686 



NA TURE 



[November iS, 1922 



measurements on the absorption bands by means of 

 the reversion spectroscope. The system was changed 

 to an unstable position by (i) subjecting the solution 

 to the action of a powerful beam of light, and by (2) 

 suddenly obstructing the light rays. Thus chance 

 fluctuations in the catalysing light source, and in 

 the flow of the liquid under observation were avoided, 

 but it was difficult to make accurate estimations on 

 absorption bands moving from one position in the 

 spectrum to another. Observations of the equi- 

 librium constant were made by method (1) at i° C. 

 and laboratory temperature, and by method (2) at 

 laboratory temperature and 34 C. At laboratory 

 temperature, method (1) gave 0-51 and 0-59, and 

 method (2) 0-44 and 0-40. The temperature co- 

 efficient per io° C. calculated from values obtained 

 by method (1) was 2-3, while method (2) gave 2-5 

 and 2-7. — L. T. Hogben : Studies on internal 

 secretion. I. The effect of pituitary (anterior lobe) 

 injection upon normal and thvroid-ectomised axolotls. 

 While pituitary feeding has no influence on the 

 metamorphosis of medium-sized or sexually mature 

 axolotl larva? of Amblystoma tigrinum, injection of 

 anterior lobe extracts into axolotls of the same ages 

 and dimensions was followed by the assumption of 

 the adult characteristics, with rapidity comparable 

 to metamorphosis induced bv thyroid administration, 

 and beginning about two to three weeks after the 

 initial injection. Anterior lobe extracts also induce 

 metamorphosis in thyroidless larvae. Spontaneous 

 metamorphosis does not generally occur, as Marie 

 de Chauvin stated, in larvae of six to nine months 

 when placed in shallow water with opportunities for 

 emerging. — L. T. Hogben and F. R. Winton : The 

 pigmentary effector system. II. Apart from caf- 

 feine, the only reagents found to induce mclanophore 

 contraction were those known to excite peripheral 

 sympathetic nerve-endings, namely, adrenalin, tyra- 

 mine, ergotoxine, and cocaine. Apart from pituitary 

 extract, the only reagents found to bring about 

 melanophore expansion were apocodeine and nicotine, 

 in quantities sufficient to paralyse all sympathetic 

 nerve-endings. No unequivocal direct evidence is 

 advanced that nervous control of pigment responses 

 in Amphibia has been found. Synchronous colour 

 changes of Amphibia in response to normal environ- 

 mental stimuli are possibly determined mainly by 

 endocrine influences. — A. Fleming and V. D. Allison : 

 Further observations on a bacteriolytic element 

 found in tissues and secretions. Strains of- M. 

 lysodeikticus resistant to lysozyme action can readily 

 be developed. The resistance is not specific, i.e. 

 strains made resistant to one tissue or secretion are 

 equally resistant to all tissues, whether derived from 

 man, the lower animals, or from vegetables, showing 

 that the lysozyme affecting M. lysodeikticus is the 

 same whatever tissue it is derived from. After 

 solution of a large number of M. lysodeikticus there is 

 an increase in the lytic power of the fluid, which 

 affects wholly or mainly the homologous microbe. 

 Different tissues and secretions vary in their capacity 

 to dissolve different bacteria, and some tissue extracts 

 have a marked lytic action on many of the well- 

 known pathogenic bacteria. 



Parts. 



Academy of Sciences, October 23. — M. Albin 

 Hallcr in the chair. — Ch. Barrois, P. Bertrand, and 

 P. Pruvost : Observations on the coal measures 

 of the Moselle. — W. Kilian : The stages of the 

 retreat of alpine glaciers and the origin of Lake 

 Lauvitel (Oisans). — A. Angelesco : A functional 

 property of conies. — E. Merlin : Some properties of 

 networks. — M. Desaint : The general representations 



NO. 2768, VOL. I io] 



of analytical functions. — P. J. Myrberg : The singu- 

 larities of automorphic functions. — Frithiof Nevan- 

 linna : The relations which exist between the 

 distribution of the zeros and the poles of a monogen 

 function and the increase of its modulus. — Alf. 

 Guldberg : A theorem of M. Markoff. — Constant 

 Lurquin : The critcrium of Tchebycheff. — MM. 

 Constantin, Joessel, and Daloz : A boat which moves 

 against the wind using the wind itself as motive 

 power. The motor is an air turbine of 9 metres 

 diameter connected with a screw propeller by gearing. 

 No drawings or details are given, but it is stated 

 that a small 6-ton fishing-boat fitted with the motor 

 has given successful results on trial. — L. de Broglie 

 and A. Dauvillier : The spectral system of the 

 X-rays. The proposed system is based on the 

 principle of rigorous alternation of regular and 

 irregular doublets (Wentzel), following the views of 

 Smekal and of Rubinovicz. The table given includes 

 some lines predicted from the theory but not yet 

 observed. — M. Vuillaume and A. Boutaric : The 

 photometry of sources of light constituted by black 

 bodies at different temperatures. — R. Mesny : The 

 generation of polyphase oscillations of high frequency 

 by electronic tubes. — Andre Charriou : The separa- 

 tion of ferric oxide and alumina from magnesia by 

 the method of nitrates. — M. Picon : The action of 

 sodammonium on hexamethylenetetramine, tetra- 

 methvldiaminomethane, and ethylideneethylimine. 

 Sodammonium, in liquid ammonia, is without action 

 on hexamethylenetetramine at the ordinary tem- 

 perature. The imine CH 3 . CH : N . C 2 H 5 , derived 

 from acetaldehyde and ethylamine, is attacked 

 by sodammonium giving diethyldiaminobutanc. — 

 Pereira de Sousa : The basic rocks of the nepheline 

 syenite massif of the " Serra de Monchique." — 

 Paul Lemoine and A. Pinard : The mode of contact 

 of the chalk and pisolithic limestone at Meulan- 

 Gaillon (Seine-ct-Oise). The limestone has filled 

 irregular pockets in the chalk, and a section of one 

 such pocket is given. — Mile. F. Brepson : The role 

 of the phenomena of solifluxion in the model of the 

 region of Saulieu (Morvan). The formation of ponds 

 and lakes in this district cannot be explained as 

 being due to the erosion of streams, nor is there any 

 evidence of glacial action, and it is suggested that 

 earth slides may have been the cause of this formation. 

 The products of granite disintegration imbibe water 

 freely and have a tendency to slip down the steep 

 slopes, forming ridges known as rideaux. Examples 

 of these phenomena in the neighbourhood of Saulieu 

 are given, and this is considered to afford an explana- 

 tion of the large number of small lakes in the 

 district. — J. Lacoste : New radiogoniometric observa- 

 tions of atmospherics. An application of wireless 

 telegraphy to the prediction of storms. — Ren6 

 Soueges : The embryogeny of the Carophyllacese. 

 The first stages in the development of the embryo 

 of Sagina procumbens. — Marcel Mirande : The relation 

 existing between the relative acidity of the tissues 

 and the presence of anthocyanine in the scales of 

 lily bulbs exposed to light. — Andre Guillaume : 

 Study of the limits of vegetation in the north and 

 east of France. A study of the conditions limiting 

 certain plants to certain areas. Meteorological, 

 geological, physical, and palaeontological influences 

 are discussed, the effect of climate being the most 

 important. — Med. Gard : The withering of young 

 walnut trees in 1922. In the spring of this year 

 there were heavy losses in young walnut trees. This 

 does not appear to have been due to disease, as was 

 at first suspected, but is attributed by the author 

 to autumnal frosts. — G. Vernet : The role of calcium 

 chloride in the coagulation of the latex of Hevea 

 Brasiliensis. The addition of solutions of calcium 



