722 
NATURE 
[AucusT 26, 1915 

was found near Pomba (Minas-Geraes), Brazil. A 
spectrographic analysis of the mineral showed the 
presence of titanium, niobium, yttrium, ytterbium, 
erbium. Chemical analy sis proved uranium (4 to II 
per cent. of the oxide), thorium, traces of cerium, tin, 
arsenic, lead, gallium, and gold. Ed. Delorme: A new 
mode of grafting the flexor tendons of the fingers. 
In cases of severe wounds of the palms of the hands, 
with loss of one or more of the flexor tendons, an 
operation has been devised, full details of which are 
given, in which portions of the flexor tendon of the 
fore-arm are grafted over on to the hand.—E. Kayser : 
Contribution to the study of the ferments of rum. It 
is shown that the use of the microscope can render 
great services in rum manufacture: it can prove con- 
tamination, and direct the fermentation to obtain pro- 
ducts of constant composition.—Em. Bourquelot and 
A, Aubry: The influence of soda on the synthetic and 
hydrolytic properties of a-glucosidase (glucosidase from 
low yeast, air dried). A set of ten experiments, in 
which the proportion of caustic soda was gradually 
increased, gave results showing that the~ synthetic 
reaction was not sensibly affected so long as the mix- 
ture remained acid. Ina neutral mixture the reaction 
does not attain its normal equilibrium, and with dis- 
tinct alkaline reaction the synthetic reaction stops, 
although no secondary isomerising reactions have been 
set up by the alkali. 
New SoutH Wates. 
Linnean Society, June 30.—Mr. A. G. Hamilton, 
president, in the chair.—A. R. McCulloch: Notes on, 
and descriptions of, Australian fishes.—H. S. H. 
Wardlaw : The temperature of Echidna aculeata. The 
temperature of Echidna shows a regular daily varia- 
tion of about 3° C., its morning temperature being 
about 30° C., and ‘its afternoon temperature about 
ge (Ge These temperatures are considerably lower 
than the temperatures of most other mammals 
(37° C.). During winter in Sydney, Echidna 
hibernates for short periods at a time. During the 
periods of hibernation, its temperature sinks almost 
to the level of the air, so that Echidna behaves 
like a cold-blooded animal.—R. J. Tillyard: The 
development of the wing-venation in zygopterous 
dragon-flies, with special reference to the Caloptery- 
gid. The paper deals with the tracheation of the 
larval wing in the genera Calopteryx (Palzearctic) and 
Diphlebia (Australian), the only two genera of the 
Calopterygidz available for study. The results are 
most important, since they establish the fact that, 
throughout the suborder Zygoptera, the radius is un- 
branched, whereas in the Anisoptera it always 
possesses a branch, known as the radial sector, which 
crosses over the two most distal branches of the 
media. In the Anisoptera, the media has only three 
branches besides the main stem. In the Zygoptera it 
has four. The extra branch lies between M, and M,, 
and is analogous to, but not homologous with, the 
radial sector. For this newly demonstrated branch 
the name zygopterid sector is proposed, with the nota- 
tion Ms, to preserve the analogy with the radial 
sector Rs. Important results following from this are 
(1) that the crossing of Rs over M,-, no longer 
separates the Odonata from all other insects ; (2) that 
the dichotomy between Anisoptera and Zygoptera be- 
comes far more pronounced than heretofore, by the 
basic difference in the condition of the radius in the 
two suborders; (3) that Handlirsch’s fossil suborder, 
Anisozygoptera, must be dropped; all these fossils, 
tested by the character of the radius, become true 
Zygoptera—Dr. S. J. Johnston : Moreauia mira- 
bilis, gen, et sp.noy., a remarkable trematode para- 
sitic’ in Ornithorhynchus. This worm lives in the 
anterior part of the intestine of the platypus, in the 
NO. 2391, VOL. 95] 

) 
spaces between the transverse folds of the mucous 
membrane, where it lies completely hidden. It is re- 
markable in its lateral expansion, being five times as 
broad as it is long. It is so different in its structure 
from known forms that it is looked upon by the writer 
as the representative of a new subfamily with fairly 
close affinities to Liolopina. 

BOOKS RECEIVED. 
The Yearbook of the Universities of the Empire, 
Igi5. Pp. xii+717. (London: H. Jenkins, Ltd.) 
7s. 6d. net. 
The National University of Ireland. Calendar for 
the year 1915. Pp. cIxxxiv+583. (Dublin.) 
Théses présentées a la faculté des Sciences de 
l’Université de Paris. Série A. No. 764. Pp. 155. 

(Marseille : Barlatier.) 
Outlines of Sociology. By Prof. F. W. Blackmar 
and Dr. J. L. Gillin. Pp. viiit586. (New York: 
The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan and 
Co., Ltd.) 8s. 6d. net. 
Elementary Algebra. By F. Cajori and L. R. 
Odell. Pp. vit+206. (New York: The Macmillan 
Company; London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 3s. 
net. 
CONTENTS. PAGE 
Evolution: Organic and Social. 695 
Books on Cotton Production .. 607 
Plant-Life in South Africa and California “1 BOOS 
mhe Ply, Pest. . By .H-M2E7 1 eee 
Our Bookshelf Cre eM oS GO. ro 700 
Letters to the Editor:— ; 
The Analogy between Radicles and Elements.—Prof. 
E. H. Buchner . . 701 
The Density of Molecules in Interstellar Space. —Dr. 
Louis Vessot King 701 
The Great Aurora of June 16; 1915. —Prof, E. E. 
Barnard é 703 
Use of Celluloid in 1 Periscope Mirrors. Edward M, 
Langley . et as 
Foreign Philosophers. —Hugh Richardson . 703 
French Magnanimity.—Gordon D. Knox. . 703 
Antarctic Fossil Plants. (J///ustrated.) By D. H. is 704 
Future Competition with Germany. By Sir William 
Ramsay,-K.C.B., BR RiSitsa sy -o eile ie eee 705 
Prof, Paul Ehrlich Par ti etic to: One 707 
Frederick Victor Dickins, Bey ae 708 
Notes : Pitre ec PO) 708 
Our Astronomical Column :— 
The August Perseids . eicereen Ont O87 
The Tube Arc Spectrum of Tron : 713 
Control of. Australian Observatories : 713 
Proper Motions of the Stars by Stereoscope : 713 
Solar Vortices  . 713 
Life-Habits of the Okapi. ” By Sir H. H. “Johnston, 
GiCIM-G? KC! B: ene 713 
The South African Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science—Pretoria Meeting. —Presidential 
Address. Ly Robert Thorburn Ayton Innes 714 
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of 
Teaching «ss Shee. 
University and Educational Intelligence 721 
Societies and Academies ahd, 721 
Books Received 722 


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