January i8, 1900] 



NATURE 



:83 



Though articles of scientific interest only occasionally ap- 

 }iear in British monthly periodicals read by the general public, 

 I hey are more frequent in the American magazines published 

 here. The Monthly Guide to Periodical Literature, the first 

 number of which has just been issued by the Advertising Agency 

 of London, is therefore not without value from the scientific 

 side ; for it shows the titles and writers of articles in the chief 

 magazines and reviews which reach us from the United States, 

 and also in similar periodicals having their origin on this side 

 i)f the Atlantic. Assuming that the editors of the various 

 1 opular magazines know the pabulum best appreciated by their 

 I eaders, an examination of the list of articles shows that science 

 is given but scant attention by the reading public. A few editors 

 with scientific knowledge as well as literary capacity might do 

 much to increase interest in natural knowledge, and raise their 

 leaders' minds above the dead level of indiflferent fiction and 

 sensational science. 



The Zeitschrift filr physikalische Cheinie contains a very 

 ingenious application by J. J. van Laar of thermodynamics to 

 the results of Ramsay and Shields upon the association of 

 licjuids. Assuming that B simple molecules of water are 

 associated to form a compound molecule. Dr. van Laar applies 



ic thermodynamical conditions of equilibrium to the rate of 

 ,inge of the constant of association with temperature, and 



1 plies the resulting formula to the experimental figures of 

 Ivamsay and Shields. The value of q, the heat of dissociation 

 of the molecule [HoO]* thus determined, should be constant 

 if the right value of fl is assumed, and this is the case for water 

 at temperatures between o° C. and 60° C. if fl = 2. The results 

 are not so good if be taken as 3 or 4, and hence the author 

 c includes that the association is correctly expressed by 



(HoO).3^2H.20 



v\ith an absorption of 1930 calories per 18 grams of water. 

 Ethyl alcohol also appears to be bimolecular, but for methyl 

 alcohol and acetic acid = 3 at least. The contraction ensuing 

 when alcohol and water are mixed and the phenomenon of the 

 maximum density of water are also considered from this point 

 of view, with the striking result that the assumption of the 

 partial association of liquid molecules explains, not only the 

 contraction on mixing with alcohol, but also the irregular ex- 

 pansion of water. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a White-throated Capuchin {Cebus hypo- 

 leucns) from Central America, presented by Mrs. Vernon ; a 

 Blue and Yellow Macaw {Ara ararauna) from South America 

 presented by Mr. H. W. Stride ; two Java Sparrows (Padda 

 oryzivora) from Java, presented by Mr. Walter Buchanan ; an 

 Indian Dial-Bird {Copsychus saularis) from India, presented by 

 Mr. W. H. St. Quintin ; a Delalande's Gecko ( Tarentola dela- 

 landii) from West Africa, presented by Mr. May ; two Spotted 

 Salamanders (Salamandra maculosa), European, presented by 

 Mrs. Brett ; a Hocheur Monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans) from 

 West Africa, a Vulpine Phalanger {Trichosaurns vulpecula) 

 from Australia, ten Nose-crested Iguanas. (Iguana tuberculata 

 rhinolophus) from Nicaragua, two Whooper Swans (Cignus 

 musicus), European; a Starred Tortoise {Testudo elegans) from 

 India, deposited. 



Elements for Epoch 1900 January o"o Berlin Mean Time. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 New Minor Planet (1899 E.Y.).— Ilerr Otto Knopf, of 

 the Jena Observatory, gives the elements and ephemeris of this 

 planet in Aslronomische Ncuhrichten, Bd. 1 51, No. 3612, from 

 which the following abridgment is obtained : — 



NO. 1577, VOL. 61] 



SCIENCE TEACHERS IN CONFERENCE. 

 'X'HE Committee responsible for the arrangements in con- 

 ^ nection with the English Education Exhibition, which is 

 now being held at the Imperial Institute, very wisely decided 

 that a series of conferences, lectures and demonstration lessons 

 arranged by the chief educational bodies throughout the country 

 would form a valuable adjunct to their exhibition. The invita- 

 tions which the Committee sent out met with a very cordial 

 reception, and the programme of meetings for the discussion of 

 educational questions includes nearly every grade and phase of 

 English school life. 



One of the most interesting of these events was a conference 

 of science teachers from all parts of the country, arranged by 

 the Technical Education Board of the London County Council. 

 The success which attended similar gatherings during January 

 1899 convinced the promoters that nothing but good resulted 

 from the discussion of methods of teaching different branches of 

 science, and the meetings on January 10 and 11 were arranged 

 in much the same way as those of the first conference last year. 

 But whereas the subjects considered in 1899 were various 

 branches of physics and chemistry, the greatest prominence was 

 this year given to plans of instruction in natural history 

 and manual training. 



The Teachinc; ok Botany. 



At the first meeting held on the morning of January 10 at the 

 Imperial Institute, when the methods of teaching botany was 

 the subject dealt with, the chair was taken by Sir John Lubbock. 

 Papers were read by Prof. Miall, F. R.S., of the Yorkshire 

 College, Leeds, and Miss von Wyss, of the North London 

 Collegiate School for Girls. 



Prof. Miall gave it as his opinion that the teaching of botany 

 in .schools is not spreading, though there is hardly any scientific 

 inquiry which is at once so practicable and inviting. A special 

 reason for encouraging the study of botany is that a knowledge 

 of the great facts of plant-life is essential to scientific agriculture. 

 Those who live by agriculture, which is still our greatest 

 industry, are already beginning to demand that, in our rural 

 schools at least, the scientific basis of agriculture shall somehow 

 enter into the course of instruction. A school course may con- 

 veniently be divided into three stages according as the pupils 

 are children (age 8-12), boys and girls (13-16), or young men 

 and women (17-19). The science lessons given in the first stage 

 should take the form of object lessons. In the second stage 

 systematic science may be begun, and here chemistry and 

 physics will be the common choice, but natural history should 

 be kept alive by school natural history clubs and rambles. In 

 the third stage, students who will follow some pursuit in which 

 natural history plays a part, should take up natural history again 

 and study it methodically in the light of their chemistry and 

 physics. 



In the first stage the following maxims were recommended 

 by Prof. Miall. (i) No technical terms in Latin and Greek. 

 (2) No lectures or information lessons. (3) No books in class. 

 (4) Let all lessons be interrogations of actual objects, and 

 largely of live plants. (5) Try to make the class active and 



