1 68 



NA TURE 



[June i6, 1904 



are given of the cases in wiiich the method has been 

 successfully applied. — On humic manures : J. Dumont. — 

 Study of the reaction brought about by an indirect 

 oxidising ferment (anseroxydase) : E. Bourquelot and L. 

 Marchadier. — The destruction of the chrysalis of the silk 

 cocoon by artificial cold : J. de Loverdo. The destruction 

 of the chrysalis can be effected with greater certainty by 

 cooling than by the usual method of heating. — On the 

 apparatus for the collection of plankton : T. Richard. — 

 On the Acarophytes : M. de Wildeman, — On barium 

 sulphate from Lozfere : M. Guedras. — On the platform of 

 the higher summits of the Transylvanian Alps : E. 

 de Martonne. — On seismic phenomena in northern Africa : 

 F. de Montessus de Ballore. — On a volcanic eruption 

 which took place in Arabia near the town of Medina on 

 June 30, 1256 : IM. Houdas. — On the fossil flora of the 

 Antarctic regions : A. G. Nathorst. — On the ergastoplasmic 

 formations of the nephridial cells of sangsue (Hiriido 

 mcdiciualis) : Louis Fag^e. — Relation between the intensity 

 of the reflexes and the nervous organisation : Ed. Toulouse 

 and CI. Vurpas. — Respiration in an atmosphere the oxygen 

 of which is considerably rarefied is not accompanied by any 

 modification of intraorganic combustions, as measured by 

 the respiratory exchanges : T. Tissot. — The injection of 

 phloridzine in the milch-cow : Ch. Porcher. The effect of 

 the injection is to increase the amount of lactose in the 

 milk. — Researches on the causes of natural immunity of 

 snakes : C. Phisalix. The natural immunity of snakes is 

 to be attributed to the presence of a free antitoxin in the 

 blood which neutralises the poison as it penetrates into 

 the circulation. — The agglutination of the red blood 

 corpuscles by colloidal ferric hydrate, sodium chloride, and 

 by different serums : Madame Girard-Mangrin and \'ictor 

 Henri. 



GOTTINGEN. 



Royal Society of Sciences. — The Naclirichten (physico- 

 mathematical section), parts i. and ii. for 1904, contains 

 the following memoirs communicated to the Society : — 



January g. — P. Drude : The theory of light in " active " 

 bodies. 



January 23. — O. Waiiach : Researches from the uni- 

 versity chemical laboratory, xiii. (i) A new instance of 

 optical isomerism. (2) The splitting of camphorphorone. 

 (3) On 1:2; methylcyclopentanone. (4) On isoximes. 

 W. Biltz : The relation of certain inorganic colloids to 

 fibre with reference to the theory of dyeing. 



February 20. — F. Kriiger : The theory of electro- 

 capillarity and of drop-electrodes. 



March 5. — D. Hilbert : Principles of a general theory of 

 linear integral equations (part i.). O. Biumenthal : 

 Remark on the theory of automorphous functions. 

 A. Sommerfeid : Contributions to the theory of electrons, 

 (i) General investigation of the field of an electron moving 

 in any manner. V. Hensen : The graphical process for 

 deriving correct curves from the results of observations. 

 W. Biltz : An attempt towards the interpretation of 

 agglutination. 



March iq. — W. Nernst and F. von Lerch : On the 

 employment of the electrolytic detector in Wheatstone's 

 bridge. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, June 16. 



Royal Society, at 4.30.— The Origin and Growth of Ripple-Mark : Mrs. 

 H. Ayrton.— On th<; Seismic Effect of Tidal Stresses ; R. D. Oldham.— 

 On Flame Spectra: C. de Watteville.— An Experiment Illustrating 

 Harmonic Undertones : H. Knapman.— A Probable Cause of the Yearly 

 Variation of Magnetic Storms and Aurorje : Sir Norman Lockyer, 

 K.C.B., F.R.S., and Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer.— On the Relation betw en 

 the Spectra of Sun-spots and Stars: Sir Norman Lockyer, K.C.B.. 

 F.R.S.— On the Action of Wood on a Photographic Plate in the Dark : 

 Dr. W. J. Russell. F.R.S.— The Relardation of Combustion by Oxv?en; 

 Prof. H. E. Armstrong, F.R.S.— <t) '1 he Specific Heat of Diamond, 

 r.raphite and Ice between the Ordinary Temperature and ihe B >iling 

 Point of Hydrogen. (2) The Absorption and Thermal Evolution of 

 Gases Occluded in Charcoal at Low Temperatures. (3) Direct Separa- 

 tion of ihe most Volatile Gases Irom Air without Liquelaction : Prof. J. 

 Dewar, F.R.S.-On the Influence of the Time Factor on the Correlation 

 Barometric Heights at Two Stations 1000 Miles Apart : Miss 



NO. 1807, VOL. 70] 



F. E. Cave-Browne-Cave.— The Decomposition of Ammonia by Heat: 

 Dr. E. P. Perman and G. A. S. Arkinson.-On the Action of Radium 

 Em--nalions en Diamond: Sir William Crookes, Y.V..S.- And other 

 piz/,crs. 

 LlNNEAN Society, at 8.— Variations in the Arrangement of Hair in the 

 Horse : Dr. Walter Kidd.— An Account of the Jamaican Species of 

 Lrpanthes : W Fawcelt and Dr. A. B. Rendle —On the Hlaze-currents 

 if Vegetable Tissues: Dr. A. D. Waller, F.R S.— Briti.sh Freshwater 

 Rhizopoda: James Cash.— Notes on the "Sudd" Formation of the 

 Upper Nile : A. F. Brown.— The Place of Linnaius in the History of 

 Botany : P. Olsson-SefTon. 



Institution or Mining and Metallurgy, at 8.— The Causes and 

 Prevention of Miners' Phthisis: Dr. J. S. Haldane, F.R.S., and 

 R. .\rthur Thomas.— Note on an Exhibit of an Emergency Set for 

 First-Aid Treatment of Acute Cyanide Poisoning: H. C. Jenkins. -On 

 the Assay of 'I in, and on the Solubility of Cassilerite : 1. H. Collins.— 

 Iron Ore Mining in Scandinavia : W. Fischer -Vilkinson.- Note on the 

 Crih-Setting of a Deep Level Shaft : H. D. Griffiths. 



MONDAY, June 30. 

 Sociological Society, at 5. — On the Relation of Sociology to the Socia 

 Sciences and to Philosophy ; Prof. E. Durkheim and V. Branford. 



TUESDAY, June 21. 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5. 



WEDNESDAY, June 22. 



Geological Society, at 8. — The Caernarvon Earthquake of June 19, 

 1903, a«d its Accessory Shocks : Dr. C. Davison.— The Igneous Rocks 

 of Pontesford Hill, Shropshire : W. S. Boulton.— The Tertiary Fossils of 

 Somaliland, as Represented in the British Museum (Natural History): 

 R. B. Newton. 



FRIDAY, June 24. 



Physical Society, at 5. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Oxford on the Up Grade. By H. E. A 145 



A New Type of Botanical Text-book. By V. H. B. 148 



A System of Geographical Classification. ByE. H. 149 

 Our Book Shelf :— 



Giaham : " The Sporting Dog." — R. L 149 



Bourdeau : " Histoire de I'Habillement et de Parure " 150 

 Rhind ; "The Ether: Some Notes on its Place in 



Nature " 150 



Boone : " A Safe Cotirse in Experimental Chemistry. " 



— J. B. C 150 



Beare : " Catalogue of British Colcoptera " 150 



Ashford : " A Preliminary Course of Practical Physics " 151 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



On the Radio-activity of Natural Gas. — Prof. J. C. 



McLennan 151 



The Source of Radio-active Energy. — Dr. C. V. 



Burton 151 



New Land. (Illustrated.) 152 



An Important ArchEeoIogical Discovery in Egypt. 



[Illuslrated.] 155 



Notes. (Illustrated.) 157 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet 1904 a 160 



Duration of the Perseid Shower 160 



Foundation of a New Astrophysical Observatory . . 160 



The Total Solar Eclipse of 1905 160 



Actual Distances between Stars 161 



The Succession of Changes in Radio-active Bodies. 



By Prof. E. Rutherford, F.R.S 161 



Recent Publications in Agricultural Science . . . 162 

 Maidstone Meeting of the South-eastern Union of 



Scientific Societies 162 



Educational Conference at the Horticultural 



Exhibition. By Wilfred Mark Webb 163 



University and Educational Intelligence 164 



Societies and Academies . . 165 



Diary of Sociertes 16S 



