144 



NA TURE 



[December 7, 1905 



(Wall.)- — Materials for a flora of the Malayan Peninsula, 

 No. is : Sir George King, K.C.I. I-:., F.R.S., and J. S. 

 Gamble, F.R.S. Owing to an unforeseen cause of delay, 

 it has been found necessarj to postpone the publication 

 of the natural orders No. 75, Apocynaceae, No. 76, 

 Asclepiadacese, and No. 77, Loganiaceae, for a .short while; 

 consequently the pn sent part. No. 18 of the " Materials 

 for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula," contains the orders 

 which succeed, viz. No. -. , . Hydrophyllaceae, t.i No. 85, 

 Lentibulariaceae, inclusive, together with No. 87, Bignoni- 

 aceae, and No. ss, Pedalinceas. No. 78, ( ,entienacea;, has 

 already appeared in part xvii., and No. So, Gesneracea?, 

 will come later on. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, December 7. 



Roval Sccietv, at 4.30.— The Periodogram and its Optical Analogy ; 

 with an Illustration from a Discussion ol Observations of Sun spots : Prof. 

 A. Schuster, F.R.S — (1) On a Property which holds good for all Group- 

 ings of a Normal Distribution . >f Frequency for two Variables, with Appli- 

 cations to the Study of Contingency-tables for the Inheritance of Un- 

 measured Qualities ; (2) On the Influence of Bias and of Personal 

 Equation in Statistics of Ill-defined Qualities: an Experimental Study: 

 G. Udny Yule. -On the Inheritance of Coat-colour in Horses : C. C. 

 Hurst. — Further Experiments on Inheritance in Sweet Peas and Stocks 

 (Preliminary Account) : W. Bateson, F.R.S., E. R. Saunders, and R. C. 

 Punnett. — A Biomedical Study of Conjugation in Paramecium : Dr. 

 Raymond Pearl.— On Mathematical Concepts of the Material World: 

 A. N. Whitehead, F.R.S. -The Determination of the Osmotic Pressure 

 of Solutions by the Measurement of their Vapour Pressures : The Earl of 

 Berkeley and E. G. Hartley.— The Vertical Temperature Gradients on 

 the West Coast of Scotland and at Oxshott. Surrey: W. H. Dines, F.R.S. 

 —The Combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen in contact with Hot 

 Surfaces: Dr. W. A. Bone, "F.R.S., and R. V. Wheeler.— Fifth and Sixth 

 Catalogues of the Comparative Brightness of the Stars: in Continuation 

 of those printed in the Phil. Trans, tor 1796-99 (Prepared for press from 

 the original MS. Records by Colonel I. Herschel, R.E., F.R.S.): The 

 late Dr. Herschel. F.K.S. — On the Cytology of Malignant Growths : Prof. 

 I. B. Farmer, F.R.S., J. E. S. Moore, and C. E. Walker.— A Gas 

 Calorimeter: C. V hoys, F.R.S. 



Societv OF Arts, at 4.30. — The Partition of Bengal : Sir James A. 

 Bourdillon. K. C.S.I. 



Chemical Society', at 8.30.— The Constitution of Nitri 

 Varieties ofSilver Nitrite : P. C. Ray and A. C. Gangul 

 ng Silver Nitrite : E. Divers.— Ethyl Pip. 



of He. 

 Perkm, I 



, Part I., Two 

 The Products 

 ylacetate : W. H. 

 nd R. Robinson —A Contribution to the Chemistry of 

 a- Hydrocarboxylic 

 :. Le Sueur.— Studies on Optically Active 

 The Reactions between i-Menihylcarbimide and 

 rols : R. H Pickard, W. O Littlebury, and A. Neville— The 

 m of Ultra-violet Light on Moist and Dried Mixtures of Carbon 

 oxide and Oxygen: S. Chadwick, J. E. Ramsbottom and D. L. 



F. D. Chattaway,— The Action of He 

 t II. : H. R. Le Sueur.— Studies 

 s. Part II., 'IT 



Mo 

 Chapn 



nstitution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— The Charing Cross 

 Company's City of London Works : W. H. Patchell. 

 ;ivil and Mechanical Engineers' Societv, at 3.— Concrete Mixers: 

 Dr. J. S. Owens. 



san Society, at 8.— Or, the /Etiology of Leprosy : Dr. Jonathan 

 ,, F.R.S.— Some Notes on the Life-history of Margaritifera 

 A. W. Allen. — Exhibition : Photographs of a Luxuriant 

 of Shortia uniflora, in the Rock-garden of Mr. W. T. 



Linn 

 Hutchi 



Sp*c?m 

 Hind 



rsh, at Aln 



RdNTGBN Society, at 8.1s. — The Spontaneous Action of Radium and 

 other Budie.on Gelatin Med a: I. Butler Burke 

 FRIDAY, December S. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at s. — Results of Recent Investigations 

 Rel iting to Sun spot Periods : Prof. A. Schuster.— On the Present Slate of 

 Lunar Nomenclature: S A Saunder.— On a New Method of Determining 

 the Moon's Position Photographically : E. B. H. Wade.— Reproduction 

 photographique des Reseaux photographiques : H. Bourget.— (t) Position 

 of the Axis of Mars : (2) Comparative Cnarts of the Region following 6* 

 Ophiuchi : Percival Lowell —Comparison of the Results from the Falmouth 

 Declination and Horizontal Force Magnetographs on Quiet Days in Years 

 of Sun-spot Maximum and Minimum : 1 )r. Charles Chree.— Note on the 

 Astronomical Value of Ancient Statements of Solar Eclipses : Prof. 

 Simon Newcomb.— On the Conditions Determining the Formation of 

 Cloud Spheres and Photospheres : A. W. Clavden.— On Testing Parabolic 

 Mirrors: with some Results of the 1 ests as Applied to some Mirrors at 

 Oxford: Rev. C. D. P. Davies.— Promised paper : On the Astronomical 

 Observations recorded in the Nihongi, the Ancient Chronicle of Japan : 

 E. B. Knobel. 



Malacological Society, at 8.— (1) A Revision of the Species of Cyclo- 

 stomaiidce and Liotiida; occurring in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian 

 Sea ; (2) Description of Two Species of Marine Shells from Ceylon : 

 J. Cosmo Melvill.— A Pteropod Alias: (a) C Hedley. («) E. R. Sykes.— 



(1) Descriptions of Four new Species of Marine Shells from Ceylon ; (2) 

 Description of a new Species of Physa front N.W. Australia : H. B. 

 Preston.— Notes (1) on the Dates of Publication of J. D. Wilhelm 

 Hartmann's " Erd- und Siisswasser-Gasteropoden," 8vo, St. Gallen, 1S40 ; 



(2) On Some " Feeding Tracks" of Gastropods: (3) On Cement as a 

 Slug-killer : B. B. Woodward. 



MONDA Y, December ir. 

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

 and Electric Waves : Prof. [. A Fleming, F.R.S. 

 TUESDAY, December 12. 

 Zoological Society, at 8.30. 



Faraday Society, at 3.— The Physics of Ore Flotation: J. Swinburne 

 and Dr. G. Rudorf.— The Concentration of Metalliferous Sulphides by 



the Flotation Process: Prof. A. K. Huntington.— The Ions of Pure 



Water: Prof. J. Walker, F.R.S. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Adjourned Discussion: The 



Steam-Turbine : Hon. C. A. Parsons, C.B , F.R.S., and G. G. Stoney.— 



WEDNESDAY, December 13. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— The Commerce and Industries of Japan : W. F. 



Mitchell. 



THURSDAY. December 14 



royal Societv, at 4.30.— Probable fiapers: An Investigation into the 

 Structure of the Lumbosacral coccygeal Cord of the Macaque Monkey 

 (.l/.i,,i, .v.! iinhus): Miss M. P. Fiizgera'd.— On the Distribution of 

 Cnlorides in Nerve Cells and Fibres: Prof. A. C. Macallum and Miss 

 M. L. Menten.— The Mammalian Cerebral C"«ex, with Special Reference 

 to its Comparative Histology. I. Order Insecl'vora : Dr. G. A. Watson. 

 -Observations on the Development of Ornithorhynchus : Prof. J. T. 

 Wilson and Dr. J. P. Hill.— Further Work on the Development of the 

 Hepatomonas of Kala-Azar and Cachexial Fever from Leishman- Donovan 

 Bodies: Dr. L. Rogers.— The Action of Anaesthetics on Living Tissues. 

 Part I. The Action on Isolated Nerve: N. H. Alcock.— Report on the 

 Psychology and Sociology of the Todas and oiher Indian Tribes : an 

 Abstract of Work carried out by the Aid of the Gunning Fund of ihe Roval 

 Society for the year 1901-2 : Dr. W. H. R. Rivers.— On the Sexuality 

 and Development of ihe Ascocarp of Humaria Cranuhita, Quel. ■ V. H. 

 Blackmail and Miss Helen C. I. Fraser.— On ihe Microsporangia of the 

 Pteridospermea with remarks on their Relationship to Existing Groups: 

 Robert Kidston, F.R.S.— The Araucarieas, Recent and Extinct: A. C. 

 Seward, F.R.S., and Miss S. O. Ford. 



Mathematical Society, at s.^o. — On Well-ordered Aggregates: Prof. 

 A. C. Dixon.— Tables of Coefficients for Lagrange's Interpolation 

 Formula: Col. R. L. Hippisley.— On the Representation of certain 

 Asymptotic Series as Convergent Continued Fractions : Prof. L. J. 

 Rogers.— On a New Cubic Connected with the Triangle : H. L. 

 Trachtenberg.— Some Difficulties in the Theory of Transfinite Numbers 

 and Order Types : Hon. B. A. W. Russell.— The Imaginary in Geometry: 

 J. L. S. Hatton 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at i— Adjourned Discussion i 



The Charing Cross Company's City of London Works : W. H Patchell 



FRIDAY. December 15. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers. at 8. — Adjoin nea 

 The Seventh Report to the Alloys Research Committee : On Ihe Proper- 

 ties of a Series of Iron-Nickel-Manganese-Carbin Alloys : Dr. H. C. H. 

 Carpenter, and Messrs. R. A. Hadfield and Percy Longmuir.-/ > a/< ; v. 

 Behaviour of Matetials of Construction under Pure Shear : E. G. Izod. 



Physical Society (at Royal College of Science, South Kensington), at 7.— 

 Exhibition of Electrical, Optical and other Physical Apparatus. 



Institution or Civil. Engineers, at 8.— Tests of Street Illumination in 



Westminster : E. E. Mann. 

 Aeronautical Society, at 8.— The Acoustical Experiments carried out 

 in Balloons bv the late Rev. J. M. Bacon : Miss Gertrude Bacon.— The 

 Aeromobile : F. Webb.— A New Continuous Impulse Petrol Motor for 

 Dynamic Flying Machines : W. Cochrane. 



NO. 1884, VOL. 73] 



CONTENTS. page 



The Principles of Heredity. By A. D. D 121 



Mathematical Lectures for American Mathe- 

 maticians 122 



Industrial Refrigeration. By C. H. B 122 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Marshall: "The Geography of New Zealand.' 1 — 



M. G. B 123 



Job : " Wild Wings ; Adventures of a Cameta-Hunter 

 among the Larger Wild Birds of North America on 



Sea and Land " 123 



Abney : "Instruction in Photography.'' — C. E. K. M. 124 



Annagnat : " La Bobine d'Induction " 124 



Schnabel : "Htndbook of Metallurgy " 124 



Letters to the Editor : - 



The Second Law of Thermodynamics. — Prof. G. H. 



Bryan, F.R.S. ; F. Soddy 125 



Atomic Disintegration and the Distribution of the 



Elements. — Donald Murray 125 



Zoology at the British Association. — Dr. S. F. 



Harmer, F.R.S 125 



The Thoroughbred Horse. (Illustrated.) By R. L. . 126 



Sir J. S. Burdon-Sanderson, Bart., F.R.S. By F. G. 127 



Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Society .... 129 



The Death-knell of the Atom. By W. R 132 



Notes 132 



Our Astronomical Column .— 



Comet 19056 136 



The Anomalous Tails of Comets 136 



Nova Aquila; No. 2 . 136 



Catalogue of Binary Star Orbits 136 



Indian Meteorology, 1892-1902. By W. M 136 



Physiology at the British Association. By J. 



Barcroft 13 8 



University and Educational Intelligence 140 



Societies and Academies 141 



Diary of Societies 144 



