.552 



NA TURE 



[Ai'iai. lo, 1902 



of nitrogen, by M. H. Deslandres. Four distinct groups, 

 characterised by their limits of vibration frequency, have been 

 nriade out in the spectrum of nitrogen. Cuthbcrtson has recently 

 shown that the forty bands of the first group can be arranged in 

 thirteen series. Some further regularities in these series are 

 discussed in the present paper.— The cause of the annual period 

 of the aurora borealis, by M. Charles Nordmann. It is known 

 that in mean latitudes the frequency of the aurora possesses a 

 double annual periodicity such that the maxima are at the 

 equinoxes and the minima at the solstices. The author deduces 

 a theoretical explanation of this, which is independent of all 

 hypotheses as to the nature or production of the aurora —On 

 the composition of the lodes of Kersanton, by M. Ch. Barrois. 

 The veins of Kersanton are distinguished from ordinary veins 

 by their composite structure ; they have been slowly consoli- 

 dated under the influence of pneumatolithic phenomena for a 

 very long time. The fads observed are in accord with the 

 theory of M. Michel Levy.— An examination of the meteoric 

 iron of Guatemala, by M. Stanislas iMeunier. Analysis showed 

 that the Guatemala iron belongs to the Schwelzite type and is 

 .similar to the masses of Descubridora (Mexico, 17S0), Werchne- 

 Udinsk (Siberia, 1S54) and Schwelz (Prus.sia, 1857).— The best 

 methods of realising stereoscopic radioscopy, by M. Th. 

 Guilloz. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, April io. 

 CAl. Society, at 5.30.— ANote on Divergent Series: Dr. 

 vo-dimensional Elastic Systems : 



and •Au. 



Math 



Hobson, K.R S. 



Prof. Love, F.R.S 

 Institution OF Electrical Enginkers, at 8.— Problems of Electric 



Railw.iys : J. Swinburne and W. R. Cooper. 

 RovAL Institution, at 3.-The Oxygen Group of Elements: Prof. 



Dewar, F.R.S. 



FRIDAY, Apr 



Physical Societv, at s.-An App.-iratus or Vapour-pressure Measure- 

 ments : Mr. Grant.— (1) The use of Cathode Rays for AlternaiinE- 

 Current Measuremenls ; (=> An Experiment on the Current Growth in an 

 Inductive Circuit: Mr. Morris.— An Electric Heater: Dr R 'V 

 Leiifeldt.—Nole on the Compound Pendulum: S A F. White 



RovAi Astronomical SociEl-y at j.-d) Cape Double Star Results, ,901 : 

 (2) Notes on Nebula; : Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope.— Explana- 

 tion of Use of Tables of 4 (« -f cos B): W. S. Aldis.-On Stationary 

 Meteor R.-,d,ants; Third Paper: H H. Turner. -Results of Double 

 Star Measures at Windsor, New South Wales, in 1901 : I. Tebbutt — 

 Saturn seen through the Cassini Division : C. T. Whitmell.-On the 

 Probable Motion of some of the Small Si.,rs in the Dumbbell Nebula: 

 3^.. -t-.. Barnard.— On the Supposed Variability of k Persei and 36 

 Persei and a Comparison of the Photographic and Visual Macni- 

 ■Uides of those Star.: W. H. Robinson. -/VoiaW,- fafer: On ihe 

 Relative Number of Slar Images photographed in Uifferent Parts of the 

 Plate, and on the Performance of Various Object-Glasses in this respect : 



Mai.acological Societv, at 8. 



KovAL Institution, at 9.— Problems of the Atmosphere : Prof. Dewar, 



MONDAY, April 14. 



Societv OK Arts, at 8.— Glass for Optical Instruments: Dr. R. T. Gla;-e- 



brook, F.R.S. 

 KovAL Geographical Society, at 8.30.— A Journey from Omdumian 



to Mombasa via Lake Rudolf: Major H. H. Austin, C.M.G. 



TUESDAY, KvKM. 13. 



Zoological Society, at 8 30.— Contributions to the Osteology of Birds- 

 Part V. Kalcoiiiformes : W. P. Pycrafl.— On the Windpipe and the 

 Heart of the Condor: F E. Beddard, F.R.S.— Field-notes upon some of 

 the larger Mammals of Pat.-igonia : Hesketh Pritchard. 



Royal Institition. al 3.- Recent Methods and Resulls in Biological 

 Inquiry : Ur. Allan Macfr.dyen. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at i.—Dtscusaion : The Greenwich 

 Footway-Tunnel : W. C. Copperthwaite.— Subaqueous Tunnelling 

 through the Thames Gravel, Baker Street and Waterloo Railway : 

 A. H. Haigh.— /'<i/«r lo bt read: On Locomolive Pire-box Stays: 

 F. W. Webb. 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5.— Factory Legislation considered with 

 reference to the Wages, &c., of the Operatives protected thereby : Geo. 

 H. Wood. 



WEDNESDA Y, April 16. 



Society of Arts, at 8. — Phologr.-tpby .-is applied to Architeciural 



Measurement and Surveying: J. Bridges Lee. 

 Geological Society, at 8 (i) The Carlisle Earthquakes of July 9 and 



11, 1901 ; (2) The Inverness EarthquaUe of Sep en.litr 18, 1901, and its 



Accessory Shocks: Dr. Charles Davison.— The Woods Point Dyke, 



Victoria (Australia) : F. P. Menncll. 

 RovAL MiCRO-copiCAL SociETV, at 7.30.— Exhibition of Pond Life. 

 fcN-roMOLoGiCAi SOCIETY, al 8.— On ihe Economic Importance of the 



Parasites of Coccidje : Alice L. I< mblcton.— Eastern and Australian 



Geometrid.x in ihe British Museum Collection : Colonel Chailes 

 Swinhoe. 

 Royal Meteorological Society, at 7.3c. — Clouds: Ctrl. D. Wilson- 

 Baiker. 



THURSDAY. April 17. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Oxygen Gioup of Elimenis: Piof. 

 Dewar, F.R S. 



Socif.ty of Arts, at 4.30 — Recent Developments io Punjab Irrigation : 

 Sidney Preston. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8 —The Anatomy of Todca with Notes on ihe 

 Affinity and Geological History of ihe Osmundarcx- : A. C.Seward, 

 F.R S., and Miss Sybil O. Ford- On the New Zealand Phyllobranchiate 

 Crust.-icea, Miicrura: G. M.Thomson. 



Chemical Society, at 8.-Oxonium Salts of Fluoram and its Derivatives : 

 J. T. Hewitt and I. H. Tervel —The Influence of certain Acidic 

 Oxides on the Specific Rotations of Lactic Acid and Potassium Lactate : 

 G. G. Hen.lerson .and D. Frentice.-(i) The Amounts of Nitrogen as 

 Ammonia and as Nitric Acid, and Chlorine in the R.tin-waler collected 

 at Rolhamsled ; (j) The Amounts of Nitrogen as Nitrates and Chlorine 

 in the Drainage through uncnpped and unmanuied land: N. H. J. 

 Miller. 



FRIDAY, April i^. 

 Royal I.vstitution, at 9 —The .-Autocar : Sir J. H. A. Macdonald. 

 Epidemiological Society, at 8.30. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at B.— The Erewash Valley Widening 



and Toton Sidings : H. C. M. Austen. 

 Institution of Mechanical Engineers, at 8. — The Slandardi/alion 



of Pipe Flanges and Flange Fittings : R. E. Atkinson. 



NO. 1693, VOL. 65] 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Sense Organs in the Vegetable Kingdom. By 



Francis Darwin, F.R.S 529 



A New Treatise on the Calculus. By Prof. George 



M. Minchin, F.R.S 530 



Lectures on Electricity and Light 532 



Our Bookshelf:— 



Slate: "The Principles of Mechanics"; Roberts : # 



" A Treatise on Elementary Dynamics " 532 



Molisch : " Studien ii. d. Milchsaft v. Schleimsaft 



der I'tlanzen " 532 



Keep : " Cast lion : a Record of Original Research" 533 



Cooke: "Test Papers in General Knowledge" . . . 533 



Geikie : " Cl.ass liook of Geology '' 533 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Transport of Molluscs by Waterfowl. — Frank Finn . 534 



Preservatives in Milk. — L.J. Serin; Editor . . . 534 

 Rearrangement of Euclid Bk. L, pt. i. — Prof. 



Alfred Lodge 534 



Protoplasmic Networks. — Henry M. Bernard . . . 534 



Beechen Hedges on Elevated Ground. — Wm. Gee. . 535 

 Meristiq Variation in Trochus Zizyphinus. (Illiis- 



/rafe(i.)~~'W . B. Randies 535 



Formula for the Perimeter of an Ellipse. — H. 



Tomkys 536 



Sounds Associated with Low Temperatures. — Spen- 

 cer Pickering, F.R.S. 536 



.Sun Pillars. — H. B. Knowles 536 



Luminous Bacteria. {///iis/rauJ.) By J. E. Bar- 

 nard Si6 



International Committee of Weights and Measures 538 



Sir John Donnelly, K.C.B 538 



Notes 539 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



The Kelix Melecrite. {/.'/itsha/fi/) 543 



On the Relation between Intelligence and the Size 



and Shape of the Head 543 



The Exploration of the Atmosphere at Sea by 



means of Kites (Illiislraled) 545 



University and Educational Intelligence 545 



Sc entific Serials 546 



Societies and Academies. (Illiis/raied) 547 



Diary of Societies 552 



