NA TURE 



[December i, i! 



Waals gave a simple deduction for the formula (/, "', /) for 

 substances whose molecules are compound, and must be con- 

 sidered small bodies of a certain magnitude. In this deduction, 

 which is entirely founded upon the virial equation, a first 

 approximation is given for the variation of the co-volume, and 

 the way is pointed out in which a second approximation might 

 be calculated. —Prof. Lobry de Bruyn made a communication, 

 on behalf of Dr. Steger and himself, concerning the rate of sub- 

 stitution of a nitro-group by an oxyalkyl in accordance with the 

 equation : 



CsH,(NO„)- -I- NaOCHjCCoH-,) 



= CeHjN6.,.OCH3(C2H5) -f NaNO.,. 

 It was proved that the nitro-group is more rapidly substituted 

 in paradinitrobenzol than in orthodinitrobenzol, and that 

 sodium methylate acts more slowly than sodium ethylate. It 

 was also determined that the decrease of concentration does not 

 raise the reaction constant, a result opposed to that arrived at 

 by Hecht, Conrad and Briickner as to the formation of ether 

 from alkyl iodide and alUoholate. — Prof. Behrens made a com- 

 munication concerning some anomalies in Mendeleeff's system, 

 which will also be inserted in the Report of the meeting. — Prof. 

 Hoogewerff and Dr. van Dorp found that the imides of bibasic 

 acids, when heated with methylalcohol, are in many cases 

 transformed into the ethers of amidic acids. — Prof. Kamerlingh 

 Onnes described an open manometer of reduced height, 

 placed in the Leiden Laboratory. The apparatus is composed 

 of fifteen partial manometers of 4atm., arranged in series. To 

 obtain the requisite pressure in the connecting tubes between 

 the consecutive monometers, compressed gas is introduced into 

 them by needle cocks from a high-pressure cylinder. The 

 apparatus ranges to 60 atmospheres at once, and by two further 

 steps 100 atm. may be reached with part of it. — Dr. Hoek made 

 a communication, on behalf of Mr. M C. Dekhuyzen of Leiden, 

 concerning crater-shaped blood corpuscles (chromocraters). The 

 -observations described give ground for the opinion that the 

 chromocrater is an ancestral inheritance from the worms, which 

 has also been preserved in mammals and in man. — Prof. H. G. 

 van de Sande Bakbuyzen presented a communication from Dr. E. 

 F. van de Sande Bakhuyzen, entitled " Some observations on the 

 14-monthIy movement of the terrestrial pole and on the length 

 of its period." — Prof, van der Waals presented a paper on behalf 

 of Mr. N. J. van der Lee, entitled " On the influence of pressure 

 on the critical temperature of solution." Experiments were 

 made with the mixture phenol-water, and the critical temper- 

 atures of solution appeared to rise by increased pressure. The 

 rise was about o'i° for 30 atm. In the case of this mixture 

 theory points to a maximum in the line indicating the pressure 

 of the vapour in contact with the liquid as function of the 

 composition. This conclusion was confirmed by experiments. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, December i. 



■ LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— On the Biologj- of Agaricus velutipes. Curt. : 

 R. H. Biffen. — On the Gastric Glands of the Marsupialia : J.is. 

 Johnstone. 



Chemical Societv, at 8.— Ballot for the Election of Fellows.— The 

 Oxidation of Polyhydric Alcohols in presence of Iron : H. J. H. Fenton 

 and H. Jackson. 



FRIDA r, December 2. 



fGEOLOGisTs' Association, at 8.— Contributions to the Geology of the 

 Thame Valley: A. M. Da vies. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— The Sunlight Gold-bearing 

 Reef, Lydenberg, Transvaal : Charles Benjamin Saner. 



■Quekett Microscopical Club, at 8. 



MONDAY^ December 5. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— Acetylene : Prof. Vivian B. Lewes. 



Imperial., Institute, at 8.30.— A National Photographic Record : Sir 

 Benjamin Stone. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — Recent Discoveries on Babylonian Tablets : 

 T. G. Pinches. 



TUESDA Y, December 6. 



Society of Arts, at 4.30.— The Yangtse Basin and the British Empire : 

 Archibald Little. 



Anthropological Institute, at 8.30.— Exhibition of Ethnological 

 Photographs, with Remarks: Rev. H. N Hutchinson.— On the Caves, 

 Shell-Mounds, and Stone Implements of South Africa : George Leith.— 

 On Worked Flints from Griq-iaiand East : J. M. Frames. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Paper to be further discussed : 

 The Effect of ^Subsidence due to Coal-Workings upon Bridges and other 



Structures: Stanley Robert Kay. And, time permitting. Paper to be 



read with a view to discussion : The Ventilation of Tunnels and Build- 

 ings : Francis Fox. 

 RoNTGEM Society, at 8.— A Discussion on Dermatitis, in relation to 

 ROntgen Ray Work, will be introduced by Mr. Ernest Payne and Dr. 

 Walsh. 



Royal Victoria Hall.— Photography in Colours : Child Bayley.;] 



NO. 15 18, VOL. 59] 



iVEDNESDAY, December 7. 



Society of Arts, at S.— Egypt and the Sudan, in 1897 and 1898 : W. T 

 Maud. 



Geological Society, at 8. — The Geological Structure of the Southerr 

 Malverns and the Adjacent Districts to the West : Prof. T. T. Groom.— 

 The Permian Conglomerates of the Lower Severn Basin : W. W. King. 



Entomological Society, at 8. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8. — The Use of the Micro-spectroscope, 

 and the Methods of Detecting Blood in Chemical-Legal Investigations: 

 A. H. Allen. 



THURSDAY, December 8. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. 



Mathematical Society, at 8.— On Groups of the Order /«^q0 \ Prof. 

 Kurnside, F.R.S.— On Simultaneous Partial Differential Elquations : J. 

 E. Campbell. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at S. — Improvement in Mag- 

 netic Space Telegraphy : Prof. Oliver Lodge. F R.S. And, if time 



permit : Telegraphy by Magnetic Induction : Sydney Everard. 



FRIDAY, December g. 



Physical Society, at 5. — Longitudinal Vibrations in Solid and Hollow 

 Cylinders ; Dr. C. Chree, F.R.S.— On the Thermal Properties of Normal 

 Pentane : J. Rose-Innes and Dr. Sydney Young F.R.S. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 8. 



Malacological Society, at 8. 



BOOKS and PAMPHLETS RECEIVED. 



Books.— Nichelatura : I. Ghersi (Milano, Hoepli).-Colo 

 Decorazione dei Metalli : I. Ghersi (Milano, Hoepli).— L'Allu 

 C. Formenti (Milano. Hoepli).— Ricettario Industriale : I. Ghersi (Milano, 

 Hoepli). — Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South 

 Wales, 1897. Vol xxxi. (Sydney).— Schantung und Deutsch China : E. von 

 Hesse-Wartegg (Leipzig, Weber).— Congres National d'Hygiene et de Cli- 

 matologie Medicale de la Eelgique el du Congo, seconde partie, Congo 

 (Bruxelles, Hayez).— Natality et D6mocratie : A. Dumont (Paris, 

 Schleicher).- Human Immortality: Prof. W. James (Constable).— A 

 New Astronomy : Prof. D. P. Todd (Low). — Quaero [some questions in 

 Matter, Energy, Intelligence, and Evolution] : Dr. J. H. Keeling 

 (Taylor).— Illustrated Catalogue of Balances and Weights, &c., Manufac- 

 tured and Imported by W. and J. George, Ltd. (George). — University Col- 

 lege, Sheffield, Calendar, Session 1898-99 (Sheffield).— Repetitorium der 

 Zoologie : Prof. K. Eckstein, Zweite Auflage (Leipzig, Engelmann). — 

 Grundriss der Psychologie : W. Wundt, Dritte Auflage (Leipzig, Engel- 



PAMPHLETs.^Les Bases de la M^teorologie Dynamique : Dr. Hilde- 

 hrandsson and L. T. de Eort, i^^ Liv'^ (Paris, Gauthier-ViUars).— Observ- 

 ations et Mesuresde la Suede, i. and ii. (Upsala).— Das Mittelenglische 

 Gedicht, the Boke of Cupide, Kritische Ausgabe : Dr. E. Vollmer (Berlin, 

 Ebering). — Incubators and Chicken-Rearing Appliances (Cassell). 



contents. page 



The Shivering Earth. By Prof. John Perry, F.R.S. 97 



Coffee and India-rubber in Mexico. By J. R. J. . . 99 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Wells : " Practical Mechanics. — ^J. P 100 



Poland: " Skiagraphic Atlas " 100 



Hewlett: " A Manual of Bacteriology, Clinical and 



Applied " 100 



Letters to the Editor : — 



.\symmetry and Vitalism.— Prof F. R. Japp, F.R.S. loi 

 Early History of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. — W. 



F. Denning loi 



Galvanometers and Magnetic Dip. — A. P. Trotter . 102 



Atropa Belladona and Birds.— W. G. S 102 



The Advancement of Science in the Antarctic . . . 102 



The Imperial University of London 102 



Notes 104 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Aslronon-ical Occurrences in December 107 



A New Comet 107 



November Meteors 107 



Parallax of t) Pegasi . . 107 



The New Planet Witt DO loS 



Science in Education. By Sir Archibald Geikie, 



F.R.S 108 



The British Association : — 



Bristol Meeting. — Section K. — Botany. — Opening 

 .\dilress by Prof. F. O. Bower, F.R.S., Presi- 

 dent uf the Section. III. 112 



An Ampere Balance. By Prof W. E. Ayrton, 



F.R.b., ami Prof J. Viriamu Jones, F.R.S. ... 115 



Geology of Birmingham 115 



University and Educational Intelligence no 



Societies and Academies no 



Diary of Societies 120 



Books and Pamphlets Received 120 



