5o8 



NATURE 



[March 22, 1900 



-which the intervals between consecutive zeros of intensity 

 are equal ; the authors' views lead to the contrary result, that 

 the intervals between two consecutive zeros should be unequal. 

 The experiments here described show that the minima are not 

 •equidistant, and hence confirm the latter theory.— On the 

 capacity of symmetrical conductors submitted to polyphase 

 'tensions, by M. Ch. Eug. Guye.— On the minimum volume of 

 fluids, by M. Daniel Berthelot. A discussion of the limiting 

 value of the co- volume.— Action of hydrogen peroxide upon 

 baryta, by M. de Forcrand. A thermo-chemical study of the 

 formation of barium peroxide in aqueous solution. The precipi- 

 tate formed by mixing dilute solutions of baryta and hydrogen 

 peroxide is regarded as Ba.[0(0H)]2, which on further treat- 

 ment with baryta gives Ba[0.0].,Ba.— Reply to the remarks 

 of M. D. Tommasi on the electrolysis of distilled water, by M. 

 Th. Tommasina. A question of priority.— On the electrolysis 

 of potassium chloride, by H. Andre Brochet. As the amount 

 of free alkali present in the solution increases, the formation of 

 hypochlorite diminishes.— Solubility of benzophenone, by M, E. 

 Derrien. Determination of the solubility of benzophenone in 

 'twenty-four solvents. The measurements were not carried out 

 at any fixed temperature (9° "6 to 17° -6 C), and only one figure 

 vis given for each solvent. — Dichlordimethylamido-benzoylbenzoic 

 :acid, by M. Emile Severin.— The acetals of the phenols, by 

 M. R. Fosse. The method employed is to heat the sodium 

 derivative of the phenol, or a mixture of the phenol, with potash, 

 with ethylidene dichloride in sealed tubes at 120° C. The pre- 

 paration and properties of the acetals CHg.CF^O.CgHg).^ and 

 CH3.CH.(OCioH7)2 are described.— Remarks on the transforma- 

 tion of organic material taking place during germination, by 

 M. G. Andre. A series of proximate analyses of the Spanish 

 haricot during different stages of germination.— The stores of 

 -carbohydrates in the seeds of lucerne, by MM. Em. Bourquelot 

 ;and H. Herissey.— Localisation of myrosin and gum in the 

 Moringa, by M. F, Jadin.— On the origin and connections 

 .of the Arthropods with the class of Onychophores, by 

 M. E. L. Bouvier.— Anatomical study of the male genera- 

 itive organs of the Coleoptera with compound testicles, by 

 M. L. Bordas.— On some new bacteria in coal, by M. B. 

 Renault. In addition to the bacilli and micrococci already de- 

 scribed, a new species has been found, named B. colletns, and 

 another, badly preserved, resembling the Streptothrix chroma- 

 genes of Gasperini.— On the regional types of metalliferous 

 layers, by M. L. de Launay.— Synthesis of the vowels, by M. 

 Marage. Two causes have been indicated by M. Marey as 

 being concerned with the formation of vowels, the vibration of 

 the air, and the transport of air in the supra-laryngeal cavities. 

 According to the experiments of the author only the first of 

 -these is indispensable. — A new method of stereometry, allowing 

 the stereoscopic determination of the three rectangular co- 

 ordinates of any point whatever of a radiographic object, by 

 MM. T. Marie and H. Ribaut. — Anodic influence on nervous 

 conductibility in man, by M. S. Leduc. — Contribution to the 

 study of the relations between the chemical constitution and the 

 f)hysiological action of the alkyl derivatives of the alka loids, by 

 M. W. Rosenstein. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, March 22. 

 -XOYAL Society, at 4.30. — The Croonian^ Lecture : On Immunity, with 

 Special Reference to Cell Life ; 



Prof. Paul Ehrlich (of Frankfort-on- 



-Equatorial East Africa and Mount Kenya : 



-Storage Battery Prob- 



Main). 

 •Royal Institution, at 3 

 H. J. Mackinder. 



l>i5TlT0TION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, at 8 



lems : E. J. Wade. 

 f NSTITUTION OF Mechanical Engineers, at 8. — Adjourned Discussion 



on Improvements in the Longworth Power-Hammer, and Portable 



Pneumatic Tools. — Paper to be read: Observations on an Improved 



Glass Revealer, for Studying Condensation in Steam-Engine Cylinders 



and rendering the Effects Visible : Bryan Donkin. 

 FRIDA y, March 23. 

 iS.OTAL Institution, at g. — Some Modern ExplDsives : Sir Andrew 



Noble. 

 JP«YSICAL Society, at 5.— An Electromagnetic Experiment : Prof. S. P. 



Thompson, F.R.S.— (i) Some Experiments illustrating Syntony ; (2) An 



Electrical Micrometer : P. E. Shaw. 

 •Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Development of the Modern 



Locomotive Engine : J. W. Cross. 



SATURDAV, March 24. 

 iRoTAL Institution, at 3 — Polarised Light : Lord Rayleigh. 



MONDA y, March 26. 

 fiaciETV OF Arts, at 8.— The Photography of Colour : E. Sanger 



Shepherd. 

 Bnstitutk of Actuaries, at»'5.30. — The Methods of Analysing and Pre- 



senting the Mortality, Sickness, and Secession Experience of Friendly 

 Societies, with Examples drawn from the Experience of the Manchester 

 Unity of Oddfellows : Alfred W. Watson. 



TUESDAy, March 27. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Structure and Classification of Fishes : Prof. 

 E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. . 



Royal Geographical Society, at 4.— Methods adopted in Surveying 

 the Cordilleras of the Andes : Prof. Bertrand. 



Anthropological Institute, at 8.30.— Native Life and Customs .in 

 Sarawak: Lantern Demonstration by Prof. A. ,C. Haddon, F.R.S. — 

 Discussion by C. Hose, Resident of Baram, Sarawak ; Dr. W. H. R. 

 Rivers, and others. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Papers to be discussed: The 

 Great Central Railway Extension— Northern Division : F. W. Bidder ; 

 and The Great Central Railway Extension— Southern Division: F. 

 Douglas Fox. 



IVEDNESDAY, March 28. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— Leather for Bookbinding : Douglas Cockerell. 

 THURSDAY, March 29. 



Royal Society, at \.j,o.—PrDbabU Papers: On the Retinal Currents of 

 the Frog's Eye, excited by Light and excited Electrically : Dr. A. D. 

 Waller, F.R.S. — Observations on the Electromotive Phenomena of 

 Non-medullated Nerve: Miss Sowton.— Variation : Prof. J. C. 

 Ewart, F.R.S.— Mathematical Contributions to the Theory of Evolu- 

 tion : On the Inheritance of Characters not capable of Exact Quantita- 

 tive Measurement : Prof. K. Pearson, F.R.S. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Mountain Exploration in the Andes : E. A. 

 Fitzgerald. 



Chemical Society, at 3.— Annual General Meeting. At 8.30.— Bunsen 



Memorial Lecture : Sir Henry Roscoe, F.R.S. 



Society OF Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30.— The Manufacture and Use of 

 Indieo : Christopher Rawson. 



FRIDAY, March 30. 



Royal Institution, at 9. — Facts of Inheritance : Prof. J. A. Thomson. 



SATURDAY, March 31. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Polarised Light : Lord Rayleigh. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Cambridge Crystallography. By Prof. H. A. 



Miers, F.R.S 485 



The Correspondence of Gibers and Gauss. By 



Dr. J. L. E. Dreyer 486 



Mexican Folk-lore 488 



Organic Evolution. By J. A. T 488 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Field: "Mining Engineers' Report Book and 

 Directors' and Shareholders' Guide to Mining 



Reports."— B. H. B 489 



Hanbury and Marshall :" Flora of Kent " 489 



Sperber :V' Leitfaden fur den Unterricht in der Anor- 



ganischen Cheniie." — A. S 489 



Brauer : " Aufgaben aus der Chemie und der physi- 



kalischen Chemie."— N 489 



Letters to the Editor:— 



The Rostrum of " Mesoplodon."— Dr. Henry O. 



Forbes 49° 



Vector Diagrams.— Dr. C. Chree, F.R.S 49° 



Similar Geological Structures in South Tyrol and the 



Isle of Man.— Maria M. Gordon 490 



Tides along the Antarctic Continent.— R. A. Harris 490 

 Crab Ravages in China.— Kumagusu Minakata . 491 

 Leonid Meteor Showers.— Thos. W. Kingsmill . 491 

 The Capture of Butterflies by Birds.— George A. 



Soper. 491 



The Smell emitted by Quartz when Rubbed.— E. L. 



Garbett 49^ 



The University of London. By W. A. T 492 



Difficulties of the Calendar. By W. T. Lynn . , . 493 

 The Melbourne Meeting of the Australasian 



Association 494 



The Bi-centenary of the Berlin Academy 494 



Innermost Asia. {Illustrated.) By T. H. H. ... 495 

 Dr. William Marcet, F.R.S. By Dr. F. W. 



Tunnicliffe 497 



Sir Michael Foster and his Pupils 497 



Notes 498 



Our Astronomical Column:— 



Comet 1899 V 501 



New Variable in Cygnus 501 



Escape of Gases from Planetary Atmospheres ... 501 

 New Mode of using the Concave Diffraction Grating 501 



Forthcoming Books of Science 502 



University and Educational Intelligence ..... 503 



Scientific Serials S04 



Societies and Academies 504 



Diary of Societies 508 



NO. 1586, VOL. 61] 



