NA TURE 



[November 25, 1909 



on the frequency of laminated types. — F. , Grandjean : 

 The optical study of tlie absorption of lieavy vapours by 

 certain zeolites. The substances absorbed by the crystal 

 of zeolite affect the optical properties of the crystal to a 

 marked extent. The optical properties found are never 

 intermediary between those of the crystal and those of the 

 body absorbed. — Fernand Gueguen : The existence of 

 sclerotes in Mucor sphacrosporiis. — R. Anthony and 

 \V. B. Pietkiewicz : New experiments on the rSIc of 

 crotaphytic muscle (temporal) on the morphological con- 

 stitution of the skull and face. — Louis Lapicque : The 

 theory of electrical stimulation : a hydraulic analogy. — 

 M. Baudran : Artificial media capable of attenuating or 

 strengthening the virulence of Koch's bacillus. The 

 formulas of the two media differ only in the use of iron 

 in the one and manganese in the other. The one contain- 

 ing iron causes a marked attenuation in the virulence of 

 the bacilli grown in it ; the replacement of the iron by 

 manganese, on the other hand, has the exactly contrary 

 effect. — MM. Trillat and Saiiton : The action of putrid 

 gases on micro-organisms. The putrid gases arising from 

 the decomposition of animal extracts were allowed to act 

 on yeast, parallel cultures of the same yeast without the 

 addition of such gases being made at the same time. The 

 effect on the yeast was measured by the alcohol produced. 

 Both increases and decreases in the fermentative action 

 were observed, the effect depending on the proportion of 

 gas present. — .Alfred Angot : The earthquake of November 

 10, iqog. Details of the traces of the seismographs at 

 Pare Sainl-Maur Observatory. The epicentre was calcu- 

 l.nted to be at a distance of 8700 kilometres. — M. Audouin : 

 Observations made in the course of the Tilho expedition. 

 — M. de Beauchamp : The working of the apparatus for 

 the protection of the Vicnne district against hail and 

 thunderstorms during the year igog. The protection during 

 the year has been very satisfactory, and the system is to 

 be further extended. — A. Gruvel : Resume of some scien- 

 tific observations made on the coasts of Mauritania fN. 

 .Africa) from 1905 to igog. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Novi-mber 23. 



RoVAL SociETV, at 4.10.— On the Chanee in Hue of Spectrum Tolours 

 by Dilution ivith While Light: Sir Willi.-im de \V. .Al.ney, K.C.B., 

 F.RS.— On the Nature of the Hydrogen Flocciili and their .Structure 

 at Different Levels in the Sol.ar Atmosphere: Prof. G. E. Hale, 

 For.Mem.R.S., and F. FJlerman.— 1 he Boiling Point of Sulphur cor- 

 rected by Reference to New Observations on the Absolute Expansion of 

 Mercury: Prof H. L. Callendar, F.R.S., and H. Moss.— (i) On the 

 Refraction and Dispersion of Neon ; (2I On the Refraction and Disper- 

 sion of Air, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Nilrog»n ; (3) On the Refraction 

 and Dispersion of Sulphur Dioxide and Hydrogen Sulphide, ard their 

 Relation to those of iheir Constituents : C. Cuthberlsnn and M. Cnth- 

 bertson.— On Flapping Flight : Prof M. F. Fitzgerald.— The Crystalline 

 Structure of Iron at High Temperatures: W. Rosenhain and \. C. \V. 

 Humfrey.— The Relation of Thallium to the .Alkali Metals : a =iudy of 

 Thallium-zinc Sulphate and Selenate : Dr. A. E H. Tutton, F.R.S.— 

 On the Nature of the Diffraction Figures due to the Heliometer: P. F. 

 Everitt.— The Motional Effecis of the Maxwe'l ^iher-Stress : E. Cun- 

 ningham.— The Aberrations of a Symmelrical Optical Instrument: Dr. 

 H C. Pocklington, F.R.S.— The Spectrum of Radium Emanation: 

 H. E. Watson.— The Electric Conductivity and Density of Solutions of 

 Hydrogen Fluoride: Prof. E. G. Hill and Dr. A. P. Si.k.ar.- Sleeping 

 Sickness in Uganda. Duration of the Infectivlty of the Glossintt 

 pnlfalis after the Removal of the Lake shore Population : Colonel Sir 

 D.<vid Bruce, C.B., F.RS , Captains A. E. Hamerton and H. R. P.ate- 

 man, R.A.M.C, and Captain F. P. Mackie, LM.S. 



Institutjon of Ki.iccTKirAL Enginekrs, at 8.— The Present Aspects of 

 Electric Lighting : H. W. Handcock and A. H. Dykes. 



FRIDAY, November 26. 

 Physical Socikty, at 5.— The Effective Resistance and Inductance of a 

 Helical Coil: Dr. J. W. Nicholson —Ductile Materials under Combined 

 Stress: W. A. Scoble.-The Recoil of Radium C from Radium B : Dr. 

 W. Makower and Dr. Sidney Russ — The Sun's Motion with Respect to 

 the ^ther : Dr. C. V. Burton. 



MONDAY, November 29. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 8. — Aeronautics : C. C. Turner. 

 Institute of Actuaries, at 5.— American Railway Securities as Invest- 

 ments for Insurance Companies : H. Ansell. 



TUESDAY, November 30. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30.— Agricultural Development in Nyasa- 



land : S. Simpson. 

 RovAL Anthropological Institute, at 8.15. — The Pit Dwellings at 



Holderness: Canon Greenwell, F.R.S.. and Rev. R. A. Gatly. 

 Faraday Society, at 8.— On the Electro-analvtical Determination of 



Lead as Peroxide : Dr. H. J. S. Sand.— 1 he Calorimelrical Analysis of 



Hydrated Salt : Prof. F. G. Donnan and Dr. G. D. Hope.-(i) Un the 



Influence of Dissolved Gases on the Electrode Potential in the System 

 Silver-Silver Acetate, aq, ; (2) Contributions to the Study of lonisation in 

 -Aqueous Solutions of Lead Acetate and Cadmium Acetate: A. Jacques. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Further discussion : The 

 Single-phase Electrification of the Hevsham, Morerambeand Lancaster 

 Branch of the Midland Railway : J. Dilziel and J. Sayers.— The Equip- 

 ment and Working-results ot the Mersey Railway under Steam and 

 under Electric Traction : J. Shaw.— The Efl'ect of Electrical Operation 

 on the Permanent-way Maintenance of Railways, as Illustrated on the 

 Tyncmouth Branches of the North-Eastern Railway: Dr. C. A.Harrison. 



WEDNESDAY, December i. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— Improvements in Resilient Wheels for 

 Vehicles : Hon. R. C. Parsons. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8.— The Composition of Cream : R. R. 

 Tatlcck and R. T. Tliomson.— Analyses of Vulcanised Rubber Goods : 

 Clayton Beadle and Henry P. Stevens.- On the Gravimettic Estimation 

 of Nickel in Nickel Steel: E. L. Rh-;ad.— Notes on the Milk Supply 

 of Two Large Towns : F. W. F. Arnaud and Edwaid Russell. 



Geological Society, at 8.— The Tremadoc Slates and Associated Rocks 

 of South-east Carnarvonshire: W. G. Fearnsides.-On some Small 

 Trilobites from the Cambrian Rocks of Comley, .Shropshire : E. S. 

 Cobbold.-(i) The Rock of Pulau Ubin and Pulau Nanas, Singapore ; 

 (2) The Tourmaline-Corundum Rocks of Kinta, Federated Malay States : 

 J. B. Scrivenor. 



Entomological Society, at 8. — Discussion on Agriades coridon and 

 A. thetis {betlargns), opened by Mr. J. W. Tutt. 



THURSDAY, December 2. 



Royal Society, at 4.30. 



Rontgen Society, at 8.15.— Some Effects of Ele 

 Photographic Plates : Prof A. W. Porter. 



LiNNEAN Society, at 8.- Nudibtanchs from the Indian Ocean: Sir Chas. 

 Eliot, K.C.M.G.— Trichoptera von Mr. Hugh Scott, auf den Seychellen 

 gesammelt : Dr. Georg Ulmer. — Report on the Brachiopoda obtained 

 from the Indian Ocean by the Sealark Expedition, 1005: Dr. W. H. 

 Dall.— Nairative uf itie SiaUrk Expedition, Part III. :' Prof. J. .Stanley 

 Gardiner, F.R S., and others. 



FRIDAY, December 3. 

 In.stitution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— The Design of Generating 

 Stations: G. Ingram. 



al Discharge: 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The "Origin of Species ' and its Lessons. By 



Prof. R. Meldola, F.R S 91 



Alpine Hydrology. By B. C 93 



The Science of Pathology 94 



A New Way in Arithmetic. By G. B. M 95 



Lissajoub's Figures. By Prof. C. V. Boys, F.R.S. . 96 

 Our Book Shelf: — 



Gunn : "Cattle of Southern India." — R. L g6 



Davey : " Flora of Cornwall " 97 



Osborne: " The Elements of Anitnal Physiology" .. 97 

 Alcock and Ellison : " A Text-book of E.xpeiimenlal 



Physiology for Students of Medicine." — W. D. H. 97 

 Bag'haw : "Elementary Photo-micrography." — J. E. 



Barnard 97 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Inheritance of Acquired Characters. — A. Bacot ; 



Prof, Arthur Dendy, F.R.S 98 



RaiUo- Activity and the Rocks.— Hon. R. J. Strutt, 



F.R.S 98 



The Auroral Display of October 18.— F. C. Jordan . 98 



Large Flying-fish. — C. Howard Tripp 98 



Spinal Anaesthesia ByA. C. J. 99 



The Causes of the Germinative Processes of Seeds. 



By Prof. J. Reynolds Green, F.R.S gg 



Dr. W. J. Kussell, F.R.S. By G. C. F loi 



Notes 102 



Our Astionomical Column: — 



Atmospheric Refraction 107 



The Spectuim of Halley's Comet 107 



Seasonal Change on Mars 107 



The Perseid Meteors in 1909 . . . .... 107 



A Daylight Meteor ^ 107 



Spectroicopic Binaries . . .... . I07 



Tiie " Annuaire " of the Bureau des Longitudes . 107 



Conference on Malaria in India 107 



Economic Entomology in the United States . . . 108 

 The Methods of Mathematics. By Prof. George A. 



Gibson . . . . . 109 



Developments of Electrical Engineering. By Prof. 



Gisbert Kapp 112 



University and Educational Intelligence 115 



Societies and Academies 117 



Diary of Societies 120 



