2-jO 



NATURE 



[April 29, 1909 



(Antarctic expedition). — The determination of the solar 

 parallax from observations of the planet Eros made in 

 several observatories in 1900-1 : Arthur R. Hinks. The 

 photographic observations lead to iu = 8-8o7" +00027" ; the 

 principal micrometric observations give 8-803" +0-0039". 

 The reduction of the eye observations by the method of 

 passages is not yet completed. The mean value 8-8o6" is 

 not consistent with a greater constant of aberration than 

 20-47". — The distribution in space of large proper 

 motions: H. H. Turner. — Infinitely small deformation 

 of ruled surfaces : J. Haag. — Differential systems of 

 isomorphs : E. Vessiot. — The analytical function equal to 

 the maximum modulus of an integral function : Arnaud 

 Oenjoy. — The electrical properties of copper-aluminium 

 alloys : H. Pecheux. Alloys containing 3, 5, 6, 7-5, 10, 

 and 94 per cent, of aluminium were examined. The 

 electromotive forces of thermocouples consisting of alloy/ 

 copper were measured for temperatures up to 820° C, 

 and the resistances of the same alloys measured for 

 temperatures up to 350° C. — Some consequences of the 

 use of a selective receiver in the measurement of radiant 

 energy : Ch. Fery. — The physico-chemical properties of 

 the colloidal particles known as micelles : G. Malfltano. 

 The author maintains that the experimental data of J. 

 Duclaux are not in contradiction with his own experi- 

 ments. — The function of contact electrification in the 

 permeability of membranes to electrolytes : Pierre Girard. 

 — The determination of added water in decomposed milks : 

 Andr^ Kling; and Paul Boy. The total nitrogen corre- 

 sponding to the albumenoids of the milk is not affected 

 by the fermentative processes, and hence is suggested as 

 more suitable for the detection of added water than the 

 estimation of the non-fatty solids. — The suspension of life 

 in certain seeds : Paul Becquerel. Seeds of lucerne, 

 mustard, and wheat were kept at the temperature of liquid 

 air for three weeks, and then further cooled to —253° C. 

 (boiling hydrogen) for seventy-seven hours. All the 

 lucerne and mustard seeds germinated normally, and four 

 out of five of the wheat grains. The seeds had been well 

 dried and placed in a vacuum before cooling. — Remarks 

 on the preceding communication : Armand Gautier. — The 

 lowering of the diaphragm : A. Thooris. — The diastases 

 of milk : F. Bordas and F. Touplain. The oxydase re- 

 action given by unboiled milk in presence of hydrogen 

 peroxide and paraphenylene-diamine appear to be due, 

 not to an oxydase, but to the casein, or compound of 

 casein and lime. — The comparative harmlessness of 

 carbonic acid in incubation : M. Lourdel. — The inequali- 

 ties of electric potential at several points of the organism : 

 J. Audrain and R. Demerliac. — Passive congestion of 

 the liver and arterial hypertension : E. Doumer and G. 

 Lemoine. — The hydroids of the Lamouroux collection : 

 Armand Billard. — A storm at sea : M. Halluitte. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAV, \VR\< 29. 



Royal Society, at 4.30.— Note on the Results of Coolins certain 

 Hydrated Platin-cyanides in Liquid .'^ir : Prof. J.Emerson Reynolds, 

 F.R.S.— .\ Phenomenon ronnected with the Discharge of Electricity 

 from Pointed Conductors (with a Note by Prof. J. Zeleny) : Prof H. T. 

 B.arnes and A. N. Shaw.— On the Effect of Temperature on Ionization : 

 J. A. Crowther.— The Wave-making Resistance of Ships ; a Theoretical 

 snd Practical An.alysis : Dr. T. H. Havelock.— The lonisation in Various 

 Gases by Secondary y Rays : R. D. Rleeman. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4. 3°-— The Problem of Indian Labour Supply : 

 S. H. Fremantle. 



FJilDAV, April 30. 



Royal Institution, at 9.— The Pitfalls of Biography: Dr. Edmund 



Society of Dyers and Colourists, at 8.— Recent Developments of the 



The ry of the Colloidal State, and their Bearing on the Dyeing and 



Cleaning cf Textile Fibres : Dr. E. Feilman. 



SATURDAY. May i. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— The Earth Movements of the Italian Coast 



and their Effects : R. T. Giinther. 



MONDAY, May :;. 

 Society of Chemical Indu.strv, at 8.— Vulcanisation Tests in Plantation 



Rubbers.; Clayton Beadle and Dr. H. P. Stevens.— The Indian Magnesite 



Industry : H. H. Dains.— A New Steam Meter : A. Girtler A New 



Refractometer ; J. Lewkowitsch. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 3.— Aerial Flight : F. W. Lanchester. 



TUESDAY, May 4. 

 Royal Institution, at 3. — Cosmogonical Questions: Prof Svante 



-Arrhenius. 

 Royal Anthropological Institute, .at 8.1^.— (i) A Note on a Stone 



on the Rock of Cashel : (2) Some Irish Stone Circles : A. L. Lewis. 



NO. 2061, VOL. 80] 



WEDNESDA Y, May s. 



Entomological Society, at 8. 



Society of Public Analysts, at 8.— The Analysis of Air : W. J. A. 

 Hutterfield. — The Estimation of Iron by Permanganate in Presence of 

 Hydrochloric Acid: G. Cecil Jones and J. H. JefTery.— The Composition 

 of Butter from a Cheshire Herd of Cows: A. Smetham. — A Rapid 

 Method for the Estimation and Separation of Milk Sugar and Cane 

 Sugar in Sweetened Condensed Milk : I. S. Jamieson. 

 THURSDAY, May 6. 



Royal Society, at 4.— Election of Fellows.— At ^.-^a.— Probable Papers : 

 Reciprocal Innervation of Antagonistic Muscles. Note XIV. On Double 

 Reciprocal Innervation : Prof. C. S. Sherrington, F.R.S.— Note on a 

 Curious Property of Neom: Prof J. Norman Collie, F.R.S.— The Proper- 

 ties of Colloidal Systems. I. The Osmotic Pressure of Congo-red and of 

 Some Other Dyes : Dr. W. M. Bayliss, F.R.S.— The Origin and Destiny 

 of Cholesterol in the Animal Organism. Part V. On the Inhibitory 

 Action of the Sera of Rabbits fed on Diets containing Varying Amounts 

 of Cholesterol on the Ha:molysis of Blood by Saponin : Miss Mary T. 

 Fraser and J. A. Gardner. 



LiNNE.-^N Society, at 8. — On some Zoantheae from Queensland and 

 the New Hebrides: Mrs. Leonora J. Wilsmore. — The CEcological 

 Relations of the Tiger-Beetles : Dr. V. E. Shelford. 



Rontgen Society, at 8.15.— An Illustrated Description of the Historical 

 Collection of Tubes recently deposited at the Albert and Victoria 

 Museum : Dr. G. H. Rodman.— On X-rays Produced at a Magnetically 

 Deflected Kathode Focus: J. H. Gardiner. 



Institution of F^i.ectrical Engineers, at 8. — The Theory an 

 Application of Motor Converters : H. .*J. Hallo. 

 FRIDAY, May 7. 



Royal Institution, at 9. — The Campaign against Malaria : Majo 

 Ronald Ross, C.B., F.R.S. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



Central-American Orthoptera. By R. S 241 



Coal Mining. By Prof. Henry Louis 242 



A Comprehensive Work on Diphtheria. ByT. J. H. 243 



Alloys. By T. K. R 243 



Astronomical Determination of Position from 



Balloon. By Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer 244 



Social and Experimental Psychology. William 



Brown 245 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Escherich : " Die Termiten oder weissen Ameisen." — 



W. F. K 245 



Lieckfeld : "Oil Motois : their Development, Con- 



slruclion, and Management" 246 



"Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Royal 



Botanic Gardens, Kew," 1908 246 



Pierce : The Genitalia of the Group Noctuidse of the 

 Lepidoptera of the Biitish Islands. An Account of 

 the Morphology of the Male Clasping Organs." — 



W. F. K 246 



Rustafjaell : " Paloeolithic Vessels of Egypt, or the 



Earliest Handiwork of Man" 246 



Letters to tbe Editor : — 



Australian Kinship. — Dr. A. Lang 247 



Forms, Markings, and Attitudes in Animal and Plant 



Life.— Dr. Arthur Willey, F.R.S 247 



The Simple Equivalent of an Alternating Circuit of 



Parallel Wires. — Dr. J. W. Nicholson 247 



Gigantocypris and the Challenger. — Dr. W. T. 



Caiman 248 



Persistent Trail of a Meteor on March 14. — Edward J. 



Steer 248 



Lignum A'lp/iri/iiiun. —}Q\\n H. Shaxby 248 



The Nandi. {Illintralct) By A. C. H 249 



The Microscope in Engineering. (l/liislrated.) 



By Walter Rosenhain 250 



The Yielding of the Earth to Disturbing Forces. By 



Prof. A. E. H. Love, F.R.S 252 



The Natural History Museum 254 



Notes 255 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Astronomical Occurrences in May 259 



The Meteoric Shower of Halley's Comet 259 



Comet Morehouse, igoSc 260 



The " Original " Canals of the Martian Doubles . . 260 

 Chromospheric Calcium Lines in Furnace Spectra .. . 260 



Mount Wilson Solar Observatory Report 260 



The Electrification of Railways 260 



Some Recent Palaeontological Papers. ByG.A.J. C. 261 



Papers on Molluscs and Insects 263 



Transatlantic Wireless Telegraphy. II. (Illustrated.) 



By Commendatore G. Marconi 264 



University and Educational Intelligence 267 



Societies and Academies 268 



Diary of Societies 270 



