6o 



NA TURE 



[March i i, 1909 



peroxide. — The action of light upon niilli to which 

 potassium bichromate has been added : A. Cascard. 

 MilPc samples to which potassium bichromate has been 

 added as a preservative keep much better in the dark. — 

 The sterilisation of milk by the ultra-violet rays : Victor 

 Henri and ,G. Stodel. By the use of quartz mercury 

 lamps milk can be completely sterilised in the cold. — 

 Relations between the mode of development of Tctra- 

 corallia and that of Hexacorallia ; L. Faurot. — The 

 volcano of Eglazines, Aveyron : G. Fabre. — The modifi- 

 cations of the coast of Poitou : the comparison with other 

 points of the shore of the Atlantic Ocean : M. Welsch. — 

 The variations of the distribution of the atmospheric 

 pressure at the surface of the globe : Henryk Arctowski. 

 — The laws of the distribution of temperature with height 

 at different latitudes and under dilTerent meteorological 

 conditions : L. Teisserenc de Bort. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, March ii. 



Royal Society, at 4.30.— Nrte on the Srability •( Jacobi's Ellipsoid: 

 Sir George H. Darwin, K.C.B., F.R.S.— On the Wave-leneths of Lines 

 in the .Secondary Spectrum of Hydrogen : H. E. Watson.— The Measure- 

 ment of Dielectric Constants by the Oscillations of Ellipsoids and Cylinders 

 in a Field of Force : Prof. W, M. Thornton. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— Recent Advances in Agricultural Science: 

 A. D. Hall. 



Mathematical Society, at 5.30.— The Kinetic Image of a Convected 

 Electric System in a Conducting Plane Sheet : Prof. I. Larmor.— On an 

 Integral Equation : G. H. Hardy.— The Transformation of the Electro- 

 dynamical Equations and the Laws of Motion : H. Bateman.— The 

 Transformation of the Electrodynamic Equations of Moving Bodies : E. 

 Cunningham. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8.— The Dielectric Strength 

 of Compressed Air : E. A. Watson. 



FRIDAY, March 12. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— Modern Submarine Telegraphy : S. G. Brown. 



Physical Society, at 8.— The Effect of Radiations on the Brush Dis- 

 charge : A. E. Garrett.— On Pirani's Method of Measuring the Self- 

 inductance of a Coil : E. C. Snow.— Exhibition of a High Potential 

 Primary Battery : W. S. Tucker.— On the Least Moment of Inenia of an 

 Angle Bar Section : H. S. Rowell. 



Malacological Society, at 8.— Description of a New Species of Oliva 

 from the Andaman Islands : F. G. Bridgman.— Notes on the Genera 

 Cypriea and Trivia : H. O. N. Shaw.— On the Shell Mound at Sidon ; 

 On the Habitat of Certain Species of Clausilia from the Coast of Syria : 

 Rev. H. A. Cooke.— Notes on the Species of Cyclophorus found at Hong 

 Kong : Staff-Surgeon K. H. Jones, R.N. —On the " Conchological Illustra- 

 tions," by G. B. Sowerhy, jun., and the "Descriptive Catalogue of 

 Shells," by J. E. Gray: C. Davies Sherborn.— On the Date of Issue of 

 Sowerby's "Conchological Illustralions " : H. O. N. Shaw. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at 5.— Observations of the Partial Eclipse 

 of the Sun, 1908 December 23, at Natal Observatory : E. Nevill.— Note 

 on Mr. Franks's Analysis of the Colours and Magnitudes of 3630 Stars : 

 Julia Bell.-The Brightness of Saturn, with Ring Invisible : J. M. 

 Baldwin.-Radial Movement of Sun-spots : J. Evershed.-On the Data 

 employed in Oppolzer's Canon der Finsternisse : E.'Nevill —Comparison 

 of the Ancient Eclipses of the Sun with Modern Elements of the Moon's 

 Motion : Simon Newcomb.— On Correlation and the Characters o( Variable 

 Stars : in reply to Prof Karl. Pearson : H. C. Plummer.— The Recent 

 Pendulum Observations in India : Major Lenox.Conyngham.— On the 

 Relation between the Period and Density of the Algol Variables- Rev J 

 Stein.— On a Chinese Planisphere : E. B. Knobel.— Occullations of 

 Planets by the Moon in 1909. visible at British Observatories : A. M. W 

 Downing.— Note on the Regnal Years in the Elephantine Papyri : J. K 

 Fortheringbam.— Some Notes on Aberration : Prof. H. H. Turner. 



SATURDAY, March 13. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Properties of Matter: Sir L T Thomson 

 F.R.S. ' ' iioinson, 



MONDAY, March 15. 



Victoria Institute, at 4.30.— Legislations of Israel and Babylonia : H. M. 

 Wiener. 



TUESDAY, March 16. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Evolution of the Brain as an Organ of 

 Mind : Prof. F. W. Mott, F.R.S. ^ 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30.— The Colonial Wool Trade: S. Bank 

 Hollings. 



Zoological Society, at B. 30. —Grouse-Disease Committee Reports- (a) 

 Ectoparasites of the Grouse; (b) The Thread-worms (Nematoda) of the 

 Red Grouse (Teirao scotiais): (c) The Tape-worms (Cestoda) of the 

 Grouse. Appendix : Parasites of Birds allied to the Grouse : Dr A E 

 Shipley, F.R.S.— On a Fossil Bird from the Lower Pliocene: W. p! 

 Pycraft. — On a Collection of Mammals Irom Western Java presented to 

 the National Museum by Mr. W. E. Balston : Oldfield Thomas F R S 

 and R. C. Wroughton. ' ' " 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5. 



Institution of Civil Engineers, at i.—Fnrther discussion : Concrete 

 and Masonry Dam Construction in New South Wales : L. A. B. Wade 



Royal Society 



G. Cleather. 

 Royal Meteorological Society, 



and Snow : Dr. Vaughan Cornish. 



WEDNESDAY, March 17. 



ITS, at S.-The Musical Aspect of Di 



Gabriel 

 30.— Wind Waves in Water, Sand, 



Royal Microscopical Society, at 8. — The Optical Examination of a 



Crystal Section in a Rock Slice : Dr. J. W. Evans. 

 Entomological Society, at 8. 



THURSDAY, March 18. 

 Royal Society, at ^.-^0.— Probable Papers: An Attempt to Detect some 



Electro-optical Effecls : Prof. H. A. Wilson, F.R.S.— On the Influence of 



their State in Solution on the Absorption Spectra of Dissolved Dyes : Dr. 



S. E. Sheppard. — The Ferments and Latent Life of Resting Seeds : Jean 



White. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Recent Advances in Agricultural Science: 



A. D. Hall. 

 LiNNEAN Society, at 8.— The Dry-rot of Potatoes: Miss Sibyl Longman. 



—The Structure and Affinities of Davidia im'olucrata, Bail!. : A. Home. 

 In.stitution of Mechanical Engineers, at 8. — Experiments upon the 



Forces acting on Twi--t-drills when operating on Cast-iron and Steel : D. 



Smith and R. Poliakoff. 



FRIDAY, March 19. 

 Royal Institution, at 9.— Experiments at High Temperatures and Pres- 

 sures : Richard Threlfall, F.R.S. 

 Institution of Civil Engineers, at 8.— Some Aspects of Chemical 



Engineering : C. J. Guttmann. 



SA TURD A Y, March 20. 

 3. — Properties of Matter : Sir J. J. Thomson, 



NO. 2054, VOL. 80] 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Modern Geography 31 



A Handbook of Inorganic Chemistry 32 



Mechanical Engineering. By T. H. B 33 



Biology for Teachers. By O. H. L 34 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Fisher : " Schlich's Manual of Forestry " . ■ . 35 



Rolleston : " Parallel Paths : a Study in Biology, 



Ethics, and Art."— J. A. T 35 



Hardy : " A Course of Pure Mathematics." — M. . . 36 

 Farrington : "Clay Modelling in Manual Training 

 from Plan, Elevation and Section"; "Clay 

 Modelling in Manual Training. Scholars" Hand- 

 book" 36 



" Handbook to the Technical and Art Schools and 



Colleges of the United Kingdom " 36 



Letters to the Editor : — 



lonisation in the Atmosphere. — Prof. A. S. Eve . 36 

 The Absorption of X-Rays. — Dr. C. G. Barkla and 



C. A. Sadler 37 



The Rays of Uranium X. — Frederick Soddy ... 37 

 Are the Senses ever Vicarious? — Prof. John G. 



McKendrick, F.R.S. 38 



The Zoological Position of Tarsius. — Prof. G. Elliot 



Smith, F.R.S. ... 38 



Number of Molecules in Unit Volume of a Gas. — 



P. Ghose 39 



.\n Electromagnetic Problem. — Prof. D. F. Com- 



stock ; Norman R. Campbell 39 



The Production of Prolonged Apnoea in Man. — Dr. 



H. M. Vernon ... 39 



Moral Superiority among Birds. — A. R. Horwood . 40 

 The Dryness of Winter (1908-9).— Alex. B. 



MacDowall 40 



Is there a Vertical Magnetic Force in a Cyclone ? — 



J. R. Ashworth 40 



The Coast of the Caucasus. [Illustrated.) By 



Prof. Grenville A. J. Cole 40 



The Meteoric Streak of February 22. By W. F. 



Denning 42 



Secondary Education in England. By R. A. G. . . 42 



Radium Institutes 45 



The Summer Season Time Bill . 45 



Prof. Julius Thomsen. M. M. Pattison-Muir ... 46 



Notes 47 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Anomalous Refraction and Spectroheliograph Results . 50 



The Constitution of the Sun 51 



Radial Velocity of a Persei 51 



A Catalogue of 1625 Southern Stars 51 



The Melbourne Observalory 51 



Scientific Aid for the British Tenant Farmer ... 51 



The British Science Guild 52 



Forthcoming Books of Science 53 



University and Educational Intelligence 55 



Societies and Academies . 57 



Diary of Societies 60 



