446 
NATURE 
[JUNE 25, 1914 
the authors have photographically analysed the explo- 
sion-wave in different mixtures of gases before it 
enters, while traversing, and as it leaves, the magnetic 
field. In no case did the magnetic field alter the 
character or velocity of the flames. 
Geological Society, June 10.—Dr. A. Smith Wood- 
ward, president, in the chair.—E. B. Bailey: The 
Ballachulish fold near the head of Loch Creran 
(Argyllshire). The purpose of the present paper is to 
direct attention to two phenomena strikingly illus- 
trated by the local evidence :—(1) The complexity of 
the slides affecting the Ballachulish Core, and’ the 
correlated (quite exceptional) occurrence of more 
groups towards the close of the fold, south-east of the 
River Creran, than towards the gape, north-west of 
the same; (2) the intense secondary refolding of the 
Ballachulish Fold, and the resultant sinuous outcrop 
of the Ballachulish Core.—Dr. Douglas Mawson: 
Geology and glaciation of the Antarctic regions. 
Mathematical Society, June 11.—Prof. A. E. H. Love, 
president, in the chair.—R. H. Fowler: A problem of 
diophantine approximation.—G. H. Hardy: Some 
theorems by Mr. S. Ramanujan.—G. H. Hardy and 
J. E. Littlewood: Proof of the general Borel-Tauber 
theorem.—Prof. E. W. Hobson: Theorems relating to 
functions defined implicitly, with applications to the 
calculus of variations.—J. G. Leathem : The differentia- 
tion of a surface-integral at a point of infinity.—R. E. 
Powers : Mersenne’s numbers.—J. Proudman : Free and 
forced longitudinal tidal motion in a lake. 
DvuBLin, 
Royal Irish Academy, May 8.—Dr. R. F. Scharff, 
vice-president, in the chair.—R. Southern - Free-living 
Nemathelmia, Kinorhyncha, and Chetognatha (in 
connection with the Clare Island Survey). A large 
number of new free-living nematoda were described, 
belonging to the families Anguillulida, Desmoscole- 
cide, and Cheetosomatide. One species of Gordius 
was found on Clare Island. Of the Kinorhyncha 
(Echinoderes) five species were described, two being 
new species. Two species of the Cheztognatha were 
found in the plankton of Clew Bay.—J. N. Halbert : 
Acarina (in connection with the Clare Island Survey). 
In this paper are recorded certain of the terrestrial and 
marine Acarina collected during the Clare Island Sur- 
vey. The following families are represented :— 
Gamasidez, Oribatidz, Halaconidz, and the Trom- 
bididaee. Some new species are described, including 
interesting forms found between tide-marks on the 
seashore.—G. P. Farren: Notes on marine plankton 
(in connection with Clare Island Survey). The plank- 
ton of the Clare Island district is boreal neritic, and 
may be subdivided into three groups : open-sea plank- 
ton, plankton of the intermediate offshore region, and 
plankton of the bays and harbours. The open-sea is 
characterised by the comparatively small number of 
species, a few of which, notably Calanus helgolandicus, 
occur at times in very great abundance. The number 
of species in the bays and harbours js large, many of 
them being only temporarily planktonic forms derived 
from the bottom. The intermediate region contains 
elements derived from both the other groups, but a 
few species, e.g. Aurelia aurita, find optimum condi- 
tions in it. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, June 13.—M. P. Appell in the 
chair.—A, Haller and R. Cornubert - Syntheses by 
means of sodium amide. The alkylcyclopentanones 
obtained by the addition of hydrogen to unsaturated 
derivatives. Details of the reduction in presence of 
nickel as catalyst of dibenzylidene-6-methylcyclo- 
pentanone and Bo’-dimethyl-aaa'-triallylcyclopentanone. 
The paper concludes with a summary of the results 
NO. 2330, VOL. 93| 
: A 
obtained on the substituted cyclopentanones and pub- 
lished in this and preceding communications.—J. 
Boussinesq : The calculation by successive approxima- 
tion of the continuous velocities in a uniform state by 
polynomials, in a prismatic tube of square section.— 
' Charles Richet: The non-hereditary accommodation 
of micro-organisms in slightly nutritive media. The 
lactic bacillus can be grown accustomed to poisons, 
but becomes weakened by generations of growth in 
media deficient in food. Such weakened strains sup- 
plied with a normal amount of food are still less 
vigorous than the ordinary strain of bacillus.—M. 
Considére : Measurement of the contraction, strains, 
the elasticity, and the resistance of the concrete in 
reinforced concrete constructions.—R. de Forcrand : 
The preparation of the hydrates of manganese sulphate. 
—V. Grignard and Ch, Courtot : Derivatives of cyclo- 
pentadiene and its dimer. Cyclopentadiene in toluene 
or petroleum ether solution reacts with magnesium 
methyl iodide, giving methane and a magnesium 
compound. ‘The latter compound is very reactive, but 
the substances obtained are mostly derivatives of the 
dimeric C,,H,..—J. Renaut : The isochromaticity of the 
hard segregation grains of rhagiocrine connective cells 
and the figured collagen formations of the conjunctive 
tissue.—M. Angelesco: A generalisation of Hermite’s 
polynomials.—P. Appell: Observations on the preced- 
ing communication.—Charles N. Moore; The relation 
between certain methods for the summation of a 
divergent series.—Leonida Tenelli: A direct method in 
the calculus of variations.—Paul Renard: The mode 
of construction of flexible airships.—Jules Baillaud : 
A simple arrangement for recording rhythmic time 
signals. A heavy pendulum is arranged to make an 
electrical circuit, arranged to produce taps in the 
telephone receiving the wireless signals, and these are 
brought into exact coincidence by displacing the con- 
tact-maker.—M. Maldiney: A colour reaction exhibited 
by solid hydroquinone. Solid hydroquinone and 
potassium carbonate, rubbed together, give a char- 
acteristic blue coloration.—Paul Jégou: An arrange- 
ment. for studying the strength of the oscillations 
received in wireless telegraphy. An electrolytic 
detector without any external electromotive force is 
used in conjunction with a transformer with movable 
coil. The detector is of low sensibility but high con- 
stancy in its indications, and hence is not easily 
affected by parasitic waves. A_ series of twelve 
measurements taken every two hours throughout the 
day clearly shows the favourable action of darkness 
on the wave propagation.—Maurice de Broglie: Direct 
spectrum analysis by the secondary Roéntgen rays.— 
R. Ladenburg and F. Reiche: The distribution of 
energy in the D lines of sodium.—Daniel Berthelot : 
The various modes of photolysis of oxalic acid by the 
ultra-violet rays of different wave-length. Solid 
oxalic acid with ultra-violet rays of middle and very 
short wave-length gives carbon dioxide and formic acid 
as the primary products of decomposition, some carbon 
monoxide and hydrogen being present as secondary 
products, probably arising from the action of the rays 
on the formic acid. In aqueous solution the 
secondary products appear in larger proportion.—F. 
Leprince Ringuet: The limits of inflammability of 
marsh gas. A study of the influence of moisture, 
pressure, diameter of the explosion tube, and direction 
of the explosion (from above or below) on the explo- 
sive properties of mixtures of methane and air.—O. 
Honigschmid and Mlle. St. Horovitz: The atomic 
weight of lead from pitchblende. According to recent 
theories the final disintegration product in the 
uranium radium series, known as Radium-G, and 
' isotopic with lead, should possess a different atomic 
weight. The average result of a series of atomic 
weight determinations carried out on a sample of lead 
