582 
placed under the influence of chloral and atropine, and 
the advantages of this method are described. Lzvo- 
rotatory adrenaline, either natural or synthetic, was 
proved to be from 15 to 20 times more active than its 
dextrorotatory isomer. This is in accordance with the 
fact already known, that the synthetic racemic com- 
pound has about half the activity of the natural adren- 
aline.—P. Petit: Some observations on malt amylase. 
Extracts with water or dilute alcohol contain a large 
proportion of foreign material and do not keep. By 
the use of aqueous acetone in the manner described 
a solution of diastase can be prepared the activity of 
which remains constant for several weeks. This Solu- 
tion can be precipitated by a mixture of ether and 
acetone, giving a disastase which can be dried, and 
which is of high activity.—Em. Bourquelot, \{. Bridel, 
and A. Aubry : Researches on the preparation of gluco- 
sides from glycerol with the aid of o-glucosidase. 
Care Town. 
Royal Society of South Africa, June xD de. 
Péringuey, president, in the chair.—R. W. Shufeldt - 
Osteology of Paleornis with other notes on the 
genus. A description is given of one of the most 
abundant parrots of India—Palaeornis torquatus, or 
the ring-parrot—so named for the reason that in the 
adult a ring or collar forms a part of the plumage of 
the neck.—Miss A. V. Duthie: Note on apparent 
apogamy in Pterygodium newdigatae. This paper 
deals with a cleistogamous variety of the South African 
orchid, Pterygodium newdigatae, and is of special 
interest because cleistogamy, rare enough among 
orchids, appears here to be accompanied by apogamy. 
Sections of the ovary and column at various stages of 
development show no trace of pollen tubes. The gland- 
like ** pollen masses,’’? which remain permanently em- 
bedded in the tissue of the rostellum arms, do not 
appear to develop beyond the mother cell stage.—F. 
Eyles: A record of plants’ collected in Southern 
Rhodesia. This record includes representatives of 160 
families, 869 genera, and 2397 species, besides 112 
varieties. The flowering plants are arranged on 
Engler’s system as set out in the “Genera Siphono- 
gamarum”’ of Dr. C.-G. de Dalla Torre and Dr. H. 
Harms, ~- 1900-1907. +The ferns and fern allies are 
arranged in accordance with the system of Engler and 
Prantl, as shown in the check list of flowering plants 
and ferns of the Transvaal and Swaziland by J. Burtt- 
Davy and Mrs. Pott, 1911. With regard to the lower 
cryptogams, the arrangement is that of Strasburger’s 
“Text-book of Botany,”’ r903.—J. S. v. d. Lingen: 
Description of (1) a simple apparatus for finding “a”; 
(2) a simple apparatus for standardising a given 
vibrator. 


BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Prehistoric Society of East Anglia. Report on the 
Excavations at Grime’s Graves, Weeting, Norfolk. 
March-May, 1914. Pp. 254+plates. (London: H. K. 
Lewis.) 5s. net. 
Jahrbuch des Norwegischen Meteorologischen Insti- 
tuts fiir 1914. Pp. xii+147. (Kristiania: Grondahl 
and S6n.) 
Nedboriagttagelser i Norge utgit av det Norske 
Meteorologiske Institut. Aargang xx., 1914. (Kris- 
tiania: Aschehoug and Co.) 3.00 kronen. 
Canada. Department of Mines. Mines 
Petroleum and Natural Gas Resources of Canada. 
Vol. i. By F. G. Clapp and others. Pp. xviii+378. 
(Ottawa: Government Printing Bureau.) 
Lessons in Elementary Physiology. By T. H. Hux- 
ley. Enlarged and revised edition. Pp. xxiv +604. 
(London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 4s. 6d. 
Steam Power. By Prof. W. E. Dalby. Pp. xvit+ 
760. (London: E. Arnold.) 21s. net. 
NO. 2386, VOL. 95] 
Branch. 
NATURE 
ener sn eee ae eee 8 
' 

[JULY 22, Geis 

The Book of France. Edited by Winifred Stephens. 
Pp. xvit272. (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.; 
Paris: E. Champion.) 5s. net. 
Agricultural Laboratory Manual. 
E. S: Sell.. Pp. iv+4o. 
and Co.) 1s. 6d. 
Aids to the Analysis and Assay of Ores, Metals, 
Fuels, etc. By J. J. Morgan. Second edition. Pp. 
vili+138. (London: Bailliére, Tindall and Cox.) 35- 
net. 
The Science of Mechanics. A Critical and Historical 
Account of its Development. By Prof. E. Mach. 
Translated by P. E. B. Jourdain. Pp. xiv+106. 
(Chicago and London: The Open Court Publishing 
Co.) 2s. 6d. net. 
Contributions to the Founding of the Theory of 
Transfinite Numbers. By G, Cantor. Translated by 
P. E. B. Jourdain. Pp. ix+211. (Chicago and Lon- 
don: The Open Court Publishing Co.) 3s. 6d. net. 
Selections from the Scottish Philosophy of Common 
Sense. Edited by G. A. Johnston. Pp. vii+267- 
(Chicago and London: The Open Court Publishing 
Co.) 3s. 6d. net. 
The House Fly: a Slayer of Men. By F. W. Fitz- 
simons. ~ Pp. vit+89. (London: Longmans, Green 
andiG@o;, Ltd.) 1s. net. : 
The British Mycological Society. 
Soils. By Prof. 
(Boston and London: Ginn 
Transactions for 


the Season 1914. Vol. v., parti. May. Pp. xii+ 186. 
(Worcester: E. Baylis and Son.) tos. 6d. 
CONTENTS. PAGE 
Forestry and Trees . oe ee olin Ons <e es > eS Gi 
Dynamometers. By). Eee e oe. eee, 
Mathematical Text-Books . ......, é 558 
Electricity and Magnetism. ByJ.R.. . 559 
Our Bookshelf Ae) oF cada 559 
Letters to the Editor:— 
The Structure of Magnetite and the Spinels.—Prof. 
W.H. Bragg, F.R.S.. . nee A Ga 
The Magnetic Storm of June 17, and Aurora.—Dr. 
Ca Chree, Fo RIS oie cy me antch Cn sien eee 
Surface Tension and Ferment Action.—Dr. W. 
Cramer... ee Km sabe (S150 
Origin of a Mathematical Symbol for Variation.— 
Prof. Florian Cajori bases 562 
Science and Munitions of War. 3d: Re Oe 
The Evolution of the Goniometer, (///ustrated.). . 564 
Chemical Fire-Extinguishers ........... 565 
The Surgery of the War . 566 
Notes : aa coach acs 567 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
AuBright Meteor, July s07iee seein ti ei ones iene 
The Determination of Easter Day. . ....... 571 
Cepheid-Geminid Variability . <3 a a ze 
Variable Stars de Ee eixees) @ 2) 3°, 5) nny 
The Society of Chemical Industry Sas : 572 
The National Physical Laboratory in 1914-15 . 573 
Heating and Ventilating Systems. By L. H. . 574 
Problems of Mine Valuation . . PR oe II 
Recent Progress in Pyrometry, (J//ustvated.) By 
ChasgR. Darling. 5 :)vae meni nee TG 
Members of Scientific Staffs of Universities, Col- 
leges, and Other Institutions on Active Service 
with H.M. Forces F MCRD ECECon ol GS 
University and Educational Intelligence . .. .. 581 
Societiesiand’ Academies 5.) <2 = = 1a onene 581 
Books Received 582 


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