624 



NA TURE 



[October 19, 1905 



they have only half the number, ns the prothalli germinate 

 from spores, the origin of which undoubtedly involves a 

 reduction. Hence the sporophytic number in that case is 

 regained by migration and subsequent fusion of two pro- 

 thallial nuclei. 



M.\NCHESTER. 



Literary and Philosophical Society, Oclober 3.— Sir 

 William H. Bailey, president, in the chair. — Note on the 

 buccal pits of p'eripatus : C. G. Hewitt. A general 

 < utline of the characters of peripatus was given. 

 Recently, tracheal structures had been described in 

 iui Australian species, Ooperipatus ovipanis, in connec- 

 tion with the buccal pits. These pits are formed by the 

 hollowing out of the long, chitinous levers which are 

 attached to the inner pair of jaws ; they are continuous 

 with the cavity of the mouth. The paper embodied the 

 rc-sults of an investigation into the nature of these buccal 

 pits in Ooperipatiis ovipanis and two other species. It was 

 found that trachea; do not occur in this region of the body, 

 and that the striated muscle fibres which work the jaw- 

 levers had been mistaken for tracheae. 



P.\K1S. 



Academy of Sciences, October g. — M. Troost in the 

 1 liair. — The president announced the death of Prof. Baron 

 de Richthofen, correspondant in the section of mineralogy. 

 — Observation of the total eclipse of the sun of August 30 

 at Alcosebre (Spain) : J. Janssen. Just before totality the 

 sky was not absolutely clear, a few light clouds inter- 

 fering somewhat with the photography of the phases, but 

 some minutes before totality the clouds disappeared, and 

 the whole period of totality was studied under the best 

 londitions. Three good photographs of the corona were 

 obtained by M. Pasteur, M. Millochau was able to obtain 

 photographs of the spectrum of the reversing layer and of 

 tlin corona, and M. Stefanik made ocular observations on 

 the green ray of the corona and of the extreme red. 

 Niunerous photographs of the phases were obtained. — On 

 the creation of an international association for solar 

 studies : J. Janssen. A resume of the principal resolu- 

 tions passed at the recent meeting at Oxford. — On the first 

 volume of the " Catalogue photographique du Ciel," pub- 

 lislied by the Observatory of Bordeaux : M. Lcevvy. This 

 catalogue contains the rectilinear coordinates of 49,772 

 stars relating to a zone comprised between + 16° and + iS^ 

 declination. Details of the methods adopted are given, and 

 a special study of the errors has been made. — On the 

 earthquake felt at Stromboli on September 8, and on the 

 present state of the volcano : A. Lacroix. The earthquake 

 of September 8, which caused such disasters in Calabria, 

 was also severely felt at .Stromboli, as, although no 

 fatalities resulted in the island, there was hardly a build- 

 ing which remained undamaged. Numerous crevasses 

 appeared, some a metre wide and 20 metres long. Some 

 observations were made on the volcano in eruption at a 

 distance of 150 metres from the crater, special attention 

 being given to the times elapsing between the explosions. 

 It would appear that the more violent explosions are not 

 separated from those preceding by an interval of time 

 specially long. — Observation of the total eclipse of the sun, 

 August 30. made at Guelma, .Algeria : E. Stephan. The 

 work attempted was limited to direct visual observations, 

 which were carried out under excellent atmospheric con- 

 ililions. — Spectroscopic researches made during the eclipse 

 nl the sun, August 30, at Alcosebre (Spain) : Milan 

 rtefanik. Details of visual observations are given. — On 

 the observation of the total eclipse of August 30, made at 

 -Mcosebre (Spain) : G. Millochau. The scheme of work 

 proposed included the photographic study of the spectra 

 of the reversing layer and the chromosphere in the luminous 

 region, especially in the red, yellow, and green ; the spec- 

 trum of the corona in the same region; similar researches 

 in the ultra-violet ; photographs during totality with plates 

 sensible to the red rays, utilising a red screen to cut off 

 other radiations. Details of the instruments are given, the 

 full discussion of the results being reserved for a later 

 jiaper. — On the polarised light of the solar corona : J. J. 

 l-anderer. — Mathematical groups containing several oper- 



.itions of the second order: G. .\. Milier On some 



Oerivatives of cyclohe.xane : P. Freundler and E. Damond. 

 The starting point of this work was cvelohexanol, pre- 

 pared by Sabatier arid Senderens' method'. This was con- 

 NO. 187;, VOL. 72] 



verted into the monobromo- and monoiodo-derivatives by 

 the action of phosphorus bromide and iodide, and rectify- 

 ing under reduced pressure. These compounds do not, as 

 a rule, "ive good yields in condensation with sodium 

 derivatives, an exception being in the reaction with sodio- 

 malonic ester, the yield in this case being 27 per cent.— 

 On the decomposition of meta- and para-nitrobenzylic 

 alcohols under the influence of aqueous and alcoholic soda : 

 P. Carre. — On some phenolic ethers with the pseudo- 

 allvl chain ArC(CHJ = CH, : MM. Behal and Tiffeneau. 

 — On sambunigrin, a new hydrocyanic glucoside extracted 

 from the leaves of the black elder : Em. Bourqueiot and 

 Em. Danjou. The existence of this glucoside has been 

 indicated in a previous note, and in the present communi- 

 cation details are given of the method by which the 

 sambunigrin has been obtained in a pure state. The new 

 glucoside appears to be isomeric with the amygdonitrile 

 glucoside of Fischer, from which it differs in its rotatory 

 power. — Statistical researches on the evolution of the size 

 of plants : Mile. Stefanowsica. The results are expressed 

 in the form of curves. — Study of the blood in the case of a 

 " bleeder " : P. Emile Weil. Numerous experiments have 

 been made on the coagulation of the blood from this case. 

 The most important result obtained was the observation 

 that the anomalous coagulation in these cases is not due to 

 the presence of any anti-coagulating substances in the 

 blood, but arises from the absence or alter.-.tKn of certain 

 normal substances, probably the coagulatin;^ i;-.ment. It 

 is sufficient to add traces of normal serum to cause a 

 normal coagulation. — On the direct proofs of the existence 

 of counter trade winds : Lawrence Rotch and L^on 

 Teisserenc de Sort. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Mechanics for Students 601 



Music of Singing-Birds. By W. W. F 602 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Harnack : " Studien uebev llautelektiicitiit und 

 Hautniapnelisnuis des Menschen." — Dr. George J. 



Burch, F.R.S . . 602 



Lovibond : " An Introduction to the Study of Colour 



Phenomena " 603 



Ritsema and Sack : " Index Phytochemicus " . . . . 603 

 Letters to the Editor : — 



Eclipse Predictions. — ^J. Y. Buchanan, F.R.S. . . 603 

 Absence of Vibration in a Turbine Steamship. — 



Prof. David Todd 603 



A Parasite of the House-fly. — R. I. Pocock . 604 

 Incandescence of Meteors. — George A. Brown; 



A. S. H 604 



A Rare Game Bird. — John S. Sawbridge .... 605 



Physical Laboratories in Germany 60, 



The Essex Field Club. [lUustyatcd.) 606 



The Mosquitoes of Para. {^Illustrated.) By W. F. K. 607 



Notes 607 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Another Large Sun-spot 610 



M. Bigourdan's Eclipse Results 610 



Atmospheric Origin of " Shadow Bands" .... 611 



A Spectrpgraphic Determination of the Solar P.irallax 611 



Nova Aquila; No. 2 6ti 



Light-variation of Saturn's Satellites 611 



International Congress on Radiology and lonisation 611 

 The Coalfields of North Staffordshire. By H. W. 



Hughes 612 



The Distribution of Power. By Prof. W. E. 



Ayrton, F.R.S 612 



Forthcoming Books of Science 6ig 



Universityand Educationallntelligence. {Illustrated.) 622 



Societies and Academies (Illustrated.) 623 



.SU1'1I-E-MF.\ ]■ 



A Tibetan Dictionary. By Lieut-Col. L. A Waddell ili 



Finger-Print Identification. Bv F. G iv 



Education and Physique. By F. G v 



Geometry of Position. By G. B. M vi 



Organic Preparations and the Coal-Tar Colour 



Industry. By Walter M. Gardner vii 



Science and Mysticism. By J. A. T viii 



The Plant Kingdom . . i\- 



An Italian Text-book of Physiology. By Dr. J. A. 



Milroy x 



