V6o 



NA TURE 



[January 20, 1910 



lysing the inulin to ievulose. — J. Sarthou : The presence 

 in cow's milk of a catalase and an ansroxydase. The 

 statement of MM. Bordas and Touplain that the insoluble 

 casein of milk is capable of decomposing hydrogen peroxide 

 is denied, and experiments detailed which tend to show 

 that this action is due to a mixture of a physiological 

 catalase and a bacterial catalase. — Louis Roule : The 

 structure of the epidermal protuberances of certain 

 Amphibia and their morphological affinities with the nails. 

 — J. Nagreotte : A new formation of the myeline layer. — 

 J. Maiwas : The structure of the ganglion nerve cells of 

 the amyelinic cord of the Cyclostomes. — K. Contamin : 

 The immunisation against cancer of mice inoculated with 

 tumours modified by the X-rays. — L. Bull : The mechanics 

 of insect flight. — C. Levaditi and K. Landsteiner ; 

 Researches on experimental infantile paralysis. The pre- 

 ventive inoculation of animals by means of the dried spinal 

 cord is possible. — .'\. Thiroux and W. Dufougrere : A new 

 spirilla from Cercopithecus patas. This organism resembles 

 in its morphological characters the Spirillum duttoni of 

 tick fever, from which, however, it is distinct. The name 

 Spirillum pitheci is proposed. — L. Cayeux : The prolonga- 

 tion of the Silurian oolitic iron deposits under the Paris 

 basin. — E. de Martonne : The mechanical theory of 

 glacial erosion. — .Alfred Angrot : The value of the magnetic 

 elements at the Val-Joyeux Observatory on January i, 

 1910. — E. Esclangon : The intensity of gravity and its 

 anomalies at Bordeaux and neighbourhood. — E. Peroux : 

 The mineral contents and chemical analysis of the water 

 from the artesian wells of Maisons-Laffitte. — Andr^ 

 Brochet : New determinations of the radio-activity of the 

 thermal springs of Plombiferes. These springs are strongly 

 radio-active, this effect being due to the radium emanation. 



Socn 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, Tanlauv :o. 

 r, at 4,30.— Further Observations on the Pathology of 

 G.-istric Ulcer (Progress Report): Dr. C. Bolton.— (i) The Velocity of 

 Reaction in the "Absorption" of Specific Agglutinins by Bacteria, 

 and in the "Adsorption" of Agglutinins, Trypsins, and Sulphuric Acid 

 by .Animal Charcoal ; (2) On the Absorption of Agglutinin by Bacteria, 

 and the Application of Physico-chemical Laws thereto : Dr. Georges 

 Dreyer and J. Shollo Douglas.— Observations on the Pate of Action of 

 Drugs (Alcohol, Chloroform, Quinine. Aconitine) upon Muscle as a 

 Function of Temperature: Dr. V. H. Velev, F.R.S., and Dr. A. D 

 Waller, F.R.S.-An Examination of ihe Physical and Physiological 

 Properties of Tetrachlorethane and Trichlorethylene : Dr. V. H. Veley, 

 F.R.S. — The -Action of Antimony Compounds in Trypanosomiasis in 

 Rats: J. D. Thomson and Prof. A. R. Cushny, F.R.S.—" Amaltebe " 

 (a Disease of Calves in Uganda): Colonel Sir David Bruce, F.R.S., 

 Captains A. E. Hamerton and H. R. Bateman, R.A.M.C.,and Capt. F. P. 

 Mackie, I.M.S.-On Scandium : Sir William Crookes, For.Sec.R.S. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Assyriology : Rev. C. H. W. Johns. 



LlNNEAN .Society, at 8.— Discussion on the Origin of Vertebrates : Dr. 

 Gaskell, Dr. Gadow, Mr. Goodrich, Prof. Starling, Prof. MacBride, 

 Dr. Smith Woodward, Prof. Dendy. 



Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, at 8.— Copper Leaching 

 Plant in the Ural Mountains : A. L. Simon (Adjourvcd dhcussion.)— 

 Some Analyses of Copper Blast Furnace Slags and Determination of 

 their Melting Points : A. T. French.— The Detection of Minute Traces 

 of Gold in Country Rock : A. R. Andrew. —Errors due to the Presence 

 of Potassium Iodide in testing Cyanide Solutions for Protective Alka- 

 linity : B. Collingridge. 



FRIDAY, January 21. 



Royal Institution, at 0.— Light Reactions at Low Temperatures: 



r James Dewar, F.R.S. 



Institution of Mechanical Engineers 

 Alloys Research Committee : On the P 

 Copper, .\luminiuni, and Manganese (with 

 of Alloys of Copper and Aluminium wher 

 Rosenhain and F. C. A. H. Lantsberry. 



Physical Society, at 5.— Saturation Spec; 



at 8.— Ninth Report to the 

 Dperties of some Alloys of 

 in Appendix on the Corrosion 

 exposed to the Sea) : Dr. W. 



, ... ^ ,._ Heats, &c., with van de 



Waals' and Clausius' Characteristics : R. E. Baynes.— The Polarisatior 

 of Dielectrics in a Steady Field of Force : Prof. W. M. Thornton.- 

 On the Use of Mutual Inductometers : Albert Campbell. 

 MONDAY, January 24. 

 Royal Society of .\rts, at 8.— Textile Ornamentation : A. S. Cole. 

 Victoria Institute, at 4.30. — The Attitude of Science towards Miracle 

 _ (being the Gunning Prize Essay, 1909) : Prof. H. Langhorne Orchard. 



Geographical Society, at 8.30.— Travels in Northern Arabia 



D. Carruthers. 



TUESDAY, January 25. 

 at 3.— The Cultivation of the 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Cultivation of the Sea: Prof. W. A. 

 Herdman, F.R.S. 



Royal Anthropological Institute, at 8.30 —Annual Genera! Meeting. 

 — Presidential Address : The Influence of Environment on Man : Prof. 

 W. Ridgeway. 



MlNERALOGlcAL SOCIETY, at s.3°'— On a Group of Minerals formed by 

 the Combustion of Pyritous Shales : S. J. Shand.— A Crystal-holder for 

 Measuring Large Specimens: W. J. Lewis.— Some Observations on 

 Pleochroism : T. Crook.— Notes on the Weight of the " Cullinan ' 



NO. 2099, VOL. 82] 



Royal Society, 

 sulphide: Sir Ja; 

 Deten 

 Ja 



Carbon Mono- 



s. — Long -period 



I from Radium ; Sir 



by Redu 



Diamond and on the Value of the Carat-weight : L. J. Spencer.— On a 



Basalt from Rathjordan, Co. Limerick: G. T. Prior. — On a Fluo-arsenate 



from the Indian Manganese Deposits : G. F. H. Smith and G. T. Prior. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — The Reconstruction of the Tyne 



North Vm (Discussion) : I. Collingwood Barling, 



WEDNESDAY, January 26. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Work : 



O. Ramsden. 

 Geological Society, at 8.- On a Skull of Megalosaurus from the Great 

 Oolite of Munehinhampton: Dr. A. S. Wuodward.— Probleirs of Ore- 

 deposition in the Lead- and Zinc-veins of Great Britain : A. M. Finlayson. 

 —On the Vertebrate Fauna found in the Cave-earth at Dog Holes, 

 Warton Crag (Lancashire) : J. W. Jackson. 

 British Astronomical Association, at 5. 



THURSDAY, January 27. 

 \.1,o.— Probable Papers: Note < 

 Dewar, F.R.S., and Dr. H. O. Jo 

 of the Rate of Production of Heliun 

 :s Dewar, F.R.S.— On the Extinction of Color 

 inosity: Sir William de W. Abney, K.C.B., F.R.S.— The Initial 

 Accelerated Motion of Electrified Systems of Finite Extent, and the 

 Reaction produced by the Resulting Radiation : George W. Walker. — 

 On the Nature of the Magnetokathodic Rays : H. Thirkill. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.-Assyriology : Rev. C. H. W. Johns. 

 Institutio.n of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Equitable Charges for 

 Tramway Supply : H. E. Verbury. 



FRIDAY, January 28. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8. — Some Uses of Mechanical 



Power in Engineering Construction : H. F. Donaldson. 



.^.,4 TURD A Y, January 29. 



Essex Field Club (at Essex Museum of Natural History, Stratford), 



at 6.— Trawl Fishing in the North Sea : S. H. Goodchild. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Lord Kelvin's Early Life. By W. J 331 



Protoplasm in Harness 333 



Electricity on the Farm 334 



The Phenomena of the Earth's Surface. By 



G- A.J. C 335 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Mees : " An Atlas of Absorption Spectra " . .... 336 



Moore : " Physiology of Man and Other Animals " . 336 



" Deutsche Sudpolar-Expedition, 1901-1903" . . . 336 

 Stroobant : " Les Progres recents de TAstronomie 



(I908)."~'W. E. R 336 



Letters to the Editor : — 



Cross-ferlilisation of Sweet-peas.— IT 337 



The Village Institute and its Educational Possibilities. 



— John B. Coppock 337 



Avogadro's Hypothesis (or Law). — S. H. Woolhouse 338 



"A Japanese Priest in Tibet."— Dr. C. G. Knott 33S 

 Standard Measurement in Wave-lengths of Light. 



(Illuilratcd.) By Dr. A. E. H. Tutton, F. R.S. . . 338 



Some New Nature Books. (Ilhislrated.) 341 



The Boston Meeting of the American Association 342 



The Mean Height of the Antarctic Continent . . 343 



The Natural History Museum 343 



Notes 343 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Discovery of a New Comet 348 



Halley's Comet 348 



The Spectra of Comets' Tails 349 



Two Curiously Similar Spectroscopic Binaries .... 349 



The " Annuaire Astronomique," Belgium 349 



The Evolution of the Brain. By Prof. G. Elliot 



Smith, F.R.S 349 



Conferences on Science and Mathematics in 



Schools. By G. F. D 350 



North of England Education Conference .... 351 



The Ethnology of California 352 



Some Applications of Microscopy to Modern 

 Science and Practical Knowledge. By Prof. 



E. A. Minchin 353 



University and Educational Intelligence 356 



Societies and Academies 357 



Diary of Societies 360 



