9 6 



NA Ti T RE 



[November 23, 1905 



of nitrite was without objection. — On the floating spiked 

 Decapods collected by the American expeditions of the 

 Hassler and the Blake : E. L. Bouvier. — On the con- 

 gruences of skew cubic- : M. Stuyvaert. — On the develop- 

 ment "I a uniform analytical function in an infinite pro- 

 duct : M. Zoretti. — On the complementary geodesic 

 triangulations of tin- upper regions of the French Alp- 

 (third expedition) : P. Helbronner. — On a dynamometric 

 signed for measuring the power of motor-, and 

 which allows of the utilisation, in an electrical form, of 

 the greater part of the work developed : A. Krebs. This 

 electrical brake has been successfully applied to measuring 

 the horse-power of motor-car engines of from i horse-power 

 to 200 horse-power. It has several advantages over the 

 friction dynamometer, as it can be used as long as may 

 be required without any danger of over-heating, and is not 

 liable to the errors introduced by the variations in the 

 coefficient of friction. — On the electrical phenomenon 

 created in liquid chains, symmetrical as regards concentra- 

 tion, by the formation of a fresh surface of contact : H. 

 Chanoz. — On the liquefaction of air by compression with 

 external work : Georges Claude. A continuation of an 

 earlier paper on the same subject, and giving an account 

 of the modifications which it has been necessary to make 

 in the arrangements of the apparatus to secure an increased 

 yield of liquid air. — On the molecular conductivity of the 

 phosphoric ester- : P. Carre. Measurements are given 

 for the monoalkylphosphoric esters derived from ethvl and 

 isobutvl alcohols, glycerol, erythritol, and mannide, and it 

 was found that the ionisation of the acid phosphoric esters 

 is considerablj greater than with phosphoric acid itself. — 

 al method for the synthesis of afi-glvcidic esters 

 and oi ketones: Georges Darzcns. In a previous paper 

 the author has shown that by the condensation of mono- 

 tii .11 id with ketones, trisubstituted glycidic esters 

 are formed by the saponification of which unstable acids 

 are produced, the latter readily splitting up into carbon 

 dioxide and a ketone. This reaction has now been ex- 

 tended to a-chloropropionic acid, giving ketones of the type 

 RR,.CH — CO — CH 3 . The reaction appears to be quite 

 general ; eight new glycidic esters and five new ketones 

 are described. — On the constitution of crystallised bodies : 

 Fred. Waller ant. — Observations relating to the morphology 

 of aerial bulbs : Marcel Dubard. Coleus Dazo shows a 

 tendency to accumulate it- reserves in its aerial organs 

 when the conditions of growth are unfavourable to the 

 1 of subterranean stems. These reserves, of a 

 starchy nature, ire deposited in the axillary buds originally 

 intended to form flowers. — The changes in the amount of 

 fragrant oil present in the plant during the accomplish- 

 ment of the functions of the flower : Eug. Charabot and 

 Alex. Hebci-t. — Comparison of the cycles of evolution of 

 the Orthonectitl.c ami Dicyemidaa : F. Mesnil and M. 

 Caullery. — The formation of the vitellus in the sparrow : 

 M. Dubuisson. — The embryogeny of the Hexactinida; : L. 

 Faurot.— The reason \vh\ certain deaf mutes can hear 

 low notes better than high one- : M. Marage, From 

 experiments on animals unprovided with any organ of hear- 

 ing, the author conclude- thai the perception of low musical 

 ni tes by ileal mute- i- nut hearing in the proper sense of 

 th' wmiI, but a special sense for low notes which is also 

 met with in the lower animals. — The increase in the 

 activity of the pancreatic secretion by calcium salts: C. 

 Delezenne. The experiment- described show the import- 

 ance of calcium -alts in developing the activity of pan- 

 creatic juice. A complete explanation of the effects pro- 

 duced is not, as yet, forthcoming. — On the tectonic at the 

 S.W. of Chott and Hodna : J. Savornin. — On the use 

 of hydrostatic pressure in tapping thermal springs : L. 

 Da Launay. — The exploration of the free atmosphere above 

 tin Atlantic Ocean, north of the tropical regions, on board 

 the yacht of the Prince of Monaco, in 1905: H. 

 Hergresell. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, November 23. 

 toYAL Society, at 4.30. — On the Nature of the Galvanotropic Irritability 

 of Roots: Dr. A. J Ewart and Miss Bavliss.— Some Observations on 

 hia miraiilis, Hookerf. : Prof. H. H. W. Pearson.— On the 

 Effects of Alkalies and Acids, and of Alkaline and Acid Saks, upon 

 Growth and Cell Division in the Fertilised Eggs of Echinus esculentus \ 



no. 1882, VOL. J 2)1 



a Study in Relationship to the Causation of Malignant Disease: 

 Prof. B. Moore, Dr. H. E. Roaf, and E. Whitley.— A Note on the 

 Effect of Acid, Alkali, and Certain Indicators in Arresting or Othetwise 

 Influencing the Development of the Eggs of Pleumnecles ptaiessa 

 and Echinus esculentus: E. Whitley. — On Certain Physical and 

 Chemical Properties of Solutions of Chloroform and other Anaesthetics. 

 A Conttibuiion to the Chemistry of Anaesthesia. (Second Communica- 

 tion) : Prof. B. Moore and Dr. H. E. Roaf.— (1) On the Possibility 

 of Determining the Presence or Absence of Tubercular Infeclion by the 

 Examination of a Patient's Blood or Tissue Fluids : (2) On Spontaneous 

 Phagocytosis and or. the Phagocytosis which is obtained with the 

 Heated Serum of Patients who have responded to Tubercular Infection, 

 or as the Case may be to the Inoculation of a Tubercle Vaccine : 

 Dr. A. E Wright and Staff-Surgeon S. T. Reid, R.N. —On the Occurrence 

 of the Heteiotypical Mitosis in Cancer: Dr. E. F. Bashford and J. A. 

 Murray. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at S. — The Applications of 

 Electricity in the Royal Gun Factory, Woolwich Arsenal : Colonel 

 H. C. L. Holden, R.A.. F.R.S. 



FRIDAY, November 24. 



Physical Society, at 5.— The Dielectric Strength of Air : A. Ru- sell- 

 On the Electrical Conductivity of Flames containing Salt Vapours for 

 Rapidly Alternating Currents : Dr. H. A. Wilson.— On the Lateral 

 Vibration of Loaded and Unloaded Bars: J. Morrow. 

 SA TURD A Y, November 25. 



The Essex Field Cu«(at Essex Museum of Natural History, Stratford), 

 at 6.30. — Report of Club's Delegate at Meeting of Corresponding 

 Societies' Cmmittee, British Association, 1905: F. W. Rudler, I.S.O.— 

 Romance of Plant Life : F. Martin-Duncan. 



MONDA Y, November 27. 



Societvof Arts, at 8.— The Measurement of High Frequency Currents 

 and Electric Wave-: Prof. J. A. Fleming, F.R.S. 



Institute of Actuaries, at 5. — Valuation by Select Tables : Separate 

 Papers by Messrs. T. G. Ackland, O. F. Diver and G. King. 

 TUESDA Y, November 28. 



Zoological Society, at 8.30. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Discussion : On Waterways 

 in Gieat Britain: J. A. Saner.— .t /so, time permitting: The Steam- 

 Turbine : The Hon. C. A. Parsons, C B., F.R.S., and G. G. Stoney. 

 WEDNESDAY, November 29. 



Society of Arts, at 8. — The British Association in South Africa: Sir 

 William H. Preece, K.C.B., F.R.S 



FRIDAY, December i. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— An Installation for the Bacttrial 

 it of Sewage, at Neath : W. L. Jenkins. 



CONTENTS. page 



Zoology of the Vertebrata 73 



An Essay in Historical Chemistry. By W. R. . . . 74 



The Kew Index of Flowering Plants. By A. B. R. . 75 

 Our Book Shelf :— 



Deerr : " Sugar and the Sugar Cane " 75 



Bell : " My Strange Pets, and other Memories of 



Country Life." 1 — R. L 76 



Foster : " Simple Lessons on Health for the Use of 



the Young" 76 



Nansouty : " Actualites scientifiques " 76 



Letters to the Editor: — 



The British Association and our Colonies. — Prof. 



John Milne, F.R.S 77 



The Stone Age of the Zambesi Valley, and its Rela- 

 tion in Time.— Colonel H. W. Feilden, C.B. . 77 

 Terminology in Electrophysiology. — Dr. A. D. 



Waller, F.R.S. ; Dr. George J. Burch, F.R S. 78 

 Action of Radium Salts on Gelatin. — W. A. Douglas 



Rudge .... 7S 



The Spectrum of the Positive Rays (Canal-Strahlen). — 



Dr. J. Stark 79 



Replicas of Diffraction Gratings. — Thomas Thorp ; 



The Writer of the Notice 79 



Aurora of November 15. — Rowland A. Earp ; R. 



Langton Cole 79 



A Lunar Theory from Observation. By Dr. P. H. 



Cowell 80 



Science and Art of Cricket. (Illustrated.) By C. G. K. 82 



Notes 84 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Discovery of a Comet, 19050 87 



Nova Aquilte No. 2 87 



The Tenth Satellite of Saturn 87 



The Evolution of the Solar System 87 



Catalogue of Variable Stars 87 



Star Calendar for 1906 S7 



New Museum and Laboratories of Zoology at 



Liverpool. (illustrated.) . . ■ . . 88 



Geology at the British Association 90 



University and Educational Intelligence 93 



Societies and Academies 93 



Diary of Societies 96 



