456 



NA TURE 



[March 9, 1899 



by MM. C. KrieHel and E. Cumengc. The mineral occurs 

 mixed with silica in a finely divided state at Montrose, Colorado. 

 It dissolves readily in nitric acid, and contains uranium, 

 vanadic acid, and potassium, together with traces of iron, 

 alumina, copper, lead and barium. The composition was 

 found to be 2U5O3.VjO3.K5O.3HaO. — On some new and 

 important applications of photography made in Canada in 

 the production of plans, by M. A. Laussedat. — An attempt 

 at a new form of the characteristic equation of fluids, by M. 

 E. H. Amayat. A somewhat complex formula containing ten 

 constants is given as a closer approximation to the behaviour 

 of carbon dioxide than the usual /i'=RT equation. — Prof. Ray 

 Lankester was elected a Correspondant for the Section of 

 Anatomy and Zoology, in the place of the late M. Loven. — 

 M. Lortet was also elected a Correspondant for the same section, 

 in the place of the late M. Steenstrup. — On linear partial differ- 

 ential equations, by M. E. Vessiot. — Transformation of the X- 

 rays by different bodies, by M. G. Sagnac. — Influence of %'ery 

 low temperatures on phosphorescence, by MM. Auguste and 

 Louis Lumicre. — The amplification of sounds in phonographs, by 

 M. Dussaud. The intensity of the sound emitted by the phono- 

 graph increases with the diameter of the registering cylinder. — 

 On the relation which exists between the molecular weights and 

 densities of fluids, by M. Daniel Berthelot.— On the phos- 

 phorescence of strontium sulphide, by M. J. R. Mourelo.— On 

 ethene-pyrocatechol, by M. Ch. Moureu. — Method of analysis 

 of acetone oils, and their composition, by MM. A. and P. 

 Buisine. The acetone oils obtained from wool contain about 

 75 per cent, of ethyl-methylketone, and less than 5 per cent, of 

 acetone. — On the combinations of- phenyl hydrazine with 

 alcoholic iodides, by MM, P. Genvresse and P. Bourcet. — On 

 the direct transformation of ammonia into nitric acid in liquid 

 media, by M. E. Demoussy. — On the fermentation of galactose, 

 by M. Dienert. — On the source of the fossilised shells of 

 ostracods which fell at Oullins, near Lyons, on September 24, 

 1898, by M. R. Fourtau. The author concludes that the shells 

 could not have come from Egypt. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES, 



THURSDA Y, Makch 9. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — .\ Preliminary Note upon certain Organisms 

 isolated from Cancer, and their Pathogenic EtTects upon Animals : H. G. 

 Plimmer. — On the Gastric Gland ot Slollusca and Decapod Crustacea ; 

 its Structure and Functions: Ur. Mac.Munn.— On the Structure and 

 AHin'uie^ of jVatoftia ptctitiata, R.Br., with Notes on the Geological 

 Hisltry of the Matoninex : A. C. Seward, F.R.S.— A Sugar Bacterium : 

 Prof. H. Marshall Ward, F.R.S . and Prof. J. R. Green, F.K.S.— Note 

 on a New Form of Light Plane Mirrors : A. Mallock, 



Socii^TV OF Arts (Indian Section), at 4.30. — Leprosy in India: H, A, 

 .\cworth. 



Mathematical Society, at 8. — N«^te on a Property of Groups of Prime 

 Degree: Prof, Burnsidc, F.R.S.— Note on the K;xpansion of tan (sin 9) 

 - sin (lanS) in Powers of » : R. H. Pinkcrton.— Remarks on the Pheno- 

 menon of Zeeman and its Bearing on the Problem of the Origin of 

 Spectr.i!: Dr. J. Larmor, F,R S— Note on Involution : G. E. Mathews, 

 F.R.S. — The General Conic and its Normic Equations : Prof. A. Sawin. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Subject announced at 

 Meeting of March 2. 



FRIDA y, March 10. 



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

 L. Callendar, F.R.S, 



Royal Astronomical Society, at S.—ti) Occultaiions observed during 

 the Lunar Eclipse of 1898 December 27 ; (2) Nebula; observed during the 

 Year i8q8 : Cape Observatory.— On the Use of the Electric Light for the 

 Artificial Star of a Zollner Photometer : \V. dc Sitter.— The Radiant 

 Point of the .\pril Meteors (Lyrids) ; W. F, Denning.— Observations of 

 Hind's Variable Nebula in Taurus: E. E, Barnard. — Determination of 

 the Diameter and Compression of the Planet Mars : Prof. W. Schur. — 

 Periodic Variation in the Colours of the Equatorial Belts of Jupiter : A, 

 Stanley Williams,— Double-Star Observations, 1S95-98: W, H, Maw, 



Papers promised : (i) Note on the Diurnal Variations of the Nadir 



and Uvel of the Greenwich Transit Circle ; (a) The Greenwich Meridian 

 Observations of Polaris, 1836-93, with Reference to Personality, the Con- 

 stant of Aberration, and the Star's Parallax : Royal Observatory, 

 Greenwich. 



Physical Society, at 5.— (1) A Study of an Apparatus for the Determin- 

 ation of the Rate of Diffusion of Solids dissolved in Liquids ; (2) Note on 

 the Source of Energy in Diffusive Convection : Albert Griffiths,- An 

 Exhibition of Dr. A. Wehnell's Elcclrolytic Current Intcrruptor for 

 Ruhmltorrt" Coils : A. A. Campbell Swinton. 



Institution ok Civil Eniiineers, at 8 -The Construction of the Elan 

 .\queduct, liiriningham Waterworks : H. Lapworth, 



Mai.acological Society, at 8.— On an .Vpp.trently Undescribed .4r«- 

 phanata from Mysore, with a Note on ^'itariaella dussumieri\ W. 



MONDAV, March 13. 

 Society of Arts, at 8. — Cycle Construction and Design : Archibald 



Sharp. 

 RovAL Geographicai. Society (at the University of London, Burlington 



Gardens, W ), at 8,10,— The Uses of Practical Geogr.-iphy, as Illustrated 



in Recent Frontier Operations : Colonel Sir T. H. Holdich, K.C.I.E., 



C.B.,R,E. 



TUESDAY, March 14. 

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



Lankester, F.R S. 

 Anthroi'Ological Institute, at 8. — Secret Tribal Societies of West 



Africa : H. P, FilzGerald Marriott. 

 Ii^stitution ofCivil Engineers, at 8. — Papers to be discussed : Water- 



TubeSBoilers fur M.-irine Engines : J. T. Milton.— Recent Trials of the 



.M.achinery of WarShips: Sir, A, J. Durston. K.CB., R.N., and H. J. 



Oram, R.N, 

 Royal Photographic Society, at 8, — Theoretical Considerations in 



choosing Colours for Three-Colour Printing : Captain W. de W. Abney, 



\VEDNESDAY,t.\s.v.zH x'i. 



Society of .Arts, at 8 —Liquid Fuel : Sir Marcus Samuel. 



Royal Microscopkal Society, at 8, — The Projecsion Microscope : Lewis 

 Wright. 



THURSDAY, March 16. 



Royal Society, at 4,30— The Croonian Lecinre : On the Relation of 

 Motion in Animals and Plants to the Electrical Phenomena which are 

 associated with it : Prof, J, Burdon Sanderson. F.R.S. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 3.— So-called Quintocubitalism in the Wing of 

 Birds: P. Chalmers-Mitchell.- Some Facts concerning the so-called 

 Aquintocubitalism of the Bird's Wing : W. P. Pycrafl.- A Further Con- 

 tribution to the Freshwater Alga; of the West Indies : W. West and G. S. 

 West, 



Che,mical Society, at 8, — Influence of Substitution on Specific Rotation 



in the Bornylamine Series : Dr. M. O. Forstcr— Rotatory Power of 



Optically Active Methoxy- and Ethoxy-propionic .\cids prepared from 



Active Lactic Acid : Prof. Thomas Purdie, F.R,S,, and James C, Irvine. 



FRIDA Y, March 17. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— The Electric Fish of the Nile: Prof. V. 

 Gotch, F,R.S. 



Epidemiological Society, at 8.30. — Backwater or Hxmoglobinuric 

 Fever: Dr. W. H.Crosse. 



SATURDAY, March 18. 



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

 Rayleigh, F.R.S. 



Species of HemipUcta from Pcrak : 

 of Dinoplax and ChiloH from South 

 f Five New Species of New Zea- 



Blanford. — Ocscnptioi 

 Edgar A. Smith. -On a NewSpi 

 Africa : E R. Sykes, — Descripli 

 land Land Mollusca ; H. Suter. 



SATURDAY, March 11. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Mechanical Properties of Bodii 

 Rayleigh, F.R.S, 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Chemical Physics, By H. M 433 



The Scientific Study of Vaccination 435 



A Modern Tycho, By W. E. P 436 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Brothers: "Photography: its History, Processes, 



Apparatus, and Materials" 437 



Sharpe : " Wonders of the Bird World."— R. L. . . 438 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



Chemists and Chemical Industries. — Prof. Henry 



E. Armstrong, F.R.S 438 



Wehnell's Contact- Breaker for Induction Coils. — 



Dr. John Macintyre 438 



To Calcul:ac ;i Table of Logarithms.— Prof. John 



Perry, F.R.S. . 439 



Proljable Weather Conditions in Spain during the 

 Total Solar Eclipse of May 28, 1900,— Prof. 



Augusto Arcimis 430 



A Remedy fur Bookworms.— Thos. Steel . ... 439 

 Radiation in a -Magnetic Field. (With Diagiams.) — 



Prof. A. A, Michelson 440 



Attraction in a Spherical Hollow, — Prof, Lang . . 441 

 The Report of the Select Committee on the Science 



and Art Department 441 



Science at Liverpool 441 



An Antarctic Meeting in Berlin. ( IV tilt Map.) . . . 442 



The Sikhim Himalayas. (Il/ttslraltd.) By W. T. B. 443 



Professor Sophus Lie. By A. R. F 445 



Notes 446 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Comet 1S99 a (Swift) 449 



Tuttle's Comet 449 



Lowell Observatory 44'> 



The Northern Polytechnic, HoUoway, (Ii'hislraleJ.) 



Hy A, T, Simnons 449 



The Duke of Devonshire on the Secondary Educa- 

 tion Bill 451 



The Origin of Atmospheric [Electricity. By Prof. 



Cleveland Abbe 452 



University and Educational Intelligence .... 453 



Scientific Serials 453 



Societies and Academies 4S3 



Diary of Societies 456- 



NO. 1532, VOL. 59] 



