■24 



NA TURE 



[June 2;, 1901 



liquids of lower surface tension, but also with liquids of higher 

 surface tension when added in small quantities. For experiments 

 on mixtures of liquids in general showed that the surface tension 

 of a mixture is always less than the percentage calculated value. 

 Thus an actual depression of the surface tension is in most cases 

 produced by adding a liquid of higher surface tension. For this 

 reason there are few liquids by the addition of which the creep- 

 ing of, say, ordinary paraffin may be prevented, the requisite 

 being a more volatile liquidjwith a very high surface tension. 



Edinburgh. 



Mathematical Society, June 14.— Mr. J. W. Butters, 

 president, in the chair. The following papers were read : (i) 

 Note on an extension of Abel's theorem on the continuity of a 

 power series, by Prof. Gibson ; (2) The diffraction of plane 

 waves incident obliquely on a semi-infinite plane, by Dr. Cars- 

 law. 



Paris. 



Academy of Sciences, June 17. — M. Fouque in the chair. 

 — Researches on chemical equilibria. The formation of insoluble 

 phosphates by double decomposition ; disodium hydrogen phos- 

 phate and silver nitrate, by M. Berthelot. In the reaction 

 between silver nitrate and ordinary sodium phosphate, the total 

 precipitation of the silver as phosphate takes place only when 

 the two salts react in equimolecular proportions. Precipitates 

 formed in the presence of an excess of sodium phosphate contain 

 a certain amount of sodium, proljably in the form of a sodium 

 silver phosphate, which cannot be removed by prolonged wash- 

 ing. — On some new syntheses effected by means of molecules 

 containing the methylene group associated with one or two nega- 

 tive radicles. The action of epichlorhydrin and epibromhydrin 

 upon the sodium derivatives of benzoylacetic esters, by M. 

 Haller. The chlorine or bromine atom is not eliminated in 

 these reactions, but an addition product is formed. Thus 

 •epichlorhydrin with benzoylacetic ester gives a new ketolactone, 

 the properties and reactions of which are given. — M. Maupais 

 was nominated a correspondent for the section of anatomy and 

 zoology in the place of the late M. Marion. — Some new nebula: 

 discovered at the Observatory of Paris, by M. G. Bigourdan. 

 Positions and descriptions of twenty-one new nebula?. — On the 

 employment of the stereoscope in astronomy, by M. Maurice 

 Hamy. Remarks on some possible applications of the stereo- 

 scope in astronomy, with applications to the study of the motions 

 of stars by the Doppler-Fizeau principle, to eclipses of the sun 

 with special reference to the internal movements of the chromo- 

 sphere, and to the internal movements of nebulx. — The equa- 

 tions and fundamental properties of reciprocal autopolar figures 

 in the plane and in space, by M. Rabut. — On Fourier's series, 

 by M. A. Hurwitz. — On the application of the theory of 

 elasticity to the calculation of bent rectangular beams, 

 by M. Mesnager. — On electromotive forces of contact and 

 the theory of ions, by M. E. Rothe. An experimental study 

 with a Lippmann capillary electrometer in which the solution 

 could be readily changed, the solutions used being sulphuric 

 and hydrochloric acids of varying strengths. The variations of 

 electromotive force thus observed were compared with those 

 ■calculated from the ionic hypothesis, the agreement in the case 

 -of the weak solutions being satisfactory. — The capillary constants 

 of organic liquids, by MM. Ph. A. Guye and A. Baud. Measure- 

 ments by the method of Ramsay and Shields of the capillary 

 constants of phenetol, anisol, ethyl acetate, nitrobenzene, benzo- 

 nitrile and metacresol. In all these substances, with the excep- 

 tion of metacresol, the value of the constant K exceeds the 

 number 2*121 admitted by Ramsay and Shields as the value for 

 a non-polymerised liquid, but the author adduces reasons for 

 supposing that this does not necessarily mean that these sub- 

 stances are in a polymerised state. — On a new element, euro- 

 pium, by M. Eug. Demarc;ay. By a prolonged fractionation of 

 samarium it has been possible to isolate the oxide of an element, 

 apparently distinct from samarium, and which is capable of 

 giving rise to the so-called anomalous ray, discovered by Crookes 

 in the fluorescent spectrum of samarium. It is also identical 

 with the element provisionally named Zf by de Boisbaudran. 

 The name europium is proposed for this substance, with the 

 symbol Eu=i5i about. — On the chlorobromides of thallium, 

 by M. V. Thomas. The methods of preparation and the pro- 

 perties of two chlorobromides of thallium are described, having 

 the compositions Tl3CloBr4, and TlCIBr. — The reactions of 

 acetylene with cuprous chloride dissolved in a neutral solution 



NO. 1652, VOL. 64] 



of potassium chloride, by M. R. Chavastelon. The action of 

 acetylene upon a neutral saturated .solution of cuprous chloride 

 gives the same results as when the solution is acid or alkalijie. 

 — The separation of nickel and cobalt by the electrolytic method, 

 by M. Dmitri Balachowski. 1 From a solution containing both 

 nickel and cobalt salts to which ammonium thiocyanate, urea, 

 acetic acid, and a little ammonia have been added, it has been 

 found possible by careful attention to the voltage, and especially 

 to the amperage, to completely separate the nickel, which comes 

 down apparently as a sulphide. By then altering the voltage 

 and the strength of the current the cobalt can be thrown 

 out. — Study of contact action on the secondary and tertiary 

 alcohols, by M. A. Trillat. — On the floral organogenesis 

 of the disciflora, by M. L. Beille. — Diffusion in gelatin, by 

 M. S. Leduc. — On the presence of carbon monoxide in the 

 blood of the newly-born, by M. Maurice Nicloux. In ten 

 estimations of the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood of a 

 newly-born animal the amount found varied between 'oS c.c. 

 to '14 c.c. of CO from 100 c.c. of blood, with a mean of O' 11 c.c. 

 The amounts w-ere estimated by the amount of iodine set free 

 from iodic acid, and from this reaction and the fact that the gas 

 is totally absorbed by h.^moglobin it is quite certain that the 

 gas is really CO. — On a biochemical differentiation of the two 

 principal ferments of vinegar, by MM. Gab. Bertrand and R. 

 Sazerac. The two species, Mycoderma aceti and Bacteritun 

 .xy/iiiiiin., can be distinguished by their different oxidising power 

 towards glycerin. — On the extrapolar electrotonic currents in 

 nerves without myeline, by M. Mendelssohn. — On the reaction 

 time in different races and social conditions, by M. Louis 

 Lapicque. The average reaction time of Europeans was found 

 to be o'i5 second, of Hindoos o'22 second and of Andaman 

 Islanders 0*19 second. — The influence of the lethecines of the 

 egg upon the nutritive changes, by MM. A. Desgrez and A. Zaky. 

 — On the use of yeast as a means of finding out communications 

 between sheets of water, by M. P. Miquel. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Studies in Comparative Religion 201 



The Island of Celebes. By F. E. B 203 



Engineering Education. By Prof. F. W. Burstall 204 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Hunt: " Gas Lighting " .... 205 



Hamilton: " Elements of Quaternions." — H. C. P. 206 

 Gordon : " Our Country's Shells and How to Know 



Them: a Guide to the British MoUusca " .... 206 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



OurMountainSecIusion.— Sir Arch. Geikie, F.R.S. 206 

 The National Antarctic Expedition.— Prof. Edward 



B. Poulton, F.R.S. 206 



Stress— Its Definition. — R. F. Muirhead; Re- 

 viewer 207 



Hybrid Oochromy, with a Note on Xenia. — G. P. 



Bulman 207 



The Swimming Instinct.— Prof. C. Lloyd Morgan, 



F.R.S 208 



Recent Scientific Work in Holland. By J. P. K. 20S 

 Maxime Cornu. By Sir W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 



K.C.M.G., F.R.S 211 



Notes. (Illustrated.) 212 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences in July 216 



Black Spot on Jupiter 216 



Ten-year Greenwich Star Catalogue for 1S90 .... 216 



New Nebuki; 216 



Parallax of ^ Cassiopeia; 216 



Negative After-images and Colour- Vision. [Illus- 

 trated.) By Shelford Bidwell, F.R.S 216 



The Second International Conference for the Ex- 

 ploration of the Sea. By H. R. M 21S 



University and Educational Intelligence 220 



Scientific Serials , . .221 



Societies and Academies [Illustrated.) 221 



