240 



NA TURE 



[January 9, 1908 



of an electrolytic cell divided by a diaphragm and contain- 

 ing sodium carbonate solution is formed of a mixture of 

 indigo and graphite. The reduced indigo is dissolved by 

 the caustic soda formed in the electrolysis, and 30 per cent, 

 to 40 per cent, of the current is utilised. — Some thermo- 

 rhomical data relating to the chlorine compounds derived 

 from Millon's base: H. Gaudechon. — .\ new method for 

 the hydration of pinene : Ph. Barbier and V. Grignard. 

 Pinene dissolved in acetic acid is treated with a 50 per 

 cent, aqueous solution of benzenesulphonic acid at the 

 ordinary temperature. Terpinol can be isolated from the 

 products of the reaction with a yield of about one-third 

 of the weight of the pinene taken.— The ketone derived 

 from /3-hexahydrocarvacrol : L(^on Brunei. — Two modes of 

 individualisation of albite in the microgranitic massif of 

 Genis : Jacques de Lapparent. — A general method of 

 microchemical research and its application to the studv of 

 the distribution of the saponines in plants : R. Combes. 

 The method is based on the formation of an insoluble 

 compound of the saponine with baryta, followed bv treat- 

 ment with potassium bichromate. Each cell in which 

 saponine has been present is stained with barium chromate. 

 — Tea from French colonies : J. Dybowski. Teas from 

 Indo-China, compared with Ceylon teas, have a slightly 

 higher proportion of cafTeine, and about half the quantity 

 of tannin. — The adaptation of Orchitophrya stellarum, a 

 parasite of the testicles of the star-fish', to a marine 

 medium : Casimir Cepede. — Ethyl chloride in the blood 

 during ana'Sthesia : Lucien Camus and Maurice Nictoux. 

 Ethyl chloride penetrates into the blood with great rapidity, 

 and its proportion may, under certain conditions, be 

 raised considerably without danger to the organism. — Dis- 

 continuous tetanisation : N. Wedensky. — Maps showing 

 the distribution of oysters on the coasts of Vendue : M. 

 Guerin. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



Cost of Electrical Power 

 I in Interpolation : C. S. 



THURSDA V, January 



Institution of Elfctrical Engineers, at 8 — 

 for Industrial Purposes : J. F. C. Snell. 



Mathematical Societv, at 5.30.— A Formul 

 Jackson. 



FRIDAY, January 10, 



RnvAL Astronomicai. Societv, at 5.— Pholoiraphs of Comet ,i iq-)7 

 (Daniel): Max Wolf.-(i) Note on the Comnarntive Eccenlriri'Tes of 

 Visual and Sp-clroscopic Binary .Stars; (2) On the Orbits of f Boolis 

 fS 1888): e 80; & 513=48 Cassiopeia:: » 552=11 Orionis; and /5 524=20 

 Persei : T. J. J. .See.—Note on the Simple Equation which comnrises the 

 Theory of Ihe Fundamental Instruments of the Ohservalory ; Sir R. S. 

 Ball.— Ephemeris of Flora near the Time of Opposition in igo8 : A. M. W. 

 DownipF.— (i) Occultalions of Stars by the M-on, observed in the Year 

 TQC7 ; (2) Observations of Saturn's Ninth Satellite, Pba-be, from Photo- 

 grpphs taken with Ihe 3o-!nch Reflector in 1007- Royal Observatory, 



-On 



ed Illun 



of Ihe Field 



Insltumenl, .and its EflTects on the Discordance in Reversed Positions ,.{ 

 the Instrument : Sir W. H. M. Christie an,t H. A. H. Christie.— The 

 Perturbations of Hallev's Comet In the Past. Second Paper ■ The 

 Apparation of 1222 : P. H. C&well and A. C. D. Cromm<^\n.—Prf<hal'U 

 Paf.er: Proper Motions of Faint Stars in the Pleiades: F. J. M 



Mratton. 

 nstitution o 

 Geology : Dr. 



Civil. En 



i.— The Pri 



:iples of Engii 



MONDAY, January 13. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Among the Volcanoes 01 

 Guatemala and St. Vincent : Dr. Tempest Anderson. 



TUESDA K, January 14. 



RriVAL Institution, at 3.— The Internal Ear of Different Ani-nals 

 Dr. Albert A. Gray. 



Zoological Society, at 8. 00. -Description of a Biological Fxp-dition 

 to Birket el Qurun : Dr. W. A. Cunnineton -The Duke of Bedford's 

 Zoological Exploration in Eastern Asia. VI. List of Mammals from the 

 •Shantung Peninsula, N. China : O. Thomas, F.R.S.-Onthe Muscula- 

 ture and other Points in Ihe .Anatomy of the Engyslomatid Frog Brc-ii- 

 ccfs verrucosus: F. E. Beddard, F.R.S. 



Institution oe Civil Engineers, at i.—Cnnlinue^ clisctisswn : Keyham 

 Dockyard Extension : Sir Whately Eliot.— Keyham Dockyard Exten-ion ; 

 remporary Works, and Plant and Appliances used in Construction : 

 G. H. Scott. 



WEDNESDAY, January 15. 



Royal Meteorological Society, at 7.30.— Ordinary Meeting. — At 7 4s 

 — Annual General Meeting —Presidential Addiess on "Map-Studies 

 of Rainfall": Dr. H. R. Mill. 



Entomological Society, at 8.— Annual General Meeting, 



Society ok Arts, at 8.— Screen-Plate Processes of Colour 

 llr. C. E. Kenneth Mees. 



Royal Mickoscofical Socikty, at 8.— On the Microscope as an Aid to Ih 

 Study of the Biology of Insecls with special Keferen:e to the Food 



Jgraphy : 



W. Wesch6. — Improved Type of Mercury Vapour Lamp for use wi 

 Microscope : J. E. Barnard. 



THURSDAY, January 16. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. — ProbabU Papers: Alternate Current Me 

 ment : Dr. W. E. Sumpner.— Prominence and Coronal Structure 

 ■W. J- S. Lockyer.- The Conversion of Diamond into Coke 



Parsons, C.B., F.R S., 



Dr. 

 High 



by Kalhode Ray- 

 .\. A. Campbell Swinton. — And other Papei 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Building of Britain : Prof. W. W. Watt: 

 F.R.S. 



Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, at 8. 



Society of Arts, at 4.30. — Indian Agriculture : Henry S. Lawrence. 



Linnean Societv, at 8. — (i) Brassica Crosses, illustrated by lantern slides 

 (2) Notes on Wild Types of Tuber-bearing Solanums, illustrated by 

 lantern slides: A- W. Sutton.— Revision of the genus Uligera, Blume 

 S. T. Dunn —New Coniferz of Formosa: Bunzo Hayata. 



Chemical Society, at 8.30. — Colour and Constitution of Azo-compound: 

 Part II. The Salts of /-Hydroxyazo-compounds with Mmeral Acids 

 J. J. Fox and J. T. Hewitt.— Ihe Oxidation of Aromatic Hydrazines by 

 Metallic Oxides, Permanganates, and Chromates : F. D. Chattaway. 

 —Studies in Fermentation. II. The Mechanism of Alcoholic Fermenta 

 tion: A. Slator.— Organic Derivatives of Silicon. Part IV. The Sul 

 phonation of Benzylelhylpropylsilicyl Oxide and of Benzylethyldipropyl 

 sllicane : H. Marsden and F. S. Kipping.— Ihe Formation and Re 

 -compounds. Part VI. The Formation of Derivati 



of Hydrindene frai 



7-Xylylenedinitrile : 

 FRIDAY, Jam 



C. W. Moore and J. F: Thorpe 



Royal Institution, at 9. — The Centenary of Davy's Discovery of the 

 Metals of the Alkalis: Prof. T. E. Thorpe, C.B., F.K.S. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 8. — Third Report to the 

 Gas-Engine Research Commit:ee : Prof. F. W. Burstall. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Principles of Engineering 

 Geology : Dr. Herbert Lapworth. 



SA TURD A Y, January 18. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— The Electrification of Railways : Prof. Gi=bert 

 Kapp. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The History of Aeronautics 217 



Treatment of Home- Woods 217 



■Water Supply 218 



Veterinary Physiology. By Dr. Percy T. Heriing . 219 

 Our Book Shelf: — 



Claik : " The Polarity of Malter " 219 



Saundei's : "Wild Bees, Wasps and Ants, and other 



Stinging Insects" 220 



Barkhausen : "Das Pioblem der Schwingungser- 



zeugung " — H. B 220 



Goeldi : "Album de Aves Amazonicas " 220 



Letters to the Editor :— 



A Specific Gravity Balance for Large Rock 

 Specimens. (Willi Diagram.)— T. H. D. La 



Touche 221 



A Point in the Mathematical Theory of Elasticity. — 



Prof. E. Brown 221 



Echelon Spectroscope. —H. Stansfi-ld 222 



The Photoelectric I'ropeity of Selenium. — Prof. 



George M. Minchin, F.R.S. . . . • • .... 222 



Musical Sands — Cecil Catus- Wilson 222 



Sport and Natural History. {Illustrated.) By R. L. . 223 

 " Kimberlite " and the Source of the Diamond in 



South Africa. By Dr. F. H. Hatch 224 



The Induction of Anaesthesia by Chloroform .... 226 



Archeeological Remains in Wales and the Marches 227 



Dr. P. J. C. Janssen 229 



Notes 230 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Return of Encke's Comet (igoSa) 234 



Saturn's Rings 234 



The Spectra of Two Meteors 234 



The Constancy of Wave-lengths of Spectral Lines . . 234 

 New Chemical Labjratories at Aberystwyth. 



{Illust-ated.) 234 



Scientific Work of the Local Government B3ard. 



By Prof. R. T. Hewlett 235 



Mend=lism and Sex. By G. ArchdiU Reid . . . 236 



University and Educational Intelligence 237 



Societies an 1 Aca .e nies 238 



Diarv of Societies 240' 



NO. T993, VOL. 77] 



