62 



NA TURE 



[November 16, 1905 



characteristic discussion of the geodesic lines on convex 

 surfaces, with the aim of illustrating by a comparatively 

 simple case the difficult questions of dynamic stability and 

 instability in the problem of three bodies. Prof. E. W. 

 Brown investigates a general method for treating trans- 

 mitted motions and indirect perturbations such as arise 

 when the action of the earth on the moon is modified by 

 the influence of a planet on the earth's motion. In a long 

 paper on the relation of the principles of logic to the 

 foundations of geometry, Prof. J. Royce directs attention 

 to a former paper by Mr. Kempe, which seems to have 

 been largely neglected, and proceeds to develop the logical 

 consequences of a theory suggested by, but more general 

 than, Kempe's theory. Prof. Bromwich gives the classifi- 

 cation of quadrics in hyperbolic and elliptic space, Prof. J. E. 

 Wright writes on differential invariants, and Prof. Pierpont 

 on multiple integrals. The remaining papers, by Messrs. 

 Neikirk, Miller, Dickson, and Weddcrburn, are all short, 

 and bear upon the theories of groups and numbers. — In 

 the July number of the Annals of Mathematics Dr. E. V. 

 Huntington begins a series of articles on the continuum 

 as a type of order, being a systematic elementary account 

 of the modern theory, put together for the sake, not only 

 of the mathematical student, but of non-mathematical 

 students of scientific method ; and Prof. Dickson proves a 

 theorem in the theory of groups and applies it to the dis- 

 cussion of the real elements of certain classes of geo- 

 metrical configurations. — The Bulletin of the American 

 Mathematical Society gives in full a translation of M. 

 Darboux's survey of the development of geometrical 

 methods, the address delivered by him at the St. Louis 

 International Congress of Arts and Sciences. In a short 

 note Dr. Morehead proves that F„ = 2-" + i is not a prime 

 when h = 7, and states that he is in possession of a method 

 for testing other similar cases. The only cases known to 

 be primes are the first four, proved to be so by Fermat. 



In a paper published in the Sitzungsberichte of the 

 Vienna Academy of Sciences (vol. cxiv. p. 553), F. von 

 Lerch describes an experimental investigation of the 

 electrochemical behaviour of thorium X, particularly as 

 regards the manner in which it differs from the " induced 

 activity " of thorium. When thorium X is dissolved in 

 hydrochloric acid, and different metals are immersed in the 

 slightly acid solution, the active substance which separates 

 on the metal is not thorium X, but the induced activity ; 

 the same holds true of the product separated from the acid 

 solution by electrolysis. On the other hand, from a solu- 

 tion of thorium X made all;. dine with caustic potash or 

 ammonia, thorium X is usually deposited either by a 

 metal or under the influence of an electric current ; but 

 in certain cases, for exampk with amalgamated zinc, the 

 induced activity is also thrown down. The production of 

 thorium A and thorium B, and the relation existing 

 between them, is also discussed. 



In vol. ix., p. 441, of the Journal of Physical Chemistry 

 Messrs. E. S. Shepherd and G. R. Upton discuss the 

 tensile strength of copper-tin alloys in relation to their 

 chemical and physical structure. The test pieces made use 

 of were heated for a prolonged period at different tempera- 

 tures in order fully to attain the crystalline structure 

 normal to those temperatures, the heating being followed 

 by fixation of the properties by control of the rate of 

 cooling. Among other results, it was found that pro- 

 longed annealing tends to coarsen the crystalline struc- 

 ture, to decrease the tensile strength, and to increase the 

 ductility. In a second paper Mr. E. S. Shepherd gives 

 an account of investigations of aluminium-zinc alloys, 



from which it is concluded that these series of alloys 

 present no so-called definite compounds. There are, how- 

 ever, two series of solid solutions, that of zinc in 

 aluminium and that of aluminium in zinc. 



We have received the annual address of the retiring 

 president of the Society of Public Analysts, reprinted from 

 the Analyst of April of this year. In the course of his 

 address, Mr. Fairley referred particularly to the necessity 

 that exists for a properly constituted authority to supervise 

 the standard for drugs. In " Notes on the History of 

 Distilled Spirits," published in the Analyst for September, 

 Mr. Fairley includes an interesting collection of illustra- 

 tions of ancient forms of stills used in several countries. 

 The manufacture of whiskey was a matter of common 

 knowledge amongst the people of Ireland when their 

 country was invaded by the English in 1 170-2, its Celtic 

 name being " uisque beatha," meaning water of life. The 

 distillation of brandy began to take form in France as 

 a manufacturing industry early in the fourteenth century. 

 Originally known as brandwine, brandewine, or brandy- 

 wine, the term brandy came into use about 1657. 



We have received the first part of a " Natural History of 

 the British Butterflies, their World-wide Variation and 

 Geographical Distribution," by Mr. J. W. Tutt. The work 

 is being published by Mr. Elliot Stock at is. net per part. 



,Mr. R. W. Robinson has prepared a revised edition of 

 " The Photographic Studio and what to do in it " by his 

 father, the late Mr. H. P. Robinson (London : Iliffe and 

 Sons, Ltd., price 2s. 6d. net). Few changes have been 

 made, but references to some matters now out of date 

 have been omitted. Amateur as well as professional 

 photographers who wish to know something of the poses 

 and practice of good portraiture will find Mr. Robinson's 

 book a useful guide. 



A second edition of " Thermodynamique," by M. G. 

 Lippmann, has been published in Paris by M. A. Hermann. 

 The edition has been edited by MM. A. Mathias and A. 

 Renault. The author endeavours first to elucidate the 

 principles of thermodynamics in such a way that they may- 

 be applied intelligently. The facts upon which the prin- 

 ciples rest are then explained. The general method of 

 treatment adopted will enable the student to apply the 

 principles of thermodynamics to particular cases, and thus 

 render it unnecessary to search in a book for the right 

 equation to use. 



Five parts of a work on the fauna of New England, to 

 be included in the occasional papers of the Boston Society 

 of Natural History, have been received. The society is 

 able to print this work by the aid of the proceeds of the 

 Gordon Saltonstall fund. The first part is a list of the 

 r Reptilia, by Mr. Samuel Henshaw ; the second of the 

 Batrachia, by the same authority ; the third is by Mr. 

 Glover M. Allen, and deals with the Mammalia; the fourth, 

 by Mr. Hubert L. Clark, is concerned with the Echino- 

 dermata ; and the fifth is a list of the Crustacea, by Miss 

 (01 Mis. 1 Mary J. Rathbun. When the series of lists is 

 complete we hope to review them in these columns. Parts 

 are to be published at irregular intervals, and though the 

 details of the several lists will vary somewhat in the 

 different groups, each list is to include, first, the accepted 

 nam.' (scientific and vernacular); second, reference to the 

 original description, with record of locality; third, refer- 

 ence u> an authentic description and illustration; and 

 fourth, habitat and occurrence. 



American palaeontologists are becoming more and more 

 strongly convinced of the decisive character of the evidence 

 afforded bv extinct faunas of a comparatively recent con- 



no, 1 88 1, vol. jsl 



