NATURE 



[May 13, 1909 



HCl and the NO.. — The intluenco of the colloidal state 

 on dyeing : Li5o Vignon. — A new method of isomerisa- 

 tion in the terpene series : G^za Austerweil. Pinene, 

 heated to a moderate temperature with an organic acid in 

 sealed tubes, gives a yield of about 18 per cent, bornyl 

 esters ; if the pressure in the autoclave is raised some 

 atmospheres by means of a bottle of carbon dioxide, the 

 yield is much higher. — The suboxides of caesium : E. 

 Rengrade. The oxide Cs,0, was isolated and analysed. — 

 Contribution to the study of the rocI<s of the eastern 

 edge of the Armorican massif : L. Vandernotte. — The 

 rational use of superphosphates : J. Dumont. It has been 

 shown by cultivation experiments on the large scale that 

 the application of superphosphate mixed with farm manure 

 gives better results than the same manures applied 

 separately. — The relation ol insects, especially Lepido- 

 ptera, with the flowers of Asclepiadeje, and in particular 

 with that of Araujia sericofera. The mechanism of their 

 capture : J. Kiinkel d'Herculais. — The indol-producing 

 bodies of the urine ; Ch. Porcher. — Bilirubin : M. 

 Piettre.— The action of electrolytes on the hydrolysis of 

 fats by the pancreatic juice : Emile F. Terroine. — 

 Research on the hydrolysis of the proteins by acids : Henri 

 Mathieu. — The mechanism of the synthesis of light 

 impressions received by the compound eyes of the Diptera : 

 P. Vigiec — The reproduction of Aphelinus and the in- 

 dividual interest in acts relating to the conservation of 

 the species : Paul Marchal. — The enteroids of the 

 Acraspedes : Edgard Herouard. — The formation of the 

 Straits of Gibraltar : Louis Gentil. — The grotto of Bosse 

 in the commune of Mor(5e, Loir-et-Cher :" Armand Vire 

 and Andr6 Piedallu. — Some seeds and microsporangia of 

 Pteridosperms found in the Nord coal basin : Alfred 

 Carpentier. 



DIARY OF SOCIETIES. 



THURSDAY, May 13. 

 Royal Society, at 4.io.-Recent Solar Research: Dr. George E. Hale, 



For. Mem. R.S.— Utilization of Energy stored in Springs for the Pro. 



auction of Mechanical Work: A. Mallock, F.R.S.— The Elastic Limits 



of Iron and Steel under Cyclical Variations rf Stress: I,. B.-iirstnw.— 



Functions of Positive and Negative Type: J. Mercer. — On a New Kind 



of Glow in Vacuum Tubes : Rev. H, V. Gill, S.J. 

 Royal Institution, at 3.— Newfoundland : J. G. Millai=. 

 Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30.— Some Phases of Hinduism: Krishna 



Gobinda Gupta. 

 Mathematical Society, at 5.30.— Ternary Quadratic Types: H. W. 



Turnbull.— The Theorem of Gauss in the The-ry of .\tlractions : 



Dr. J. G. Leathern.— On ihe Continuity or Discontinuily of a Function 



defined by an Infinite Product : (. E. Littlewood. 

 Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 3.— Economics of Medium 



Sized Power Stations : A Study of Comparisons between Steam, Gas and 



Oil Engines : A. J. J. Pfeiffer. 



FRIDAY, May 14. 



Royal In.stitution, at o.— Solar Vortices and Magnetic Fields : Prof. 

 G. E. Hale. 



Royal Astronomical Society, at t;.— Spectroscopic Comparisrn of o Ceti 

 with Titanium Oxide: A. Fowler— On some Poinis with regard to the 

 Light Fluctuations of Variable Stars. A Rejoinder to Mr. H. C. Plum- 

 mer's Criticisms: Karl Pearson. — Note on certain Coefficients appearing 

 in the Algebraical Development of the Perlurbative Function : K. T. A. 

 Innes.— On Inclined Lines in Stellar Spectrograms, and on a New Method 

 of Focussing a Star on the Slit of a Spectrograph: J. Lunt.-Observa. 

 tions of Helium D3 Absorption in the Neighbourhood of Sun-spots in 

 1908 : Capt. R. A. C. Daunt.— Note on certain Lines ascribed to Argon 

 in Celestial Spectra : J. Lunt.— The Long-period Variable RT Cygni in 

 1908 : A. N. Brown.— Results of Micrometer Measures of Double Stars 

 made with the 28-inch Refractor in ihe Year 1908 : Koyal Observatory, 

 Greenwich.— New Double Stars : Rev. T. E. Espin.— Note O" the Solar 

 Constant and the Apparent Temperature of the Sun : C. Fery.— On 

 Absorption in Jupiter's Atmosphere, and its Probable Effect on the 

 Colour and Albedo of the Belts and Zones : J. H. Reynolds.— /"ro/iaWe 

 Paper: Solar Parallax Papers, N0.7, T he General Solution for ihe Parallax: 

 A. R. Hinks. 



Physical Society, at 3.— On a Bifilar Vibration Galvanometer : 

 W. Duddell, F.R.S.— Eff'ect of Temperature on the Hysteresis Loss 

 in Iron in a Rotating Field : W. P. Fuller and H. Grace -On a Method 

 of Testing Photographic Shutters : A. Campbell and T. Smith. 



Malacological Society, at 8.— Descriptions of the Animals of Two Land 

 Shells from Perak ; Skeat Expedition in the Mal.ay Peninsula, 1809-1900: 

 Lt.-Col. H. H. Godwin.Austen, F.R.S.— List of Molluscafrom Christmas 

 Island, Indian Ocean, and Descriptions of New .Species: E. A. 

 Smilh. — Further Notes on Holocene and Recent Non-marine Mollusca 

 from Perranzabuloe : Rev. R. Ashington Bullen.— On Non-marine 

 Mollusca from an Early Neolithic Interment at Cujcton, Kent : .V S. 

 Kennard. 



TUESDAY, May 18. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Hittites : (i) Monuments of Egypt and Asia 

 Minor : Prof. John Garstang. ^^ 



NO. 2063, VOL. 80] 



Royal Society of Arts, at 4.30.— Canada as a Field for British Invest- 

 ment : J. Obed Smith. 



Royal Statistical Society, at 5.— The Meat Supply of the United 

 Kingdom : R. H. Hooker. 



WEDNESDAY, May 19. 



Royal Microscopical Society, at 8. — On Ihe Recent and Fossil 

 Foraminifera of the Shore-sands of Selsey Bill, Sussex, Part ii.' : E. Heron- 

 .Allen and A. Earland. — A New Illuminator for the Microscope : 

 J. W. Gordon. 



Royal Society of Arts, at 8.— Railway Development in China: 

 A. J. Barry. 



RovAL Meteorological Society, at 4.30. — The .^nticyclonic Belt of the 

 Northern Hemisphere : Col. H, E. Rawson, C.B— Errors of Estimation 

 in Thermometric Observations: A. Walter. 



THURSDAY, May 22. 



Royal Society, at ^.-^o.— Probable Papers : Observations on the Urine in 

 Chronic Disease of the Pancreas : Dr. P. J. C^mmiAgi:.— Trypanosoma 

 iiigens, n.sp. : Colonel Sir David Bruce, C.B., F.R.S., and Captains 

 A. Hamerton, H. R. Batemanand F. P. Mackie.— The Incidence of Cancer 

 in Mice of Known Age : Dr. E. F. Eashford and Dr. J. A. Murray. 



Royal Institution, at 3. — Newfoundland : J. J. Millais. 



Institution of Electrical Engineers, at 8. — Annual General Meeting. 

 FRIDAY, May 21. 



Royal Institution, at 9. — Afforestation: Hon. I\'or C. Guest, M.P. 

 SA TURD A Y. May 22. 



Royal Institution, at 3.— The Secret Societies of the Banks' Islands: 

 Dr. W. H. R. Rivers, F.R.S. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



The Origin of 'Vertebrates 301 



An Insular Flora. By T. J 303 



Science Teaching in German Schools. By Prof. 



J. A. Green 304 



County Geographies. By O. J. R. H 305 



Solid and Plane Geometry 305 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Meade: " The Story of Gold."— T. K. R 306 



Hepburn: "Artificial Waterways and Commercial 



Development (with a History of the Erie Canal)" . 307 



Wharton: " Hydrographical Stirveying." — H. C. L. 307 

 " duvres completes de Christian Huyghens publiees 



par la Societc hollandaise des Sciences " 307 



Schtyver : "The General Characters of the Pro- 

 teins."— W. D. H. 307 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Gravitalive Pull upon the Moon. — Sir Oliver 



Lodge, F.R.S 307 



A Direct Estimate of the Minimum Age of Thoria- 



nite.— Hon. R.J. Strutt, F.R.S 308 



Sense of Smell in Flie.s.- Dr. Alex. Hill . . .308 



The Production of Radium from Uranium. — Frederick 



Soddy 308 



Wave Motion and Bfssel's Functions. — Prof. G. H. 



Bryan, F.R.S 309 



Dew.Ponds— Prof. J. B. Cohen 309 



The Imperial Side of the Fuel Question. — Arthur 



McDougall 309 



Cloud Photographs from a Balloon, (///iislra/i-d.) 



By Dr. William J. S. Lockyer 310 



The Reform of Oxford University 311 



Seventh International Congress of Chemistry . . . 313 

 The Government and Aeronautical Research. By 



Prof. G. H. Bryan, F.R.S 313 



Dr. Gerald F. Yeo, F.R.S. By G. A. B 314 



Dr. Bindon Blood Stoney, F.R.S 315 



Notes 315 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Mercury as an Evening Stir 320 



The Present Solar Activity 320 



The Intra-Mercurial Planet Problem 320 



Partial Eclipse of the Sun in Canada 320 



Spectroscopic Binaries 321 



Harvard College Observatory 321 



The Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to the Indian 

 Ocean. (IHiislralcd.) By J. Stanley Gardiner, 



F.R.S. ; J. C. F. hryer 321 



Road Motors and Problems Connected with Them . 323 



The " Bromoil '' Process 324 



Arboriculture in Germany. By T. J 325 



Growth of Nerve Fibres 325 



University and Educational Intelligence 326 



Societies and Academies 326 



Diary of Societies 330 



