266 
Treub’s discovery of chalazogamy in Casuarina in 
1891. Two years later Navashin reported a similar 
unusual course of the pollen-tube in the birch, and 
his own work and that of others supplied new instances. 
In 1898 Navashin announced at the meeting of the 
Russian Society of Naturalists his discovery, in species 
of Lilium and Fritillaria, of what at once became 
known as “ double fertilisation ’’—the fact that, of 
the two male nuclei, which enter the embryo-sac, one 
fuses with the egg-cell, the joint product being the 
embryo, while the other fuses with the two polar 
nuclei of the embryo-sac, either before or after their 
union, the product of this fusion being the endosperm, 
which supplies a store of nourishment in the seed for 
the embryo. The discovery was rapidly confirmed 
and extended by Navashin and others, and the 
occurrence was shown to be frequent if not general 
in the flowering plants. It gave a new interest to 
the discussion as to the true nature of endosperm, and, 
incidentally, provided an explanation of ‘‘ xenia,’’ or 
the occurrence outside the embryo of characters 
derived from the male parent. Notable contributions 
to this discussion were made by Strasburger, Miss 
Sargent, and others, but the problem still awaits a 
satisfactory solution. 
Tue Right Hon. T. R. Ferens, High Steward of 
Hull, has consented to accept the office of president 
of the thirty-fourth congress of the Royal Sanitary 
Institute, to be held at Hull on July 30—-August 4. 
Str CHARLES Parsons, honorary member of the 
Institution of Electrical Engineers, has been awarded 
the Faraday medal of the Institution. The medal is 
awarded for “‘ notable scientific or industrial achieve- 
ment in Electrical Engineering, or for conspicuous 
service rendered to the advancement of electrical 
science.” ‘ 
In the Observer for February 18 it is recorded that 
“A Lahore telegram says that a meteorite, which 
was clearly seen in January in most of northern India, 
was traced at Quetta, where it buried itself. The 
remains show that at the time of impact it must 
have weighed six tons.” 
Ir has now been announced that the donor of 5000/. 
to the Rowett Animal Nutrition Research Institute at 
Aberdeen is Mr. Walter Reid of Aberdeen. Other 
recent contributions include one of 500/. from the 
Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland. 
We learn from the Scientific Monthly that Dr. 
Robert A. Millikan, of the California Institute of 
Technology, Pasadena, has been awarded the 1922 
Edison medal of the American Institute of Electrical 
Engineers for “ meritorious experimental achieve- 
ment in electrical science.” 
THE committee for the jubilee of Prof. Kamerlingh 
Onnes on November 11 last, which issued the memorial 
volume of the Physical Laboratory at Leyden, r904— 
I922, announces that a limited number of copies of 
the volume is still available ; copies may be obtained 
at the price of ten florins on application to the trea- 
surer of the committee, Dr. H. R. Woltjer, Natuur- 
kundig Laboratorium, Leyden, Holland. - 
NO. 2782, VOL. 111] 
NATURE 
[FEBRUARY 24, 1923 

On Tuesday, February 27, at 3 o’clock, Sir Arthur E. 
Shipley will deliver the first of two lectures at the 
Royal Institution on life and its rhythms, and on 
Thursday, March 1, Mr. Theodore Stevens will begin 
a course of two lectures on water power of the Empire. 
The Friday evening discourse on March 2 will be de- 
livered by Dr. G. C. Simpson on the water in the © 
atmosphere, and on March 9 by Dr. C. W. Saleeby 
on sunlight and disease. bd 
By arrangement with the’ grand committee of 
the Royal Institute of British Architects in charge — 
of the bicentenary celebrations of Sir Christopher 
Wren, Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton will issue on 
February 26 a memorial volume, dealing with various 
aspects of Sir Christopher Wren’s life and work, 
under the general editorship of Mr. Rudolf Dircks, 
librarian of the Royal Institute of British Architects. 
The volume is being published at five guineas and 
upwards, and all the profits from its sale will be 
handed over to the St. Paul’s Cathedral Preservation 
Fund. 
An exhibit of special interest at the present time 
will be found in Museum No. I. at Kew Gardens, in 
Case 128 on the ground floor. It consists of a collec- 
tion of funeral wreaths, garlands, flowers, leaves, 
fruits, seeds, etc., in excellent preservation from 
ancient Egyptian tombs, including those of Aahmes I. 
and Rameses II., kings of Egypt of dates respectively 
1700 B.c. and 11-1200 B.c. The flowers chiefly used 
are those of Nymphea cerulea, Acacia arabica, var. 
nilotica, together with leaves of Mimusops Schimperi 
and Salix Safsaf. It may be noted that the various 
flowers, seeds, etc., are identical with those of the same 
species found growing at the present day. ; 
Fizs 
At the annual general meeting of the Society of 
Public Analysts held on February 7, the following 
officers and council were elected for the ensuing 
year :—Pyresident: P. A. Ellis Richards. Past- 
Presidents : Leonard Archbutt, A. Chaston Chapman, 
Bernard Dyer, Otto Hehner, S. Rideal, A. Smetham, 
E. W. Voelcker, and J. Augustus Voelcker. Vice- 
Presidents: F. W. F. Arnaud, F. H. Carr, and G. W. 
Monier-Williams. Hon. Treasurer: Edward Hinks. 
Hon. Secretary: E. Richards Bolton. Assistant Hon. 
Secretary: R. G. Pelly. Other Members of Council : 
H. Ballantyne, S. F. Burford, S. Elliott, B. S. Evans, 
E. M. Hawkins, Harri Heap, H. F. E. Hulton, Andrew 
More, A. E. Parkes, W. R. Schoeller, G. R. Thompson, 
and J. F. Tocher. 
Tue following officers and other members of Council 
of the Royal Meteorological Society were elected at 
the annual general meeting on January 17 :—Pre- 
sident: Dr. C. Chree. Vice-Presidents: Mr. R. H. 
Hooker, Dr. A. Crichton Mitchell, Dr. G. C. Simpson, 
Dr. G. T. Walker. Tyveasurer: Mr. W. Vaux Graham. 
Secretaries: Mr. J. S. Dines, Mr. L. F. Richardson, 
Mr. G. Thomson. Foreign Secretary: Mr. R. G. K. 
Lempfert. Councillors: Mr. C. E. P. Brooks, Dr. 
John Brownlee, Mr. David Brunt, Capt. C. J. P. 
Cave, Mr. J. E. Clark, Mr. R. Corless, Mr. F. Druce, 
Col. H. G. Lyons, Mr. H. Mellish, Sir Napier Shaw, 
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