72 



NATURE 



[May 17, 1906 



method has been followed up at the Meudon Observatory, 

 various screens being tried. It was found that the best 

 results were obtained when the screen absorbed nearly the 

 whole of the luminous spectrum, leaving only the extreme 

 red and infra-red rays. The ultra-red spectrum has been 

 mapped out in this way down to i ^, and, in certain 

 circumstances, a little further with some difficulty. — A 

 theorem of J. Clark : Maurice d'Ocagne. — The result of 

 the experimental study of a centrifugal ventilator : Henri 

 and L^on Bochet. A study of the Capell ventilator, 

 for which an abnormal yield had been claimed by the 

 inventor. The results generally support the inventor's 

 views. — A galvanometer with a movable needle for 

 alternating currents ; Henri Abraham. The instrument 

 is of the d'Arsonval type, the permanent magnet being re- 

 placed bv an electromagnet excited by an alternating 

 current of the same frequency. In delicate measurements 

 the best results are obtained by exciting the electromagnet 

 by a small auxiliary transformer. Details are given of 

 the sensibility obtainable. — The spectra of alloys : J. 

 de Kowalski and P. B. Huber. Copper-magnesium and 

 copper-zinc alloys were studied. By interposing self-induc- 

 tion in the discharge circuit a larger number of lines dis- 

 appear from the spectrum when the electrodes consist of 

 the pure metal than when an alloy is used. The lines 

 which have disappeared in the spectra of the alloys are 

 the same for the copper-magnesium and the copper-zinc 

 alloys, and belong to copper. The results can be explained 

 bv Prof. J. J. Thomson's views, or by supposing that the 

 mean temperature in the oscillating discharge between the 

 electrodes is higher in the case of the alloy than with the 

 pure metal. — The synthesis of ^0-dimethyl- and ;8/3-tri- 

 methylpimelic acids : G. Blanc. The starting point of this 

 svnthesis is the anhydride of 5/3-dimcthylglutaric acid. 

 This is reduced by sodium and absolute alcohol to a lactone, 

 and the latter, treated by phosphorus pentabromide and 

 alcohol consecutively, gives the ethyl ester of 5-bromo- 

 3;8-dimethylvaleric acid. The condensation of this bromo- 

 compound with the sodium derivative of malonic ester 

 leads to the desired ;86-dimethylpimelic acid. The substi- 

 tution of the sodium derivative of methyl-malonic ester in 

 this condensation gives the trimethylpimelic acid. — The 

 chemical composition of glauconite : Li^on W. Collet and 

 Gabriel W. Lee. The analysis of a fresh sample of 

 glauconite from the collection of Sir John Murray, of the 

 Challenger Office, showed that it is a ferric and not a 

 ferrous silicate. — Overlapping strata in Sicily : Maurice 

 Lu^eon and Emile Argand. — The existence of phenomena 

 of drift earlier than the Stephanian in the region of Saint- 

 Etienne : P. Termier and G. Friedel. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY. May 17. 



ROVAI. Society, at 4.30.— Determinations of Wave-Lenglh from Spectra 

 obtained at the Total Solar Eclipses of igoo, 1901 and 1905 : Prof. F. \V. 

 Dyson, F.R.S.— Some Starswith Peculiar Spectra : Sir Norman Lockyer, 

 K.C.B.. F R.S., and F, E. BaxandalL— An Apparent Periodicity in the 

 Yield of Wheat for Eastern England, 1SS5-1905 : Dr. W. N. Shaw, 

 F.R.S.— Some Physical Constants of Ammonia: a Study of the EfTect of 

 Change of Temperature and Pressure on an Easily Condensible Gas; Dr. 

 E, P. Perman and J. H. Davies. 



Chemical Society, at 8.30.— The Relation between Absorption Spectra 

 and Chemical Constitution, part vi.. The Phenyl Hydrazones of Simple 

 Aldehydes and Ketones : E. C. C. Baly and W. B. Tuck.— Aromatic 

 Compounds obtained from the Hydroaromatic Series, part ii., The 

 Action of Phosphorus Pentachloride on Trimethyldihvdroresorcin ; A. \V. 

 Crossley and J. S. Hills.— Studies of Dynamic Isomerism, part v.. 

 Isomeric Sulphonic-derivatives of Camphor : T. M. Lowry and E. H. 

 Magson.— Studies on Basic Carbonates, part i , Magnesium Carbonates: 

 W. A. Davis. 



Royal Institution, at 5. — The Influence of Ptolemaic Egypt on Grseco- 

 Roman Civilisation : Rev. J. P. Mabaffy. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Notes on Overhead 

 Equipment of Tramways : R. N. Tweedy and H. Dudgeon. 



FRIDAY, May 18. 



.tional Science : Prof. A. Schuster, 



Ro 



SA TURDA y. May 19. 

 Institution, at 3.— The Old and New Chemistry: Sir Ja 



Society of Chemical Industry, at 8. — The Problem of the Electro- 

 chemical Fixation of Nitrogen : Prof. P. A. Guye. 



Victoria Institute, at 4. 30. — Biblical Astronomy, part ii.. The Morning 

 Star : Colonel George MaclCinlay. 



TUBS DA y. May 22. 

 Royal Institution, at 5. — Glands and their Products : Prof. William 



Stirling. 

 Anthropological Institute, at 8. 15.— (i) Exhibition of Slides of Stone 



Monuments from India ; (2) The " Genna " in Assam ; T. C. Hodson. 



WEDIfESDAY, May 23. 



Society of Arts, at 8.— The General Supply of Electricity for Power and 

 other Purposes: J. N. Shoolbred. 



Geological Society, at 8.— On the Importance of Halimeda as a Reef- 

 forming Organism, with a Description of the Halimeda-limestones of the 

 New Hebrides: F. Chapman and Douglas Mawson. -Notes on the 

 Genera Omospira, Lophospira, and Turritoma, with Descriptions of New 

 Species : Miss Jane Donald. 



THURSDAY, May 24. 

 Royal Society, at 4.30. — Croonian Lecture : On the Presence of Special 



Excitable Substances in Striated Muscle and in Tissue Cells : Prof. J. N. 



Langley, F.R.S. 

 Royal Institution, at 5.— Man and the Glacial Period: Proii' VV. J. 



Sollas, F.R.S. 

 Univeksity of London, at 5.— The! Atmospheric Circulation and its 



Relation to Weather: Dr. W. N. Shaw, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Annual General Meeting. 



—Report of Council .and Election of the New Council. 

 Society op Arts, at 4.30.— The Parsis of Persia : Major P. M. Sykes, 



C.M.G- 

 Linnean Society, at 3. — Anniversary Meeting. 



FRIDAY, May 25. 



Royal Institution, at 9. — Compressed Air and its Physiological Effects: 

 Leonard Hill, F.R.S. 



Physical Society, at 5. — Colour Phenomena in Photometry: J. S. Dow. 

 — Exhibition of an Automatic Arc Lamp : H. Tomlinson and Rev. 

 G. T. Johnston.^The Theory of Moving Coil and other Kinds of 

 Ballistic Galvanometers : Prof. H. A. Wilson, F.R.S —Exhibition of a 

 Bifilar Galvanometer free from Zero Creep : A. Campbell. 



SATURDAY, May 26. 



Dewar, F.R.S. 



MONDAY, May 21. 

 Royal Geographical Society, at 3. — Anniversary Meeting.— (i) Pre- 

 sentation of Medals and Awards; (2) Address by the President; (3) 

 Annual Report and Election of President and Council. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Mechanism of the Universe 49 



Prof. Ehlers's "Festschrift." By Dr. F. W. Gamble 50 



The Birds of Tunisia. By O. V! Aplin 51 



Amoebce and their Allies 52 



Our Book Shelf : — 



" Physikalisch-chemisches Centralblatt" 53 



Jones: " The Philosophy of Martineau in Relation to 



the Idealism of the Present Day" 53 



Wragge : " The Romance of the South Seas" . ... 53 

 " The Wild Fauna and Flora of the Royal Botanic 



Gardens, Kew."— R. L 53 



Findlay : " Physical Chemistry, and its Applications in 



Medical and Biological Science" 53 



Letters to the Editor: 



Osmotic Pressure. — W. C. D. Whetham, F.R.S.; 



Earl of Berkeley and E. G. J. Hartley .... 54 

 Diurnal Variation of the lonisation in Closed Vessels. 



— Dr. O. W. Richardson 55 



Defects in Ostrich Feathers in South Africa, (llltis- 



/ni(eJ.)—Pro{. J. E. Duerden 55 



Origin of the Term "Metabatic." — Robert E. Baynes 56 



The Pearl Fisheries of Ceylon, {//liistralcl.) . ■ . 57 

 The Aborigines of Unexplored New Guinea. [Uliis- 



tral,d.\ By Dr. C, G. Seligmann 58 



The Royal Society Conversazione 59 



Notes 61 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Comets 1906/' and 19061- 4 



The Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of .\nierica 64 



Solar Prominences during 1905 65 



The Period of /3 Lyra; 65 



The Sixth International Congress of Applied Che- 

 mistry 65 



The Survey of India 67 



The Iron and Steel Institute 68 



University and Educational Intelligence 69 



Societies and Academies 70 



Diary of Societies 72 



NO. 1907, VOL. 74] 



