624 



NATURE 



[April 30, 1903 



very favourable, eleven negatives being obtained. — Observ- 

 ation of the lunar eclipse "of April 11-12, 1903, by M. K. 

 Maiihat. Eighteen negatives were taken and submitted 

 to the Academy. — On M. Guichard's new transform- 

 ation of surfaces of total constant curvature, by M. 

 Tzitzeica. — On a new generalisation of the theorem 

 of M. Picard on entire functions, by M. Georges 

 Remoundos. — Researches on electric convection, by 

 MM, V. Cremieu and H. Pender. In spite of 

 the contradictory nature of some of the experimental re- 

 sults obtained, the authors believe that they are justified 

 in drawing the conclusion that charged metallic surfaces, 

 either continuous or divided into sectors, and turning in air 

 in their own plane, produce magnetic effects in the sense 

 predicted by electric convection, and agreeing within 10 

 per cent, with the order of magnitude calculated for con- 

 vection. The interposition of fixed armatures between the 

 moving surfaces and the measuring apparatus appears to 

 have no influence on the magnetit effects obtained. — On 

 magnetic hysteresis at high frequencies, by MM. C. E. 

 Guye and B. Herzfield. The question has frequenth been 

 raised as to whether the energ) losl 1 . > hysteresis in a 

 magnetic cycle is independent of the speed with which the 

 cycle is completed, and very contradictory results have 

 hitherto been published. The chief cause of uncertainty is 

 the presence of Foucault currents, and in the experiments 

 described in the present paper an attempt has been made 

 to eliminate this difficulty by the use of very fine iron wires, 

 and a thermal method for measuring the energy dissipated 

 in the wire has been adopted. Up to 1200 periods per 

 second the energy consumed by hysteresis is independent 

 oi 1 he velocity of the cycle. — On the magnetic properties 

 of the terrestrial atmosphere, by M. Charles Nordmaim. 

 The magnetic properties of the atmosphere can only have 

 a very small effect on the earth '^ magnetic field, and can 

 only produce a negligible fraction of the diurnal period of 

 a magnetised needle. — On electric sparks, by M. B. 

 Eginitis. — The electrical separation of metallic powders 

 and inert material, and of the metallic part of a mineral 

 from its gangue, by M. D. Negreano. — On a self-register- 

 ing galvanometer and a rotating contact, and their use in 

 tracing the curves of alternating currents, by M. J. 

 Charpentier. The mechanism controlling the introduc- 

 tion and motion of the sheet of paper upon which the 

 curve is to be drawn is the chief characteristic of the re- 

 cording galvanometer for which novelty is claimed. — The 

 nature of the sulphur compound in the water from the 

 Haven spring at Bagneres-de-Luchon, by M. F. Carrigou. 

 The Bayen water, before contact with air, contains a 

 sulphydrate of sulphur. — Soluble cellulose, by M. Leo 

 Vignon, Oxycellulose, prepared from cellulose by means 

 of hydrochloric acid and potassium chlorate, is acted upon 

 by aqueous solutions of potash in the cold, with regenera- 

 tion of cellulose and forming a soluble cellulose, which can 

 be precipitated from the solution by hydrochloric arid, or 

 chlorides of the alkalis and alkaline earths. — Physiological 

 and histological observations on the Gephyrians (endothelial 

 derivatives and pigmentary granules), by M. Man el A. 

 Herubel. — On the existence of an axile filament in the 

 adult conjunctival fibrilla, by M. P. A. Zachariades. — 

 Indophil reaction of the leucocytes in the aseptic suppura- 

 tions caused by the subcutaneous injection of essence of 

 turpentine, by MM. J. Sabrazes and L. Muratct. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, April 30. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30.— Croonian Lecture : The Cosmical Funct : on 



of the Green Plant: Prof. K. A. Timirjazev. 

 Royal Institution, at 5.— Hydrogen : Gaseous, Liquid and Solid: 



Prof. Dewar, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Divided Multiple 



Switchboards: An Efficient Telephone System for the World's Capitals : 



W. Aitken. 



FRIDAY. May i. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.— Recent Advances in Stereochemistry : Prof. 



W. J. Pope. 

 Geologists' Association, at 8. — The Zones of the White Chalk of the 



English Coast. IV.— Yorkshire : Dr. A. W. Rowe. 

 MONDA Y, May 4. 

 Society of Chemical Industry, at 8. — Problems in the Fat Industry : 



Dr. Julius Lewkowitsch. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — Mechanical Road Carriages: W. Worby 



Beaumont. 

 Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — Report on the Congress of Orientalists 



held at Hamburg, together with a Short Description of the Laws of 



NO. 1748, VOL. 67] 



Hammurabi, the Amraphel of Genesis, Ch. xiv., as Engraved on the 

 Recently Discovered Monument : Dr. T. G. Pinches. 

 Tuns iij* > . May 5 

 Roval 1 nstitution, at 5.— The Blood and some of its Problems : Prof. 



Allan Macfadyen. 

 Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies, at 4.30. 

 Society of Arts, at 4.30. — The Lagos Hinterland: its People and 



its Products: Major J. H. Ewart. 



WEDNESDAY, May 6. 

 Entomological Society, at 8 — Descriptions of twelve New Genera and 



Species of Ichneumonica: and three New Species of Ampulex from 



India : Peter Cameron. 

 Society of Public Analysts, at 8. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — The Construction of Maps and Charts : G. J. 



Morrison. 



THURSDAY, May 7. 

 Royal Society, at 4. 30. — Probable Papers: — On La^cnostonta Loin.ixi, 



Ihe Seed of Lyginodendron : Dr. F. W. Oliver anil Dr. D. H. Scott, 



F.R.S. — On the Physiological Action of the Poison of the Hydropbidse : 



Dr. L. Rogers. — Preliminary Note on the Discovery of the Pigmy 



Elephant in Cyprus : Miss D. M. A. Bale. 

 Royal Institution, at s. — Hydrogen: Gaseous, Liquid and Solid: 



Prof. Dewar, F.R.S. 

 Rontgen Societv, a! 8. 30.— Exhibition Evening. 

 Chemical Society, at 8.— (i) 0-Bromonitrocamphor and 0-Bromo- 



camphoiyloxime. Influence of Impurities in Conditioning Dynamic 



Isomerism ; (2) Spontaneous Decomposition of Nitrocamphor : T. M. 



Lowry. — The Active Constituents of Butea frondosa : E. G. Hill. 

 Linnean Society, ai 8. — The Ingolliellidse, fam. nov., a New Type of 



Amphipoda: Dr. H. J. Hansen — The Evolution of the Marsupials of 



Australia : A. Bensley. — Copepoda Calanoida from the Faroe Channel, 



and Other Parts of the North Atlantic: Rev. Canon Notman, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Electrical Engineers, at S. — Applications of Electricity 



in Engineering and Shipbuilding Works : A. D. Williamson.— Electric 



Driving in Machine Shops: A. B. Chatwood. 

 FR/I'A > May 8. 

 Royal I nstitution, at 9.- Rural England : H. Rider Haggard. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. 

 Malacologjcal Society, at 8. — On the Necessity of Examining and 



Comparing the Animals before Determining some Species of the Genus 



Oliva : F. G. Bridgman. — Notes on some British Enlimida?: E. R. 



Sykes. — Note on the Occurrence of Planorbis marginatus, Drap , and 



Limtiaea pereger, Mull., in the Pleistocene of Bognor, Sussex : Alexander 



Reynell. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



601 

 . 60: 

 6o> 

 60; 

 60: 



60S. 

 608 

 609 

 609 



adium. By Prof. J. J. Thomson, F.R.S. 



Entropy. By Prof. John Perry, F.R.S 



Vertebrate Morphology. By Dr. H. Gadow, F.R.S. 



The Work of Marignac. By W. R 



Irrigation in the Western States of America . . 

 Our Book Shelf: — 



Chottoraj : "Algebra" 



Young : Practical Chemistry and Ph)sics." — J. B. C. 



Andrews and Howland : " Elements ol Physics " . . 



Duncan: " First Steps in Photo-Micrography" 

 Letters to the Editor : - 



Radio-Active Gas from Well Water— Prof. J. J. 

 Thomson, F.R.S. .. . . 609 



Can Dogs Reason? — Sir William Ramsay, K.C.B., 

 F.R.S 609 



Bullfinch and Canary.— George Henschel .... 609 



Mendel's Principles of Heredity in Mice. — Prof. 

 W. F. R. Weldon, F.R.S 610 



The Discovery ol Japan.— Kumagusu Minakata . 610 



Sir O. Lodjje and the Conservation of Energy. — Dr. 

 E. W. Hobson, F.R.S. ... . . 611 



Density and Change ol Volume of Nova Persei. — C. E. 

 Stromeyer . . 612 



A Katydid's Resourcefulness. — Arthur G. Smith . 612 



Aboriginal Remains in N.W. Florida 612 



Positive Sciences at the International Congress of 



History. By Prof. Piero Giacosa . . 613 



Julius Victor Catus (1023-1903). By J. A. T. .613 



Notes 614 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences in May 618 



Nova Geminoium before its Discovery 618 



Recently Discovered Terrestrial Gases in the 

 Chromosphere 619 



Catalogue of Measures of New Double Stars . . . 619 



" The Cambrian Natural Observer " 619 



Seismological Notes 619 



Dr. Goeldt on Brazilian Deer 620 



The Pearl Fisheries of Ceylon. By Prof. W. A. 



Herdman, F.R.S 620 



University and Educational Intelligence 622 



Societies and Academies '123 



Diary of Societies 624 



31 





