January 4, 1906] 



NA TURE 



233 



French Astronomical " Annuaires." — We have received 

 two French " Annuaires " which are of particular interest 

 £0 astronomical workers, the one being the " Annuaire 

 <lu Bureau des Longitudes " (price 1.50 francs), the other 

 the " Annuaire astronomique et meUtorologique " (price 

 1.50 francs), which is published by M. Flammarion. 



The former volume contains 352 pages devoted to 

 astronomical matters, in addition to which there are 

 three appendices (188 pages) dealing with eclipse observ- 

 ations. In the first of these M. Bigourdan gives a large 

 number of summarised instructions concerning the observ- 

 ations which may be made during eclipses, pointing out 

 the most suitable observations to be undertaken with the 

 instruments readily available. In the second the same 

 writer gives an extremely interesting summary of the 

 observations made in all parts of the shadow-track during 

 the recent eclipse, whilst the third appendix is devoted 

 to a short account, by Prof. Janssen, of his own observ- 

 ations made in Spain on August 30. 



M. Flammarion 's " Annuaire " will be found to be 

 especially suitable for amateur observers, some interesting 

 phenomenon being given for every day in the year. It 

 contains practically all the data to which the amateur has 

 any need to refer, and the risume of the more important 

 astronomical advances during the past year should prove 

 both interesting and useful. 



PRIZES AWARDED AND PROPOSED BY THE 



PARIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 

 i\ T the annual meeting of the academy of December iS, 

 ■^ 1905. the president delivered his annual address, and 

 announced the list of prizes awarded in 1905 as follows : — 



The Francceur prize is awarded to M. Stouff, for the 

 whole of his mathematical works. 



A Montyon prize to M. Mesnager, for his theoretical and 

 experimental work on the theory of elasticity and the 

 resistance of materials. The Poncelet prize to M. Lnlle- 

 mand, for his work on the figure of the earth and for his 

 improvements in geodesic instruments. 



I hr extraordinary prize of 6000 francs has been divided, 

 Colonel Gossot and M. Liouville receiving 4000 francs, for 

 their work on ballistics ; M. Carrel 1000 francs, for improve- 

 ments in the navigation of submarines; and M. Merlu 1000 

 francs, for improvements in the furnaces of marine boilers. 

 The Plumey prize is divided between M. Maurice (2500 

 francs), for a device for the recuperation of heat in boilers, 

 and M. de Maupeou d'Ableiges (1000 francs), for his in- 

 vestigations of the theory of impact. 



The Pierre Guzman prize is not awarded, but M. Perrotin 

 receives 2000 francs from this foundation for the whole of 

 his astronomical work. The Lalande prize is awarded to 

 Prof. W. H. Pickering, for his astronomical work, and 

 •■specially for his brilliant researches on the satellites of 

 Saturn ; the Valz prize to M. Giacobini, for his work on 

 comets; and the G. de Pontecoulant prize to Prof. J. C. 

 Kapteyn, for the whole of his astronomical researches. Of 

 the two memoirs on the theory of comets presented for the 

 Damoiseau prize, that of M. Fayet is adjudged the better, 

 M. Fabry, the author of the second memoir, receiving a 

 prize from the funds of the Guzman prize. 



Ih' Gay prize is given to Dr. Cureau, for his accurate 

 geodesic measurements in Africa. The Tchihatchef prize 

 to the late M. Massenet, for geodesic work in Cochin 

 < 'hina. 



M. Jumau receives the Hubert prize for his book on 

 electric accumulators; M. Georges Urbain the Hughes 

 prize, for his researches on the rare earths; M. Henri 

 Abraham the Gaston Pl.-mte' prize, for his researches and 

 books; and M. Gouy the La Caze prize, for the whole of 

 his original work. 



The Jecker prize is awarded to MM. Sabatier and 

 Senderens, for their researches on the catalytic action of 

 metals; Montyon prizes (unhealthy trades) to M. Donard, 

 for hi- method of treating slaughter-house refuse, and to 

 M Carles, for his method of utilising wine residues; the 

 1 Ca 1 prize to M. Albert Colson, for the whole of his 

 researches ; the Bordin prize to M. Paul Lebeau, for his 

 researches on silicides. The Cahours prize is divided 

 between M. Binet du Jassoneix and M. Kling. 



no. t888, vol. 73] 



M. (1. Friedel receives the Delesse prize for his work in 

 mineralogy; M. Gustave Dollfus the Fontannes prize, for 

 his researches on Tertiary fossils ; and M. Marcellin Boule 

 the Alhumbert prize, for his work on the determination of 

 the period of the latest volcanic eruptions in central France. 



The grand prize of the physical sciences is awarded to 

 M. Dangeard, for his researches on the development of the 

 egg in the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes ; the 

 Desmazieres prize to M. Ferdinand Renauld, for his 

 memoir on the flora of Madagascar; the Thore prize to 

 M. de Itsvanlfi, for his memoirs on the fungi attacking 

 the Kuropean vine, the Montagne prize being divided 

 between M. Lutz (1000 francs) and M. Gallaud (500 francs). 



In anatomy and zoology, M. C. Gravier receives the 

 Savigny prize. 



A Montyon prize is divided between M. L. C. Maillard 

 (the indoxylic colouring matters of human urine), M. Albert 

 Malherbe (researches on sarcoma), and M. Albert Le Play 

 (experimental researches on intestinal poisons). Mentions 

 are accorded to MM. II. Guilleminot, J. Beolt, and Kdmond 

 Loison. The Barbier prize is divided between M. J. 

 Dechery and G. Rosenthal, M. Scrini receiving a mention. 

 The interest on the funds of the Bryant prize is divided 

 between M. Vincent, M. Martel, and Dr. Remlinger. 

 The Ciodard prize is accorded to Dr. A. Hogge ; the Baron 

 Larrey prize to M. II. Nimier, with very honourable men- 

 tion to M. Marix ; the Bellion prize to Dr. Pressat (malaria 

 and mosquitoes) and MM. Alquier and Drouineau (glycogen 

 and rational nutrition with sugar) ; the Mege prize to M. 

 Beni-Barde, for his book on hydrotherapeutics ; the Serres 

 prize to M. F. Henneguy. The Dusgate prize is not 

 awarded, but M. Onimus receives a very honourable 

 mention. 



In physiology the Montyon prize is shared by M. J. 

 Lefevre and M. J. Laurent. The Philipeaux prize is 

 awarded to M. Victor Henri for his quantitative researches 

 on diastases, M. L. Butte being accorded a mention for 

 his researches on the glycogenic functions of the liver. 

 The Lallemand prize is divided between M. and Mine. 

 Lapicque and M. Jules Voisin, M. Crouzon receiving a very 

 honourable mention. The question set for the Pourat prize 

 was the origin of muscular glycogen. The only paper 

 received on this subject was by M. Maignon, to whom the 

 prize is awarded. 



A Montyon prize for statistics is awarded to M. Kdmond 

 Gain, with a very honourable mention to M. Jules Fleury. 



The Binoux prize is awarded to M. Paul Tannery. 



M. Adolph Lieben receives the Lavoisier medal; MM. 

 Senderens, Donard, Lebeau, Jumau, Urbain, Abraham, 

 Gouy, Canovetti, and Leduc the Berthelot medal. The 

 Tr^mont prize is awarded to M. Ch. Fremont, for his re- 

 searches in the domain of mechanics; the Gcgner prize to 

 M. J. H. Fab re ; the Lannelongue prize to Mme. Beclard 

 and Mme. Cusco ; the Wilde prize to M. Canovetti and 

 M. Leduc (in equal parts) ; the Saintour prize to M. 

 Edouard Piette and M. Marchis ; the Petit D'Ormov prize 

 to M. Emile Borel (mathematical sciences) and M. Julien 

 Costantin (natural sciences); the prize founded by Mme. 

 la Marquise de Laplace to M. Fortier ; and the Felix Rivot 

 prize to MM. Fortier, Rodhain, Frontard, and Leir.in.. 



The subjects proposed by the academy fur prizes for 

 1907 are as follows : — 



The Francceur prize (1000 francs), for work or discoveries 

 useful to the progress of the science of pure 1 1 applied 

 mathematics; the Bordin prize (301.0 francs), for the solu- 

 tion of a problem in the theory of algebraic surfaces ; the 

 Vaillant prize (4000 francs), for the integration of the 

 equation 



3.V 4 3.v-3i" 6V " 

 under specified conditions; and the Poncelet prize (2000 

 francs), under conditions similar to those of the Francceur 

 prize, 



A Montyon prize (700 francs), for the invention or 

 improvement of instruments useful to the progress of agri- 

 culture, the mechanical arts or sciences. 



The extraordinary prize of 6000 francs, for an invention 

 01 discover) tending to increase the efficacy of the French 

 naval forces ; the Plumey prize (4000 francs), for improve- 

 ments in the steam engine or any invention contributing 

 to the progress of steam navigation. 



