May 22, 1913] 



NATURE 



3i; 



Between 250 and 900 , this gives a value for L/T 

 approximating to 22, the original Trouton constant. — 

 Ph. Barbier and R. Locquin : The methodical degrada- 

 tion of some monobasic and dibasic acids (see p. 303). 

 — MM. Fayet and Schaumasse : The provisional orbit of 

 the new comet 1913a (Schaumasse). The comet will 

 be best seen about the beginning of June.— Gaston 

 Cotty : The reduction of binary quadratic forms with 

 integral coefficients in a real quadratic body. — E. 

 Landau : Lambert's series. — Jules Andrade : Lateral in- 

 dependence of the balance spring in marine chrono- 

 meters. Diminution of the variation from isochronism 

 due to inertia. — A. Cotton and H. Mouton : The mag- 

 netic double refraction of liquids. The magneti< 

 double refraction of solutions of nitrobenzene in carbon 

 tetrachloride shows wide variation from an additive- 

 law ; the specific double refraction of the nitrobenzene 

 appears to be reduced by the addition of an inactive 

 diluent. — R. Fortrat : The simplification of lines of the 

 spectrum by the magnetic field. A study of the effect 

 on the lines of a very strong magnetic field (40,000 

 Gauss). In the case of the green band of carbon 

 the field reduced all the doublets to single lines, and 

 the triplets were also reduced to single lines when 

 the three lines were fairly close together. Similar 

 effects were also noted in the blue band of the Swan 

 spectrum, and the spectrum of the negative pole of 

 nitrogen. The phenomenon appears to be general in 

 band spectra. — M. de Broglie and F. A. Lindemann : 

 The optical phenomena presented by the Rontgen rays 

 meeting crystalline media. An examination of the 

 various hypotheses proposed for explaining the pro- 

 duction of fringes described in an earlier paper. The 

 hypothesis that the fringes are caused by reflections 

 on the cleavage planes of the crystal agrees best with 

 the experimental results. — L. Gay : The calculation of 

 the latent heats of evaporation. A modification of the 

 Clapyron formula is proposed, partly based on Nernst's 

 expression. — Louis Hackspill : The solid hydrogen 

 phosphides. The alkaline phosphides of the type 

 MjP s , described in a previous communication, give a 

 solid hydrogen phosphide on treatment with dilute 

 acetic acid, and this on analysis gives figures agree- 

 ing with the composition H 2 P S . — J. Bougault : Phenyl- 

 c-oxycrotonic acid, its preparation and a new 

 isomeride. A study of the best conditions of obtaining 

 the acid from its amide; the hydrolysis of the latter 

 is best carried out by heating with a solution of oxalic 

 acid. An isomeride was obtained in the course of 

 this work which differed from those previously known ; 

 it would appear to be the enolic form of benzoyl- 

 propionic acid. — Edouard Bauer : i-Benzoyl-2-plu j n\i- 

 A^-cyc/opentene. — Maurice Lugeon and Mile Elisabeth 

 Jeremine : The presence of limestone bands in the 

 Swiss part of the massif of the Aiguilles 

 Rouges. — V. Vermorel and E. Dantony : Fungicidal 

 pasty solutions possessing moistening power. It is 

 important that the copper preparations used in viti- 

 culture should moisten the leaves. This effect can be 

 secured by the addition of gelatine to solutions with 

 acid reaction and casein to alkaline solutions. — Ch. 

 Brioux and M. Guerbet : Sulphur in the soil : study of 

 its oxidation. The oxidation of the sulphur in the 

 soil is shown to be due to microbial action. The 

 phenomenon is complicated, several bacteria appear- 

 ing to take part in the oxidation. — J. M. Lahy : 

 Organic adaptation in states of attention. — Raoul 

 Bayeux : The comparative resistance of the dog and 

 the rabbit to intravenous injections of carbonic acid. 

 The ratio between the receptivity of the dog and the 

 rabbit is the same for carbonic acid as for oxvgen ; in 

 the two cases the volume of the former gas is five 

 times greater than that of the latter. — P. Chausse : 

 The methods to be used for experimental tuberculosis 

 NO. 2273, VOL. 91I 



by inhalation. Details of the methods used for the 

 pulverisation of wet and dry virus. — Jacques I'ellegrin ; 

 A new genus of the Centrarchideae of the Gabon. — 

 Charles Lepierre : The replacement of zinc by copper in 

 the culture of Aspergillus uiger. Copper, like cadmium, 

 uranium, and beryllium, may replace zinc in Raulin's 

 solution, and has the same effect in causing a rapid 

 growth of the mould. — H. Bierry and Z. Gruzewska : 

 The estimation of glycogen in the muscles. — Em. 

 Bourquelot, H. Herissey, and M. Bridel : The bio- 

 chemical synthesis of the glucosides of alcohols 

 (a-glucosides) by the aid of a ferment, a-glucosidase, 

 contained in the yeast from low beer, air dried. a-Pro- 

 pylglucoside and a-allylglucoside. — L. Cayeux : The 

 genesis of sedimentary iron minerals. — Pierre Bonnet : 

 The structure of the chains between Lake Gcekti hai 

 and the Araxe. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Atlas Notes. By J. C. Chute. Pp. 82. (London : 

 Oxford University Press.) is. 



Dent's Practical Notebooks of Regional Geography. 

 By Dr. H. Piggott and R. J. Finch. Book iii. 

 Africa. (London: J. M. Dent and Sons, Ltd.) 6d. 

 net. 



The Fishes of the Stanford Expedition to Brazil. 

 By Prof. E. C. Starks. Pp. 77 + xv plates. (Cali- 

 fornia : Stanford University.) 



The Statesman's Year-Book, 1913. Edited by Dr. 

 J. Scott Keltie, assisted by Dr. M. Epstein. Pp. 

 xcvi+1452+x plates. (London: Macmillan and Co., 

 Ltd.) 10s. 6d. net. 



The National Physical Laboratory. Report for the 

 Year 1912. Pp. 123. (Teddington : W. F. Parrott.) 



Report for 1912 on the Lancashire Sea-Fisheries 

 Laboratory at the University of Liverpool and the Sea- 

 Fish Hatchery at Piel. Edited by Prof. W. A. Herd- 

 man. Pp. 318+iii plates + v charts. (Liverpool: C. 

 Tinling and Co., Ltd.) 



Flowerless Plants : How and Where They Grow. 

 By S. L. Bastin. Pp. xi+ 152 + plates. (London: 

 Cassell and Co., Ltd.) 6s. net. 



Metamorphose der Muraenoiden. By Dr. B. Grassi. 

 Pp. x + 2ii + xv plates. (Jena: G. Fischer.) 50 

 marks. 



Papers Set in the Mathematical Tripos, Part i., in 

 the University of Cambridge, 1908-12. Pp. 70. 

 (Cambridge University Press.) 2S. 6d. net. 



A Text-Book of Thermodynamics (with Special 

 Reference to Chemistry). By J. R. Partington. Pp. 

 viii + 544. (London : Constable and Co., Ltd.) 14s. 

 net. 



The Laws of Thermodynamics. By W. H. 

 Macaulay. Pp. viii + 71. (Cambridge University 

 Press.) 3s. net. 



The Principles of Projective Geometry applied to the 

 Straight Line and Conic. By J. L. S. Hatton. Pp. 

 x + 366. (Cambridge University Press.) 10s. 6rf. net. 



Insects: Their Life-Histories and Habits. By H. 

 Bastin. Pp. xii + 349 + xlvi plates. (London and 

 Edinburgh : T. C. and E. C. Jack.) 7s. 6d. net. 



Mathematical Physics. Vol. i., Electricity and 

 Magnetism. By C. W. C. Barlow. Pp. vii + 312. 

 (London : W. B. Clive.) 4s. 6d. 



An Index to the Scientific Contents of the Journal 

 and Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia. Pp. xiv + 1419. (Philadelphia: 

 Academy of Natural Sciences.) 3.50 dollars. 



The Social Guide, 1913. Edited by Mrs. H. Adams 



