312 



NATURE 



[July 24, 1890 



■graphs of these fringes is described. — On the freezing of meat 

 by cold liquids, by M. Th. Schloesing. A new method for 

 freezing and preserving large quantities of meat is described. — 

 The active elasticity of muscle, and the energy used in its crea- 

 tion, in the case of dynamic contraction, by M. A. Chauveau. — 

 On linear differential equations, by M. Cels. — Method of mea- 

 suring the difference of phase of the rectangular components of 

 a refracted light-ray, by M. Bouasse. — On the measurement of 

 the vapour-tension of solutions, by M. Georges Charpy. The 

 author uses the condensation hygrometer to determine indirectly 

 the tension of the vapour above the solution employed. — On 

 the laws of Berthollet, by M. Albert Colson. — Researches on the 

 double nitrites of rhodium, by M. E. Leidie. Double nitrites of 

 rhodium and potassium, sodium, ammonium, and barium 

 respectively are described, methods of preparation and properties 

 of each salt being given. — On some combinations of camphor 

 with phenols and their derivatives, by M. E. Leger. Many of 

 the compounds obtained yield crystals of definite form and 

 -constant composition, and are hence proved to be true compounds. 

 — On mannite hexachlorhydrin, by M. Louis Mourgues. The 

 method of preparation and properties of this body are given ; its 

 analysis indicates that it possesses the formula CoHgClg. 

 Raoult's method gives its molecular weight as 278 ; the 

 writer is of opinion that its constitution corresponds to 

 CH2CI(CHC1)4CH2C1. — On some new derivatives of j8-pyrazol ; 

 a contribution to the study of the nitric ethers, by M. 

 Maquenne. — Researches on the division of the embryonic 

 cellules among the Vertebrata, by M. L. F. Henneguy. — 

 On the colouring reagents of the fundamental substances of 

 membrane, by M. L. Mangin, The author compares the 

 action of colouring matters of membrane with their chemical 

 composition, and establishes the results furnished by the colour- 

 ing reagents by chemical analyses of the tissues. — On the ex- 

 pansion of silica, by M. H. Le Chatelier. The experiments 

 show that amorphous silica expands very little between 600" C. 

 and 1000° C. Quartz expands regularly up to nearly 600°, and 

 then reaches apoint where increase of temperature causes contrac- 

 tion. Calcined chalcedony expands slowly up to 200°, then the 

 coefficient of expansion is enormously increased for a time, but 

 finally it returns to the original value. Tridymite behaves 

 much like chalcedony, expanding slowly up to about 120°, 

 when an abrupt change takes place ; the slow expansion then 

 returns again, and finally contraction takes place with increase 

 of temperature. Thus the change in the coefficient takes place 

 at a higher temperature in the minerals of high density (quartz, 

 chalcedony) than for those of lower density (tridymite and cal- 

 cined chalcedony). — Analysis of the menilite of Villejuif, by 

 M. Auguste Terreil. — On the prediction of storms by the simul- 

 taneous observation of the barometer and the higher atmo- 

 spheric currents, by M. G. Guilbert. 



Amsterdam. 

 Royal Academy of Sciences, June 28. — Prof, van de 

 Sande Bakhuyzen in the chair. — Dr. Beyerinck described ex- 

 periments relating to the culture of Zoochlorella, Lichen gonidia, 

 and other lower Algse in a pure state. — The same speaker treated 

 of the artificial infection of Vicia Faba with Bacillus radicicola. 

 Twelve pots filled with sterilized river-sand, which was ren- 

 dered very poor in nitrogen by washing with distilled water, were 

 divided into four sets, each of three. On April 25, a well- 

 sterilized seed of Vicia Faba was planted in each pot. The 

 pots were of such a construction that the dust of the air was 

 wholly excluded from the sand, and the watering could also 

 take place under perfect dust-exclusion. The first set was 

 watered with a mixture of o'l monopotassium phosphate, 0*03 

 calcium chlorate, o*o6 magnesium sulphate, pro i litre distilled 

 water ; the second set with the same mixture ; the third set 

 with the same mixture, to which was added 0*2 gr. calcium 

 nitrate ; the fourth set with the same mixture, to which was 

 added 0*2 gr. ammonium sulphate. When the plants had de- 

 veloped their second leaf, the three pots of the first set, and 

 one single pot of each of the three latter sets, were infected with 

 a gelatine culture of Bacillus radicicola var. fabce, cultivated 

 in 1889 from the tubercles of Vicia Faba, and since that 

 time kept in successive cultures. The bacteria wherewith 

 the infection took place were mixed with sterilized common 

 water. On June 20 there was found on one old cotyledon a 

 Petticillium, and therefore the experiment was not further con- 

 tinued. All the plants were taken from the pots, and their roots 

 well washed and examined ; every single one of the six in- 



NO. 1082, VOL. 42] 



fected plants bore many tubercles, whilst no single one of 

 the six remaining not infected plants showed the least sign 

 of tubercles. The presence or absence of nitrogen as nitrate or 

 as ammonium is therefore indifferent with regard to the prac- 

 ticability of the infection. By another set of experiments it 

 was shown that gelatine cultures of Bacillus ornithopi, cultivated 

 in 1889 from the tubercles of Ornithopus perpusillus, had no 

 power to infect Vicia Faba. But negative results are not equal 

 to positive in value. 



BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Evolution of Photography : J. Werge (Piper and Carter).— Higher Geo- 

 metry, W. J. Macdonald (J. Thin).— Zoological Types and Classification : 

 W. E. Fothergill (J. Thin).— Principles of General Organic Chemistry: 

 Prof. E. Hjelt, translated by J. Bishop Tingle (Longmans).— Philosophy of 

 Tumour Disease : C. Pitfield Mitchell (Williams and Norgate).— Diseases of 

 Crops and their Remedies : A. B. Griffiths (G. Bell and Sons).— Principles 

 of Economics, vol. i. : A. Marshall (Macmillan and Co.)— Elementary 

 Text-Book of Heat and Light : R. Wallace Stewart (W. B. Clive and Co.). 

 —Quarterly Review, July (Murray).— The Forum, July (New York).— 

 Electrical Engineer's Pocket-Book : H. R. Kempe (Lockwood). — Mono- 

 graph of the British Cicadae, Part IIL : G. B. Buckton (Macmillan and 



CONTENTS. PAGE 

 The Colours of Animals. By Dr. Alfred R. Wal- 

 lace 289 



A Hand-book of Astronomy 291 



Annals of the Museum of Buenos Ayres 293 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Gillespie: " The Triumph of Philosophy " 294 



Trippling : " Watch and Clock Making in 1889 " . . 294 



Langley and Seys-Phillips : " The Harpur Euclid " . 295 

 Jerome-Harrison and Elliott : " The International 

 Annual of Anthony's Photographic Bulletin, 



1890-91" 295 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Discharge of Electricity through Gases. — Prof. J. 



J. Thomson, F.R.S 295 



Birds and Flowers. — Dr. Alfred R. Wallace . . . 295 



Reduplication of Seasonal Growth. — Rev. A. Irving 296 



Chimpanzees and Dwarfs in Central Africa. — ^J. F. . 296 



The Perseid Meteors.— W. H. S. Monck 296 



"Wind Avalanches." — F. M. Millard 296 



On the Meteorological Conditions of Desert 

 Regions, with Special Reference to the Sahara. 



By Dr. John Murray 296 



William Kitchen Parker, F.R.S 297 



Alphonse Favre 299 



Aid to Astronomical Research. By Prof. Edward 



C. Pickering 299 



Notes 299 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Objects for the Spectroscope.— A. Fowler 303 



Nice Observatory 303 



Enlargement of Photographs of Stellar Spectra . . . 303 

 The Scientific Principles involved in making Big 

 Guns. I. {Illustrated.) By Prof. A. G. Greenhill, 



F.R.S 304 



Studies in Biology for New Zealand Students. By 



G. B. H 309 



The Manchester Whitworth Institute 310 



Weights, Measures, and Formulae used in Photo- 

 graphy 310 



Scientific Serials 311 



Societies and Academies 311 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received . . . ; . 312 



