January 31, 1907] 
MATURE 335 
C. G.. Knott. The point..of special interest was the 
manner in which the increase of conductance due to the 
application of a field transverse to the direction in which 
“the conductivity was being measured first diminished 
steadily with rise of temperature until it reached a mini- 
mum, at about 280° C., then rose abruptly to a pana 
at 310° C., and finally fell off to zero at 350° —The 
relation between normal take-up or contraction oe yarn- 
’ number for the same degree of twist in twisted threads: T. 
Oliver. In a former paper the relation between the take-up 
in the second twisting of a two-ply yarn and the amounts 
of first and second twistings was studied experimentally and 
analytically. The present paper considered the relation 
when, with the same twistings, different sizes of thread 
were used. This at once brings in the ‘‘ yarn number,”’ 
which cannot be taken in the same way as wires are 
gauged, but must depend on the relation of length to 
weight. Experimental results were obtained for two dis- 
tinct sets of cases, according as the component threads 
were of the same diameter or of different diameters. 
Formulz were established with which the experimental 
results were compared, and considering the complexities 
of the problem the comparison was sufficiently satisfactory. 
—The superposition of mechanical vibrations (electric oscil- 
lations) upon the magnetisation, and conversely, in iron, 
steel, and nickel, part ii.: J. Russell. In this continuation 
of a difficult piece of work the author discussed the dis- 
crepancy between his former results and those obtained 
by Dr. Eccles, and expressed his opinion that the latter 
investigator had not taken sufficient precaution in re- 
ducing the metal to exactly the same magnetic state before 
each experiment. It is only by means of a succession of 
gradually diminishing reversals that -we can be certain 
that the magnetised substance is brought back to a definite 
condition time after time. 
January 7.—Prof. Crum Brown, vice-president, in the 
chair.—Notes on aboriginals of the northern territory of 
South Australia: Dr. W. Ramsay Smith. The paper con- 
tained a detailed discussion of several of the peculiar rites 
and customs of the Australian aborigines, such as the 
scars on shoulder, breast, arms, and abdomen. Evidence 
was adduced that these scars had definite signification, 
implying, perhaps, the number of children borne, the 
number still alive, the death of a near relative, or the 
widowhood of the individual bearing the scars. Other 
points taken up were the character of the dentition, the 
grasping power of the great toe, the rite of sub-incision, 
and the interpretation of the carved message-sticks.— 
Exhibition of the skeletons of monkeys showing effects pro- 
duced by improper feeding: Prof. D. J. Cunningham. 
The skeletons and skulls in the university anatomical 
museum frequently showed abnormalities, such as excessive 
bending or softening or a certain roughness on the surface. 
Many of the specimens had been purchased from travelling 
menageries, and there seemed to be little doubt that the 
effects were due to improper feeding and bad ventilation. 
—The partition of heat energy in the molecules of gases : 
Dr. P. Ehrenfest.—Vibrating systems which are not sub- 
ject to the Maxwell-Boltmann law. Second paper : Dr. Wm. 
Peddie. These two papers were sequels to Dr. Peddie’s 
first paper, certain results in which were criticised and to 
some extent modified. Dr. Peddie also gave a_ purely 
mathematical discussion of the problem in distribution 
devised by Lord Kelvin as a test-case for the proof or dis- 
proof of the Boltzmann-Maxwell doctrine. This was the 
problem of the motion of a particle within a circular 
region the rim of which consisted of a series of semi- 
circular corrugations. Although in the long run the time 
integral of the kinetic energy of the component motion 
parallel to any fixed direction would in this case be the 
same for all directions, the time integrals of the two 
components, radial and transversal, according to polar 
coordinates, would not be the same, thus disproving the 
Boltzmann-Maxwell law.—Note on cases of contour zones 
of molecular arrangement from surface disturbance: Dr. 
James Hunter. When a piece of fine-grained stone which 
has been used for polishing splits, an inspection of the 
_ new surfaces shows a distinct zone running approximately 
parallel to the cylindrical surface of the stone disc. Out- 
ward towards the circumference, the texture of the stone 
NO. 1944, VOL. 75] 
| is radial, suggesting radial arrangements of the molecules, 
while inside there is no trace of this arrangement. Similar 
contours appear in other cases, such as when glass is cut 
by a diamond or by the cutting-wheel. It was interesting 
to observe how different the patterns of the markings were 
in these two instances. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, January 21.—M. Henii Becquerel 
in the chair.—A proposed system of classification for the 
bibliography of subjects bearing on seismology: G. 
Bigourdan.—An expedition of Commandant Chaves in 
Africa: Prince Albert 1. of Monaco. An outline of the 
magnetic work done on this expedition, and an account 
of the comparison of the instruments used with those at 
Cape Town.—The resistance and elastic equilibrium of 
tubes round which an elastic wire is wound: A. Jacob. 
—Communications were received from M. Milan Stefanik 
and M. Janssen stating that observations of the solar 
eclipse of January 14 had been prevented by clouds.— 
The approximation of functions by limited trigonometrical 
series: Maurice Fréchet.—Helices of propulsion: P. 
Tsoucalas and J. Vlahavas.—Propulsive helices: F. 
Ferrier.—Measurements of the Zeeman effect on the blue 
lines of zinc: P. Weiss and A. Cotton. The lines studied 
were the three 4810-71, 4722-26, and 4680-33, in a mag- 
netic field the strength of which varied between 25,500 
and 36,000 Gauss. Contrary to the results of Reese and 
Kent, the distance between the two magnetic components 
was found to be proportional to the intensity of the field, 
the results being in complete accord with the simple rela- 
tions which Runge and Paschen have discovered.—The 
modifications which the absorption bands of tysonite 
undergo in a magnetic field: Jean Beequerel.—tThe pre- 
paration of pure helium by filtration of gases from cleveite 
through a wall of silica: Adrien Jaqueroed and F. Louis 
Perrot. In a previous paper the authors have shown that 
the helium thermometer with a fused quartz bulb was use- 
less on account of the readiness with which the gas pene- 
trated the walls at a high temperature. On the other hand, 
it was found that silica is quite impermeable to all other 
gases at about 1000° C., with the exception of hydrogen 
and possibly carbon monoxide. In the present paper 
application is made of these facts to the preparation of 
pure helium from cleveite. Using a bulb of 42 c.c. capacity, 
the method described gives a yield of about 1 c.c. of pure 
helium per hour. The gas obtained in this way was 
found by spectroscopic examination to be free from 
nitrogen, the only gas present besides helium being a 
minute trace of hydrogen, possibly derived from the elec- 
trodes of the tube.—The absence of nutrition in the form- 
ation of the artificial plants of Leduc: MM. Charrin and 
Goupil. Experiments are described showing that the 
word nutrition is misapplied when used in connection with 
these phenomena.—The mechanism of the synthesis of 
some quinoline derivatives: L. J. Simon.—The conditions 
of stability of the carbamines: H. Guillemard.—The 
synthesis of derivatives of cyclohexane: 3 : 3-dimethyl- and 
3: 3: 6-trimethyl-cyclohexanones: G. Blane. The author 
has described in an earlier paper the synthetical prepar- 
ation of fB-dimethyl- and ffe-trimethyl-pimelic acids. 
These acids are converted into the corresponding anhy- 
drides by treatment with acetic anhydride, and _ these, 
slowly distilled under ordinary atmospheric pressure, split 
up quantitatively into carbon dioxide and the cyclo- 
hexanone.—The synthesis of natural erythrite: M. 
Lespieau. The preparation of an inactive erythrolactone 
has been described in an earlier paper; this lactone treated 
with brucine, and the product submitted to fractional 
crystallisation, has yielded a lavorotatory lactone and 
natural erythrite. —The symbiosis of the fig and blasto- 
phage: Leclerc du Sablon.—The presence of formaldehyde 
in green plants: G. Kimpfiin. As a reagent for detect- 
ing formaldehyde, the author uses methylpara-amidometa- 
cresol, and shows that the reaction is distinctive. This 
reagent has the advantage that it does not destroy vege- 
table tissue.—The active substances of Tephrosia Vogelit: 
M. Hanriot. By methods given in detail, the author has 
isolated a volatile liquid, tephrosal, of the composition 
C,,H,,O, and a crystalline substance, tephrosine, of the 
formula C,,H,,O,,.—The formation and distribution of an 
. 
