2 l6 



NA TURE 



[January 2, 1902 



similar manner. In the present paper an account is given of 

 an attempt to diminish the mobihty of the latter bacillus by the 

 addition of alkali and common salt. Particulars are given of an 

 application of these facts to the determination of the presence 

 of the typhoid bacilhn in drinking water. — Study of the varia- 

 tions of the organic matter during germination, by M. G. 

 Andre. — A method for separating glutamic acid and leucine by 

 means of hydrochloric acid gas, by M. A. fitard. — On the 

 bluing of certain fungi, by M. (libriel liertrand. On breaking 

 certain fungi of the genus Boletus, the tissue exposed to the air 

 takes on a fine transient blue colour. It is shown that this 

 effect depends on six different factors : the substance holetol, 

 the oxygen of the air, laccase, manganese, water and a metal 

 belonging to the series of the alkalis or alkaline earths. — On 

 the root of Ib->ga and ibogine, by MM. Lambert and Meckel. 

 A physiological study of the active principle of Iboga. The 

 alkaloid ibogine possesses anaesthetic properties resembling 

 those of cocaine. — An attempt at the measurement of cyto- 

 logical activity, by M. Remy Saint-Loup. — -.Observations on the 

 root nodosities in the Leguminos;i;, by M. Emil Laurent. — The 

 causes of sterility in peaty soils, by M. J. Dumont. — A new 

 case of variation in the vine following mixed grafting, by M. A. 

 Jurie.' — On the aging of the embryo in the Graminaceie, by 

 M. Edmond Gain. — On the refracting globules of the chloro- 

 phyllian parenchyma of leaves, by M. Louis Petit. — Considera- 

 tions on the .sexuality of certain yeasts, by M. A. Guilliermond. 

 — Proof of the existence of the Trias in Greece. The strati- 

 graphical position of the Cheli limestone, by MM. L. Cayeux 

 and Ed. Ardaillon. — Observations on the svnclinal of Amilie- 

 les-Bains, by MM. Leon Bertrand and O. Mengel. The 

 dislocation in the quartz at Iiveaux and at Saint-Maurice 

 (Creuse), by M. L. de Launay. — On a new Miocene layer in 

 the interior of Corsica, by M. E. Maury. — Some new proofs 

 relating to the contamination of the springs in the chalk in 

 France, by M. Martel. The case is considered of streams 

 which flow above ground for some distance and become pol- 

 luted and then disappear into fissures of the chalk, and after 

 undergoing a certain amount of filtration reappear in the form 

 of springs. Confirmation is given of the possibility of danger 

 from this source. — On the project of crossing the Sahara by 

 balloon, by M, Deburaux. 



New South Wales. 

 Royal Society, November 6, 1901.— Mr. H. C. Russell, 

 C.M.G., F.R.S., president, in the chair. — The following gentle- 

 men were elected hon. members of the Society: — Prof J.W. Judd, 

 C.B., F. R.S., Prof. Simon Newcomb, and Sir Benjamin Baker, 

 K.C.M.G., F.R.S. — The Clarke memorial medal for 1901 was 

 awarded to Mr. Edward John Eyre, Walreddon Manor, Tavi- 

 stock, England, for his exploring work. — The Thurrawal 

 language, by Mr. R. II. Mathews. In this paper the author 

 describes the structure of the native speech of the aborigines of 

 the region between Jervis Bay and Port Hacking. An appendix 

 exhibits the elements of some other dialects adjoining the Thur- 

 rawal tribes on the north and west, the whole concluding with 

 an extensive vocabulary. — Note on the sesquiterpene of 

 Eucalyptus oils, by Mr. Henry G. Smith. In this paper the 

 author showed that a sesquiterpene occurs in many Eucalyptus 

 oils and that it is this constituent that gives the pink coloration 

 to Eucalyptus oil when testing for eucalyptol with phosphoric 

 acid. — Current papers. No. 6, by Mr. H. C. Russell, C.M.G., 

 F.R.S. In the year November 1900 to November 1901, 

 130 current papers were received, and these form the basis of 

 the present paper. In this list there was a marked increase on 

 the tracks Sydney to Canada and United States. Previou.sly 

 very little was known of the drift of bottle papers in that sea ; 

 but during this year an appreciable increase of interest has been 

 manifested in the current papers found amongst the islands. 

 These show very clearly the presence of a very rapid current 

 near the equator, somewhat similar to that in the Indian Ocean. 

 For instance, current paper 598 made daily a drift near Fiji 

 of ll'l miles per day ; near Gilbert Island, No. 671 travelled 

 at the rate of 19 5 miles per day ; and near Phcenix Island the 

 current paper No. 674 travelled 168 miles per day ; and so on. 

 At first it seemed that current papers aggregate in certain 

 months, but upon the monthly papers which have been received 

 in five years there is not much to support the idea. But there 

 is good reason to believe that the current paper is affected by 

 the wind as well as by the currents, and that strong persistent 

 wiiids alter the landing places of current papers. 



NO. 1679, VOL. 65] 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY. January 2. 



Rtntoen Society, at 8.30.— On the Function of aTi Auxiliary Electrode 

 in X-Ray Bulbs : C E. S. Phillips.— On Radiogr.tphy .-ipplied to Denial 

 Surgery : Prosper H. Marsden.— Mr. H. W. Cox will demonstrate a 

 New Method he has devised for exciting Several Tubes simultaneously 

 from One Coil. 



FRIDA Y. January 3. 



Geologists' Association, at 8.— On the Waves of Sand and Snow; 

 Dr. Vaughan Cornish. 



AfO.VDAV, January 6. 



S.>ciETV of Chemical Inijustrv, at 8. — The Report of the Joint Arsenic 

 Committee of the Society of Chemical Industry and of the Society of 

 Public Analysts will be presented by the Chairman.— The Retarding 

 Influence of Aldehydes on the Maturation of Spirits : Prof. J. T. Hewitt. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — Modifications iii the idea of God, pro- 

 duced by Modern Thought and Scientific Discovery : Rev. Chancellor 

 J. J. Lias. 



WEDNESDAY, January 8 



Society of Arts, at 5. — Photography and its Applications, II. (Juvenile 

 Lecture): Sir Henry Trueman Wood. 



Geological Society, at 3— .\ System of Glxcier-Lakes in the Cleveland 

 Hills: P. F. Kendall.— The Glaciation of Teesdale, Weardale and the 

 Tyne Valley, and their Tributary Valleys : A. R. Dwerryhouse. 



Royal Geographical Society, at 4-30. — Waves : Dr. Vaughan Cornish. 

 THURSDA Y. January 9. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.30. — Non-uniform Convergence, and the 

 Integration of Series: the President.— Network : S. Roberls, F.R.S.— 

 On Quartic Curves with a Triple Point : A. B. Basset, F.R.S. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Discu-sion of the 

 Technical Reports on the Institution Visit to Germany, 1901, by the 

 Committees on Traction, Light and Power ; Manufacturing, and Tele- 

 graphs and Telephones. 



FRIDAY, January 10. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 8. 



Malacological Society, at 8. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Physiological Effects of Route Marching. By 



W. G. M 193 



Lives of the Hunted. By T. D. P 195 



Cubic and Quartic Curves 196 



Our Book Shelf:— 



White : " Pharmacopedia, a Commentary on the 



British Pharmacopceia, 1898."— F. W. T. . . . . 197 

 Dexter: "Practical Exercises on Sound, Light and 



Heat."— S. S I97 



Roozeboom : " Die heterogenen Gleichgewichte vom 



Standpunkt der Phasenlehre."— J. W _ 197 



" Kno'i'ledge Diary and Scientific Handbook for 1902." 197 

 Letters to the Editor:— 



Kites and Wireless Telegraphy.— Dr. A. Lawrence 



Rotch 198 



Poisonous Molluscs.— R. Glanvill Corney .... 198 

 The Distance of Nova Persei.— W. E. Wilson, 



F.R.S '98 



Colours of Butterflies not due to Diffraction. — W. B. 



Croft 198 



The (.Hiadrantid Meteors. —John R. Henry .... 198 



Frost Patterns in Mud.— Dr. Catherine A. Raisin . 199 



The Royal Commission on Coal Resources .... 199 

 On Paper and Peroxide of Hydrogsn. (llluslrated.) 



By Dr. W. J. Russell, F.R.S 200 



What are Seismometers Indicating.' By Dr. J. 



Milne, F.R.S 202 



Elementary Medical Education. By F. W. T. . . 203 



Summary of Progress of the Geological Survey . . 204 



Sir J. Henry Gilbert, LL.D, F.R.S 205 



Notes ^06 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences in January 210 



Stars near Nova Persei 210 



Magnetic Observations during Total Solar Eclipse . . 210 



The Total Solar Eclipse, May 18, 1901 210 



Natal Observatory Report for 1900 2IO 



Prize Awards of the Paris Academy of Sciences . 211 



Electric Waves. By C. C. G 211 



The Civilisations of Hallstalt and La Tene. By 



Dr. Robert Munro 212 



University and Educational Intelligence, (llliis- 



holed.) 213 



Societies and Academies 214 



Diary of Societies 216 



