654 
slit was used, and he is able to divide the cometary 
bands into two classes—long and short. The long 
bands comprise the carbon bands at A5165, 4737, and 
4351, and the cyanogen bands at A4216 and 3883, 
these last extending even further from the nucleus. 
Comparing this spectrum with those of other comets, 
he finds that comet 1912a (Gale) and comet i1gtIc 
(Brooks) are closely of the same spectral type as Zlatin- 
sky’s: this type he considers the more usual. Halley- 
Daniel (1907) is a type less common, and Morehouse 
(1908) a truly exceptional type. 
THE SPECTRUM OF SiLicon.—Those engaged in 
astrophysical researches will welcome the important 
paper communicated to the Royal Society (R. S. 
Proc., Series Ace VOLT XC.) sp. hi2, eAusust) by 1si6 
William Crookes on the spectrum of elementary 
silicon. Silicon plays an important part in the classi- 
fication of stellar spectra, and the wave-lengths of 
lines attributed to this substance by different workers 
are by no means similar, and the number of lines 
recorded in the spectrum also vary for different 
observers. The discrepancies have chiefly arisen 
owing to the difficulty of obtaining pure silicon for 
laboratory purposes, but Sir William Crookes has 
recently been able to secure specimens of considerable 
purity, and so is able to record the results of his 
labours over eleven years on this one element in this 
communication. The specimens worked upon were 
obtained from the Carborundum Company at Niagara 
Falls, and gave on analysis 99:56, 99:86, and 99-98 
per cent. of silicon, the impurities being titanium, 
iron, and aluminium. The use of these specimens has 
allowed the author to correct the lines given by other 
less pure samples, and to clear up other doubtful 
points. The paper gives a sketch of the procedure 
of treatment and the method of measurement of the 
lines, with, finally, a list of the lines attributed to 
silicon, with comparison tables of the wave-length 
determinations of other workers; it is to be noted 
that no intensities of the lines are given. The follow- 
ing is a list of the lines recorded :— 
A 3853-812 6346-962 2516-131 
3856: 193 6371-032 2519-27 
3862-743 woes) 2524-110 
3905-726 2124-163 2528-585 
4089-016 2208-048 2541-970 
4097-021 2210:987 2631-370 
4128-18g 2211-839 2881-690 
4131-192 2216-882 2987-750 
4552:841 2218-227 3086-479 
4568-123 2435:212 3093-694 
4574823 2438-911 3247-684 
5042-715 2443°454 3438-444 
5057°832 2452-219 3796-364 
5961-6 2507°055 3806-802 
5982-0 2514-400 
Tue Tora Sorar Ec .ipse.—Attention is directed 
to the article in Nature of July 16 on the eclipse of 
the sun which is to take place to-morrow. In the 
communication in question particulars are given of 
the various observing parties and the positions and 
duties assigned to them. The outbreak of hostilities 
must necessarily interfere with the programme therein 
sketched, e.g. the expedition which was to have been 
stationed near Kief has had to abandon its proposed 
work. According to the Times, Major Hills, president 
of the Royal Astronomical Society, has arrived in 
London from Russia, and Prof. Fowler and Mr. 
Curtis may be expected shortly. The party had con- 
siderable difficulty in getting away from Russia, 
having to travel from Riga to Copenhagen as deck 
passengers on a cargo steamer. 
NO. 2338, VOL. 393] 
NATURE 
| Ty HE papers here noted are reprints 
[| AUGUST 20, 1914 
RECENT JAPANESE BIOLOGICAL 
PUBLICATIONS.} 
from the 
Journal of the College of Science, Imperial 
University of Tokyo, covering a period of five months, 
and do not by any means fully represent the output 
of the Japanese botanists and zoologists during this 
period, various other papers in natural history by 
Japanese workers having appeared in other journals 
—chiefly American. However, they form a fair sample 
of the large quantity and high quality of the bio- 
logical work which is being done in Japan, and one 
is grateful to the authors and the publishing com- 
mittee for refraining from publishing any part of this 
important journal—except a small part of the outer 
covers—in Japanese, which is, unfortunately, from 
the point of view of readers in other lands, still used 
in some other scientific journals published in Japan 
and usually without a summary in another language. 
The articles mentioned here are taken in order of 
numbering of the volumes to which they belong. The 
method of publication of the Tokyo science journal is 
to keep on starting fresh volumes before the preceding 
three or even four have been completed, instead ot 
finishing off each volume as the various consecutive 
papers are published; the latter would certainly appear 
to be the better plan. 
(1) Kinoshita gives a very detailed and beautifully 
illustrated description of the alcyonarian family 
Chrysogorgiide, as represented in Japanese waters, 
twenty species being dealt with, of which eight are 
new. He criticises the view put forward by Neumann 
and others that the stems and branches of the Gor- 
gonid colony are mouthless vegetative polyps, and 
discusses in some detail the morphology of the canal 
system and the ccenenchyma in Alcyonaria generally. 
(2) Koidzumi contributes a valuable monograph of 
the family Rosacez as represented in the Japanese 
Empire, with Latin diagnoses of the forty genera and 
nearly two hundred species now known, and interest- 
ing notes in English, with tables, showing the dis- 
tribution of these plants. These tables are most use- 
ful, since they display the distribution of the sub- 
families, genera, and species of Japanese Rosacez, not 
only in Japan itself, but in various parts of the world, 
statistics of endemic and introduced as compared with 
indigenous species, etc. 
(3, 4) Liebwohl gives in these two papers a mono- 
graphic account of the Tetraxonid sponges of Japan, 
illustrated by very fine plates. The material was 
collected by Prof. Ijima (who had already worked up 
the Hexactinellid sponges of Japan), and sent to Prof. 
von Lendenfeld, by whom the preparation of this 
monograph was entrusted to the author. 
(5) Koketsu’s paper on the latex-containing tissues 
of Japanese plants contains much that is of general 
interest, for not only is the structure of the laticiferous 
vessels full worked out and illustrated, but interesting 
micro-chemical and physiological experiments are de- 
scribed. After a useful summary of the various views 
that have been put forward regarding the functions 
1 (1) K. Kinoshita: “Studien iiber einige Chrysogorgiiden Japans.”’ 
Journ. Coll. Sci., Imp. Univ. of Tokyo, vol. xxxiii., Art. 2 (November 30, 
1913). Pp. 47+3 plates+34 text-figures. 
(2) G. Koidzumi: ‘* Conspectus Rosaceanum Japonicarum.” /6zd., vol. 
xxxiv., Art. 2 (October 28, 1913). Pp. 3124-12 text-figures+8 tables. 
(3) F. Liebwohl : ‘‘ Japanische Tetraxonida. i. Sigmatophora ; ii. Astvo- 
fA: metastrosa.”’ Ibid., vol. xxxv., Art. 2 (March 15, 1914). Pp. 116+ 
9 plates. 
(4) F. Liebwohl: ‘‘ Japanische Tetraxonida. iii. Fuastrosa; iv. Sterra- 
strosa.” Jézd., vol. xxxv., Art. 5 (March 20, 1914). Pp. 70+2 plates. 
(5) R. Koketsu : ‘‘Studien iiber die Milchréhren und Milchzellen einiger 
einheimischer Pflanzen.” /é7¢., vol. xxxv., Art. 6 (December 25, 1913). 
Pp. 57+3 plates+12 text-figures. 
(6) K. Koriba: ‘* Mechanisch-physiologische Studien iiber die Drehung 
der Spiranthes-Aehre.” /dz¢., vol. xxxvi., Art. 3 (March 30. r914). Pp. 
179+7 plates+14 text-figures. 
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