June 20, 1901] 



NA TURE 



191 



A MEMORIAL of the late Dr. George Brown Goode, togethe'' 

 with a selection of his papers on museums and on the history of 

 science in America, has been published in the form of a volume 

 by the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Goode was held in the 

 highest regard in all places where natural science is cultivated, 

 and this account of his life and services will be cherished by 

 everyone who is aware of the influence he exerted upon museum 

 development. The addresses delivered at the memorial meet- 

 ing held at the U.S. National Museum are printed, and also an 

 appreciative notice of his life and services to science, by Prot. 

 S. P. Langley. Eight papers are published in the volume, 

 most of them dealing with museum administration and the 

 pursuit of natural knowledge in America. There is much of 

 interest in these papers concerning the growth of scientific 

 institutions in the United States, and united they form an 

 appropriate memorial of an accomplished man. 



An interesting synthesis of some aromatic aldoximes by means 

 of fulminating silver is described by Messrs. R. SchoU and E. 

 Bertsch in the current number of the Berichtc. If a poly- 

 hydroxylic derivative of benzene is dissolved in ether, some 

 fulminating silver suspended in the solution, and hydrochloric 

 acid led slowly into the well-cooled solution, the silver fulminate 

 disappears and the hydrochloride of the new aldo.xime crystallises 

 out. The method has been successfully applied to resorcinol, 

 orcinol, pyrogallol and phloroglucinol. 



The same number of the Berichte contains an account by C. 

 Harries of the preparation and properties of the dialdehyde of 

 succinic acid. The aldoxime of this aldehyde can be prepared 

 by the method of Ciamician and Dennstedt from pyrrol and 

 hydroxylamine, and this, suspended in water and treated with 

 nitrous acid, gives an aqueous solution of the new dialdehyde 

 from which the pure substance can be isolated with some 

 difficulty by fractional distillation. Succinic aldehyde is the 

 first member of the aliphatic dialdehydes to be isolated in a 

 pure monomolecular form, and is of interest as being the start- 

 ing-point for the preparation of the three heterocyclic rings, 

 furane, thiophene and pyrrol. The ready convertibility of this 

 aldehyde into derivatives of these three rings is shown experi- 

 mentally in the present note. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Rhesus Monkey {Macacus rhesus) from 

 India, presented by Mr. W. B. Bingham ; an Otter {Liitra vul- 

 garis, i ), British, presented by Mr. W. Radclifife Saunders ; 

 twelve Black Vultures (Cal/iarles atratus) from America, pre- 

 sented by Dr. E. A. Goeldi ; two Cambayan Turtle Doves 

 ( Titrhir cambayensis), a White-collared Ouzel (Merula albi- 

 ciiicta), a Large Andaman Parrakeet {Palaeornis magnirostris), 

 a Tickell's Flower-pecker {Dicaeum erythrorhynchus), a Cinna- 

 mon Tree Sparrow {Passer cinnamoneiis), a Rufous-breasted 

 Accentor (Tharrhaleiis strophiotiis), a Black-throated Accentor 

 {Tharrhalcus atrigularis), an Eastern Meadow Bunting {Ein- 

 l<eriza slracheyi), four White-capped Buntings (Emberiza 

 slezuarti), two Indian Btitton Quails ( Turnix tanki) from British 

 India, presented by Mr. E. W. Harper ; a Northern Mocking- 

 bird (Mitmis polygloitus) from North America, presented by 

 Mr. H. C. C. Gulich ; an Antillean Boa [Boa diviniloqite) from 

 the West Indies, presented by Mr. D. F. Mackenzie ; a Sykes's 

 Monkey ( Cercopitheciis albigularis) from East Africa, a Chacma 

 Baboon (Cynocephabts porcarius) ixara South Africa, a Smooth- 

 headed Capuchin (Cebits momuhus) from South-east Brazil, two 

 Wanderoo Monkeys (Macacus silenus, (J 9 ), a Banded Parrakeet 

 (Palaeornis fasciala), a Ring-necked Parrakeet (Palaeornis tor- 



i]iiata), two Snakes (Cerberus rhynckops), thirteen 



Fish (Saccobranchus fossilis) from India, a Golden-naped 

 Amazon (Chrysotis auripalltaJa) from Central America, a Lead- 

 NO. 1 65 I, VOL. 64] 



beater's Cockatoo (Caca/ua leadheateri] from Australia, a 

 Shining Parrakeet (Pyrrhtilopsis splendens) from the Fiji 

 Islands, a Blue-winged Green Bulbul (Chloropsis hardwicki) 

 from British India, two Japanese Terrapins (Clemmys japonicd) 

 from Japan, a Blue Lizard (Gerrhonotus caeruleus) from 

 Western North America, deposited ; two Chinchillas (C/iz'«c/ij//3 

 laiiigera) from Chili, purchased ; a Llama (Lama peruana), a 

 Hybrid Lemur (between Lemur xanthomystax and L. brunneus), 

 born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Observations of Nova Persei. — In the Mem. de la Soc. 

 degli Spelt. Ital. (vol. xxx. pp. 77-90), Prof. A. Ricco describes 

 the observations of the brightness and spectrum of Nova Persei, 

 made at the Catania observatory. The various magnitudes 

 given are similar to those already published by other observers, 

 the light curve showing distinct oscillations from March 8. 



The spectra were observed with the Merz refractor of o'33 

 metre aperture and McClean star spectroscope, and photographs 

 obtained with the photographic equatorial and Vogel spectro- 

 graph, the spectra being about 43 millimetres long, with expo- 

 sures of one hour. The wave-lengths are given as follows : 



3933 K ... 4179 ... 4S4I ... 4923 



3969 H ... 4235 ... 45S7 ... 5019 



4015 ... 4310 ... 4609 ... 5168 



4039 ... 4341 H7 ... 4636 ... 5300 



4071 ... 4412 ... 4681 ... 5551 



4102 H5 ... 4493 ... 4S62 H/3 ... 5627 



Co.MET 1901 a. — The comet is now getting so far away from 

 the sun that it is in all probability beyond the reach of any but 

 the largest instruments. The following ephemeris may be of 

 service to those having sufficient optical power : — 



Ephetneris for lih. Berlin Mean Time. 

 igot. R.A. Decl. 



June 21 7 24 56 ... -)- 10 8'3 



23 28 6 ... 10 i6'i 



25 31 9 ... 10 23-1 



27 34 7 ... 10 29-5 



29 7 37 o ... -f 10 35-2 



New Variable Stars : — 



74, 1901 (Persei). Herr P. Guthnick, of Bonn, finds that 

 the star 



R.A. = 

 Decl. 



= -1-44° 29'^} ('900) 



is variable to the extent of 0'6 magnitude. From the table of 

 magnitudes given the period would appear to be about thirty 

 days, but the gaps are too long for any accurate estimate. This 

 star is the intensely orange-coloured x Persei. 



75, 1901 (Persei). Herr Fr. DeichmuUer, of Bonn, finds 

 variability in the star 36 Flamsteed, amounting to about 0-5 

 magnitude. The observations indicate a change from 4^92 to 

 5 '65 magnitude twice a month. The variability of this star 

 is confirmed by Herr Guthnick (Astiononiische Nachrichten, 

 Bd. 155, No. 3720). 



Forms of Images in Stellar Photography. — In the 

 Annals of Harvard College Observatory (vol. xli. No. vi. pp. 

 153-187), Mr. E. S. King, the observer in charge of the photo- 

 graphic department at that institution, describes the various 

 disturbing causes »which affect the forms of star images obtained 

 by photographic methods with different systems of following. 

 The chief of these are irregularities of the driving clock, differential 

 refraction, and flexure. To correct these errors two methods of 

 guiding have been employed, the plate being moved by suitable 

 adjusting screws, either with the telescope or independently of 

 it, the latter method being preferred, as it permits, hot only 

 corrections in two coordinates perpendicular to each other, but 

 also a rotary movement for the elimination of flexure and differ- 

 ential refraction. 



The investigations described have been in hand since 1S96, 

 when they were undertaken in consequence of difficulties 

 occurring in the observation of the Algol variable W Delphini 



