and at each revolution of the node. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



LONDO.N. 



LiMS'KAN SociBTT, at 8. — Observations on the Loranthacea: of Ceylon : 

 F. W. Keeble. 



FRIDA K, April 19. 

 OoEKRTT Microscopic Club, at 8. 

 Malacolocical Society, at 8. 



SATURDAY, K-emi. 10. 

 Geologists' Association (Cannon Street Station, at 2.30. — Excursion to 

 Charlton. Director ; T. V. Holmes. 



MONDAY, April m. 

 Medical Society, at 8.30. 



TUBS DA Y. April 13. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Alternating and Interrupted Electric Cur- 

 rents ; Prof. G. F .rbes, F.R.S. 

 Institution op Civii Engineers, at 8. 



Royal Horticultural Society, at i.— Conference on Primulas. 

 Royal Statistical Society (Koyal United Seivice Insiiiution), at 5.— 

 Progress of Friendly Societies and similar li(>.titutions dunng the Ten 

 Years 1:84-94 : E. W. Brabrook —Some Ijtuslratioiis of Friendly Society 

 Finance ; Rev. J. Frome Wilkinson. 

 Royal Medical andChirukgical Society, at 8.30. 

 Royal Photographic Society, at 8. 

 Society of Antiquaries, ai 2. 



tyEDNESDA v. April 24. 



Institution op Mecmasical Engineers (Royal United Service Institu- 

 tion), at 7.30. — Di'cus^ton of the GuxerninR of Steam- Eogincs by 

 Throttling and hy Variable Expansion : CapUin H. K. Sankey.— Ihiid 

 Report 10 the Alloys Research Committee: Prof. W. C. Roberts-Austen, 

 C.B., F.R.S. 



Geological .Socip.tv, at 8. -On the Shingle Bedsof Eastern East Anglia : 

 Sir Henry H. Howoith. MP., F.K.S.— An Experiiieni to illuslraie the 

 Mode of Flow ofa Viscous Fluid: Prof. W. J. Sjlla.. F, R S.— Supple- 

 menlary Notes on the Syslcm.nic Position of the Trilobiles: H. .M. 

 Bernard. 



British Astronomical As»c'*tion, at 5. 



Society op Arts, at 8. ^ 



THURSDA V, April 25. 



RoTAL Society, *l 4 30. " 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Lit^uefaction of Gases: Prof. J. fJewar, 

 F.R.S. 



Camera Club, at 8.15. —PhotO'etching Printing : Leon Warnerlce. 



N iM isMA Tir Society, at 7. 



' "lETV. at 8 — 7heArii,nof Nilro%yl Chi 'ride on Amides: 



■.:. F R S.,and Dr. M. O For-i-r. - 1 he Action of Nitrisyl 

 :tr... i> ^ nnd A,partic Acid : l.a:v t-rota'ory Chlorosticcinic 



AciiJ^ Vf 

 Non.lumir 

 tuent '.f 1 

 Nilr 

 Iicr.7 



S . and H. J. Mar.h.,li.-On a Pr.>(>erty of the 

 ric Coal Gas FUii.e L T. Wri^hL— A Con.ti- 



',\:K. G. P.'fkin an'l J. Gclilatd. — Potassium 



l>i*eTS. F R-S., and I'. H ,wa.— D.oiiho-sub-ti|UteJ 



r J. J. Sudb riiURh — Hyd",l>sis ot At alic Nilriles 



'" I I '~'i III "xiRh. - Action of .S diuin bthylate 

 iih 



•■s (the 5>ociety of Arts), at 8.— A 

 -.. .:.^- .... i!:resi4 in Sheet Iron. Pfol. J. A. 



Lwing, F.H.b. 



NO. 1329, VOL. 51] 



FRIDA Y, .\PKiL 26. 

 RovAL Institution, at 9. — The Effects of Electric Currents in Iron on 



its Magnetisation ; Dr. John Hopkinson, F. R S. 

 Physical Society, at 5. — .\ Theory of the Synchronous Motor : W. G. 



Rhodwell. — Note on a Simple Graphic Interpretation of the Determin- 



antal Relation of D)*namics: G. H. Bryan. 

 Clinical Society, at 8.30. 

 Instituton of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Brine Pumping : Bernard 



Godfrey. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers (Royal United Service Institu- 



tionX at 7.30. 

 Epidb-miological Society, at 3.— Immunity : Dr. Washbourn. 



SATURDAY, April rj. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Enelish Music and Muscal Instruments of 



the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Centuries ; Arnold Dol- 



metsch. 

 Ghologists' Association (St. Pancras Station), 'at 9 am. — Excursion to 



Brigstock, Geddington. &c. Directors ; B. Thompson and W. D. Crick. 

 Royal Botanic Society, at 3.45. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books.— Field- Path Rambles: W. Miles, series 8 (Taylor).— Alembic 

 Club Reprints — No. 11 : Essays of Jean Rey (Edinburgh. Clay) — Results 

 of Rain, River, and Eva poration Observations made in New South Wales 

 dunng 1893: H. C. Russell (Sydney. Potter). — Progressive Revelation: 

 E. M. Caillard (Muiray). — The Schott Methods of the Trcaimenl of 

 Chronic Diseases of the Heart : Dr. W. B. Thome (Churchill) —Wayside 

 and Woodland Blossoms: E. Step (Warne). — Economic Classics: T. R- 

 Malihus (.Macinillan). — Problems and Solutions in Elementaiy Electricity 

 and .Magnetism : W. Slingo and A. Brooker (Longmans). — Lepidopteraof 

 the British Isles: C. G. Barrett. Vol. 2 (L. Reeve). — Hydraulic Motors: 

 G. R. Bodmer, 2nd edition (Whittaker)..— Queen's College, Galway. Calen- 

 dar for 1894-95 (Dublin, PonsonbyJ. — Stephen's Catechism of Practical 

 .\griculture, new edition (Blackwood). — A Handbook to the Carnivora. 

 Part I : Cats, Civets, and Mongooses : R. Lydekker (Allen). — Science 

 Readers: V. T. Murche. Books i, 2, 3 (Macmilian). 



Pamphlets. — Bacteriological 'I'cst of the Purity of Water: E. H. 

 Hankin (.\gra). — The Early Relations between Maryland and Virginia : 

 J. H. L.atanc (Batlimore). — Report of the Rugby School Natural History 

 Society, 1S94 (Rugby). — Report of the .Manchester Museum, Owens Col- 

 lege, 1894 (Manchester). 



Serials. — Engineering Magazine, April (Tucker). — Journal of the Royal 

 Statistical Society. March (btanford). — Journal of the CI emical Scciely, 

 April (Gurney). — Journal of the Federated Institutes of Brewing, Nos. i 

 and 2 (Harrison). — American Jcurnal of Scierce, April (New Haven). — 

 Journal of the Sanitary Institute, April (Stanford).— Science Prociess, April 

 (Scientific Press, Ltd.) — Bulletins de la Soci^tC d'Anlhropolocie de Paris, 

 No. 9, 1894 (Paris, Masson). — Astrophysical JoLmal. April (Chicago). 



CONTENTS PAGE 



The Experimental Physiology of Plants. By 



D H. S 577 



Mussel Culture. By W. A. H 578 



Historical Epidemiology 579 



Our Book Sbelf:— 



Helm : " Grundziige der mathematischen Chemie." — 



J. W. R 580 



Djakonow und W. Lermantoff: " Die Bearbeitung 



des Glases auf dem Blasetische " 580 



Slingo and Brooker: "Problems and Solutions in 



Elementary Electricity and Magnetism " 580 



"Qualitative Chemical Analysis of Inorganic Sub- 

 stances" 5^ 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Prof. Bolizmann's Letter on the Kinetic Theory of 

 Gases. — Edward P. Culverwell ; Prof. Ludwig 



Boltzmann ... 581 



The Recent Auroral Phenomenon. (Illustrated.) — 



Jas. G. Richmond 581 



The Age of the Earth. By Prof. John Perry, 



F.R.S 582 



The Seismological Observatory destroyed at 



Tokio. {/iliislralcJ.) 585 



Terrestrial Helium ? By J. Norman Lockyer, C.B., 



F.R.S 586 



Notes 586 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Lunar River Hcds and Variable Spots 5^9 



The Ulua- Violet Spectrum of the Corona 589 



Stellar Parallaxes 5^9 



The Sun's Place in Nature. IV. (Illuslratcd.) By J. 



Norman Lockyer, C.B., F.R.S 590 



New Compounds of Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and 



Chlorine 592 



Biological Work on the Illinois River, (lllus- 



iralcd.) . . . ■ 593 



The Vaiieties of the Human Species 595 



University and Educational Intelligence 598 



Societici aiiU Ac>aeiiiie8 599 



Diary of S.icicties 600 



biuoKK, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 600 



ic- 



liti' 



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