360 
NATURE 
[AucusT 10, 1899 
collected by Mr. R. T. Giinther during his expedition to the 
lake last summer, and were examined by Mr. J. J. Manley in 
the laboratory of Magdalen College, Oxford. The specific 
gravity of one of the samples of the water at 15° C. was about 
I°11338; its boiling point under normal conditions in a 
platinum bottle was 103'84° C., as determined by a form of 
platinum resistance thermometer. The refractive index () 
was found to be 1°36110 by a method which the authors con- 
sider to be applicable to ordinary sea waters, and to be capable 
of yielding an indication of the physical nature of the water which 
is both more accurate and more readily obtainable than the 
ordinary specific gravity. The chemical examination was, with 
a slight modification, similar to that employed by Dittmar in 
his work on the composition of the ocean water collected by 
the Challenger. The hypothetical proximate composition of 
100 parts of the total salts was calculated with the following 
results :— 
Sodium chloride 86°332 
Magnesium chloride ... 6661 
Magnesium sulphate ... 4°211 
Calcium sulphate 0988 
Potassium sulphate 1°741 
99°933 
_ Atrace of barium was detected ly the spectroscope. No 
iodine or bromine could be discovered. 
It is to be hoped that the constitution of the lake water will 
‘be determined again at intervals of a few years, in order to 
-show whether or not the salinity is undergoing any change, and 
>if so, in which direction. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, July 31.—M. van Tieghem in the 
-chair,—The Perpetual Secretary announced to the Academy the 
loss it had sustained by the death of M. Rieggenbach, corre- 
‘spondent in the Section of Mechanics. —Thermogenesis and use 
of energy by man in raising and lowering his own weight, by 
M. A. Chauveau. The positive work done by the animal motor is 
shown by experiment to take from the animal heat an amount 
“quantitatively equal to the mechanical work produced. When 
the subject does negative work in the calorimeter, the heat pro- 
duced is much greater than should arise from the normal physio- 
logical work of the organism.—On the law of pressures in 
gun-muzzles. by M. E. Vallier. The author applies the formula 
(previously given by him to the discussion of some experiments 
‘by M. Zaboudski, and introduces certain simplifications into his 
- original expression.—Hypodermic impregnation in the Haemen- 
taria castata of Miiller (Placobdella catenigera of R. Blanchard), 
‘by M. A. Kowalevsky.—On the annular nebula in Lyra, from 
observations made at the Observatory of Toulouse, by MM. 
Bourget, Montangerand, and Baillaud. The observations show 
‘unmistakably that very sensible changes of brightness have taken 
\place in this nebula during the last twenty years. — Observations 
of B-Lyre, made at the Observatory of Lyons, by M. M. 
Luizet.—On the variable star (D.M. +12°°3557) of the Algol 
type, by M. Luizet.—On the methods of M. Loewy for the 
- determination of latitudes, by MM. W. Ebert and J. Perchot.— 
The variations of the apparent horizon, by M. F. A. Forel. 
“The possible error in the measurement of the position of the 
true horizon deduced from observation of the apparent 
‘horizon, is greater when the air is calm than when it is in 
motion, and greater than when the air is warmer than the 
water than the reverse ; hence the observations are best taken 
in the morning.—On the equations of Pfaff, by M. 1a eO} 
Lovett.—On certain differential equations, by M. Henri 
Dulac.—On the changes of state of iron and steel, by M. H. Le 
Chatelier.—On the electric deformations of solid isotropic 
dielectrics, by M. Paul Sacerdote.—On the — spectra 
of oscillating discharges, by M. G. A. Hemsalech.— 
With the oscillating discharges, a particular value for the self- 
induction of the circuit can be made to give a spectrum 
almost totally free from air lines, and showing very clearly 
the characteristic rays of the metals forming the electrodes. 
—On the isomeric states of chromium acetate: biacid 
abnormal violet acetate and a green abnormal monoacetate, 
by M. A. Recoura.—Action of magnesium upon saline solu- 
tions, by M. Georges Lemoine. Concentrated’ solutions of 
magnesium chloride rapidly disengage hydrogen when treated 
with ‘magnesium powder, magnesia being simultaneously 
NO. 1554, VOL. 60] 
formed.—On the dissociation of the hexammoniacal cadmium 
chloride, by MM. W. R. Lang and A. Rigaut.—On the disso- 
ciation of mercurdiammonium iodide, by M. Maurice Frangois. 
The compound of mercuric iodide and ammonia behaves simi- 
larly to the ammoniacal silver chlorides, the dissociation pressures 
showing that an intermediate compound 3Hgl,.4NH, exists. — 
Action of sodammonium and potassammonium upon selenium, 
by M. C. Hugot.—On some acetonylacetonates, by MM. G. 
Urbain and A. Debierne. In the present paper details are 
given of the iron, manganese, cobalt, chromium, and alumi- 
nium compounds.—Action of mineral substances and organic 
acids upon the variations of resistance and modifications of the 
system, by MM. Charrin, Guillemonat, and Levaditi —Immunity 
and specificity. Remarks on the preceding note, by M. Ch. 
Bouchard.—On the gluten and nitrogenous material of flour, by 
M. Balland. As flour grows older, the gluten appears to under- 
goa change, as it loses its coagulating properties, and is carried 
away in increasing quantity by washing with water. —Hstimation 
of carbon dioxide at the summit of Mt. Blanc, by M. Maurice 
de Thierry. Details of estimations of ozone and carbonic acids 
carried out at Chamonix and Grand Mulets in August and 
September 1898. 
CONTENTS. 
Floras from the Royal Gardens, Kew . Se eke 
Statistical Methods Applied to Biology. By 
Gai YY. :. "ese eal. ook LS Re 
Text-Books of Physics. By Prof. Arthur Schuster, 
FOROS: & :5 0c tc) Reet neaisere 70. |! 3 1e) 2o- ee) 
Our Book Shelf :— 
Moxly : ‘‘The Tides Simply Explained : with Practical 
Hints to Mariners.’—H. H.T. ....... .- 340 
Roosa: ‘‘Defective Eyesight” ..... 341 
Jackson: ‘‘ The Lancashire Sea Fisheries ”’ me, 1 Gia 
“‘ A Country Schoolmaster, James Shaw, of Tynron, 
Dumfriesshirezeweemeeweeeee e's 22! <2 +: ve) Weegee 
Letter to the Editor :— 
Apparent Dark Lightning Flashes.—Lord Kelvin, 
FiR:S... | cee esas 3. so Cen ae 
Meeting of the British Medical Association at 
Portsmouth. By Dr. F. W. Tunnicliffe. ... . 341 
The Relation of Motion in Animals and Plants to 
the Electrical Phenomena associated with it. 
(ilustrated.) By Sir J. Burdon-Sanderson, Bart., 
EiR.S:) i. Rep US 7) >. =) eee 
Mathematics of the Spinning-Top. II. (With 
Diagram.) By Prof. A. G. Greenhill, F.R.S. 346 
Notes... . . = Gyieweereneaer 349 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
Holmes’ Comet, 1899 d@ (1892 III.). . ..... - 354 
Gomet/Swift (1890}q) meee! cl. |: «ema 
The New Algol Variable .... - 354 
Double Star Catalogue ...++..... 354 
Elements of Cometary Orbits. . . . 354 
The Fur-Seal Herds of the North Pacific. By R. L. 354 
Inheritance of Longevity in Man. By Mary Beeton 
and Prof. Karl Pearson, F.R.S. _ OS ESE ae 356 
The Cause and Prevention of Malaria. By Major 
Ronald Ross 74] yeeee - - - } =e OME UT 
University and Educational Intelligence . . . . . 355 
Scientific Serial .... Mie ys sie «) 5s so) 
Societies and Academies'. 2... +. . 6 es © «© 359 
