APRIL 9, 1914] 
NATURE 
155 
relation was found to exist between the total rachis 
length and the average internode length in ears of 
wheat. Should the correlation be found to be as high 
in the case of all varieties of wheat, it seems possible 
that the relation between these two characters will 
be found to be the best criterion for classifying wheats 
according to the density of their ears, as this relation, 
in this case at least, is much more constant within a 
variety, than the average internode length.—H. C. 
Pocklington : The factorisation of large numbers.—Dr. 
Horton : The ionisation produced by certain substances 
when heated on a Nernst filament. Experiments have 
been made to test (a) the negative emission from lime, 
(b) the positive emission from sodium phosphate, when 
heated upon a Nernst filament, with a view to ascertain 
whether the effects observed when these substances 
are heated upon platinum are due, as has been sug- 
gested, to contact with the metal. It has been found 
that this is not the case; an enormous negative dis- 
charge can be obtained from lime heated on a Nernst 
filament, even in a very high vacuum, and sodium 
phosphate considerably increases the positive discharge, 
but for the latter test the filament must not be allowed 
to glow brightly or the salt sublimes away. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, \larch 30.—M. P. Appell in the 
chair.—G, Lippmann: A direct photographic method 
for the determination of differences of longitude. 
Photographs of the zenith are taken simultaneously 
at two stations by means of an optical device, and the 
difference of longitude determined by the position of 
the zeniths in the star groups. The method is simple, 
rapid, and accurate.—Armand Gautier ; The minervites. 
Analyses of minervites (complex hydrated aluminium 
phosphates) from different places and a discussion of 
their constitution.—H. Parenty : The freezing of wine, 
milk, and other alimentary liquids.—Emile Yung was 
elected a correspondant for the section of anatomy and 
zoology in the place of E. Metchnikoff, elected foreign 
associate.—J. Clairin: Some Backlund transforma- 
tions.—Jules Drach: Differential equations of the first 
order and first degree.—George Rémoundos; The 
series of multiform functions in a domain.—A. Korn: 
The problem of pulsating spheres and the theory of 
gravitation.—Edouard Canneval: A new arrangement 
of mirrors for lighthouses and other light projectors. 
—P. Vaillant: Tate’s law and the variation of the 
size of the drops with the speed of fall. The weight 
of a drop from a given tube varies with the number 
of drops a minute, and there is a discontinuity in 
the law of variation._—_L. Décombe : The heat of Joule 
considered as the heat of Siemens.—Albert Perrier and 
H. Kamerlingh Onnes: .The magnetisation of. liquid 
mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen and the influence of 
the mutual distances of the molecules of paramag- 
netism. The coefficient of specific magnetisation of 
liquid oxygen increases as the concentration 
diminishes; the additive law fails for mixtures of 
liquid oxygen and nitrogen.—Maurice de Broglie and 
F. A. Lindemann: A new method for rapidly obtaining 
spectra of the Réntgen rays.—V. Auger: The basic 
carbonates of copper.—E, Rengade and N. Costeanu : 
The heats of formation and some other properties of 
the alkaline sulphides. The sulphides of the alkali 
metals can be obtained in the pure state by the action 
of sulphur vapour upon the metals in a vacuum, 
separating the excess of metal by distillation. The 
sulphides of sodium, potassium, and rubidium have 
been studied in the present paper.—Mlle.  H. 
Cavaignac: The precipitation of alumina in presence 
of fluorides. Aluminium cannot be completely separ- 
ated from its solutions by the addition of ammonia-in 
NO, 2319, VOL. 93] 
the presence of fluorides, and this is very marked at 
the boiling point—MM. Cousin and Volmar: The 
salicylic nitriles. Of two-substances which have been 
described as nitriles of salicylic acid, one is shown 
to be disalicylamide and the other trioxytriphenyl- 
triazine. The true nitrile is obtained from salicyl- 
aldoxime.—Michel Longchambon: The primitive struc- 
ture of the Pyrenean dolomites.—Edmond Rosé : Study 
the 
of the gaseous exchanges and variation 
in the sugars and_ glucosides in the course 
of the formation of the anthocyanic pigments 
in the flowers of Coboea scandens. The antho- 
cyanic pigment is not formed at the expense of pre- 
existing glucosides.—Raoul Bayeux and _ Paul 
Chevallier : Comparative estimations of oxygen and 
carbon dioxide-in arterial and venous blood at Paris, 
Chamonix, and on Mont Blanc. High altitude deter- 
mines a variation in the amounts of oxygen and 
carbon dioxide in the blood, the increase in the carbon 
dioxide being greater than with the oxygen. Moun- 
tain sickness does not appear to cause notable modifi- 
cations in the amount of carbon dioxide, but this state 
is accompanied by a marked diminution in the oxygen 
of the venous blood.—J. Bergonié: The variation in 
the energy expenditure of man during the nycthemeral 
cycle._—Edm. Sergent, H. Foley, and Ch. Vialatte : The 
transmission to man and to the ape of exanthematic 
tvphus.—Marcel Belin: The action of oxidising sub- 
stances upon toxins in vivo.—Adrien Lucet : Researches 
on the evolution of Hypoderma bovis, and the means 
of destroying it. The injection of tincture of iodine 
is suggested as a treatment. The larve are killed 
and resorption effected without ill-effects on the 
animal.—E. Sollaud: Researches on the ontogeny of 
the Caridea. Relation between the mass of the nutri- 
tive vitellus of the egg and the order of appearance 
of the abdominal appendages.—M. Warcollier ; Con- 
tribution to the study of a disease of cider called 
‘““verdissement.’-—A. Fernbach and M. Schoen: Some 
products of the decomposition of dextrose in an allxa- 
line medium. Acetic acid is one product of this decom- 
position, and there is evidence that pyruvic aldehyde 
is also formed.—Ch. Dhéré and A. Burdel : The crystal- 
lisation of an oxyhemocyanine from an arthropod. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
The Cambridge British Flora. By Dr. C. E. Moss, 
assisted by specialists in certain genera. Vol ii. 
Text. Pp. xx+206. Vol. ii. Plates. Pp. vii+206. 
(Cambridge University Press.) 2/. tos. net. 
Grundlagen der Logik, Arithmetik und 
Mengenlehre. By. J. Konig. Pp. vili+ 259. (Leipzig : 
Veit and Co.) 8 marks. 
Die Individualitat der Zelle. By. S. von. Schu- 
macher. Pp. 12. (Jena: G. Fischer.) 60 pfennigs. 
Verhandlungen der Schweizerischen. Naturforschen- 
den Gesellschaft 96. Jahresversammlung vom 7-10 
September, 1913, in Frauenfeld. I. ‘Tiel, “PBpy 213- 
II. Teil. Pp. 249. (Aarau: H. R. Sauerlander und 
Cie.) 
The Flora of the Dutch West Indian Islands. 
Second volume, The Flora of Curagao, Aruba, and 
Bonaire. By Dr. J. Boldingh. Pp. xiv +197 + plates. 
(Leyden: E. J. Brill.) 7s. 6d. 
Neue 
Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde Uitgegeven door Het 
Koninklijk Zodlogisch Genootschap Natura Artis 
Magistra te Amsterdam. 1o¢. Aflevering. Pp. 235+ 
iv plates. (Leyden: E, J. Brill.) 13.50 marks. 
Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng- 
land. Vol. Ixxiv. .Pp. 448+clvi. (London: J. Mur- 
fay.) 10s. 
