I20 



A^A TURE 



[May 30, 1 90 1 



subject. In the present paper are given the results of the 

 analysis of the gases produced by the action of the vapours of 

 amy], isobutyl, ethyl or methyl alcohols on heated calcium 

 carbide. — On the condensation of acetylenic hydrocarbons with 

 formaldehyde ; synthesis of primary acetylenic alcohols, by 

 MM. C. Moureu and H. Desmots. The action of the sodium 

 derivatives of o?nanthylidene or phenylacetylene on the solid 

 polymeride of formaldehyde results in the formation of two new 

 alcohols. Amylpropiolic alcohol boils at 98° under 13 mm. 

 pressure, and has a specific gravity 0'8983 at o', whilst phenyl- 

 propiolic alcohol boils at 139^ under 16 mm. pressure, and has a 

 specific gravity I 'oSl I at 0° ; both are colourless, oily liquids — 

 Action of acid chlorides on ethers in presence of zinc, by M. P. 

 Freundler. Remarks on a recent paper by M. Descude. — 

 Oxidation of primary alcohols by contact action, by M. J. A. 

 Trillat. All primary aliphatic alcohols are oxidised when a 

 mixture of air with the vapour of the alcohol is passed over a 

 heated platinum spiral, and it is possible to limit the reaction to 

 the formation of the corresponding aldehydes ; the presence of 

 water vapour appears to favour the oxidation. The use of 

 porous substances, such as platinum black, tends to the produc- 

 tion of acids rather than aldehydes. Acetals are also produced, 

 at any rate from the lower alcohols ; their formation is a 

 reversible reaction. — On the substitution of zinc-white for 

 white-lead in oil painting, by M. A. Livache. According 

 to the author's experiments, the injurious white-le.id in oil 

 paints may be successfully replaced by zinc-white, provided 

 certain conditions are observed. — The evolutionary cycle of 

 Orthoncttides, by MM. Maurice Caullery and Felix Mesnil. — 

 On a glucoside characteristic of the germinating period of the 

 beech, by M. P. Tailleur. The beech, in its germinating stage, 

 contains a glucoside and a corresponding ferment which, in the 

 presence of water, give rise to methyl salicylate and glucose, the 

 latter being assimilated by the plant. The reaction is localised 

 in the hypocotyledonous axis, and does not occur in the seed or 

 in the old plant. — On the petrographic classification of the 

 schists of Casanna and the Alps of Valais, by M. L. Duparc. 

 A description of seven types of schist. — On the electrolysis of 

 animal tissues, by MM. Bordier and Gilet. TJie fall in strength 

 observed on the reversal of a current passed through animal 

 tissues, is not observed to any ap|)reciable extent if the tissues 

 at the level of the electrodes are impregnated with an electrolyte. 

 — On the formation of urea by the oxidation of albumin by means 

 of ammonium persulphate, by M. L. Hugounenq. Under 

 favourable conditions, about 5 per cent, of urea may be obtained 

 by the oxidation of egg albumen by ammonium persulphate in 

 alkaline solution. — New seismological observations at Grenoble, 

 by M. W. Kilian. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDA Y, May 30. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— The Chemistry of Carbon : Prof. J. Dewar, 

 F.R S. 



' Electrical Engineers (Society of Arts), at 3.— Annual 



Gen 



al Me 



FRIDAY, May 31. 



Royal Institution, at g.— With the Allies in China: A. H. .Savage 

 Lander. 



Physical Society, at 5. -On a Model which imitates the Behaviour of 

 Dielectrics: Prof Fleming, F.R.S., and A. W. Ashton.— (i) On the Re- 

 sistance of Dielectrics and the Effect of an Alternating Electromotive 

 Force on the Insulating Properties of India-rubber ; (2) Note on the 

 Electrification of Dielectrics by Mechanical Means : A. W. Ashton. 

 SATURDAY, June i. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Biological Characters of Epiphytic 

 Plants : Prof. J. B. Farmer, F.R.S. 



MONDAY, JtjNE 3. 



Society of Chemical Industry, at 8.— The Need of Greater Care in 

 Introducing Gas-Firing into Small Gasworks : G. Cecil Jones. — The 

 Chemical Aspects of Bacteriology : Dr. Walter C. C. Pakes. 



Institute of Actuaries, at 5. — Annual Meeting. 

 TUESDAY, June 4. 



Zoological Society, at 8.30.— On the Structure and Affinities of the 

 Anomodont Genus Udenodon : Dr. R. Broom. — Notes on the Type 

 Specimen oi Rhinoceros lasioiis, Sclater ; with Remarks on the Generic 

 Position of the Living Species of Rhinoceros : Oldfield Thomas, F.R.S. 

 — On a Small Collection of Fishes from the Victoria Nyanza, made by 

 order of Sir H. H. Johnston. K.C.B. : G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S. 

 IVEDNESDAY, June 5. 



Geological Society, at 8. — On the Passage of a Seam of Coal into a 

 Seam of Dolomite: A. Strahan. 



Entomological Society, at 8 - 

 Mimicry, &c., in British Coleopt^ 

 Revision of the American Notodontida: : W. Sch; 



of Pri 



THURSDAY. June 6. 



Royal Society, at 4. — Election of Fellows. At 4.30. — P^ohabU 



papers : On the Electric Response of Inorganic Substances, Preliminary 

 Notice : Prof. J. C. Bose.— On Skin-Currents : Dr. A. D. Waller, 

 F.R.S.— Vibrations of Rifle Barrels : A. M.illock.— The Measurement 

 of Magnetic Hysteresis : G. F. C. Searle and T. G. Bedford.— A Con- 

 jugating Yeast ; B. T, P. Barker. Papers to be read in title only ', 



Thermal Adjustment and Respiratory Exchange in Monotremes and 

 Marsupials : a Study in the Development of Homo-thermism : Dr. 

 C. J. Martin.— On the Elastic Equilibrium of Circular Cylinders under 

 Certain Practical Systems of Load : L. N. G. Filon.— The Measure- 

 ment of Ionic Velocities in Aqueous Solution, and the E.\-istence of 

 Complex Ions : B. D. Steele. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — The Chemistry of Carbon : Prof. J. Dewar, 

 F.R.S. 



Linnean Society, at 8. — On the Necessity for a Provisional Nomencla- 

 ture for those Forms of Life which cannot be at once arranged in a 

 Natural System (Adjourned Discussioni : H. M. Bernard. 



Chemical Society, at 8. — A Laboratory Method for the Preparation of 

 Ethylene : G. S. Newth.— Oroxylin : W A. H. Naylor and C. S. Dyer. 

 — Some Relations between Physical Constants and Constitution in Ben- 

 zenoid Amines, II. : P. Gordon and L. Limpach. — The Constitution -)f 

 the Acids obtained from a-Dibromocamphor : A. Lapworth and W. H. 

 Lenton. — The Decomposition of Chlorates. IV. The Supposed Me- 

 chanical Facilitation of the Decomposition of Potassium Chlorate : 

 W. H. Sodeau.— Condensation of Phenols with Esters of the Acetylene 

 Series. V. Homologues of Benzo.-y-Pyrone : S. Ruhemann.— On the 

 Action of Sodium Methoxide and its Homologues on Benzophenone 

 Chloride and Benzal Chloride : J. E. Mackenzie.— Preliminary Note on ' 

 Hydrides of Boron : W. Ramsay and H. S. Hatfield.— Gum Tragacanth : 

 C. O'SuUivan. 



RoNTGEN Society, at 8.30. — X-Ray Diagnosis of Aneurism: Dr. 

 Hugh Walsham. 



FRIDAY, June 7. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— Mimetic Insects: Prof. Raphael Meldola, 

 F.R.S. 



Geologists' Association, at 8. — The Geysers of the Yellowstone: 

 John Parkinson. 



SATURDAY, June S. 



Royal I.vstitution, at 3. — The Biological Characters of Epiphytic 

 Plants : Prof. J. B. Farmer, F.R.S. 



St. J. Donisthorpe.— A 



NO. 1648, VOL. 64] 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A New Treatise on Physics 97 



Tropical Crustaceans. By T. R. R. S 98 



Practical Inorganic Chemistry. By A. S 99 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Wordingham : " Central Electrical Stations : their 



Design, Organisation and Management "... . 100 



"Hints to Travellers " 100 



Sagnac : " L'Optique des Rayons de Rontgen et des 



Rayons secondaires que en derivent." — R. J. S. . loi 

 Wood: "Cerebral Science. Studies in .Anatomical 



Psychology" loi 



"The Humane Review" loi 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The National Anti -Vivisection Society and Lord Lister. 



—The Hon Stephen Coleridge ; Editor . . loi 



Vitrified Quartz.— Prof. J. Joly, F.R.S. ... 102 

 Statistical Investigations on Variability and Heredity. 



—Prof. Karl Pearson, F.R.S. . .102 



Prehistoric Implements in the Transvaal and Orange 



River Colony.— Stanley B. Hutt 103 



The Age of the VVoburn Abbey Musk-Ox. — R. 



Lydekker, F.R.S. . . .... 103 



The Subjective Lowering of Pitch.— E. Hurren 



Harding . 103 



Recent Studies of Old Italian Volcanoes. [Illus- 

 trated.) By Sir Arch. Geikie, F.R.S. ..... 103 



Agriculture in New South Wales 106 



Climate and Time and Mars 106 



The Telautograph. (Illustrated.) 107 



Notes 109 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences in June 114 



The Recent Total Eclipse of the Sun 114 



Comet a (1901) "4 



Hisgen's Variable, 13 (1900) Cygni "4 



The Planet Saturn. By W. F. Denning 114 



Marine Biology in Liverpool. By Prof. W. A. 



Herdman, F.R.S 115 



Public Health in America. By Mrs. Percy Frank- 

 land 117 



The Extension of Knowledge 117 



University and Educationallntelligence .... iiS 



Scientific Serials nS 



Societies and Academies 119 



Diary of Societies 12° 



