APRIL 15, 1897 | 
NATURE 
69 
with a mica diaphragm, depending not upon mechanical stress, 
but magnetic strain. Itdid not work well. Dr. Chree thought 
the ‘‘ stress ’ telephone might possibly be improved by choosing 
the right strength of magnetic field. Mr. Appleyard said the 
arrangement was interesting historically, because it was, 
mechanically, almost identical with the original instrument used 
by Philip Reis as a ‘receiver. The authors had succeeded in 
getting it to work as a ‘transmitter. Their success was prob- 
ably due to the rapidity with which the magnetisation of nickel 
responded to very small changes of stress or current. The Post 
Office electricians had tried to introduce nickel cores into relays, 
on account of its magnetic sensitiveness; the results, he believed, 
had not been very satisfactory. Mr. T. A. Garrett, in reply- 
ing, said the ‘‘stress”” telephone gave better articulation than 
an ordinary ‘‘ watch” telephone, but the sounds were feebler. 
There seemed to be a field-strength proper to the instrument ; 
he had noticed that the articulation was clearer with three cells 
than with six.—Mr. W. A. Price then read a paper on alter- 
nating currents in concentric conductors. This is a mathe- 
matical investigation of a proposed new form of submarine cable. 
The case is considered of two concentric conductors, interrupted 
alternately at different points throughout the whole length. In 
the mathematical treatment, the cable is supposed to be laid in 
a circular path, and successive charges of electricity are supposed 
to be applied at some point at the extremity of a diameter of 
the circle. Expressions are given for the amplitude of the 
periodic charges arriving at a point diametrically opposite to 
the first; and for the reduction in amplitude, throughout the 
whole length of the cable, of an applied E.M.F. The theory 
indicates that under no circumstances can the ‘‘speed” of a 
cable of the proposed form be greater than the ‘‘speed” of a 
cable of ordinary type. The author has experimented upon an 
artificial cable connected up to represent the proposed form. 
The ‘‘definition” of signals is considerably better than that 
obtained through an artificial cable of analogous ‘‘ weight ” and 
“length” connected up in the ordinary way. Within certain 
limits the ‘‘definition® continues to improve as the number 
of sections, or subdivisions, of the cable is increased.—Mr. 
Blakesley said he was sorry the result did not indicate a 
successful type of cable. He would have been inclined to 
predict that the amplitude would have decreased with the 
number of sections. If a number of condensers were joined 
in series, and one end was subjected to a periodic E.M.F., the 
amplitude would fall off inversely as the square of the distance. 
Mr. Price then exhibited a galvanometer support. The in- 
strument was suspended from two india-rubber cords, attached 
at the top and bottom to cross-bars of metal, thus forming a 
rectangle. The cross-bars were provided with knife-edges in 
such a way as to compensate for unequal stretching of the india- 
rubber. Weights could be added, if necessary, to the support, 
so as to increase its inertia.—Mr. H. Garrett read a paper, 
communicated by Prof. W. B. Morton, on the effect of 
capacity on stationary electrical waves in wires. The 
author investigates the effect produced when a condenser is in- 
serted at a point in the secondary circuit of the apparatus used 
by Blondlot for obtaining stationary electrical waves in wires. 
The positions of successive nodes are determined in the usual 
way, by a bridge, with a vacuum-tube indicator. When two 
opposite points of the parallel secondary wires are joined to the 
plates of a small air-condenser, the nodes approach the con- 
denser on either side. The amount of the displacement of the 
nodes—that is to say, the extent of the shortening of the ap- 
parent half-wave-length—depends upon the position of the 
capacity along the wire. The effect is 2 when the condenser 
is at a node, anda maximum when it is midway between two 
nodes. The state of affairs at a point of the circuit is obtained 
by summation of a series of separate disturbances due to the 
different direct and reflected trains. In obtaining a formula for 
the conditions of resonance, with which to compare the observ- 
ations, the author adopts a method from Heaviside. It con- 
nects the frequency of oscillation, with the position and capacity 
of the condenser.—Mr. Shelford Bidwell proposed a vote of 
thanks to all the authors, and the meeting was adjourned until 
May 14. 
Zoological Society, April 6.—Dr. W. T. Blanford, 
F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair.—The Secretary exhibited, 
on behalf of Mr. A. J. Lawford Jones, a curious cinnamon- 
coloured variety of the blackbird (Turdus merula), which had 
been captured near Dorking, Surrey.—Prof. B. C. A. Windle 
and Mr. F. G. Parsons contributed the first part of a paper 
NO. 1433, VOL. 55 
““On the Myology of the Terrestrial Carnivora,’ which dealt 
with the muscles of the head, neck, and fore limb of eighty-three 
individuals. —A communication was read from Mr. C. S. Tomes, 
I.R.S., on the minute structure of the teeth of Voforyctes. An 
examination of its dentition had confirmed the view previously 
arrived at by other naturalists that this animal has affinities with 
the Dasyuride and Didelphide.—A communication was read 
from Mr. R. Lydekker, F.R.S , entitled ‘‘The Blue Bear of 
Tibet, with Notes on the Members of the Ursus arctus Group.” 
The author described a mounted specimen in the British 
Museum, which he identified with the Ursus pruznosus of Blyth. 
He also made a survey of the other members of the JW. arctus 
group, and came to the conclusion that, with the exception of 
the extinct U. speleus, they should all be regarded as sub- 
species rather than species. As they are all structurally similar, 
they seem, in his opinion, to be merely local varieties and colour- 
phases of what is essentially one animal.—Mr. G. A. Boulenger, 
F.R.S., gave an account of the fresh-water fishes collected in 
Celebes by Drs. P. and F. Sarasin. The specimens obtained 
were referred to fourteen species, of which four were described 
as new, one of them forming the type of a new genus of 
Atherinide, proposea to be named Telmatherina, 
EDINBURGH. 
Mathematical Society, April 7.—Dr. Sprague, President,. 
in the chair.—The following papers were read: (1) Certain 
expansions of x” in hypergeometric series, Rev. F. H. Jackson ; 
(2) the C. discriminant as an envelope, Mr. Jas. A. Macdonald ; 
(3) the factorisation of 1 — 2x” cos a+”, Prof. John Jack. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, April 5.—M. A. Chatin in the 
chair.—Periodic solutions and the principle of least action, by 
M. H. Poincaré.—Preparation of iron carbide by direct union 
of metal and carbon,.by M. Henri Moissan (see p. 566).—On 
the Innucellez or Santalineze, a subdivision of the Inseminez, 
by M. Ph. van Tieghem. The entire group of the Santalinezx 
comprises fifteen genera, the distinguishing characteristics of 
which are given.—M. Radau was elected a member in the 
Section of Astronomy, in the place of the late M. Tisserand.— 
The Commissions were elected for judging the memoirs sent in 
for the Godard, Parkin, Barbier, Lallemand, Larrey, Bellion, 
Mége, Montyon (Experimental Physiology), La Caze (Physio- 
logy), and Martin-Damourette prizes for 1897.—On the 
accidents which may be produced by heating with hot air, by 
M. N. Gréhant. In several cases of accidents attributable to 
emanations from heated iron pipes, the air of the room was 
carefully examined for carbon monoxide. In nine cases out of 
ten, however, the results obtained were negative, carbon mon- 
oxide being clearly present (‘04 per cent.) in one case only. 
Further experiments were then carried out to see whether the 
method of analysis adopted could detect the passage of carbon 
monoxide through the walls of an iron stove kept at a dull red 
heat. The presence of CO was clear, although the air collected 
contained only ‘o15 per cent. of the gas.—On a clockwork 
myodynamometer, by the same.—The drawings on the rocks of 
the La Mouthe Cave (Dordogne), by M. E. Riviere. The 
antiquity of the drawings is proved by the fact that they are in 
part covered by the clay which constitutes the floor of the cave. 
This clay contains the remains of several species of animals, all 
quaternary. Three of the drawings were of animals, 
one of which is undoubtedly a bison (Bos frésczs). Another 
drawing represents a kind of hut. Other drawings have 
been partly exposed, the excavatica of which is being 
proceeded with.—Letter addressed to M. Berthelot by 
Mr. H. Wilde, F.R.S., concerning the offer of 5500/. 
to be applied to founding an annual prize for a work on 
Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Geology, or 
Mechanics.—On mechanical quadratures, by M. B. Baillaud.— 
On the general theory of surfaces, by M. A. Pellet.—On the 
deformation of certain paraboloids, and on the theorem of M. 
Weinga.ten, by M. Eugene Cosserat.—On linear partial dif- 
ferential equations of the second order with two variables, by 
M. Cotton.—On the properties of complete functions, by M. 
Desaint.—On the partial polarisation of radiations emitted by 
some luminous sources under the influence of the magnetic field, 
by MM. N. Egoroff and N. Géorgiewsky. The results of M. 
Zeeman on the polarisation of rays from luminous flames by the 
action of a strong magnetic field were confirmed and enlarged, 
as, without the use of a spectroscope, the partial rectilinear 
