600 
mineral salts in the cephalo-rachidian fluid.—N. A. 
Barbieri: The non-existence of free or combined 
lecithines in yolk of egg and in biological structures. 
—Mme. and M. Victor Henri: Variation of the abiotic 
power of the ultra-violet rays with the wave-length. 
The abiotic power of the ultra-violet rays increases as 
the wave-length diminishes. There is no indication 
of a maximum.—Maurice Holderer: The mechanism 
of the arrest of diastases by filtration.—Em. Bourque- 
lot and Marc Bridel : The reversibility of fermentations. 
The influence of the dilution of ethyl alcohol on the 
synthetic action of emulsin in this medium.—M. 
Keehler : The Echinoderms of the Charcot expedition. 
—J. L. Dantan: The working of the genital gland in 
Ostrea edulis and Gryphaea angulata. The protec- 
tion of natural oyster beds.—E. Boullanger and M. 
Dugardin : The mechanism of the fertilising action of 
sulphur.—Ed. Dujardin-Beaumetz and E. Mosny: The 
evolution of the plague in the marmot during hiberna- 
tion.—J. Wallot: The comparative absorption of the 
chemical and heat radiations of the sun between Mt. 
Blanc and Chamonix. 
New SoutH WaALEs. 
Linnean Society, May 29.—Mr. W. W. Froggatt, 
president, in the chair.—Dr. R. Greig-Smith ; Contri- 
butions to our knowledge of soil-fertility. No. 5. The 
action of fat-solvents upon sewage-sick soils. Experi- 
ments are brought forward to show that the action of 
the volatile disinfectants upon sewage-sick soils is to 
segregate or translate the fatty material which, in 
the soil under examination, constituted 19 per cent. 
of the volatile and organic matter. The lower layers 
of treated soil gave greater bacterial growths than the 
upper, into which the fatty substances had been car- 
ried by the evaporating solvent. When the soil was 
heated at 62° C. to kill off phagocytic protozoa, sub- 
sequent treatment with chloroform caused a _ very 
much increased growth of bacteria.—J. H. Maiden and 
E. Betche : Notes from the Botanic Gardens, Sydney. 
No. 17.—C. Hedley: Some land-shells collected in 
Queensland by Mr. Sidney W. Jackson. Primarily in 
quest of ornithological material and information on 
behalf of Mr. H. ibe White, of Belltrees, Scone, Mr. 
Jackson visited the coastal districts of Quee “Sern! 
from Brisbane to Cairns in 1908. A large collection 
of land-shells was also gathered, a portion of which 
is treated of in this paper, including nineteen species, 
of which eleven and two varieties are described as 
new.—C. Hedley and A. F. Basset Hull: The Poly- 
placophora of Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. Nine 
species referable to the five genera, Chiton (3), Isch- 
nochiton (1), Ornithochiton (1), Acanthochites (2), and 
Lepidopleurus (2), are described as new, of which 
four are peculiar to Lord Howe Island, three to Nor- 
folk Island, and two are common to both localities. 
None of them extend either to the mainland of Aus- 
tralia or to New Zealand, although two species are 
very closely allied to mainland species. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Aus dem Luftmeer. By M. Sassenfeld. Pp. iv+ 
183. (Leipzig and Berlin: B. G. Teubner.) 3 marks. 
Einfthrung in die Biologie. By Prof. K. Kraepelin. 
Dritte Auflage. Pp. viiit+356. (Leipzig and Berlin: 
B. G. Teubner.) 4.80 marks. 
English History Illustrated from Original Sources, 
1066-1216. By N. L. Frazer... Pp. xvi+234. (Lon- 
don: A. and C. Black.) 2s. 6d. 
The Task of Social Hygiene. By H. Ellis. Pp. 
XV+414. 
net. 
Studien. an intracellularen Symbionten. I., Die 
intracellularen Symbionten der Hemipteren. By Dr. 
NO. 2232, VOL. 89] 
(London: Constable and Co., Ltd.) 8s. 6d. 
NATURE 
[AucustT 8, 1912 
P. Buchner... Pp. iv+,116- Pale: » (Jena: 1G; 
Fischer.) 18 marks. 
The Formation of the Alphabet. By Prof. W. M 
Flinders Petrie. Pp. iv+20+ix plates. (London ; 
Macmillan and Co., Ltd., and B. Quaritch.) 5s. net. 
Les Alpes de Provence. By G. Tardieu. Pp. iv+ 
310. (Paris: Masson et Cie.) 4.50 francs. 
The Grouse in Health and Disease. Edited by 
A. S. Leslie, assisted by A. E. Shipley. Popular 
Edition of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on 
Grouse Disease. Pp. xx+472+ plates. (London : 
Smith, Elder and Co.) 12s. 6d. net, 
Libya Italica. Terreni ed. Acque, Vita e Colture 
della Nuova Colonia. By P. V. de Regny. Pp. xv+ 
214. (Milano: U. Hoepli.) 7.50 lire. 
Le Zebre. By Dr. A. Griffini. Pp. xxviiit+298+41 
plates. (Milano: U. Hoepli.) 4 lire. 
Festschrift W. Nernst zu seinem Fiinfundzwan- 
zigjahrigen Doktorjubilaum Gewidmet von _ seinen 
Schiilern. Pp. vi+487. (Halle a.d.S.: W. Knapp.) 
21.60 marks. 
Problems in Eugenics. 
the First International Eugenics Congress, 
the University of London, July 24-30, 
xix+490. (London: Eugenics Education 
8s. 6d. net. 
An Introduction to the Chart of the Elements. 
Second Edition. Pp. 43+chart. (London: The 
Metallic Compositions Co.) 35. 6d. 
FORTHCOMING CONGRESSES. 
AuGuUST 22-28.—(i) International Congress of Mathematicians, and ‘(jii) 
International Commission on Mathematical Teaching. Bresidenee Prof. 
Klein. Treasurer: Sir J. Larmor, F.R:S., St. John’s College, Cambridge. 
SEPTEMBER (first week) —International Congress of Anthropology and 
Prehistoric Archeology. Geneva. 
SEPTEMBER 4-1 1.—British Association. 
Schafer, F.R.S. 
London, W. 
SEPTEMBER 4-13.—International Congress of Applied Chemistry. 
ington, D.C. President: Dr. W. H. Nichols. Secretary : 
25 Broad Street, New York City, U.S.A. 
SEPTEMBER 8-11.—Société Helvétique des Sciences Naturelles. 
Papers Communicated to 
held at 
TOL. bps 
Society.) 
Dunder. President : Prof. E. A. 
Assistant Secretary : O. J. R. Howarth, Burlington House, 
Wash- 
Dr. B. G. Hesse, 
Altdorf. 
President: Dr. P. B. Huber. Secretaries: Prof. J. Briilisauer (Germany 
and M. P. Morand Mev er (French), Altdorf. 
SEPTEMBER 23-28.—International Congress on Hygiene and Dene 
Washington. Bppeiiente Dr. H. P. Walcott Secretary-General : Dr. ys 
Fulton, Army Medical Museum, W; SINS: IDG: 
CONTENTS. PAGE 
Recent Medical Books . , . Hetero toe 61775; 
Biological Problems She oes enc, Smee 
Recent Books on Chemistry . 3 2 os Se Te 
Differential Geometry. ies G. B. M. oar Bete, Sy) 
Our Bookshelf Ls a rPenatemetisc ren - hs1) 
| Letters to the Editor :— 
| August Meteor-showers.—John R. Henry . : 581 
A Flower Sanctuary. —Right. Hon, Sir Herbert 
Maxwell, Bart., F.R.S. . . 581 
Contrast Colours in the Use of Zone- -plates. —_W. B. 
Crofura. o. 581 
Lord Mersey’s Report on the Loss of the ‘ Titanic” 581 
The Discovery of Human Remains at Cuzco, Peru 584 
The late Mr. A. O. Hume, C.B. la Sea net i 
Notesiare sn. “ ot ot oy a A 
| Our Astronomical Column: — 
The Spectrum of Nova Geminorum No.2... . . 589 
Ob-ervations of Jupiter. fe fete) 
The Three-prism oat ctrograph at Mount Wilson aoc iets) 
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers . . 589 
The Recent Congress of the Royal Sanitary In- 
stitute at York . 590 
| Joint Meeting of Learned and Technical Societies 
} in Cornwall . 591 
The Meteorological Office and its ‘Observatories. 
(Lilustrated.) . . 5 591 
The North Sea and its Fisheries. By Prof. D’ Arey 
W. Thompson, C.B. 593 
University and Educational Intelligence ae eS OO 
SocietiestandvA\cademics)) ya ner mene ie) eS OO 
Books Received ae out ch cro oc CME coc CS: 
( -Hortheomme ‘Congresses: 4 7) aeeeenen. cnn GGG! 
