NATURE 



[December 5, 1907 



ing (" maladie du Rouge ") of the fir : L. Mangin. — A 

 remarkable rase of autotomv of the floral peduncle of the 

 tobacco plant, caused by traumatism of the corolla : Paul 

 Becquerel. — Contribution to the anatomical study of some 

 textile Cyjieracea; of Madagascar : P. Claverie. — Contri- 

 bution to the chemical study of mistletoe, Yiscum album : 

 M. Leprince. An account of the method of isolating an 

 alkaloid from this plant, 25 kilograms of the dried material 

 giving 1-6 grams of the chlorohydrate of the base, 

 (C,H||N)HCI. — The physiological action of the mistletoe, 

 Viscuin album : R^no Gaultier and J. Chevalier. — A 

 new sign of true death : E. dc Bourgadc de ra Dardye. 

 Referring to a communication by M. \'aillant in the last 

 number of the Comples rcndus, the author refers to a 

 communication of his on the same subject published in 

 i8q8, in which the immobility of the heart, diaphragm, 

 and intestines after death showed up clearly in radio- 

 graphs. — Artificial parthenogenesis : Jacques Loeb. Criti- 

 cisms of the work of M. Delage on the same subject. — 

 The comparative morphology of Pachydavitlaria crecta and 

 Suavopsis elegans : Louis Roule. — The diagnosis of 

 -tuberculosis in animals, especially in cattle, by the siinul- 

 taneous use of the ophthalmo- and cutidermo-reaction : J. 

 Lig^nieres. — The comparison of the secretions of the two 

 kidneys in hydruric diabetes : C. Flei^ and E. Jeanbrau. 

 — Tuberculosis cultures in vivo and aniitubcrculous 

 vaccination : M. Moussu. — The sterilisation of the human 

 ovary by the X-rays : Fovcau de Courmcllcs. — The 

 individualisation, graduation, and methodical localisation 

 of the altitude cure applied to the treatment of tuber- 

 culosis : Christian Beck. The author proposes to send the 

 patients up in groups attached to caotive balloons. — The 

 systematic position of the fossil stems known as Psaronius, 

 Psaroniocaulon, Caulopteris : Fernand l?elourde. 



DIARY OF SOCIi:;TIES. 



THURSDAV, December 5. 



Royal Society, at 4.30.— Experiments in Optics: Prof. A. A. Michelson, 

 For.Mem.R.S. — Reciprocal Innervation nf Antagonistic Muscles. 

 Eleventh Note, Further Observations on .Successive Induction: Prof. 

 C. S. Sherrington. F.R.S.— On the Distribution of the Different 

 Arteries supplying the Human Brain : Dr. C. E. Beevor.— Localisation of 

 Function in the Lemur's Brain : Dr. F. VV. Mott, F.R.S.. and Prof. W. D. 

 Halliburton, F.R.S.— On the Supposed Extracellular Photosynthesis of 

 Carbon Dioxide by Chlorophyll: Prof. A. J. Ewart.-The Influence of 

 Increased Barometric Pressure on Man, No. 4, The Relation of Aee and 

 Body Weight to Decompression Effects: L. Hill. F.R.S., and M. G. 

 Greenwood, jun —On the Present Distribution and Origin of the Cal- 

 careous Concretions in Coal Seams known as " Coal Balls": Miss Stopes 

 and D. M. S. Watson.— On the Structure of Sisillnria Scjifd/nta, Brongn., 

 and other Eusigillarian Stems, in Comparison with those of other PaliEOzoic 

 Lycopods : E. A. Newell Arber and H. H. Thomas. 



Chemical Society, at S.30.— The Affinity Constants of Bases as Deter- 

 mined by Methyl Orange. Preliminary Communication : V. H. Veley.— 

 The Velocity of Reduction of the Oxides of Lead, Cadmium, and Bismuth 

 by Carbon Monoxide, and the Existence of the Suboxides of these Metals : 

 F. J. Brislee.— The Relation between Unsaturation and Optical Activity, 

 Part 1., The Menlhyl and Bornvl Esters of /3-Phenylpropionic, Cinnamic, 

 and Phenylnropiolic Acids : T. P. Hilditch.— The Constituents of the 

 Essential Od of Nutmeg: F. B. Power and A. H. Salway.— Methyl 

 Ethers of some Hydroxy-anthraquinones : A. G. Perkin.— The Colouring 

 Matters of the Stilbene Group, Part iv., The Action of Caustic Alkalie's 

 upon Paranitrotoluene and its Derivatives : A. G. Green, A. H. Davies 

 and R. S. Horsfall.— The Replacement of Alkyl Radicals by Methyl in 

 Substituted Ammonium Compounds : H. O. Jones and J. R. Hill. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Automatic Cab-signalling 

 on Locomotives : J. Pigg. 



Civil and Mechanical Engineers' Society, at 8.— Retaining Walls : 

 A. T. Walinisley. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— Rerort on Alcyonaria of the Sudanese Red Sea : 

 Prof. J. Arthur Thomson.— Report on the Crinoidea o( the Sudanese Red 

 Sea : H. C. Chadwick.— Notes on some Marine Algie from the Red Sea : 

 Prof. R. J. Harvey Gibson.— /i'.r/i/7'//7(7«j.— Specimens of Spartina 

 Toivnsotdi,^ as illustrating its Distribution in Britain: Dr. Otto Slapf. — 

 Lantern Slides showing Stages of Soil-denudation consequent on the 

 Removal of Forests : A. P. Young. 



/■Tv/ZJ/l 3', December 6. 

 Geologists' Association, at 8.— Notes on the Geology of the Tenby 



District, with Special Reference to the Carboniferous Limestone: A. L. 



Leach. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Methods of Vaporising Liquid 



Fuels,, used with Internal-Combustion Engines, as Applied "to Road 



Vehicles: R. T. Deane. 



./I/OTV/J^F, Dece.mber 9. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30.— The Jamaica Earthquake and 

 After : Dr. Vaughan Cornish. 

 . Society of Arts, at 8. -The Theory of the Microscope: Conrad Beck. 



NO. 1988, VOL. ']-]'\ 



Sociological Society, at 8.— The Problem of Education, a Criticism of 

 Principles, Curricula and Methods : A. E. Crawley. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — On Primeval Man in Belgium: Rev. D. 

 Gath Whitley. 



TUESDAY, December 10. 



Zoological Society, at S.^o. — On the Origin of the Mammal-like Rep- 

 tiles: Dr. R. Broom.— A Revision of the African Silurid Fishes of the 

 Subfamily Clariina; : G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S.— On a Hajmogregarine 

 from the Blood of a Himalayan Lizard (Agaiim tiihrculata): Prof. E. A. 

 Minchin. 



Junior Institution of Engineers, at 8.— Arc Lighting : W. Krause. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.- The Predetermination of Train 

 Resistance : C. A. Caius-Wilson. 



WEDNESDAY^'D-e.z-e.Kfx.v. ii. 



Society of Arts, at S.— Radio-active Phenomena : Sir William Ramsay, 

 K.C.B., F.R.S. 



THURSDAY, December 12. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. — Probable Papers : Preliminary Note on the 

 Operational Invariants of a Binary Quantic : Major MacMahon, F.R.S. 

 —Further Consideration of ihe Stability of the Pear-shaped Figure of 

 Equilibrium of a Liquid Earth: Sir G. H. Darwin. K.C.B., F.R..S.— 

 The Action of Ozone on Water-colour Pigments: Sir W. Abney, K.C.B., 

 F.R.S.— On Kinetic Stability: Prof. H. Lamb, F.R.S.— The Absorption 

 Spectra of the Vapcuis of Benzene and its Homologues at Different 

 Temperatures and Pressures, and likewise of Solutions of Benzene : Prof. 

 W.N. Hartley, F. R.S.— The Spectrum of Magnesium and of the so-called 

 Magnesium Hydride as obtained by Spark Discharges under Reduced 

 Pressure: E. E. Brooks.— Magnetic Declination at Kew Observatory, 

 1890 to 1900: Dr. C. Chre2. F.R.S.— The Effects of Temperature and 

 Pressure on the Thermal Conductivities oi Solids. Pan ii., The Effect of 

 Low Temperatures on the Thermal Conductivities of Pure Metals and 

 Alloys: Prof C. H. Lees, F.R.S.— On Exterior Ballistics, No. 2: Prof. 

 G. Forbes, F.R.S. 



Society of Arts, at 4.30.— Big Game in India: R. Gilbert. 



FRIDAY, December 13. 

 Malacological Society, at 8. — Additions to the Marine Molluscan 



Fauna of New Zealand, with Descriptions of New Species : H. Suter.— 



Alteration to the name of Mitra recitrzia, Sow. (preoccupied): G. B. 



Sowerby. — Descriptions of New Species of Fresh-water Shells from 



Central Africa: C. A. Smith.- New Land and Marine Shells from West 



Africa: H. B. Preston. 

 Society of Arts, at S. — Industrial Poisons — Lead and Phosphorus — 



with Special Reference to the Manufacture of Lucifer Matches : Prof. T. 



Oliver. 

 Physical Society, at 7-10.— Exhibition of Electrical, Optical, and other 



Physical Apparatus. 

 Royal Astronomical Society, at 5. 



SATURDAY, December 14. 

 Essex Field Club (at Essex Museum of N.itural History, Stratford), at 

 6.— Conference on Rivets Pollution from the Naturalist's Point of View : 

 Opensd by Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A Text-Book of Plant Physiology. By F. F. B. . . 97 



Liquid and Gaseous Fuels 98 



A Practical Handbook on Rubber. By L. C. B.-; . . 99 

 Our Book Shelf: — 



Jones : " School Hygiene ; a Handbook for Teachers 



of all Grades, School Managers, &c." 99 



Korschelt : " Regeneration and Transplantation". . 99 

 Jensen: " Organische Zweckmiissigkeit, Entwicklung 

 und Vererbung von Slandpunkte der Physiologie." 



ByJ. B. F 100 



Letters tu the Editor: — 



The Windings of Rivers. {IVif/i Diagrams.) — ^J. Y. 



Buchanan, F.R.S. ; J. Lomas 100 



Small Flint Implements from Bungay, {///tts/rafcd.) 



— W. A. Dutt 102 



Graphical Interpolation. ( U'l'/Zi Diagrams.) — F. J.W. 



Whipple 103 



Reflection of Polarised Light.— C. T. 'Whitmell . . 103 

 The Total Solar Eclipse of January 3, 1908. (Illiis- 



ti.jtcci.) By Dr. William J. S. Lockyer 104 



New Aeroplanes. (I/lus/raU'd.) 106 



Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Society 107 



Notes Ill 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Mercury as a Morning Star. {Ilhtslratcd.) 1 15 



A Bright Meteor 115 



Saturn's Rings 116 



The Recent Transit of Mercury • . . . 116 



Some Recent Work in Palaeontology. ByG. A.J. C. 116 



University and Educational Intelligence 117 



Societies and Acadmies 118 



Diary of Societies 120 



