4o8 



NA TORE 



[February 23, 1899 



korff coil with open secondary circuit, and on a new method of 

 measuring electric capicities, by MM. J. J. Bor(;minand A. A. 

 Petrowsky. By the method given it is possible to measure capa- 

 cities of a fraction of an electrostatic unit. — On the trans- 

 formation of the X-rays by diflerent substances, by .M. Hur- 

 muzescu. — The graphicil method in the study of vowels, by M. 

 Marage. The method employed was the photography of 

 manometric flames, and diagrams are given for the curves of 

 seven vowel sounds. —On phosphorescent sroniiuni sulphide 

 prepared by means of strontium carbonate and sulphur vapour, 

 byil. J. R. Mourelo. Pure strontium carbonate gave a white, 

 non phosphorescent sulphide, the best phosphorescence being 

 obtained by using native strontianite. — Combinations (jblained 

 with fatly aldehydes and mercuric sulphate, by M. G. Benigis. 

 Acetaldehyde gives a crystallised compound with mercuric sul- 

 phate, formaldehyde deposits mercurous sulphate only. — .\ new 

 method for the qualitative and quantitative examination of the 

 albuminoids, diastases, alkaloids, and leucoptomaines in urine, 

 by M. Paul Chibret. An application of a solution of iodine in 

 potassium iodide. Cocaine hydrochloride is used to obtain a 

 standard turbidity. — Onortho.vy-phenoxyacetone, by M. Charles 

 Moureu. — On a synthesis of hydroxylamine, by M. Ad. 

 Touve. The reaction between nitric oxide and hydrogen, in 

 which ammonia and water are the chief products, can be shown 

 under certain temperature conditions (ii5'-i2o') to give a 

 small quantity of hydroxylamine. The base was separated 

 from the ammonium chloride simultaneously formed by means of 

 alcohol, and identified both by its reactions and by analysis. — 

 On the purity of the trimethylene prepared by the action of zinc 

 powder and alcohol upon trimethylene bromide, by M.Gustavson. 

 In reply to the criticisms of .M.\[. Wolkoflf and Menschutkin, it 

 is shown that pure trimethylene may give rise with bromine to 

 propylene bromide, and hence that the production of this latter 

 substance is not a proof of the presence of propylene in the 

 original gas. — On the tests for methyl alcohol in alcoholic 

 liquids, by M. A. Trillat. — The fermentation of saccharides, by 

 M. E. Dubourg. — On a mode of action of Bacillus snblilis in 

 phenomena of devitrification, by Mile. A. Fichtenholtz. B. 

 snblilis was grown in nutrient solutions, in which no nitrogen 

 was present except as potassium nitrate. The latter was con- 

 -verted into ammonia. — The yeasts as parasites, in their relations 

 to Sorghum blight, by M. Radais. — Explanation of the form- 

 ation of twins by mechanical action, by .M. Fred. Wallerant. — 

 Variation of acuteness of vision with azimuth. Modification of 

 the section of the cone by astigmatic accommodation, by M. 

 Andre Broca. — Influence of slight traction upon the excitability 

 of a i'.erve, by M. G. Weiss. — On the development of Convoltila 

 Rosiofftiisis, by M. Jivoin Georgevitch. — On three new Ortho- 

 nectida, parasites of the Annelids ; and the hermaphrodism of 

 one of them (Staecharlhrtim Giardi), by MM. Maurice Caulleiy 

 and I'elix Mesnil. —On \\\ts,e.Q&%o{ Allanhlaikia floribtiitJa, and 

 on the Bouandja butter which it contains, by M. Edouard 

 Heckel. — Modifications in the primary bark of the Dicotyledons, 

 by M. Eberhardt. — On the structure of the Brian9onnais, by M. 

 P. Termier. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Ff.iircakv 2-,. 



'Royal Society, al 4.30. — On ilie Order of .\ppi:ar.ince of Chemical Sub. 

 stances al different Siellar Temperatures; Sir J. N. Lockyer, K.R.S. — 

 The Ellicicncy of Man, or Kconomic Coefficient of the Human 

 M.-ichine : Dr. Marcet, F.R.S., and R. B. Floris.— Some Experiments 

 bearing on the Theory of Voltaic Action : J. Brown. — Deposition of 

 Barium Sulphate as a Cementing Material of Sandstone : Dr. F. 

 Clowes. 



'Royal Institution, ai 3. — Toxins and Antito.xins : Dr. Allan Mac- 

 fadyen. 



4USTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL EnCINEEKS, at 8. 



FRIDA r, February a<. 

 ■Royal Institution, at 9. — Coherers: Prof. Oliver Lodge, F.R.S. 

 Physical Socibty, at 5.— The Joule-Thomson Thermal EfTect : E. F. 



J. I.0VC.— <i) A Study of an App.iratus for the Uelermination of the Rate 



of I'ilTusion of Solids dissolved in Liquids; (2) Note on the Source of 



Energy in Diffusive Convection ; Albert Griffiths. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Loss of Heat from 



Buildings : R. Gordon .M.ickay. 



SATURDAY, Fedruary 55. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Mechanical Properties of Bodies: Lord 

 Rayleigh, F.R.S. 



EfvsKX Field Club (at Technical Institute, Stratford), at 6.30.— British 

 Well-Worms (Pktcoryctti), with special reference to a Unique Specimen 

 from Chelmsford: Rev. Hildeiic Friend.— On a Neolithic "Fascine" 



Lake Settler 

 worthy. -So; 



rfield. 



J. W. Ke 



D.J. 



MONDA Y, February 27. 

 p .\»Ts, at 8.— Cycle Construction and Design: Archibald 



d Wrong Routes to the 

 .nd Researches in 



Society 

 Sharp. 



Impkrial l.ssTirtTE, at 8.30.— The Right 

 Klondyke Goldfields : E P. Rathbone. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Tr.-i 

 Rhodesia: Dr. H. Schlichter. 



Institute of Actuaries, at 5.30 —Some Notes on Life Assurance in 

 Greater Britain, parlicuLlrly wiih reference to the Work and Develop- 

 ment of the Native Offices : Arthur Wyndham T.irn 



TUESDAY, February 26. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Morphology of the Mollusca : Prof. E. Ray 

 Lankester, F.R S. 



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

 Trade Routes : A. Hotz. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Improvements in Dioptric 

 Apparatus for Lighthouses: W. T. Douglass and J. .\. Purves. 



Royal Photographic Society, at 8.— Apparaius for Animated Photo- 

 graphy : Birt Acres. 



WEDNESDAY, March i. 



.Society of Arts, at 8— Leadless Glazes : Wilton P. Rix. 



EsTO.MOLOGICAL SOCIETY, at S. 



THURSDA Y, March 2 



of the Leonids : 

 — On Flapping 

 Id. — On Hydrogen Peroxide 

 on a Photographic Plate in 



ntitoxins: Dr. Allan Mac- 



-Wireless Telegraphy : 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Probable Papers : Perturbat 

 Dr. G. J. Stoney, F.R.S., and Dr. Downine, K.I 

 Flight of Aeroplanes : Prof. M. F. Fitzg. 

 as the Active Agent in producing Pictun 

 the D.trk : Dr. Russell, F.R.S. 



RoVAL Institution, at 3. — Toxins and 

 fad yen. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8. 



Institution op Electrical Engineer 

 G. Marconi. 



Chemical Society, at 8.— Bromomethylfurfuraldehyde : H. J. H. 

 Fenton and Mildred Gostting. — The .\ction of Metallic Thiocyanates 

 on certain Substituted Carbamic and Oxamic Chlorides, and a New 

 Method for the Production of Thiobiurets : I>r .\ugustus Edward 

 Dixon.— Ethylic /33 Dimethj-lpropane Telracarboxylale : W. Trevor 

 Lawrence.— The Action of Alkyl Iodides on Hydroxylamine : Prof. 

 Wyndham R. Dunslan, F.R.S., and Ernest Goulding. 



FRIDA Y, March 3. 



Quekett Microscopical Club, at 8. 



SATURDAY, March 4. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Mechanicil Propertii 

 Rayleigh, F.R.S. 



of Bodies : Lord 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The New Mineralogy. By Prof. John W. Judd, 



C.B., F.R.S. 385 



The Theory of Functions. By Prof. W. Burnside, 



F.R.S 3S6 



The •'Improvement" of Fruits 387 



Legends of the North American Indians 3S8 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Ilerbcrtson : " An Illustrated School Geography " . 389 



" Notes on Cage Birds."— R. L 3S9 



Letters to the Editor : — 



A Stream of .\lluvium. — Sir Martin Conway . . . 390 

 Chemists and Chemical Industries. ^R. J. Friswell; 



William Jackson Pope 390 



A Simple Spectroscope and its Teachings. II. 

 (IlliislniuJ.) By Sir Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., 



F.R.S 391 



To Calculate a Table of Logarithms. By Prof. 



John Perry, F.R.S 393 



A New Current Interrupter for Induction Coils. By 



A. A. C. Swinton 394 



Notes 394 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



United .Stales Naval (Jbservatory 39S 



Use of Telepholo Lens in Astronomy 399 



\'eli>city of Meteors 399 



The Fishes of the Nile. By Dr, John Anderson, 



F.R.S 399 



Hunter and the Science of Surgery. By Sir William 



MacCormac. Bart., K.C.V.0 402 



University and Educational Intelligence 403 



Scientific Serials 404 



Societies and Academies 405 



Diary of Societies 40ii 



NO. 1530, VOL. 59] 



