NA TURE 



[December i, 1904 



ergograph according to the frequency of the contractions 

 and the weight raised : Charles Henry and Mile. J. 

 Joteyko. — On the law of variation of weight of Penicitlium 

 glaticiim as a function of its age : Mile. W. Stefanowska. 

 The results are expressed graphically, and show that the 

 evolution of the weight of these fungi as a function of the 

 time presents two well marked phases : a phase of rapid 

 ascent up to the period of fructification, and a phase of 

 decrease appearing suddenly after fructification. — Trans- 

 formations of the new secreting apparatus in Conifers : G. 

 Chauveaud. — On vegetation in atmospheres rich in carbon 

 dioxide : E. Demoussy. With one exception, there is a 

 marked advantage in supplying plants with an additional 

 amount of carbonic acid, the average increase in the weight 

 of the aerial parts of the plant being 60 per cent, greater 

 in the case of the artificial atmosphere. — On the experi- 

 mental production of radishes with starchy reserves : Marin 

 Molliard. — Solatmm Commersoni and its variations in re- 

 lation to the origin of the cultivated potato : Edouard 

 Heckel. — A new theory of phototropism : Georges Bohn. — 

 On the geology of the Salzkamniergut : Emile Haug and 

 Maurice Lugreon. — On the mountain chains to the south 

 of the Guadalquivir : Robert Douville. — The tension of 

 carbonic acid in the sea and on the reciprocal influence of 

 the carbonic acid of the sea and that of the atmosphere : 

 August Krogrh. From a study of the equilibrium between 

 sea-water and the carbonic acid of the air, the conclusion 

 is drawn that the proportion of carbon dioxide in the air 

 tends to increase, the sea, by absorbing the gas, opposing 

 this tendency. — The measurement of the sensitiveness of 

 taste in men and women : N. Vaschide. — The elimination 

 of sulphur and of phosphorus, the demineralisation of the 

 organism, and the magnitude of the average molecule 

 elaborated in persons suffering from skin diseases : A. 

 Desgrez and J. Ayrignac. — On the relations between 

 Surra and Mbori : MM. Vallee and Panisset. — Remarks 

 by M. Laveran on the preceding communication. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Dfxember i. 



Royal Society, at 4.30 — The Ascent of Water in Trees: Dr. A J. 

 E»art.— On the Presence of Tyrosinases in the Skins of some Piemented 

 Vertebrates : Miss F. M. Durham —On the Slructure and Affinities of 

 the Fossil Plants from the Palajozoic Rocks. V.— On a KewTvpe of 

 Sphenophyllaceous Cone (S Hunophyllum ftrtile) from the Lower Coa! 

 Measures : Dr D. H. Scott, F.R.S —On Chemical Combination and 

 Toxic Action as Exemplified in Hemolytic Sen: Prnf. R. Muir and 

 C. H. Brownine.— Histological Studies on Cerebral Loc.-ilisation. Part 

 II. : Dr. A W. Campbell. 



Chemical Societv, at 8.— The Nitrites of the Alkali Metals and \fetals 

 of the Alkaline Earths, and their Decomposition by Heat : P. C. R.iv. 



RoNTGEN Society, at S.rs.— The Perspective Natu'e of X-Rav Projec- 

 tion : Dr. W. Cotton.— The New Ultra-violet Glass recently produced 

 by Messrs. Schott and Genossen, of Jena : J. H. Gardiner. Both will 

 be illustrated by the Epidiascope. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8. — Proteid Digestion in Animals and Plants : 

 Prof. Sidney H. Vines, F.R.S. 



FRIDAY, Dece.mber 2. 



Aeronautical Society, at 8. — The Aeronautical Exhibits at the 

 St Louis Exhibition: the President, Major B. Baden-Powell. -Kites, 

 Kite-aying and Aeroplanes: W. H. Dines —The Work of ihe Inter- 

 national Aeronautical Commission : Dr. M. H. Hergesell.— Captive 

 Balloon Photography : Griffith Brewer. 



Geologists' Association, at 8. — On the Superficial Deposits of Central 

 and Parts of Southern England : Dr. A. E. Salter. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Midland Railway, West Riding 

 Lines : I he Construction of Contract No. i : R. T. McCallum. 



MONDAY, December 5. 



Society of Arts, at 8 —Musical Wind Instruments : D. J. Blaikley. 



(Cantor Lecture II.— Brass Instruments.) 

 Society of Chemical Industry, at 8.— ft) Raschig's Theory of the 



Lead Chamber Process; (2) Theory of the Action of Metals on Nitric 



Acid: Dr. E. Divers, F.R.S.— A Rapid and .Accurate Meihod for the 



Estimation of Phosphorus in Iron Ores : L. J. Davies. — Fluorescope for 



Comparing Substances under the Influence of Radium Rays : C. S. S. 



Webster. 

 Victoria Institute, at 4.30.— The Right Way in Psychology : Rev. F. 



Storrs Turner. 



TUESDA Y, December 6. 

 Anthropological Institute, at S.— Exhibition of a Slate Adze and 



Other Objects: Rev. R. Ashington Bullen.— Lantern Illu^liatio .s of 



Native Types from South India : Edgar Thurston. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Distribution of Electrical 



Energy {Discussion) : J. F. C. Sneil.— On the Construction of a Concrete 



Railway-Viaduct: A. Wood-Hill and E. D. Pain. 



WEDNESDAY, December 7. 



at 8.— The International blxhibition at St. Louis: 



Art 



Society 



W. F. Reid. 

 Society of Public Analysts, at 8. 

 Geological Society, at 8.— The Chemical ard Mineralogical Evidence 



as to the Origin of the Dolomites of Southern Tyrol : Dr. E. W. Skeats. 



—Certain Genera and Species of Lytoceratidas : S. S. Buckman. 

 Entomological Society, at 8. — On Erebia bcjarensis and Ere' ia stygne 



in Spain, with an Exhibition of Specimens : Dr. Thomas A. Chapman 



THURSDAY, December 8. 



Royal Sccibty, at 4.30.— /"rc/i?/,/; Paptrs :— Memoir on the Theory of 

 Partitions of Numbers. Part III : Major P. A. MacMahon, F.R.S — 

 Note on a Means of Pnducing a High-voltage Conlinuous or " Per- 

 tinacious " Current : Sir Oliver Lodge, F.R.S.— The F6U of Diffusion 

 during Catalysis by Colloidal Metals and Similar Substances : Dr. 

 H. J. S. Sand.— The Effect of Liquid Air Temperatures on the Mechanical 

 and other Properties of Iron and its Alloys : Sir James Dewar, F.K.S., 

 and R. A. Hadfield. 



Civil and Mechanical Engineers' Society, at 8.— Notes on Portland 

 Cement : H. E. Bellamy. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Hydrodynamical and 

 Electromagnetic Investigations regarding the Maanetic-Fiux Distribu- 

 tion in Toothed-Core Armatures: Prof. H. S. Hele-Shaw, F.R.S., 

 Dr, A. Hay, and P. H. Powell. (Conclusion of Discussion).— Studies m 

 Magnetic Testing : G. F. C. Searle. 



Society op Arts, at 4.3o.-Bu.ma : Sir Frederic Fryer, K.C.S.I. 



Mathematical Society at 3.30 — On Groups of Order /"^ : Prof- 

 W. Burnside.— On the Linear Differential Equation of the Second Order: 

 Prof. A. C. Dixon.— On a Delicient Multinomial Expansion : Major 

 P. A. .MacMahon. 



FRIDA Y, December 9. 



Epidemiological Society, at 8.30.— Ticks and Tick-transmitted 

 Diseases: Dr. Nuttall, F.R.S. 



Malacological Society, at 8.— Description of a new species of 

 Trachiopsis fr.m British New Guinea : H. B. Preston.— A Correction in 

 Nomenclature: E. A. Smith.- Notes on the American Cyclostomatidae 

 and their Opercula : W. H Dall.— Note on the Dates of Publication 

 of ihe Various Parts of Moquin-Tandon's "Hist. Moll. terr. fluv. de 

 France " : J. W. Taylor. 



Physical Society, at 8.— On a Rapid Method of .Approximate Harmonic 

 Analysis: Prof. S. P. Thompson. F.R.S.— A High- Frequency Alter- 

 nator: W. Duddell.— Exhibition of Experiments to show the Retardation 

 of the Signalling Current on 3500 miles of the Pacific Cable between 

 Vancouver and Fanning Island.— Exhibit of .Ayrton-Maiher Galvano- 

 meters, Universal .'-hums, and Electrostatic Instruments. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Dai Nippon 97 



Sylvester's Mathematical Pape's. By G. B. M. 98 



Mental and Social Measurements. By F. G. ... 99 

 Our Book Shelf :— 



Martin: " Praciical Chtmislry, a Secord Year 



Course. '-J. B. C. 100 



Whiiirg : " Retouching '' lOO 



Letters to the Ediioi 



Average Number of Kinsfolk in each Degree. — Prof. 

 G. H. Bryan, F.R.S. ... .101 



Compound Singularities of Curves. — A. B. Basset, 

 F.R.S. . ... .101 



The Origin of Life. — George Hookham . . . . loi 



Charge in Colour of iMo.ss Agates. — A. Hutchinson loi 



Eocene Whales.--F. A. Lucas , ... 102 



The Discovery of Aigon. — The Translator . . 102 



The Leonids, 1904. — Alphonso King .... . 102 



InirlliL'ence in Animals. —J. E A. T. ; F. C. 



Constable 102 



Patagonia (/l/iislrahd.) By J. W. E. . . . . 102 



Lord Kelvin and Glasgow University 104 



Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Society . . 105 



Notes Ill 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Astronomical Occurrences in December 1 14 



Encke's Comet (1904 /<) 114 



Variations on the Moon's Surface . . 114 



Celestial rhotography at High Altitudes 114 



Distribution of Stellar Spectra ... 115 



Absorption by Water Vapour in ihe Infia-red Solar 



Spectrum 115 



TheSupply of Valuable Furs. By R. Lydekker, F.R.S, 115 



University and Educational Intelligen. e . u? 



Societies and Academies 1 17 



Diary of Societies 120 



NO. I83I, VOL. 71] 



