432 



NA TURE 



[March 2, 1899 



In the use of Ijoiling aniyl alcohul and sodium as a reducing 

 agent, it was found thai the regenerated amyl alcohol had its 

 boiling point raised. This was found to be due to the presence 

 of a new alcohol, CioHooO, and its isovaleric etiier. A second 

 acid of the composition CioHj^O^ is also produced in the same 

 reaction. —Distribution of carbon in humic materials, by M. (j. 

 Andre. — (in the embryogeny ol Stoecharthruni Giardi, by MM. 

 Maurice Caullery and Felix Mesnil. — Contribution to the study 

 o( elements peculiar to the general cavity of the Phymosome, 

 by MM. J. Kunstler and A. Gruvel. — On the earthquake at 

 Tiiphylie of January 22, by M. D. Eginitis. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Makch i. 



K )VAL Society, at 4.30. — Perturb-itions of the Leonids: Dr. G. J. 

 Sloncy, F.R.S., and Dr. Downing, F.R.S.— On Flapping Fliglit of 

 .Ver.iplanes : Prof. M. F. Fitzgerald. — On Hydrogen Pero-vIHe as the 

 .\ctivc Agent in producing Pictures on a Photographic Plate in the 

 Dark : Dr. Russell, F.R.S. 



R >vAi. Institution, at 3.— Toxins .ind .\ntitoxins : Dr. Allan Mac- 

 fadyen. 



Ll.sNEAN SociETV.at 8.— On the K.\ternal Nares of the Cormor.ini; 

 W. P. Pycraft.— On the Irish Carcx rkynchofliysa : G. C. Druce.— On 

 ihe Fertilisation of Giaiix maritinta, Linn. : Edward Step. 



Lmstitution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Wireless Telegraphy: 



G. Marconi. 

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

 Fenlon and Mildred Gosling. -The .Action of Metallic Thiocyanates 

 on certain Substituted Carliainic and 0,vamic Chlorides, and a New 

 .Method for the Production of Thiobiurets : Dr .Augustus Edward 

 Di.\on.— Ethyhc 33 Dimelhylpropane Tetracarbo.\ylate : W. Trevor 

 Lawren-:e.— The Action of Alkyl Iodides on Hydrcvylamine : Prof. 

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



PRIDA V, March 3. 



'Geologists' .Association, at 8. — Honeycomb and other Forms of Surface 

 Weathering of Sandstone and Limestone ; George .Abbott. 

 Quekett Microscopical Club, at 8. 



SATURDAY, March 4. 



K-iYAL Institution, at 3.— Mechanic.-il Properties of Bodies: Lord 

 R.-iyleigh, F.R.S. 



MONDA Y, March 6. 



SOCIETY OF Arts, at 8.— Cycle Construction and Design: Archibald 



Sharp. 

 Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — The Nature of Life, Part 11. : Prof. 



Lionel lieale, F.R.S. 



TUESDAY. March 7. 



RovAL Institution, at 3.— Morphology of the Molluscs: Prof. E. Ray 



Lankester, F.R S. 

 Zoological Society, at 8.30. — E.vhibiiion and Remarksupon Specimens 



of Ihe Medina of Lake Tanganyika ; J. E. S. Moore.— On the Chimpan- 



«esand Ibeir Relationship to the Gorilla : Dr. A. Keith —On the Myology 



of Ihe Edentlla : Dr. C. .A. Windle and Prof. P, G. Parsons. 

 ..Institution ofCivil Engineers, at 8.— Water-Tube Boilers for Marine 



Engines J. T. Milton.— Recent Trials of the .M.ichinery of War-Ships; 



Sir A. J. Durston, K.C.B., R.N., and H. J. Oram, R.N.— Monthly 



Ballot for Members. 



WEDNESDAY, .March 8. 



Socibtv of Arts, at 3.— Cornish Minesand Miners : J. H. Collins. 

 Geological Society, at 8.— On the F;volution of the Genus .Wc;-ajr«r: A. 



W. Rowc.— On a Sill and Faulted Inlier in Tidcswell Dale (Derbyshire) : 



H. H. Arnold-Bemrose. 



THURSDAY. March 9. 



Royal Society, at \.ia—I'robaJi/cPafcrs:\ Preliminary Note upon 

 certain Organisms isolated from Cancer, and their Pathogenic Effects 

 upon Animals : H. G. Plimmer.— On the Gastric Gland ol Mollusca and 

 Decapod Crust.icea : its Structure and Functions; Dr. MacMunn. 



Society of Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30. — Leprosy in India; H. A. 

 .\cworth. 



Mathematical Society, at 8. 



Institution op Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Subject announced .it 

 Meeting of March 2. 



FRIDAY, March 10. 



Royal Institution, at 9— Measuring Extreme Temperatures : Prof. H. 

 L. Callendar. 



Royal AstronomicalSocibty, atS. 



Physical Society, at 5— (0 A Study of an Apparatus fr.r the Determin- 

 ation of the Rale of Diffusion of Solids dissolved in Liquids; (j) Note on 

 Ihe Source of Energy in Diffusive t'oiivctlion : Albert Griffilhs— An 

 Exhibition of Dr. A. Wehnells Eleclrolylic Current Inlcrruptor for 

 Kuhmkorff Coils: A. A. Campbell ^winton. 



Institution op Civil Engineers, at 8 —The Construction of the Elan 

 \i|ueilucl. Birmingh,am Waterworks: H. Lapworth. 



M M.ACOLOGICAL SOCIETY, at 6. 



SATURDAY, March ii. 

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

 R.iyleigh, F.R.S. 



NO. 1531, VOL. 59J 



BOOKS, PAMPM%.ETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED. 



Books. — Telegraphy : W H. Preece and J. Sivewright, 13th editicn 

 (Longmans).— The Tutorial Dynamics: W. Briggs and (i. H. Bryan 

 (Clive). — Matriculation Directory, January (Clive).— \'erhandlungen der 

 Deutschen Zoologischcn Gcscllschaft auf der Achlen Jahrcsversammlung 

 zu Heidelberg den i bis 3, Juni iSqS ; Prof. J. W. Spengel (Leirzig, 

 Engelmann). —Calendar, &c., of the Department of Science and Art, 1899 

 (London).— The Science of Life; J. A. Thomson (Blackie) — Allgemeine 

 Biologic: Dr. M. Kasswitz, Zweiter Band (Wien, Perles).- Practical 

 Work in Physics ; W. G. Woollcombe, Part 4 (Oxford, Clarendon Press).— 

 Die Medial- Fernrohre ; Prof. L. Schupmanii (I.eipzig. Teubner). - Verte- 

 brate Remains from the Port Kennedy Bone Deposit : E. D. Cope (Phila- 

 delphia!. —Cambridge Natural History. Vol. ix. Biids : A. H. Evans 

 (Macmillan).— The Chemistry of Coke ; O. Simmersbach, translated, &c , by 

 W. C. Anderson (Glasgow, Hodge).— Practical Dictionary of Electrical 

 Engineering and Chemislry : P. Heyne (Grevel)— History of the New 

 World called America ; E. J. Payne, Vol. 2 (Oxford, Clarendon Press).— 

 LAudition et les Organcs : Dr. M. E. Gcll« (Paris. Alcan). — La 

 C^ramique Ancienne et Moderne : E. Guignet and E. Garnier (Paris, 

 Alcan). — Recueil de Donnees Num*rique«, Optique, Deux. Fasc. (Paris, 

 GauthierVillars).- Leclureson Theoretical .-ind Physical Chemistry : Prof. 

 J. H. van 't Hoff, translated by Prof. R. A. Lehfeldt, Pan 1 (Arnold).— 

 Yc.-ir-Book of the Roy.il Society, 1S99 (Harrison).- Proceedings of the 

 London Mathematical Society, Vol. xxix., 2 parts (Hodgson) — The Great 

 Salt Lake Trail : Colonels Ihnian and Cody (Macmillan). — Volcanoes, their 

 Structure and Significance ; Prof. T. G. Bonney (Murray) — The Penycuik 

 Experiments; Prof J. C. Ewart (Black).— £Vfi/»^/c(an Electrical Trades 

 Directory, 1899 {Electrician C- mpany). — The Story ot the British Race ; 

 J. Munro (Newnes).— Researches into the Origin of the Primitive Constel- 

 lations of the Greeks, Phoenicians, and Babylonians : J. Brown, jun.. Vol. t 

 (Williams).- Under the African Sun : Dr. W. J. Ansorge 1 Heineniann). 



Pami^hlets.— Regeneration und Entwicklung : Dr. H. Strasser (Jena, 

 Fischer).— Die Lehrc vom Organismus und ihre Beziuhung zur Sozial- 

 wissenschaft ; O. Hertwig (Jena, Fischer). 



Serials— American Journal of Science, February (New Haven). — 

 Astophysical Journal, January (Chicago). — Zoologist, February (West). — 

 American Naturalist, February (Boston).- Bolanische Jahrbucher, &c , 

 Sech' Band, 3 and 4 Heft (Leipzig). — Plants Europa-a; : Richter and 

 Gurke, Tomus ii. Fasc. 2 (Leipzig).— Physical Review, lanuary (Mac- 

 millan).— Journal of the Franklin Institute, February (Philadelphia).— 

 Engineering Magazine, February (222 Strand). — .Annates de TObservaloire 

 Mittorologique, &c., du Mont Blanc, Tome 1 (P.iris).— Brain, Part 84 

 (Macmillan). — National Geographic Magazine, January (Washington). — Lc 

 Monde Moderne, February (Paris).- Popular Astronomy, February. 

 Northtield, Minn.).— Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, Ser. xv. 

 Vol. I. Part 3 (Calcutt.t).- Chambers's Journal, March (Chambers).— 

 Journal of_ the Chemical .Society, February (Gurney). — Good Words, 

 March (Ishister).— Sunday Magazine, March (Isbister). — Century Maga- 

 zine, March (Macmillan).— Journal 01 the Royal Microscopical Society, 

 February (London). — Photogram, March(Dawbarn). 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Electricity and Railways. By " P. D.' 409 



Octonions. By Prof. W. Burnside, F.R.S 411 



The Alpine Guide. By F. W. 412 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Dexter and (Jarlick ; " Psychology in the School- 

 room." — A. E. T 413 



Deventer : " Physical Chemistry for Beginners " . . 413 



Morgan: " F.lcmentary Hydrostatics." — G. H. B. . 414 

 Worsfold ; " The Valley of Light.— -Studies with Pen 



and Pencil in the \audois Valleys of Piedmont " . 414 

 (Letters to the Editor :— 



Earthquake Precursors. (IllustraleJ.)— 'Prof. John 



Milne, F.R.S .... 414 



The (Jrbit of Witt DIJ.— Thos. W. Kingsmill . . 416 



The Teaching of ('.eomelry. — R.J. Dallas .... 416 

 American ami Entjlish Winters. (Ifil/t Diagram.) — 



Alex. B. Macbowall 416 



Dante and the Action of Light upon Plants. By 



Prof. Italo Giglioli 417 



The Rev. W. Colenso, F.R.S 420 



Notes 421 



Out Astronomical Column :— 



Astronomical Occurrences in March 424 



New Nebula; 424 



Nebulosities of the Pleiades 424 



Meteor PhDlograpliy • . . . 425 



The Trade in Tortoiseshell. By R. L 425 



University and Educational Intelligence. (If/zA 



Diaip-ant. ) 426 



Scientific Serials . 427 



Socieiies and Academies 428 



Diary of Societies 432 



Books, Pamphlets, and Serials Received 432 



