2IO 



NA TURE 



[December i6, 1909 



40,000°. — M. Manengr : Observations of a small planet, 

 probably new. The elements have been determined from 

 photographs taken by -M. Boinot on October 19 and 23. — 

 M. Tilho : The precision of determinations of longitude on 

 land by the chronometer, according to observations by the 

 Niger-Tchad e.\pedition. A comparison of the results 

 obtained for differences of longitude by the telegraph, direct- 

 length measurement, and the chronometer show that the 

 last-named agrees very satisfactorily with the other methods. 

 — Eugene Fabry : The order of a Taylor's series. — M. 

 Galbrun : The representation of the solution of an equation 

 of finite differences for large values of the variable. — 

 Arnaud Denjoy : Completely discontinuous ensembles. — 

 D. Pompeiu : Discontinuous singularities of uniform 

 analytical functions. — J. Haag : Families of Lam^ com- 

 posed of helicoids. — Rene Gamier : Surfaces of the fourth 

 order which admit of an infinite discontinuous group of 

 birational transformations. — L. Remy : The birational 

 transformations of surfaces of the fourth order with doubly 

 isolated points. — M. Ravigneaux : The generalisation of 

 the formula of Willis on epicycloidal trains. — Hector 

 P^cheux : The electrical properties of steels. Measure- 

 ments are given of the resistances at various temperatures 

 and thermoelectromotive forces (against copper) of four 

 steels, ranging in quality from very soft to hard. — Andr^ 

 L£aute : The mathematical study of the heating of a 

 conductor traversed by a very rapid oscillatory discharge. — 

 C. E. Guye and V. Freedericksz : The internal friction 

 of solids at low temperatures. Studies of the torsion of 

 wires of silver, aluminium, gold, magnesium, iron, and 

 quartz at temperatures between 100° C. and — ig6° C. — 

 H. Baubigrny : The estimation of dithionic acid and the 

 dithionates. Accurate results were obtained only by the 

 dry method, fusion with a mi.\ture of alkaline carbonate 

 and nitrate. — Marcel Delepine : The chloroiridates and 

 chloroiridites of silver and thallium. — G. D. Hinrichs : 

 The calculation of atomic weights : the solution of the 

 equation of condition. — A. Colson : The reduction of 

 sodiimi sulphate by carbon. A mixture of lampblack and 

 sodium sulphate reacts rapidly at 950° C, 70 per cent, of 

 the sulphate being decomposed in twenty minutes. — J. A. 

 Muller : The phase rule. A reply to the criticism of M. 

 Boulouch. — G. Leser : The two isomeric hexamethylene 

 /3-diketones. — H. Arsandaux : Contribution to the study 

 of lateritic formations. — .\. Maige : The formation of 

 heterotypical chromosomes in AsphodcJiis microcarpus. — 

 G. Perrin : Fertilisation in the prothallus of Pteris 

 tretmtla. — J. Dumont : The la^'ers surrounding earthy par- 

 ticles. Sand grains separated from soil by simple leviga- 

 tion are generally coated with a colloidal layer, removable 

 by solutions of oxalic acid. The amount of this layer 's 

 shown to depend on the size of the particles. — G. 

 Grandidier : The description of a new bird. Manias 

 benxrhi, from Madagascar. — Louis Roule : Amphibians of 

 the genus Euproctus. — B. Collin : Preliminary diagnoses of 

 some new or badly known Acinets. — L. Cayeux : The 

 secondary quartz of the Silurian oolitic iron minerals of 

 France, and its replacement in the lower layers by iron 

 carbonate. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, December 16. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— Some Quantitative 

 Measurements in Connection with Radio. telegraphy : Dr. J. A. Fleming, 

 F.R.S. — Efficiency of Short Spark Methods of Generating Electrical 

 Oscillations : Dr. W. H. Eccles and A. J. Makower. 



Linnean Societv, at 8.— Report on the Crustacea Isopoda and Tanaidacea 

 collected by Mr. C. Crossland in the Sudanese Red Sea : Rev. T. R. R. 

 Stebbing, F.R.S. — Pycnogonida from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean 

 collected by Mr. C. Crossland : Prof. G. H. Carpenter.— On a Collection 

 of Blaltidx preserved in Amber from Prussia : R. Shelford. — Isopoda 

 from the Indian Oce.an and British East Africa : Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing, 

 F.R.S.— The Bri-ozoa from Collections made by Mr. C. Crossland, 

 Part II., Cyclostomata, Cteno.stomata, Endoprocta: A. W. Waters. 



Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, at 8. 



MONDAY, Dece 

 Society of Arts, at 8.— Aeron; 

 titute of Actuaries, at 5.- 



: C. C. Turner, 

 irtality of Female 

 the British Office: 



Assur( 

 ' Expei 



FRIDAY, December 17. 



Institution of Mechanical Enginee 

 Compression and under Combined Stress 

 E.vperiments : C. A. M. Smith. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.- 

 tion of Dock Walls: H. T. Tudsbery. 



NO, 2094, VOL. 82] 



!S, at 8.— Mild-steel Tubes 

 W. Mason. — Compound Stre 



-The Foundation and Construe- 



On the I 

 with Graduated I .ables deduced fro 

 ence, 1863-1893 : C. W. Kenchington. 



TUESDAY, December zt. 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5. 



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

 Sitnallmg in India: C. W. Hodson.— /"roflaWf Papc-r : The Design of 

 Rolling Stock for Smooth-rail Working on Heavy Gradients : F. W. 

 Bach. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Palaeozoic Stratigraphy. By J. W. G 181 



Systematic Botany. By A. B. R 182 



The Hand-list of Birds. By R. L 185 



Social Evolution. By A. E. Crawley 183 



A Hero of Medicine 184 



Non-Euclidean Geometry. By G. B. M 185 



Colour Photography. ByJ. W 185 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Fenlon : "Outlines of Chemistry, with Practical 



Work."— Prof. A. Smithells, F.R.S 186 



Marriner : "TheKea: a New Zealand Problem." — 



A. D 186 



Rudaux : " How to Study the Stars " ; Milham : 



" How to Identify the Stars " 187 



Brown : "Scientific Nutrition Simplified." — 



W. D. H . 187 



" A Barometer Manual for the Use of Seamen ; with 

 an Appendix on the Thermometer, Hygrometer, 



and Hydrometer" 187 



Mayall : "Cows, Cow-houses, and Milk" 188 



"The Oxford Geographies," Vols. H., IV., VII.; 



" Cambridge County Geographies " '88 



Letters to the Editor ; — 



The Atomic Weight of the Radium Emanation. — 



Frederick Soddy 



Alkali syenites in Ayrshire. — G. W. Tyrrell . 

 Collected Woiks of Sir William Herschel.— Dr, 



T. J. J. See 



An International Map of the World. — Dr. E 



Bathori ; Sir Duncan A. Johnston, K.C.M.G 



Positions of Birds' Nests in Hedges. — Lieut. -Colonel 



J. H. Tull Walsh 189 



Uranium Ore as a Remedy. — Chr. Antoonovich 189 



Lunar Rainbow of December i. — Richenda Christy 190 

 The Tercentenary of the Telescope. By Dr. 



J. L. E. Dreyer . . IQO 



The Yuchi Indians. {Illustrated.) . 191 



Malaria and its Influence on National History. By 



Prof. R. T. Hewlett 192 



State Aid for Agricultural Education 193 



Lord Walsingham's Collection of Micro-lepi- 



doptera . . 194 



Prof. Hilary Bauerman. By George T. HoUoway . 195 



The Natural History Museum 196 



Notes 196 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Daniel's Comet, 19091 201 



Halley's Comet, i9ogc 201 



Mars 202 



Observations of Jupiter 202 



A Solar Physics Observatory for Australia 202 



The Hamburg Observatory 202 



Ephemerides for Perrine's and Winnecke's Comets, 



1 909/' and 190911' 202 



A Contribution to Applied Botany. By T. J. . . . 202 

 A New Method in Animal Psychology ... 203 



The Messina Earthquake . . 203 



Phthisis and Insanity in Relation to Inheritance . 204 



Some Papers on American Zoology 204 



Steam Turbines. By Gerald Stoney 204 



The Outlook of Science. By Prof. John G. 



McKendrick, F.R.S 206 



University and Educational Intelligence 207 



Societies and Academies 208 



Diary of Societies 210 



