JuLy 24, 1902] 
NATURE 
397 
aéronauts of ordinarily cool disposition ; whereas it is evident 
that a state of enervation with signs of relaxation cannot be 
completely prevented. Notes are illegibly written in the wrong 
place, the eyes refuse their services, the slightest exertion results 
in a dangerous weakness, and, fiually, the whole organism falls 
a victim to an inevitable need for sleep. But, also these illnesses 
may yet be overcome to a certain extent if greater precautions 
are taken in future ascents, if the aéronaut avoids all exertions, 
all excitement, sleeps sufficiently, undergoes a still more 
systematic inhaling of oxygen, begins earlier with it and protects 
himself sufficiently against cold. 
PERHAPS the most singular statement in the Meteorological 
Office pilot chart for the month of August is that relating to the 
appearance, early in July, of a fairly large ice floe, 40 feet by 15 
feet and a foot out of water, off the west of Scotland, close 
inshore on the Treshnish Islands, on the west side of Mull, and 
only a few miles from Tobermory. From other sources it 
appears that the fishermen who saw it could not be mistaken, 
as they sailed within 20 feet of the floe. It was reported by 
independent observers on two days. There can be little doubt 
that it was the remains of one of the icebergs which had for 
some time been infesting the coast of Iceland, but it would be 
interesting to trace its movements southward. Off Mull it was 
travelling in a north-easterly direction, so it is reasonable to 
suppose that it had at first drifted southward outside the 
Hebrides before the northerly winds which prevailed so long 
earlier in the season. While we have had this quite exceptional 
circumstance on our side of the Atlantic, the ice record about the 
Newfoundland banks remains almost blank. Three or four 
observers report a berg in about 48° N., 49° W., and there was 
one in 42° 40’ N., 47° 30’ W._ The strait of Belle Isle had been 
clear of ice until about the end of June, but early in July several 
bergs had drifted in past Belle Isle. There was, however, 
nothing like the usual quantity at this time of the year, and 
shipmasters appear to have seen nothing of the heavy ice 
of a month earlier, which was reported to block the approaches 
to the strait. This freedom from ice probably explains the excess 
in the temperature of the sea surface on the banks and over an 
extensive region eastward and westward during the month of 
May last, the results of which, derived from 4400 observations, 
are shown on an inset chart. 
AN interesting review of recent work in wireless telegraphy 
is commenced in Z’Eclairage Electrigue for July 5. The 
article is by M. Turpain, himself a worker in this field. It 
is noteworthy that the author is unable to credit Mr. Marconi’s 
having succeeded in signalling across the Atlantic, and 
attributes the signals received at Newfoundland to atmospheric 
effects. No reference to the later experiments on the PAz/a- 
delphia is made. M. Turpain also quotes evidence to show 
that the successful solution of the syntony problem has not as 
yet been found by Mr. Marconi. Prof. Slaby’s system and the 
experiments with a repeater made by M. Guarini are also 
described in this instalment. 
THE Journal de Physique for June contains an article by M. 
Armagnat on the study of resonance by means of oscillographs. 
The paper deals with the subject both theoretically and ex- 
perimentally. The method has been devised because the wave 
forms obtained by means of an oscillograph, or other wave- 
tracing instrument, are not accurate enough to allow of the 
harmonics being found by means of graphical analysis. Two 
oscillographs are used, one in series with a non-inductive re- 
sistance tracing the wave-form under examination ; the other is 
in series with a variable self-induction and capacity which are 
altered until the different harmonics are resonated and traced on 
the screen. The paper is illustrated by some interesting curves 
NO. 1708, VOL. 66] 
obtained in this manner, one of which shows how the method 
may be used to measure the irregularities in the speed of an 
alternator. 
In the “Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van 
Wetenschappen te Amsterdam (Tweede Sectie),” Deel ix. 
pp. I-12, Dr. P. H. Eykman has published an interesting 
paper describing a method for obtaining a Réntgen photograph 
of an internal part of the living body during the performance of 
a definite functional movement. The author applies the method 
to the investigation of the motion of the tongue, pharynx and 
larynx in swallowing. He fixes a contact on the Adam’s apple, 
the motion of which closes the current which feeds the Réntgen 
tube at a perfectly definite moment during the motion. The 
motion has to be repeated 120 or 130 times with the contact in 
exactly the same position in order to obtain a distinct photo- 
graph. Other photographs of different phases of the motion are 
obtained by altering the position of the contact. The photo- 
graphs are good considering the difficulties of the experiment 
and throw a welcome light on the position of the epiglottis and 
on the condition of the upper opening of the larynx during the 
act of deglutition. 
ALCOHOL as a motive power has formed an interesting set 
of experiments in France at the present time, the object being 
to produce a home-made substitute for petrol, which all has 
to be imported. According to Fez/den’s Magazine for July 
the results obtained are of a satisfactory nature. both for 
the heavier and lighter types of cars, and it is stated that pas- 
senger cars driven by alcoholic traction have been proved to 
hold their own against those with petrol as a motive power. 
The price of alcohol at present is higher, but by the use of beet- 
root in its manufacture its market value has been greatly 
reduced. The experiments showed that the amount of alcohol 
consumed by the engines (which were designed to burn petrol) 
was 50 per cent. higher than that of petrol, but it is stated that 
with engines properly constructed to use the new motive power 
this difference would be greatly reduced, and should this be the 
case it will form a home-made motor-car spirit to replace the 
imported article. Attention is also directed to the ease with 
which it can be prepared from potatoes, and consequently, on 
account of its general utility for heating, lighting, &c., it would 
seem that an opportunity is open for Ireland to create a most 
important industry. 
Mr. M. L. Sykes has favoured us with a copy of his paper on 
the evolution of butterfly-scales, published in the Aefort and 
Transactions of the Manchester Microscopical Society for 1901. 
The illustrations show that the scales of butterflies which mimic 
other species are generally quite different in form from those of 
the species mimicked. 
ACCORDING to a photograph, taken from a living example, of 
which a reproduction is given by Dr. Jentink in Votes from the 
Leyden Museum for July, the form given to the nose in mounted 
specimens and figures of the proboscis-monkey of Borneo is quite 
incorrect. Instead of being sharply pointed, compressed, and 
projecting straight forwards, this appendage is expanded and 
depressed at the extremity, which hangs down in front of the 
upper jaw so as to conceal the greater part of the mouth in a 
full-face view. 
MARINE fish-destroyers form the subject of an article by 
Prof. W. C. McIntosh in the May number of Harger’s 
Magazine, in the course of which the chief types of extinct 
and living marine monsters destructive to sea-fish are described 
and illustrated. The author considers that such destroyers have 
done much more harm than man to food-fishes, and suggests that 
little good is done by regulations for controlling sea-fisheries. 
