576 



NA TURE 



[April i6, 1908 



The name plancheite is proposed for the mineral. — The 

 perception of relief and of depth in the simple image of 

 ordinary photographs. Conditions and theory of this per- 

 ception : A. Chauveau. By a suitable adjustment of the 

 prisms of a stereoscope, the effect of relief can be obtained 

 from a single photograph just as well as if the latter 

 were replaced by the usual double stereoscopic photograph. 

 The effect can be produced without any apparatus ; the 

 examination with one eye alone of a well-lighted photo- 

 graph after some time causes the stereoscopic effect. To 

 reduce this to the usual plane effect the other eye is re- 

 quired. The theory of these phenomena is considered in 

 detail. — The acceleration and retardation of the coagula- 

 tion of the blood in capillary tubes : Ch. Bouchard. — 

 The Coal-measures of the southern Oran : H. Douville 

 and M. Zeiller. \ detailed description of the fossils met 

 with is given, and the analogy with the Carboniferous 

 deposits in England pointed out. This is the first time 

 that a Westphalian flora has been discovered in such a 

 low latitude. — The subgroups of the homogeneous linear 

 group of four variables, and the systems of partial 

 differential equations which correspond to them : M. 

 Le Vavasseur. — The persistent conjugate networks com- 

 prising a family of minimum lines : L. Raffy. — The 

 maximum useful weight that can be raised by an aero- 

 plane : M. Girardville. It is shown that the maximum 

 useful weight carried by an aeroplane depends upon five 

 variables, and possibilities of improvement may be sought 

 for in modifying each of these.— The conditions of utilisa- 

 tion of balloons capable of being steered, as existing at 

 present : M. Bouttieaux. An account of modifications 

 introduced with the view of economising ballast. — The 

 spectroscopic study of flame of various kinds: G. A. 

 Hemsalech and C. de Watteville. The method of feed- 

 ing a flame with particles of metal obtained electricallv, 

 described in an earlier paper, has been applied to flames 

 of hydrogen alone, coal gas and oxygen, hydrogen and 

 air, and hydrogen and oxygen. Details of the results 

 obtained with the pure hydrogen flame are given in the 

 present communication. — The presence of spark lines in 

 the arc spectrum : Ch. Fabry and H. Buisson. ;\I1 the 

 spark lines (the enhanced lines of Lockyer) are emitted 

 in the arc spectrum of iron, but only by certain por- 

 tions of the arc. Similar effects have been obtained with 

 nickel and copper. — K new method of estimating the 

 vapour of mercury in air : P. Meniere. The air is 

 aspirated through boiling nitric acid in a special apparatus 

 figured, and the minute proportions of nitrate of mercurv 

 treated with diphenylcarbazide. This gives distinctive 

 colours in proportions of mercury varying from 1/100,000 

 to 1/5,000,000. The paper is accompanied by a plate show- 

 ing twelve gradations of tint obtainable. — The combustion 

 by incandescence of gases in presence of oxidisable and 

 incombustible bodies : Jean Meunier. — The variations of 

 composition of ammonium phosphomolybdate : application 

 to the estimation of phosphorus in iron and steel : G. 

 Chesneau. The author regards a double precipitation as 

 absolutely necessary if the precipitate is to have a constant 

 composition, and gives detailed instructions for carrying 

 out the process. — The ammoniacal chlorides of dimercuri- 

 ammonium : H. Gaudechon. — ."^rbutine and some of its 

 derivatives considered from the point of. view of their 

 rotatory power and their hydrolvsis by emulsin : Em. 

 Bourquelot and H. Herissey. — Comparative study of the 

 dehydration of atrolactic and f-methoxvatrolactic acids. 

 f-Methoxyatropic and di-/)-methoxyatropic acids : J. 

 Bougault. — The formation of mixtures of isomers of 

 constant melting point in the Friedel and Crafts reaction ; 

 G. Perrier and H. Caille. The product obtained in the 

 preparation of phenylnaphthylketone by the Friedel and 

 Crafts reaction had a definite melting point, which was 

 unchanged after several re-crystallisations. It was shown, 

 however, to consist of a mixture of the a. and isomers. 

 — The constitution of the membrane in diatoms : L. 

 Mangin. — The action of the hvgrometric state in re- 

 spiratory exchanges : J. Cluzet.— The action of the 

 alcoholic extract of normal human urine on the arterial 



pressure : J. E. Abelous and E. Bardier The possible 



efferts of carbon monoxide in poisoning by tobacco smoke : 

 I . Fleigr. The conclusion is drawn that the amounts of 

 carbon monoxide given off during the smoking of tobacco 

 NO. 2007, ■^'OL. 77] 



can contribute nothing to the effects of tobacco poisoning. 

 — The action of brewers' yeast on the amido-acids : J. 

 Effront. — Some artificial peroxydiastases : the important 

 part played by iron in their action : J. Wolff. — The forma- 

 tion of acetaldehyde in alcoholic fermentation : E. Kayser 

 and .'\. Demolon. The conclusion relating to the origin 

 of acetaldehyde in alcoholic fermentation, described in a 

 recent note by M. Trillat, confirms the conclusion> pub- 

 lished by the authors a year ago. — The preparation and 

 properties of crystallised oxyhtemocyanine from the snail : 

 Ch. Dere. — Bile and the biliary pigments : M. Piettre. 

 — The canine origin of kala-a:^ar : Charles Nicolle and 

 Charles Comte. — The r6le of positive torsion in propulsive 

 screws and aeroplanes : P. Amans. — The variations of 

 temperature of the spring of Sainte-Baume (Var) : E. A. 

 Martel. Another instance of the variation in temperature 

 of springs. The spring described has on numerous previous 

 occasions shown a temperature of io°-5 C. ; in October, 

 1907, after an exceptionally rainy month, the temperature 

 rose to 13° C. 



Pretoria. 

 Transvaal Biological Society, lanuary 17.— Dr. Tlieiler, 

 C.M.G., in the chair. — A new species of tick found in the 

 Transvaal : Mr. Howard. — Viscosity of blood : Dr. Frei. 

 — Demonstration of a diseased . skull of Papio porcartis 

 (Bodd) : Dr. Gunning^. — Demonstration of some stages in 

 the life-historv of StroiigiiUts coiitorliis, Rud. : Dr. 

 Gougrh. — Further transmission experiments with East 

 Coast fever : Dr. Theiler. — (i) .Some additions to the 

 Transvaal flora ; (2) new plant species from the Transvaal 

 and Swaziland ; (3) notes on drabok poisoning ; (4) the 

 application of Mendel's law of heredity in the breeding of 

 maize : Mr. Burtt-Davy. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Chemistry of the Higher Fungi. By Prof. R. 



Meldola, F.R.S 553 



Botanical Instruction 554 



Applied Mathematics 555 



Multum in Parvo. By J. A. T 556 



Our Book Shelf:— 



" Index of Archaeological Papers (1665-1890)" . . . 557 

 Herrera : " Notions generales de Biologic et de Plas- 



mogenie comparees" 55^ 



Steinmann : " Einfi'ihrung in I die Palaontologie." — 



R. L 558 



Cain: "The Chemistry of the [Diazo-compounds. " — 



JB. C 558 



Winkelniann : " Handbuch der Physik " . .... 559 

 Letters to the Editor:— 



The Condensation of Helium. — Prof. H. Kamer- 



lingh Onnes 559 



Mendelian Characters among Shorthorns. — Prof. 



Karl Pearson, F.R.S. ; Prof. James \Vilson . 559 



The Nature of 7 and X-Rays. — Prof. W. H. Bragg 560 



The Corrosion of Iron and Steel. — Dr. Frank Clowes 560 

 The Geology of South Victoria Land, (///tis/ra/ed.) 



By Prof. J. W. Gregory, F.R.S 561 



Navigation of the Air. (Ilhtstrated.) 562 



Notes 563 



Our Astronomical Column:^ 



The Recently Discovered Satellite of Jupiter .... 567 



Mutual Occultations and Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites 567 



The Transit of Mercury, November, 1907 567 



Parallax Observations 56? 



Astronomical Photography with Portrait Lenses . . . 567 



The Harvard College Observatory 567 



The Saturn Perturbations of Various Comets .... 56S 

 The Games of North American Indians. [Illus- 



tralcd.) By Dr. A. C. Haddon, F.R.S 568 



Nerve as a Master of Muscle. By Prof. C. S. 



Sherrington, F.R.S 569 



University and Educationallntelligence 572 



Societies and Academies 574 



