8o 



NA TURE 



November 28, 1901 



of the foot is purple, with a longitudinal orange stripe. The 

 orange pigment is evidently the same as that of the other species, 

 but the purple is different from the blue and does not dissolve 

 out in formalin. 



No doubt all these pigments represent "warning coloration. " 



T. U. A. COCKEKEI.L. 



East Las Vegas, N..M., U.S.A., November lo. 



The Ash Constituents of Some Lakeland Leaves. 



A FURiliKK series of e.\periments bearing on the question 

 indicated in this journal (vol. Isiii., No. 1634, p. 396) was 

 undertaken during the summer and autumn of this year. It 

 was deemed advisable to extend the research over a pretty wide 

 range of subjects, so as to be able, if possible, to catch some 

 kind of clue towards the correct elucidation of the causes 

 operative in the case. The capital object in view was to 

 ascertain the exact amount of inorganic constituents (especially 

 silica and lime) which the leaves extract from the soil at different 

 periods of their life, .so as to determine whether this particular 

 amount has any connection with the chemical composition, 

 &c. , of that particular soil. In all cases the entire leaf and 

 petiole were used dried at 100° and then incinerated, the same 

 vessel and the same source of heat being used for each separate 

 incineration. 



On reviewing the foregoing table there would seem at first 

 sight to be nothing remarkable therein ; but a little collation and 

 comparison serve to throw a more searching light upon the 

 subject. All these trees and shrubs have sprung from a siliceous 

 gravelly soil charged with basic constituents, but rather poor in 

 lime (well under 12 per cent.). Nevertheless, the leaves of ash, 

 alder and oak have managed to secure an amount of lime which 

 may be regarded as nearly, if not quite, their full coir.pleinent 

 of that substance. The high proportion of lime in alder leaves 

 may be referred to the very low proportion of silica ; but this 

 is hardly feasible in the case of the ash and oak. The ash-leaf, 

 with a feeble proportion of silica, maintains a considerable 

 quantity of potass and an amount of lime necessary to neutralise 

 the organic acids which it produces in very notable degree. 

 The oakleaf, with far less potass in autumn, demands for the 

 annulment of its organic acids (chiefly oxalic) a supply of lime 

 apparently commensurate with its unique faculty for the pro- 

 duction of starch. It will be specially observed that while, 

 as indicated by the similar ratio of ash, the leaves of beech and 

 oak have reached on November 3 a coequal measure of decay, 

 that of the beech is evidently farther fallen. The leaves were 

 selected for the experiment from beech trees flourishing right 

 vigorously on the .sandy shelving banks of the bays which indent 



NO. 1674, VOL. 65] 



the upper reach of Ullswater. The result was so remarkable 

 that the experiment was repeated with every care and precaution, 

 but the amount of silica remained as imperturbably high as 

 before. The tree is a decisive alien in Lakeland and its seeds 

 never ripen here, but in a sheltered situation on a sandy bottom 

 it presents an aspect of unquestionable health and sturdy adapta- 

 tion to the circumstances. P. 1^. Kkegan. 

 Patterdale, Westmorland. 



Note on a Point of Chemical Nomenclature. 



The use made by Mr. Goodwin and myself, in a recent com- 

 munication to the Chemical Society, of the term alphyl is the 

 occasion of an interesting letter from " \. T. de M.," published 

 in Nature (Octolicr 31, p. 648). The history of the term 

 alphyl and its replacement by Prof. Vorliinder's term arryl, 

 or, better, aryl, the form in which it has been generally adopted, 

 is correctly stated. In the interest of so important a matter as 

 uniformity in chemical nomenclature I willingly agree with 

 "A. T. de M.," and will adopt aryl inste.ad of alfihyl for mono- 

 valent aromatic hydrocarbon radicals (C,.II..„ C.ilI^CHj, &c. ). 



But Prof. Vorl.inder goes further than this, and his view is 

 advocated by " A. T. de M.'' He proposes to alter the well- 

 understood meaning of the term alkyl, to retain the term alphyl 

 with a new meaning and to introduce the combination alpharyl. 

 These proposals seem to me not only confusing, but unnecessary. 

 Let us retain alkyl in its old meaning, adopt aryl for monovalent 

 aromatic hydrocarbon radicals and use acyl for all monovalent 

 acid radicals. The terms alkylene, arylenc and acyleiie might 

 be adopted for the corresponding divalent radicals without 

 introducing a new termination. For the radical benzyl and 

 its hcmologues, if it be thought desirable, ar-alkyl could be 

 employed. Ali-red Senier. 



(Queen's College, Galway, November 17. 



•'^ Does Man use his Arms in Locomotion? 



In " Monkeys ; Their Affinities and Distribution," by Dr. 

 A. R. Wallace (reprinted in his "Studies; Scientific and 

 Social," vol. i. ), the author gives (p. 183) as one of the 

 characters in which man differs from all the monkey tribe — 

 " the perfect freedom of the hands from all part in locomotion." 



My object in writing is to point out the peculiar way in which 

 the majority of people move their arms and hands when walking 

 or running. One may safely say that everybody, adults and 

 children, at one time or another exercise this movement. The 

 natural way in which children run is to "paddle" with the 

 arms and hands, though trained runners do not do so. 



Now is it not possible that this muscular movement of the 

 fore-limbs in opposite directions in the act of locomotion is a 

 survival of the four-legged mode of progression of man's remote 

 ancestors ? The anthropoid apes, we know, get about by the 

 aid of their arms and hands : while the baboons walk much in 

 the same way as dogs do. The examples and illustrations could 

 be enlarged upon indefinitely, and it is not for me to do so. I 

 believe that this theory has been thought of before, but I am 

 unable to find any trace of it in the books I have consulted. I 

 should be very grateful if any of your readers would enlighten 

 me on the subject. Bash. W. Mariin. 



Elm House, Hampstead. 



CELEBRATION OF THE JUBILEE OF 

 M. BERTHELOT. 



THE Berthelot jubilee, celebrating the fiftieth anniver- 

 sary of the publication of .Alarcellin Berthelot's 

 first scientific woik, was held in the t.reat Hall of the 

 Sorbonne, in the University of Paris, on Sunday, 

 November 24. The President of the Republic, M. 

 Loubet, was in the chair, surrounded by the Ministers 

 of the Cabinet, the Ambassadors of the various countries 

 in the French capital, and numerous delegates from 

 foreign and from local scientific societies. 



The hall, a large amphitheatre, capable of seating more 

 than 3000 persons, was packed with those who delighted 

 to do honour to M. Berthelot. Behind the dais, in the 



