3i(> 



NA TURE 



[February i, 1900 



the metallic borates, by M. L. O ivrard. Since the only 

 definite borate of the composition B(OR):, is the magnesium 

 borate of Ebelmann, attempts were made to prepare other 

 borates of a similar constitution. Cadmium borate, Cd3(B03).2, 

 can be prepared in a pure state by heatinf^ together in a platinum 

 crucible potassium and hydrogen fluoride, KHFg, with boric 

 anhydride, and then adding cadmium oxide. — On a new method 

 for determining aluminium, by M. Alfred Stock. The method 

 proposed depends upon the setting free of iodine and precipita- 

 tTon of alumina from its salts by a mixture of potassium iodide 

 and iodate. The reaction is not complete unless some sodium 

 thiosulphate is added, and the solution heated. The aluminium 

 hydrate thus thrown out is in a much denser form than when 

 precipitated by ammonia, and is easily washed and dried,— -On 

 the fauna of the Auvergne, by MM. C. Bruyant and A. Eusebio. 

 — On the seminal teguments of some species of the genus Im- 

 patiens, by M. Camille Brunotte. — On the geology of Souihern 

 China, by M. Leclere. The geological expedition to Southern 

 China occupied from December 1897 to July 1899. and resulted in 

 filling up the gap in the geology of the country between Indo- 

 China and Central Asia. — On some fossil plants of Southern 

 China, by M. R. Zeilier. A study of the carboniferous fossils 

 collected by M. Leclere in the expedition mentioned in the pre- 

 vious paper. — On the structure of the southern portion of the 

 zone of the Brianijonnais, by M. W. Kilian. — On a new 

 Miocene rodent, by M. CI. Goillard. The new rodent, which 

 was found in the Miocene strata of Grive-Saint-Alban, on 

 account of its peculiar dentition cannot be regarded as belong- 

 ing to any known genus. The molars have some resemblance 

 to those Brachyuroinys Belsileonensis, now existing in Mada- 

 gascar, and recall also the dentition of the living species 

 Tachyoryctes anneclens and Rhizomys vestitus. The name 

 proposed for the fossil is Anomaloniys Gaitdryi. — Qn a crystal- 

 lised fibrin, by M. L. Maillard. Abhough admitting the accu- 

 racy of the observations of M. Dzerzgowski as to the existence 

 of crystals of calcium palmitate in the deposit from sterile serum, 

 •the author still is of opinion that there is also ^ quasi-crystalline 

 albuminoid material present. — The increase of yeasts, without 

 fermentation, in the presence of a limited quantity of air, by M. 

 A. Rosenstiehl. In the experiments described, the reproduction 

 of the yeast without fermentation would appear to be caused by 

 the presence of tannin, nr of some similar substance capable of 

 being coagulated by gelatine. — On the nature of the propaga- 

 tion of a nervous influx, by M. G. Weiss. The experiments 

 made by the author upon the effect of temperature upon the 

 velocity of a nerve impulse are not in agreement with those of 

 Helmholtz, since the velocity would appear to be independent 

 «f the temperature, and hence is not so intimately related to a 

 •chemical change as is muscular contraction. — New method for 

 measuring the thermal sensibility, by MM. Ed. Toulouse and 

 W. Vaschide. To eliminate the disturbing effects of contact 

 sensations the authors use drops of water heated to known tem- 

 peratures, and weighing only o'l gram, which are allowed to 

 Tall on to the skin from a height of i cm. — Action of a con- 

 . tinuous current upon the respiration of muscle, by M. Th. 

 • Guilloz. — On the solar halo of January 11, 1900, by M. I'Abbe 

 Maze. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, February i. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. — A Case of Monochromatic Vision: Sir W. 

 Abney, FR.S.— Thermal Radiation in Absolute Measure: Dr. 

 Bottomley, F.R.S., and Dr. Beattie. -Electrical Conductivity in Gases 

 traversed by Cathode Rays : Dr. McLennan. — Researches on Modern 

 Explosives: W. Macnab and A. Ristori.-— On the Influence of the 

 Temperature of Liqi'.id Air on Bacteria : Dr. A. Macfadyen. 

 RovAL Institution, at 3 —1 he Senses of Primitive Man : Dr. W. H. R. 



Rivers. 

 LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— On Botanic Nomenclature: C. B. Clarke, 

 J'.R.S.— On the Zoological Result-; of an Expedition to Mount Roraima, 

 4n British Guiana, undertaken by Messrs. F. V. McConnell and J. J. 

 Quelch : Prof. E. Ray Lankester. F R.S. 

 Chemical Society, at 8 —The Chlorine Derivatives of Pyridine. 

 Part V Synthesis of aa'-Dichloro'-yridine. Contitution of Citrazinic 

 Acid : W. J. Sell and F. W. Dootson.— The Formation of Heterocyclic 

 •Compounds : S. Ruhemann and H. E. St.ipleton.— The Space Configura- 

 •tion of Quadrivalent Sulphur Derivatives : Methyl Ethyl Thetine Dextro- 

 .camphorsulphonate, and Dextrobromocamphorsulphonate : W. J. Pope 

 and S. J. Peachey.— Nitrocamphane : M. O. Forster. 

 RoNTGEN Society, at 8.— Rontgen Rays in Diseases of the Chest : Dr. 

 Hugh Walsham.— Mr. A. Hastings Stewart will show a small Egyptian 

 Mummy and Skiagrams of the same. 



fRlDA ) . February 2. 

 Royal Institution, at q.- Wireless Telegraphy : G Marconi. 

 Gbologists' Association, at 7.30.— The President, J. J. H. Teall, 

 F.R.S., will deliver an .\dlress on the Natural History of Phosphatic 

 Deposits. 



MONDAY, February 5. 



Society of Arts, 'at 8. — The Nature and Yield of Metalliferous De- 

 posits : Bennett H. Brough. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30 —A Fragment of the Geo- 

 graphy of England : Soulh-West Sussex : Dr. H. R. Mill. 



Society of Chemical Industry, at 8. — On Recent Objections urged 

 against the Adoption of the Metric System : Dr. W. S. Squire.— Oil of 

 Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower Oil) : H. R. Le Sueur. 

 TUESDAY, February 6. 



Royal Institution, at ■>,. — Structure and Classification of Fishes : Prof. 

 E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. 



Z 1 n.o.iiCAL Society, at 8. 30. — Notes on the Transformations of some 

 South African Lepidoptera : Colonel J. M. Fawcett. — On Mammals 

 obtained in South- Western Arabia by Messrs. Percival and Dodson : 

 Oldfield Thom.is. — On a Small Collection of Decapod Crustaceans from 

 Freshwaters in North Borneo : L. A. Borradaile. 



Institution of ('ivil Engineers, at 8. — Moving Loads on Railway 

 Underbridges : W. B. Farr. — Note on the Floor System of Girder 

 Bridges : C. F. Findlay. 



WEDNESDAY, February 7. 



Geological Society, ai 8. — Pala lake and the River Sy.stem of North 

 Wales: Philip Lake. — Foraminifera from an Upper Cambrian Horizon 

 in the Malverns : Frederick Chapman. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8. — Note on the Separation of Oleic 

 Acid from other Fatty Acids : Dr. J. Lewkowitsch. — Analysis of a 

 Sample of " Treacle " and or' a Sample of So-called " Golden Syrup " : 

 C. G. Matthews and A. Hyde Parker. — I he Determination of Carbon 

 and Sulphur in Steel : Bertram Blount.— Note on Sour Milk : H. Droop 

 Kichmon 1 and J. B. P. Harrison. — Butlers from various Countries com- 

 pared : C. Estcourt. 



THURSDAY, Fkbruary 8. 



Royal Society, at \.T,o.—f'robable Papers: The Spectrum of o-Aquilae : 

 Sir N. Lockyer, K.C.B.. F.R.S., and A. Fowler. On Electrical Effects 

 due to -Evaporation of Sodium in Air and other Gases: W. C. 

 Henderson. 



Royal Institution, 313. — Modern Astronomy :. Prof. H. H. Turner, 

 F.R.S. 



Chemical Society, at 8.3c.— Victii Mejer Mtreoiial Lecture: Prof. 

 T. E. Thorpe, F.R S. 



Society of Arts (Impeiial Institute), at 4.30.— The Projects of Railway 

 Communication with India: J. M. Maclean. 



Mathematical Society, at 8.— A Formula in the Theory of the Theta- 

 Functions : Prof. A. C. Dixon.— Some Eleminiary Distributions 01 

 Stress in Three Dimensions : J. H. Michell. 



Institution ok H^lectkical Engineers, at 8. — The Slandaidi ation of 

 Electrical Engineering Plant : R. P. Sellon. 



/-Ve/i^^K, February 9. 



Royal Institution, at p. — Symbiosis and symbiotic Fermentation : 

 Prof J. Reynolds Green. 



lloVAL Astronomical Society, at 3 —Anniversary Meeting. 



Physical society, at 5. — Annual General Meeting. — Address by the 

 President, Prof. O. J. Lodge, F.R.S. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, ai 8. — Underground Sources of Water- 

 Supply '■ D- E. Lloyd-Davies. 



CONTENTS. 



A Year of Biology. ByJ. A. T 



An Arithmetical Miscellany. By G. B. M. ... 



Missionary Anthropology 



Telephotography. By W. J. S. L 



New Data for the Study of Variation. By F. A. D. 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Ebner : "A. Koelliker's Handbuch der Gewebelehre 



des Menschen " • . 



Keane: "The Evolution of Geography."— H. R. M. 

 Harrison : " First Steps in Earth-Knowledge ; being 



an Introduction to Physiography (Section I.) 

 Bergholz : " Hie Orkane des ' Fernen Ostens ' '" — H. 



Coppock : " Volumetric Analysis" 



Letteis to the Editor: — 



The University of London Election. — Rev. Dr. A. 



Irving 



Floating Stones.— Cecil Carus-Wilson ; R. C. T. 



Evans ... 



The German Antarctic Expedition. By Prof. Erich 



von Drygalski . .... 



The Van t Hoff Celebration at Rotterdam. {IVilh 



Porirait). By Ur. H. M. Dawson . 



Three IN ew Bird Books. {Illustraled.) By R. L. . 



The London University Election 324 



Professor D. E. Hughes, F.R.S 325 



Notes .326 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Astronomical Occurrences in February ..... 330 



United Sta es Navai Observatory 330 



On the Blue Colour in Woad. By Dr. Charles 



B. Plowright 33' 



Contact Electricity ... 332 



Agricultural Education 332 



University and Educational Intelligence 333 



Societies and Academies 334 



Diary of societies 33^ 



PAGE 

 • 313 



314 

 . 314 



315 

 . 310 



316 

 317 



3'7 

 317 

 317 



318 

 318 



321 

 323 



NO. T 579 VOT . 6 l] 



