288 



NA TURE 



[Januakv 19, 1899 



substance can be obtained in a slate of purity in two ways, by 

 the interaction of calcium and arsenic at a low red heat, and by 

 heating carbon and calcium arsenate in the electric furnace. 

 The arsenide has the composition Ca3 Asj, and is readily decom- 

 posed by water giving pure As II3, mixed, however, with a 

 little acetylene when the product from the electric furnace is 

 used. It is readily attacked by the halogens, but is unaltered in 

 dry air or oxygen. — On the decomposition of carbon monoxide 

 in presence of ferric oxide, by M. O. Koudouard. The decom- 

 position is a function of the time, and also depends upon the 

 (juantity of oxide of iron present. — X'olumetric estimation of 

 cerium, by .M. .Vndre Job. Ceric salts can be accurately deter- 

 mined in acid solution by titrating with aqueous hydrogen 

 peroxide, the end of the reaction being indicated by the dis- 

 appearance of the yellow coloration. An estimation of the 

 cerium contained in the crude mixture of oxalates from monazite 

 can be carried out in a few minutes by this method. — The 

 variation of entropy in the dissociation of similar heterogeneous 

 systems, by M. Camille .Matignon. From the measurements of 

 MM. Isambert and Bonnefoi of the heats of combination and 

 the temperatures at which the dissociation pressure reaches 

 760 mm. , it is shown that these quantities are proportional in the 

 case of compounds of the type CaCl2 4NH3. This result is 

 expressed by the statement that when similar systems dissociate 

 with the same dissociation pressure, the variation of entropy 

 is the same. — Constitution and chemical properties of 

 ethylideneimine, by M. .Marcel Delepine. The constitu- 

 tion ethylideneimine (CMj CH = NII)3, is a.ssigend to alde- 

 hyde ammonia, and it is shown that all the reactions 

 of this compound agree well with the formula. — 

 Derivatives of synthetic methyl-heptenone, by M. (leorges 

 Leser. — Synthesis of dimethyl-heptenol, by M. Ph. Barbier. 

 This synthesis is easily effected from methyl-heptenol and 

 methyl-iodide, by a modification of Saytzeff's method, using 

 m.ignesium instead of zinc. — Studies on filtration, by M. J. 

 Ilausser. — On a mode of formation of ureas, by M. A Jouve. 

 ,If a solution of carbon monoxide in ammoniacal cuprous chloride 

 is heated under pressure at 105°, urea is formed. The substi- 

 tution of fatty and aromatic amines for the ammonia gives the 

 analogous substituted ureas. — On an absinthine, a new substance 

 extracted from absinthe, by MM. Adrian and .'\. Trillat. — On 

 the formation of sugar from egg albumen, by M. Kerdinand 

 Blumcnthal. By the action of baryta water upon white of egg, 

 a sugar is obtained giving a phenyl-glycosazone on treatment 

 with phenyl-hydrazine. — Modifications undergone by toxins 

 when introduced into the digestive tube, by MM. Charrin and 

 Levaditi. — The sexual law of the smallest coefficient, by M. F. 

 Le Danlic. — On the culture of monstrosities in plants, by M. 

 Hugo de V'ries. — The leucite volcanic rocks of Trebizonde, by 

 M. A. Lacroix.^On the laws governing macles properly so 

 called, by M. Fred. Wallerant. — On the conditions of culture in 

 Tunis, by M. J. Dybowski. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, January 19. 

 ^■RovAL SociETV, at 4.30 — OUerv.-ilions upon the Normal .-ind Pathological 

 Hi.stoloBy and Bacliriology of the Oyster: Prof. Hcriiman, F.R.,S.,and 

 Prof. R. Hoyce.— On the Formation of Multiple Images in the Norm,al 

 Eye : S. liidwell, K.R.S.— On the Vibrations in the Field round a Theo- 

 retical Hertnan Oscillator: Prof K. Pearson, F.R.S., and Miss Lee. - 

 On the Refracliv.: Indices and Densities of Normal and Scmi-nornial 

 Aqueous Solutions of Hydrogen Chloride, and the Chlorides of the 

 Alkalies : .Sir J. Conroy, F.R.S. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Tibet and the Tilwtans : A. H. Savage 

 Uandor. . 



SociETV OP Arts (Indian Section), at4.io.-;-_Kailways in Burma, and their 

 proposed Extension across Yunnan ' ]■ "' 



LiNNRAN Society, at 8. ^' " '' - 



Mu 



dostrobus : Arthur J. M.aslcn. — Some Ohservalioni 

 spondyly of Sharks: Dr. \V. 11. Ridewood. 



CiiRMiCAL Society, at 8. — Rcsc.irches on Moorland W.-iten 



W. Ackroyd.— a-kelolelrahydrun.iphlhalcne : Prof. F. 



F.R.S, and Alfred Hill. — A New Method for preparins 



Atlanlh 



ethyl-< 



Acids : Willi: 



I. Acidity : 

 ;. Kipping, 

 <ijt-dimelhvl- 

 ol Optically- 

 and Di-alkyloxysutcinic Acids from Malic and Tartaric 

 Acids : Prof. Thomas Purdie. F.K S., and William Pithcalhly.— Aciion 

 of Ammonia on Ethereal Sails of OrB:niic H.-iscs : Dr. Siegfried Ruhe- 

 — Esterification Conslanis of Sul.siiiuted Acetic Acids : Dr. J. J. 

 mjoic Acids. 



.Sudbc 



nd 1,0 



Lloyd. -^Di-orlho-subst 



P.-irt IV. Form.ation of Salts from Di-o 

 aifTcrenl OrK-mic Bases ; Ixiren/o L, Lloyd 1 

 The Thermal EfTects of Dilution: J. Holm 

 Volume due to Dilution of Acpieous Solutior 



NO. 1525, VOL. 59] 



ed lien 



litutt-d Benzoic Acids and 



FRIDA Y, January jo. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.— Liquid Hydrogen : Prof. J. Dewar, F.R.S. 

 Epidemiological Society, at 8. 30. — Epidemic Cerebro-ipinal Meningitis: 



Dr. Bruce Low. 

 Quekett Microscopical Club, at 8. 



SA TURDA Y, January ji. ' 



Mathematical .\ssociation, at a.— Annual Meeting.— On the Ex- I 

 pression "Motion at an Instant": S. A. Saunder.— Porismatic Equa> 

 tions : R. F. Davis.— Arithmetical Division : E. M. Langley. 



MONDA Y, January 33. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— Bacterial Purification of Sewage : Dr. Samuel 

 Rideal 



I.Mi'KRiAL I.NsTnuTE, at 8.30.— Thc Work and Wealth of Western Aus- 

 tralia : K T. Scammell. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30. — The Plan of the Earth, and 

 its Causes: Dr. J. W. Gregory. 



TUESDAY, January jj. 

 Society of Arts (Foreign and Colonial Section), at 4.30. — Rhode.sia and 



its Mines : W. Fischer Wilkinson. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The EfTects of Wear upon 



Steel Rails: William G. Kirk.ildy.-On the Micropholography of Steel 



Rails: Sir William Roberts.Auslen, K.C.B., F.R.S. 

 Royal Photographic Society, at 8.— The Development of Gelatino- 



chloridc Papers : John Sterry. 

 ANTHROPOLOGiCALlNsTiTUTE,at 8. 30. — Anniversary Meeting. 



Society of Ar 



IVEDNESDAY, Janu/ 

 at 8.— Tuberculosis in Anin 



RY 15. 



i.ils : W. Hu 



THURSDAY, January 26. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. — Probable Papers: Contributions to the Theory 

 of Simultaneous Partial DifTerential Equations: Prof. A. C. Dixon.— On 

 the Structure and Aflinities of Fossil Plants from the Palaiozoic Rocks. 

 III. On Mcdutlosa angtica,a. New Representative of the Cycadofilices : 

 Dr. Scott, F.R.S.— On the Nature of Electro-Capillary Phe 



Their Relation to the Potential DifTerc 

 Smith. 

 Institution of Electrical Engineers 

 of the Wiring of Premises for Conneclic 

 Pigg.— The Regulation of Wiring Rul. 

 Institution Wiring Rules : R. E. Crompi> 



ibetv. 



iSolu 



S. W. F.| 



at 8.— Rules for the Regulation! 

 10 Public Supply Mains : !.• 



C. H. Wordingha 



CONTENTS. PAGB 



The Anatomy of the Earth's Crust 265 



The Oasis of Siwah 266 



An Italian Text Book of Physiological Chemistry, 

 S. L 



By 

 Our Book Shelf:— 



Allen :" Flashlights on Nature."— L. C. M. . . . 

 Lane: "Spherical Trigonometry (Theoretical and 



Practical) " 



Letters to the Editor :— 



The Duke of .\rgyll .-ind Wx. Herbert Spencer.— 



Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S 



The late I'rof. (lenrgc lames .\lliiian, as a Botanist. — 

 Prof. George J. Allman, F.R.S. ; Prof. O. B. 



Howes, F.R.S. 



Thc Density (if the Matter composing the Kathode 



Kays.— W. B. Morton 



Altr.-icticm in a Spherical Hollow. \\Vilh Diagram.) 



—Prof. Thos. Alexander 



Fourier's Series.— R. B. Hayward, F.R.S. ... 

 The Decrease of Swallows and Marlins.— J. Herbert 



Allchin ... 



Fossil Vertebrates in the American Museum of 

 Natural History. (/Iliis/raUd.) By Prof. Henry F. 



Osborn 



Notes 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet Chase 



Velocity in the Line of Sight of jj IVga.si 



The Leonids in 1898 



New Instrument for Measuring Aslrographic Plates . 

 The Spectrum of the Corona. {//lustraled.) By Sir 



Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S 



High Vacua produced by Liquid Hydrogen. (////«- 



IniifJ.) By Prof. James Dewar, F.R.S 



Geology of South-Western Nova Scotia. (Illiis- 



Ira/,;/.) 



Scientific Work of the U.S. Department of Agri- 

 culture 



University and Educational Intelligence 



Societies and Academies 



Diary of Societies 



267 

 26S 

 26S 



2691 



269 



270 



270 

 271 



272 

 275 



279 

 279 

 279 

 279 



279 



2S0 



283 



283 

 286 

 287 

 288 j 



