504 



NATURE 



[March 23, 1905 



acetone, isopropyl alcohol, pinacoline (the principal pro- 

 duct), and mesitvl oxide. The yield of pinacoline is 21 

 per cent., and this forms the most rapid and advantageous 

 method of preparing this substance. — On oxyethylcrotonic 

 acid and ethylerythric acid : M. Lespieau. — On a method 

 for the volumetric estimation of hydroxylamine : L. J. 

 Simon. The method is based upon the conversion of the 

 hvdroxylamine salt into the oxalate by the addition of 

 sodium oxalate, and titration in neutral solution by potas- 

 sium permanganate. The influence of dilution and of excess 

 of the sodium oxalate has been studied. — The glycerophos- 

 phates of piperazine : A. Astruc. A description of the pre- 

 paration of the acid glycerophosphate of piperazine. and 

 a method for its estimation based on the use of two in- 

 dicators, phenol-phthalein and methyl orange. — On the ex- 

 perimental bases of the reticular hypothesis : G. Friedel. 

 — The requirements of the tobacco plant in fertilising 

 materials ; .A. Ch. Girard and E. Rousseaux. The 

 average amounts of lime, potassium, phosphoric acid and 

 nitrogen required per 1000 kilograms of dried leaves are 

 given. — The genesis of the gametes and anisogamy in 

 Monocystis : Louis Brasil. — On the .Alpheids of the Lac- 

 cadive and Maldive Islands ; H. Coutiere. — Sterility and 

 alopecy in guinea-pigs previously submitted to the influence 

 of ovarian extracts of the frog : Gustave Loisel. The 

 ovarian extracts of the frog contain a poison which acts 

 bv causing the atrophy of a certain number of ovules. 

 Other effects of the poison are noted. — On the antidote 

 to nicotine : C. Zaiackas. Experiments on rabbits and 

 guinea-pigs show that strychnine has not the effects as 

 an antidote to nicotine usually attributed to it. The effects 

 of eserine are more favourable, and an extract of Nastur- 

 tium officinale led to still better results, the effects of a 

 mortal dose of nicotine being entirely removed by the 

 injection of the latter substance. — On the lowering of the 

 arterial pressure below the normal by d'Arsonvalisation : A. 

 Moutier and A. Challamel. In certain cases the use of 

 high frequencv, high tension currents leads to a lowering 

 of the blood pressure under the normal. It is therefore 

 necessary to measure this pressure with great care when 

 d'Arsonvalisation is being used therapeutically. — A modi- 

 fication of the spectrum of methjemoglobin under the 

 action of sodium fluoride : J. Ville and E. Derrien. — On 

 the Middle Eocene deposits in Senegal : J. Chautard. — 

 On the phenomena of the deviation of water courses dating 

 from the seventeenth, eighteenth, and the commencement 

 of the nineteenth centuries, proved my maps : E. Fournier. 

 In a series of five maps of a valley near Lons-le-Saunier, 

 dated 1658, 1748, 1790, 1841, and the present day, the 

 various changes undergone by the water courses can be 

 traced. — The results of a year's study of the electrical 

 conductivity of the water of the Rhone at Lyons : M. 

 Chanoz. The water supply of Lyons, obtained from the 

 Rhone, contains mineral matter in relatively constant 

 amounts throughout the year, as indicated by the freezing 

 point and electrical conductivity. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, March 23. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Bakerian Lecture; The Reception and 

 Utilisation of Energy by the Green Leaf: Dr. Horace T. Blown, F.R.S. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Report of Experiments 

 carried out at the National Physical Laboratory : On the Effect of Heat 

 on the Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Dielectrics, and on the 

 Temperature Distribution in the Interior of Kield Coils : E. H Rayner. 

 — Discussion : On Temperature Curves and the Rating of Electrical 

 Machinery: R. Goldschmidt. 



RoVAL Institution, at 5. — The Reasonableness of Architecture : Thomas 

 G. Jackson. 



FRIDAV. March 24. 



Royal Institution, at q. — A Pertinacious Current : Sir Oliver Lodge, 

 F.R.S. 



Physical Society, at 5. — Note on the VoltaEe Ratios of an Inverted 

 Rotary Converter: W. C. Clinton —On the Flux of Light from the 

 Electric Arc with varying Power Supply : G. B. Dyke — The Application 

 of the Cymometer and the Deteriiiination of the Coefficent ot Coupling 

 of Oscillation Transformers : Prof. J. A. Fleming, F.R.S.— Exhibition 

 of Cymometers and other Instruments. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Wanki to Victoria Falls 

 Section ; Victoria Kails Railway : C. T. Gardner.— Design of a Double- 

 Line Plate-Gilder R.-iilw.-iy-Bridgc : H. S. Coppock. 



NO. 1847, VOL. 71] 



SA TURD A y, Masch 25. 

 Royal Institution , at 3. — Electrical Properties of Radio-active Sub- 

 stances : Prof. J. J. Thomson, F.R.S. 



MONDAV, March 27. 

 Society of Arts, at 8— Telephone Exchanges: H. L. Webb. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30. — Liberia: Sir Harry Johnston, 



G.C.M.G., K.C.B. 

 I.s-STiTUTE OF Actuaries, at 5. — Bonuses in Model Office Valuations and 



their Relations to Reserves : Dr. James Buchanan. 



rUESDA )', March 28. 



Royal Institution, at 5. — Vibration Problems in Encrineerine : Prof. 



W. E. Dalby. 

 Society of Arts, at 4.30. — The Manufactures of Greater Britain — 



Australasia : The Hon. W. H. James. 



WEDNESDAY, March 29. 

 Society of Arts, at 8.— British Woodlands : Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart 

 M.P. 



THURSDAY, March 30. 



Royal Society, at 4.30.— /'wia/vV /".i/irri : On the Observations of Stars 

 made in some British Stone Circles (Preliminary Note): Sir Norman 

 Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S.— On the Distribution of Velocity in a Viscous 

 Fluid over Ihe Cross-section of a Pipe, and on the Action at the Critical 

 Velocity : J. Morrow.— 'Ihe Direct Synthesis of Ammonia: Dr. E. P 

 Perman.— The Determination of Vapour Pressure by Air Bubbline : Dr. 

 E. P. Perman and J. H. Davies.— Noteon Fluorescence and Absorption : 

 J. B. Burke.— The Determination of the Specific Heat of Superheated 

 Steam by Throttling and other Experiments : .\. H. Peake. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. 



FRIDAY, March 31. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— The Scientific Study of Dialects: Prof. J. 

 Wright. 



SATURDAY, April i. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Some Controverted Questions of Optics: 

 Lord Rayleigh. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Kalahari Desert. By G. W. L 481 



Animal Photography. By R. L 4S3 



A Popular Star Atlas. By W. J. S. L 484 



A Contribution to Museum History 485 



Science and Metaphysics 485 



Our Book Shelf : — 



Watts: " Index of Spectra. (Appendix O.) " . , . 486 



Mottez: " La Matiere, I'Etheretles Forces physiques" 486 



Styan : " The Uses and Wonders of Plant-hairs " . . 486 

 Letter to the Editor : — 



The Planet Fortuna. — Spencer Pickering, F.R.S. 486 



State Aid for Higher Education 487 



Cave Hunting. ( ///Kj/ra/cu'. ) 488 



Fijian Folk-tales, (/iluslraled.) . , 490 



Notes 491 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Alternating Variability of Martian Canals . . 494 



Discovery of Jupiter's Sixth Satellite 494 



Forthcoming Oppositions of Mars 494 



\'ariable Radial Velocity of Sirius 494 



Constant Errors in Meridian Observations .... 495 



The National Physical Laboratory . 495 



Fungi. By Prof. H. Marshall Ward, F.R.S. . . 496 



Trypanosomiasis and Experimental Medicine. 



(/il:,>lialfd.) By Prof. R. T. Hewlett 49S 



University and Educational Intelligence 499 



Societies and Academies. (Illustrated.). . . ... 500 



Diary of Societies 504 



