JuLy 30, 1914] 
NATURE 
aa he, 
= 
Although the above reductions of a series of self- 
contained observations on atmospheric extinction yield 
a determination of n, to an order of accuracy not very 
much less than that of the best existing determina- 
tions, their chief interest lies in the fact that they con- 
stitute as rigorous an experimental test of Rayleigh’s 
law as may be expected in view of the practical impos- 
sibility of securing absolutely perfect atmospheric con- 
ditions. From the value of y may be calculated the 
fraction of radiant energy converted per cm. of path 
into thermal molecular agitation; taking a value of 
Yo=0-032 for air under standard conditions, it is easily 
shown that in a stream of radiation corresponding to 
the solar constant the rate of increase of temperature 
amounts to 0-015° C. an hour.'* As the above value 
of y, even for the comparatively dust-free air above 
Mount Wilson, includes to a certain extent the effect 
of volcanic haze, it follows that in a pure gas parti- 
tion of energy cannot take place at a rate greater 
than is represented by the above-mentioned rate of 
increase of temperature. We have in this case an 
excellent illustration of two interpenetrating dynamical 
systems (the zthereal system of electromagnetic waves 
and the molecular gaseous system) allowing of parti- 
tion of energy, it at all, at an excessively slow rate 
compared with the rate of equalisation of energy dis- 
tributions which is capable of being realised in each 
system considered separately. It is interesting to 
notice also that this rate is enormously increased by 
the presence of constrained molecular systems (matter 
in the solid or liquid state, such as dust-particles, 
water droplets, etc.). 
Further, the experimental verification of Rayleigh’s 
law to a high degree of accuracy is interesting in that 
its final expression is a result of classical dynamics and 
continuous absorption and re-emission of energy; 
from this point of view it seems to the writer 
that the hypothesis of emission by ‘‘quanta’’ cannot 
be universally applied to radiating molecular 
systems. 
In this connection it is interesting to notice that 
in the recent theory of specific heats as proposed by 
Debye,’® Born and Karman,'® and now generally 
recognised as an adequate interpretation of experi- 
mental results, the interpretation of Planck’s constant 
h has been transferred from association with the indi- 
vidual atom to the process whereby energy is inter- 
changed between molecular systems vibrating under 
those intramolecular forces and constraints which in 
their integrated form determine the elastic properties 
of the solid state. Similarly in view of the above- 
mentioned verification of Rayleigh’s law it is difficult 
to see how Planck’s ‘‘quantum’”’ can be associated 
with the individual molecule, at any rate for that 
system of vibrations which enter into the forced oscil- 
lations with consequent re-emission of radiant energy 
thus constituting the phenomenon of molecular scat- 
tering. In the opinion of the writer one might with 
advantage seek for the interpretation of Planck’s h 
in the problem of ‘‘black-body”’ radiation in the fact 
that the radiating units probably perform vibrations 
under the intramolecular forces and constraints which 
determine the solid state, while at the same time the 
reaction of the total aggregate of radiating systems 
must profoundly modify the character of the radiation 
from the original sources before it emerges from the 
interior of the solid into free space for experimental 
examination. 
Louris V. Kine. 
McGill University, June 6, 1914. 
14 King, doc. cit., p. 394. 
15 Debye, Ann. der Phys., iv., 39, p. 789. (1912.) 
16 Born and Karman, Phys. Zeztschr., xiv., p. 153 also p. 65. (x913-) 
NO. 2335, VOL. 93] 
The Destruction of Wild Peafowl in India. 
May I direct attention to the subjoined extract from 
the Englishman of Calcutta. of June 4 last? It will 
give some idea of the degree to which wild peafowl 
are being destroyed in India so long as the open 
market for foreign plumage exists in the maritime 
countries of Europe. Of course, there is no objection 
whatever to the use of peacocks’ feathers in any form 
of art, but sufficient for the purpose should be ob- 
| tained from the millions of domesticated peafowl in 
Europe, Asia, America, and North Africa, without 
pursuing a war of extermination against the wild 
species still remaining in India. The peacock sheds 
his wondrously beautiful tail feathers every summer 
or early autumn, but I have reason to think that the 
bulk of the peacocks’ plumes exported from India are 
derived from wild birds shot for the purpose. Mr. 
C. William Beebe, of the New York Zoological Society, 
has already directed attention to the extent to which 
the peafowl of India and Burma are being eliminated 
from the woodland. One would only ask in this case 
control of the destruction within reasonable limits. 
H. H. JOHNsTON. 
‘On Tuesday, the Calcutta Customs authorities 
seized forty-four large cases containing peacock 
feathers on one of the steamers. These cases were to 
be delivered at Hamburg. By a mere chance, they 
escaped detection when first presented before shipment 
at the Customs office, but when they had been placed 
on board the steamer, information reached the Cus- 
toms authorities as to their contents. Promptly, 
Customs officers were sent to bring back the cases 
to the office, where on examination they were found 
to contain peacock feathers. 
“The feathers will of course be confiscated and the 
exporter, whose name was not disclosed, will, if found, 
be fined heavily. This consignment of feathers, in a 
way, constitutes a record. A feather which costs half 
an anna in India brings in a very considerable sum 
in Germany. 
“It is stated that cases of smuggling feathers are 
now again becoming very common, and the Customs 
officers are almost daily making seizures of the con- 
traband article. In spite, however, of their vigilance 
in some cases, the smugglers succeed in sending away 
feathers. The smugglers employ ingenious methods; 
in many instances they send the feathers under 
assumed names; then the consignee’s name is also 
very difficult to ascertain and in some cases, where 
valuable feathers are concerned, the smugglers send 
them by post in letters or as registered parcels. 
‘“There is at the present moment a large demand 
for peacock feathers in Europe, and the majority of 
the consignments detected in Calcutta contained 
feathers.”—The Englishman, June 4, 1914. 
THE AUSTRALIAN MEETING OF THE 
BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
ORE than three hundred members of the 
i British Association (including some forty 
foreign and colonial members) are on their way to 
Australia to attend the eighty-fourth annual meet- 
ing, which begins in Adelaide on August 8. The 
Australian organisation has found it possible to 
offer hospitality to the whole party without dis- 
tinction, and the State Governments are providing 
all the visitors with passes over their respective 
railway lines during the time of the official meet- 
ing. A number of leading members have already 
been for some time in the country for purposes of 
