NA TURE 



[August 9, 1906 



ivusbia ; N. de Zinger. — The mobility of the ions pro- 

 duced by the Kernst lamp : L. Bloch.— The experimental 

 study of telegraphic transmission : M. Devaux-Char- 

 bonnel. — The relation existing" between electrical resist- 

 ance and the viscosity of electrolytic solutions : P. 

 Massoulier. The conductivity of solutions of potassium 

 chloride in glycerol has been measured for varying con- 

 centrations of glycerol. The resistance was not found to 

 be strictly proportional to the viscosity, but there i- 

 obviously a relation between the two magnitudes, sincf 

 while the viscosity varied from i to 5-6, the product of 

 conductivity and viscosity only changed from i to 1-3. 

 Similar results were obtained on measuring the conduc- 

 tivity and viscosity of potassium chloride in sugar solu- 

 tions. — The influence of pressure and form of discharge 

 on the formation of ozone : A. Chassy. At pressures 

 below 6 cm. no ozone is formed, no matter how long the 

 experiment is prolonged. This effect would appear to be 

 due to a change in the nature of the discharge at this 

 pressure. — Contribution to the study of ultramarine : C. 

 Chabrie and K. Levallois. The prolonged action of an 

 aqueous solution of silver nitrate at 140° C. upon ultra- 

 marine gives sulphuric acid and silver nitrite, together 

 with nitric oxide. — Zirconium silicide (ZrSi„) and titanium 

 silicide (TiSi,) : Otto Honig^schmid. The reduction of 

 zirconium oxide and the double fluorides of zirconium and 

 titanium by the alumino-thermal method in presence of a 

 large excess of silicon gives the silicides TiSi. and ZrSi,. 

 — The alloys of lead and calciuin : L. Hackspill. The 

 best method of preparing these alloys is the electrolvsis of 

 fused calcium salts with a molten lead kathode. .MIovs 

 containing from 7 per cent, to 21 per cent, of calcium 

 were heated in a vacuum to about 1000" C. ; lead dis- 

 tilled off, and the alloy remaining had the composition 

 Pb,Ca, in each case. — Kathode phosphorescence spectra of 

 terbium and dysprosium diluted with lime : G. Urbain. 

 — Radio-active lead extracted from pitchblende : Jean 

 Danysz, jun. — The constitution of hordenine : E. Leger. 

 Hordenine gives picric acid when treated with nitric acid, 

 and trimethvlamine on the drv distillation of its iodo- 

 methylate. 'The formula {OH)C,II,.CH..CH,.N(CH,), is 

 suggested as the most probable. — The action of phdivl- 

 niagnesium bromide on the esters of the dialkvlamido- 

 bfnzoyl-benzoic acids: J. Perard. — The introduction of the 

 dWi.iphthopyryl and xanthyl radicals into electronegative 

 molecules : R. Fosse and A. Robyn. — The diamino-ncids 

 derived from ovalbumen : L. Hugrounenq and J. 

 Calimard. Egg-albumin has furnished 2-14 per cent, of 

 ar^inine and 2.15 per cent, of lysine. — The mixed crvstals 

 <f barium chloride and bromide: Jean Horbette.-^The 

 production of a new elementary species of maize by 

 traumatism : L. Blaringrhem. — The disease of wine 

 known as " la graisse " : E. Kayser and E. Manceau. 

 — New observations on the retrocerebral apparatus of 

 rotifers : P. Marais de Beauchamp. — .A new method of 

 obtaining crystals of ha?matin in the medico-legal diagnosis 

 of blood spots : MM. Sarda and Caffart.^The Gault and 

 Genomanian of the Seybouse basin : J. Blayac. — The 

 liquefaction, of volcanic carbonic acid in Auvergne. The 

 poison spring of Montpensier : Ph. Clangeaud.— The 

 resistivity of mineral waters, their coefficient of variation 

 with temperature, and the differentiation of natural mineral 

 waters from similar waters made artificiallv : D. 

 Negrreano. — The structure of the Fusilinideae : Henri 

 Douville. — The formation of ground ice : J. de Schokal- 

 sky. \ detailed account of observations on the formation 

 of ground ice in Lake Ladoga, near St. Petersburg. 



C.\PE Tow.v. 

 South African Philosophical Society. Tune 27. — Dr. 

 J. D. F. Gilchrist in the chair. — Opisthobranchiata of 

 South Africa : Prof. Bergr. Forty new species are de- 

 scribed, of which several represent new genera. Both 

 tectibranchs and nudibranchs are well represented, .'\mong 

 the former are eight new species of .\plysia. The differ- 

 ence between the fauna of the east and west coast is 

 marked in these marine animals, the region west of the 

 Cape Peninsula having forms of northern character ; the 

 region to the east of the Cape of Good Hope has more 

 of a tropical Indian character.— ^Dr. R. Broom communi- 



cated five papers : — (i; The early development of the 

 appendicular skeleton of the ostrich, with remarks on the- 

 origin of birds. In the early embryo there are three well- 

 developed toes and two others rudimentary. In the pelvis 

 the pubis and ischiuin are directed downwards and united 

 by pro-cartilage. In the wing there are evidences of four 

 digits. The author holds that birds are descended from 

 bipedal reptiles intermediate between the Pterosaurs and 

 the carnivorous Dinosaurs. (2) Note on the lacertilian 

 shoulder girdle. It is held that all the various cartilaginous 

 and bony bars found in front of the shoulder girdle are- 

 merely parts of the true scapula and coracoid. (3) Some 

 little-known bones in the mammalian skull. .\ number of 

 bones typically present in the reptilian skull, but not 

 generally recognised as occurring among maminals, are 

 shown to be present occasionally. (4) .\ new cynodont 

 reptile from the Molteno beds of Aliwal North. A de- 

 scription is given of a new cynodont, the first reptile that 

 has been discovered in the Molteno beds. (5) A new 

 rhynchocephalian reptile from the Upper Beaufort beds of 

 South Africa. .\ description of a lower jaw of a small 

 reptile allied to Homoeosaurus. This is the oldest true 

 rhynchocephalian known. — Notes on South African cycads : 

 Prof. H. H. W. Pearson. Field observations upon.' 

 Encephalartos Fridcrici-GuiUelmi, Lehm., E. Villosus, 

 Leni., E. AJtciistciiiii, Lehm., and a species of Stangeria. 

 Evidence in support of the insect pollination of E. Villosus 

 is adduced. In E. Fridcrici-Giiilielmi and E, Altcnsteinii 

 the cones are laterally placed, and the growth of the stem 

 is therefore monopodial. The importance of subterraneair 

 branching as a means of vegetative reproduction in 

 Stangeria and in E. Fridcrici-Gniliehni is discussed. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Determination of Orbits. By H. C. P 345 



Induction and Conduction Motors. I;y Val. A. 



Fynn 346 



Subaqueous Tunnelling 34S 



Problems in Metabolism. By W. D. H 349 



Our Book Shelf: — 



Constable : " Poveity and Hereditary Genius ; a 

 Criticism of Mr. Francis Galton's Theory of 



Hetedilary Genius "' 350 



Gierke : " Modern Cosmogonies.'' — R. A. G. ... 35^ 

 Goudie : '" The Geometry of the Screw Propeller " . 350 



Burrows: "Geographical Gleanings" 35^ 



Letters to the Editor: — 



Chinese Observation of Nature. — W. Hoskyns- 



Abrahall 35 f 



A Large Meteor. — W. F. Denning 35 r 



Atmospheric Pressure Changes of Long Duration. 



I IV/f/i Dini,',-,,,,,...) Bv Dr. 'William J. S. Lockyer . 352- 



Sir Walter Lawry BuUer, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. By F. 354: 



The 'Vork Meeting of the British Association . . . 355 



Section A. — Mathematics and Physics. — Opening 



Address by Principal E. H. Griffiths, Sc.D., 



F.R.S., President of the Section 356 



Section B. — Chemist ly. — Opening Address by Prof. 

 Wyndham Dunstan, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S. , 



F.C.S., President of the Section 361 



Notes s^ 



Our Astronomical Colun n : — 



Finlay's Comet (l9o6(/i 371 



Observation of a Bright .Meteor 371 



Double-star Measuies 37 f 



International Conference on Hybridisation and 



Plant. Breeding 37r 



Man and the Glacial Period. (llliistrattJ.) By Prof. 



SoUas, F.R.S 372- 



University and Educational Intelligence .... 373 

 Societies and Academies 374 



NO. 19 19. VOL. 74] 



