April 17, 19 13] 



NATURE 



181 



with constant curvature. — Entile Jouguet : The pro- 

 pagation of deflagrations and the limits of in- 

 flammability. — Henri Chretien j A variant of the 

 method of coincidences. In the comparison of two 

 •chronometers a curious stereo-acoustic phenomenon 

 was observed by means of which the coincidences of 

 the beats could be accurately observed. — A. Tian : A 

 new mode of construction of quartz-mercury vapour 

 lamps. A description of a simple form of mercury 

 lamp, easily constructed in the laboratory out of a 

 small transparent quartz test-tube. — Maurice Billy : 

 A simple method for determining the density of 

 mineral powders. The adsorbed air on the particles 

 of powder is replaced by carbon dioxide by evacuating 

 and admitting carbon dioxide to the flask containing 

 the weighed powder. A dilute solution of an alkali of 

 known density replaces the water in the density deter- 

 mination. Any carbon dioxide clinging to the powder 

 is dissolved by the solution. Comparative measure- 

 ments of the density of a solid before and after 

 powdering showed that the accuracy was of the order 

 of 1 in 3000, or about ten times that of the usual 

 method. — Louis Dunoyer : A remarkable case of optical 

 resonance. A description of a resonance phenomenon 

 observed in sodium vapour. — L. Gay : The adiabatic 

 expansion of liquids. An account of an experimental 

 method for determining the expansion produced in 

 liquids by adiabatic expansion from 2 to I atmosphere. 

 — G. Wyrouboff : Some observations concerning the 

 note of Mile. Feytis on the magnetism of anhydrous 

 and hydrated salts. The author regards a hydrated 

 and dry salt as possessing quite different constitutions, 

 and regards the measurements of Mile. Feytis as con- 

 firming these views. — M. Emm. Pozzi-Escot : A new 

 double sulphate of silver and cerium. The new salt 

 has the composition ioCe(SO,)„.6Ag„S0 4 . — A. Colani : 

 The solubility of thorium oxalate. Data are given for 

 the solubilities in hydrochloric and oxalic acids. — Paul 

 Lebeau and Marius Picon : The action of monosodium 

 acetylene upon the alcoholic iodides. The preparation 

 of true acetylenic hydrocarbons The sodium derivative 

 of acetylene is prepared by the action of acetylene upon 

 sodammonium in solution in liquid ammonia at 

 — 50° C. The alky] iodide is added to this solution and 

 a quantitative yield of the alkylacetylene is obtained. 

 Details of the preparation of allylene and hexine by 

 this method are given. — F. Bodroux : Catalytic ester 

 formation in dilute solution ; the preparation of ethyl 

 acetate. In presence of a suitable catalyst ethyl 

 acetate is formed from alcohol, and acetic acid in 

 dilute solutions of sulphuric acid. — E. C. Teodoresco : 

 The action of high temperatures on dried nucleases 

 of plant origin. The dried nucleases of the three 

 plants studied do not lose all their activity towards 

 sodium nucleate until after thirty minutes' heating to 

 temperatures varying between 141 C. and 162° C. — 

 Maurice Lenoir : The commencement of vascular differ- 

 entiation in the plantule of Veronica. — Marcel Dubard 

 and J. A. Urbain : The influence of the albumen on the 

 development of the embryo. The albumen is not in- 

 dispensable to development, but its influence is favour- 

 able, especially during the first days of germination. 

 — L. Armand : The kinetic phenomena of the hetero- 

 typical prophase in Lobelia crimes. — M. Marage : The 

 inscription of the respiratory movements bv means of 

 the hand. — Edgard Herouard ; The relations between 

 the depression and formation of the tentacular pseudo- 

 planula in the Scyphistome. — A. Quidor : l.amarckina 

 caligusa and the evolution of the Lernaeidae. — F. 

 Picard : Parthenogenesis in Phthorimaea operculeUa. — 

 Lucien Cavel : Sulphur and its variations in the bio- 

 logical treatment of sewage. The determination of 

 combined sulphur in sewasre which has passed through 

 various stages of purification throws some light on the 

 NO. 2268, VOL. 91] 



! proportion ot unattacked albumen. The combined 

 sulphur in a sewage effluent should be very small, if 



1 the purification has been properly carried out. — M. 

 Maze : The alcoholic fermentation of lactic acid. The 

 organism employed caused the destruction of nearly 

 all ill' lactic acid present; alcohol and formic acid are 

 the primary products, but the alcohol i> acted on and 

 acetic acid formed. — Em. Bourquelol and M. Bridel : 

 The synthesis of galactosides of alcohols by means of 

 emulsin ; /3-methylgalactoside and 3-allylgalactoside. A 

 description of the preparation and properties of these 

 two galactosides, the latter being new. — Henri 

 Dominici, Mine. Simone Laborde, and Albert Laborde : 

 Study on the injection of radium salts. Radium salts 

 are eliminated from the system with extreme slowness. 

 — Jacques Deprat : The succession of the Permian and 

 Carboniferous strata in Indo-China. — Edmond 

 Bordage : Researches relating to the extension of the 

 nummulitic sea on the right bank of the Gironde. — A. 

 Leclere : The genesis of sedimentary iron minerals. 



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