l62 



NA TURE 



[December 14, 189; 



appear to be isomorplious with the naturally occurring mag- 

 nesium silicate, enstatite, MgSiO;,. The method is also appli- 

 cable to the synthesis of complex mixed silicates, and it is 

 possible by means of it to reproduce almost any of the naturally 

 occurring silicates of this class. 



At the last meeting of the Southern District Association of 

 Gas Engineers and Managers, Dr. ]>. T. Thorne gave an 

 a'-co'cnt of further experiments with the new process for enriching 

 coal gas by means of oxy-oil gas. Dr. Thorne has been enabled 

 to carry out an exhaustive series of tests at Huddersfield, where 

 the process is now in actual operation. His conclusions are 

 summarised as follows : (l) The addition of oxygen to oil gas, 

 preferably while the latter is still hot, not only increases the 

 illuminating value of the oil gas when employed directly as 

 illuminant, but also when it is used for purposes of enrichment. 



(2) Oxy-oil gas is a highly permanent gas, and when used as an 

 enricher of coal gas actually increases the stability of that gas. 



(3) Enrichment of coal gas by oxy oil gas would cost about one- 

 ihird of a penny per candle per thousand cubic feet. Dr. Thorne 

 concludes by expressing the opinion that the experimental 

 results place oxy oil gas at the head of the enriching processes 

 yet known, and fully justify the favourable view of the process 

 which was expressed in an earlier communication. With 

 regard to the actual working of the Huddersfield plant, we learn 

 from London, the organ of the London County Council, of 

 November 30, that the Huddersfield Corporation have now 

 used the new gas continuously for over two months, and have 

 obtained a steady white flame, affording a belter light, while 

 enabling a saving to be effected at the rate of ^10,700 per 

 annum. They are now using 36,000 cubic feet of the new gas 

 per day for enriching the ordinary product. They have been in 

 the habit of enriching their ordinary gas, which is of about six- 

 teen candle power, to the extent of four additional candles, by 

 means of cannel coal. The cost per candle at Huddersfield, 

 using Yorkshire cannel, has been about three-halfpence per 

 cubic foot. With the new plant of the oxy-oil process the actual 

 working cost is at present less than a halfpenny per candle per 

 thousand cubic feet, and will eventually be still less by thirty 

 per cent, or more, as crude petroleum is rapidly becoming 

 cheaper. Moreover, the coke produced from cannel coal is so 

 useless that the Huddersfield Corporation have been unable to 

 dispose of it, even to give it away. Under the new process 

 they find no difficulty in selling all the coke they can produce, 

 for seven shillings and sixpence per ton. The saving due to 

 enrichment amounts to /,7,700 per annum, and the gain from 

 sale of coke to ;^3,ooo, results which will have the practical 

 effect of reducing the price of gas to the consumers at Hudders- 

 field by at least threepence per thousand cubic feet, while 

 supplying them with a more cheerful light which is stable even 

 in winter. 



Notes from the Marine Biological Station, Plymouth. — 

 There has been little that is novel to record lately, owing to 

 the inability of our small boats to face the stormy seas. Last 

 wetk several specimens of the Teleostean ScicTiia ttinbra were 

 brought in, and the Nemeitine Eiifolia cuita (second capture) 

 and the Crustacean Gebia slcllala were taken in the Sound. 

 The floating fauna is poor as a rule, but there is an increasing 

 number of Annelid trochospheres, Scyfhonatites and Opistho- 

 branch veliger-. There is a noteworthy scarcity of Medusa;. 

 The Anlhozoa Akyonium digitatum and Ccreiis fedunculatits 

 (= Sagartia bellis), and the Crustacea Pandahis anmtlicorms, 

 Crangon Z'/z/far/.f, and one-year-old Carcinusmcenas have begun 

 to breed. 



The additions to the Zoologicrl Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Pale-headed Parrakeet {Platycernis palli- 

 diccps) from North-East Australia, presented by Mr. C. B. 

 NO. 1259, VOL. 49] 



Lewis; two Common Crossbills [Loxia cinviiosifa), a Song 

 Thrush {Tvroiis ti.uiictis) British, piesented by Mr. H. C. 

 Martin ; two Alligators {Alligator misnssiffiens-s) from the 

 Mississippi, presented by Mr. Austin [E. Harris; a Chacma 

 Baboon {Cyiioc(fhaliisf07caiiiis,'i) frcm South Africa, pre- 

 sented by Mrs. Rowland Tomson ; two Leopards {Felis pardvs) 

 from India, deposited ; thirteen Rufous Tinamous {Rhynchctus 

 rjifescew:) from Biazil, purchased ; a Japanese Deer [Cervus 

 siia, 9 ) born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



New Notation for Lines in Spectrum of Hydrogen. 

 — The application of the photographic plate to that important 

 instrument of physical astronomy, the spectroscope, has brought 

 to our view, in addition to the lour well-known lines of hydro- 

 gen in the visible part of the spectrum, another set of similar 

 lines, the first of which, havirg a wave-length less than that of 

 Hj, coincides with one component of Hj of the broad double 

 line in the solar spectrum which Fraunhofer termed H. The 

 second component, written H^, or K, is wanting in many stars 

 of Vogel's class la ; yet its comcidences with the line Ho or K, 

 where in this class another line in the region of Hj makes its 

 appearance, became established, so that no opportunity offered 

 itself to make a special nomenclature for the two first lines 

 above PL/ outside of the star's spectrum situated in the violet 

 region. The other lines Huggins named with the Greek cha- 

 racters o, y3, 7, &c. A new system of nomenclature, suggested 

 by Prof. Vogel, in the Astronomischcn Nachrichten (No. 3198), 

 has many points in its favour. The four lines in the visible 

 region, C, F, G, and h, retain their old signs of Ha, H/8, Hy, 

 H5, but H or Hj is here changed to Hf, and the a, ;8, 7 

 lines of Huggins to H^, PI 77, &c., thus makirg the nomenclature 

 thorovghly consecutive. Prof. Vugel says that in future he shall 

 adopt this new notation, and that Dr. Huggins has also agreed 

 to the arrangement, viz. that the hydrogen lines should always 

 have the elen:ent sign H coupled with a Greek letter as index, 

 as shown in the following table, in which aie given the new 

 and old notations with the wave-lengths : — 



The Spectrum of Nova Norm^.— Prof. Pickeiing, in 

 Astrcnc7nischcn- Nachrichten, No. 3198, gives some details 

 about the discovery of the new star in Noima. The star was 

 found by Mrs. Fleming on October 26 when, examining a 

 photograph of the sfcctra of the stars in this constellation, the 

 negative having been taken by Piof. S. J. Bailey at the Arequipa 

 station ori July 10, 1S93. Comparing the spectrum with that 

 obtained in the case cf Nova Aurigre, nearly the same dispeision 

 having been employed, it seems that they are nearly identical — 

 "about a dozen lines are visible in each, and are identical in 

 wave-length." The line F, although bright in both stars, is 

 more intense in Nova Norma;, and, further, is more intense 

 than any other line, while G was generally strongest in Nova 

 AurigK. With regard to the lime of the outburs; of this new 

 star, photographs indicate that it must have occurred within 

 ihe first ten days of July i. A photograph laken June 21, 



