330 



NA TURE 



[September 9, 1909 



ihermodynamical considerations are excluded. The author 

 regards some of M. Miiller's assumptions as unjustifiable. 

 — The hydrolytic dissociation of bismuth iodide : Ren6 

 Oubrisay. The effects of temperature and dilution have 

 been fiudied. Two oxyiodides have been shown to exist, 

 the rtd compound being BiOI ; the second black oxyiodide 

 gives a ratio of bismuth to iodine corresponding to 

 Bi,©; : 5HI. — A simplified method and apparatus for deter- 

 mining the calorific power of gaseous combustibles : P. 

 Lemoult. The method is based on the fact that the com- 

 bustion of molecular proportions of hydrogen and oxygen 

 or carbon monoxide and oxygen gives nearly the same 

 heat evolution, and after absorption of carbon dioxide 

 formed in the latter case, the contractions are the same. If 

 carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane are present, the 

 contraction (a) after combustion and absorption of CO, is 

 measured, and also the o.\ygen consumed (b). The 

 approximate calorific value is P = o-9i4a + 3-405b. — The 

 pseudopolychroism of sphasrolites : Paul Gaubert. — The 

 extension and retrogression of the virgin forest of tropical 

 Africa : Aug. Chevalier. — The Mesoplodon of la-Hougue 

 (November 2, 190.S) : R. Anthony. — The proof of experi- 

 mental ammoniuria in epilepsy : J. E. Florence and P. 

 Clement. Ammonium acetate, administered in 4-gram to 

 6-gram doses, is in healthy individuals excreted mainly 

 as urea. In epileptics under the influence of bromides the 

 method of elimination is similar ; in epileptics not under 

 bromide treatment a marked elimination of ammonia coin- 

 cides with the very frequent attacks. — .Alcoholic fernientalion 

 in presence of sulphurous acid : P. Martinand. — Tlie 

 specificity of oxydases : J. Wolff. 



New South Wales. 



Royal Society, lune 2. — Mr. H D. Wal-h, pres-ident, 

 in the chair. — A pitchblende probably occurring in New 

 Soutn Wales : T. H. Laby. — The viscosity of water : R. 

 Hosking:. — A contribution to the experimental study of the 

 larf^e ions in the air : S. G. Uusby. — Tlie mobility of the 

 large ions in the air; Prof. J. A. Pollock. — "Lope de 

 Vega " : L. Hargrave. — Note on the determination of the 

 free acid in superpliosphates : F. B. Guthrie and A. A. 

 Ramsay. 



July 7. — Mr. H. D. Walsh, president, in the chair. — 

 Description of a new hac^moprotozoa from birds in N.S. 

 Wales : Dr. J. B. Cleland and T. H. Johnston. — A new 

 melanin-producing h;cmatozoon from an .Australian tor- 

 toise : T. H. Johnston and Dr. J. B. Cleland. — .\ new 

 reptilian cestode : T. H. Johnston. — The discrepancy 

 between the results obtained by experiments in manuring, 

 &c., in pots and in the field : L. Cohen. 



Linnean Society, July 28. — Mr. C. Hedley, presdent, 

 in the chair. — New Australian Lepidoptera belonging to 

 the family Noctuid.x : Dr. A. J. Turner. One genus, and 

 twenty-five species referable to twenty-two genera, are 

 described as new, and new habitats are recorded for a 

 number of species previously known. — Notes from the 

 botanic gardens. No. 14 : J. H. Maiden and E. Betche. 

 Three species, referable to the genera Halorrhagis, 

 Baickea, and Olearia, are described as new ; Riilidosis 

 leiolepsis, F. v. M., Ageratum conyzoides, L., Prunella 

 vulgaris, L., var. laciniata, Benth., Gleichenia flagcllaris, 

 Spreng., Angiopteris erecta, Hoffm., and Cassytha fili- 

 forinis, L., are recorded as new for New South Wales ; it 

 is suggested that Acacia Dorothea, Maiden, should be 

 transferred from the Uninerves to the Juliflorje ; and notes 

 on, or new records for, certain rare or interesting plants 

 are appended. — Studies of the life-histories of Australian 

 Odonata. No. 2. The life-history of Diphlebia Icsioides, 

 Selys : R. J. Tillyard. The genus Diphlebia contains the 

 only Australian representatives of the family Caloptervgidce. 

 The discovery of the larva is of great Importance to onto- 

 genists. The ova were found in the tissue of water-weed 

 one foot below water, the female having deposited them 

 by descending the reed under protection of an air-film. 

 Larvae were successfully hatched out in October, and some 

 of them were kept until March. In November four 

 exuvijB were found clinging to rocks In the stream-bed of 

 the Rodriguez Pass, at Blackheath. The larva is of most 

 remarkable form, quite unlike any other calopterygid larva 



NO. 2080, VOL. 81] 



known, and having some points in common with agrionid 

 larvae. It must be regarded, not as a synthetic type, but 

 as a highly specialised and successful development from 

 the main calopterygid stock, such development having taken 

 place on lines parallel to that of the agrionid type. — 

 Some hasmogregarines from Australian reptiles : T. H. 

 Johnston. Four .Australian species of Haemogregarina 

 have been described. Three additional species, from snakes 

 or from a tortoise (Chelodina), are described as new, and 

 some observations on H. shattocki, Samb. and Seligm., 

 are offered. — The influence of the dilution of serum upon 

 the phagocytic index : Dr. R. Greigr-Smith. Several 

 factors have each an influence in modifying the nature of 

 the curve representing the opsonic and phagocytic effects 

 obtained upon progressively diluting normal serum. It 

 would be possible to obtain the phagocytic indices so that 

 their ratios lie upon a straight line, by using a I'O per 

 cent, to I -I per cent, solution of sodium chloride for 

 making the dilutions and suspensions. With weaker- 

 strengths of normal saline the curve rises above, and with 

 Increased strengths It falls below, the straight line. The 

 thickness of the bacterial suspension, the nature of the 

 phagocytes, and the time of incubation influence the results, 

 and have to be taken into account. 



CONTENTS. PAGE 



A Monograph on the Transit Circle ByW. W. B. 301 



The History of Mechanics. By G. B. M 301 



Organic Memory. By Prof. John G. McKendrick, 



F.R.S 302 



The Physics of the Ion 302 



Our Book Shelf:— 



Oppizzi : " Problemi grafici di Trazione Ferro- 



viaria." — Prof. Gisbert Kapp . 303 



Klossovsky : " General Treatise of Meteorology." — 



H. A 303 



Eucher : "An Introduction to the Study of Integral 



Equations." ■ 304 



Henderson: "The Scaly-winged" 3°4 



Arber: "Fossil Plants" 304' 



Letters to the Editor : — 



The Systematic Position of Mceritherium. — Dr. 



Cha?. W. Andrews 305 



Remarkable Halo of August 21. — {Illiislraled.) 



W. McKeon 305 



Man and Environment. — F. C. Constable .... 306 

 The Attainment of the North Pole. {With jSIap.) . 306 



The Whiskey Commission. By T 30S 



Prof. Emil Christian Hansen. By Arthur R. Ling . 310 



Notes 310 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Changes on Mars 3 '4 



The Absorption of Light in Space 3'4 



Planets and their Satellites 3'5 



Meteor Observations 3' 5 



New Spectroscopic Binaries 315 



Observations of Perrine's Comet 3'S 



The British Association at Winnipeg 



Section D — Zooli.gy— Opening Address by A. E. 

 Shipley, M.A. Cantab., Hon. D.Sc. Prince- 

 ton, F.R.S., President of the Section. . . 315 

 Section E—Geci^raphy— Opening Address by 

 Colonel Sir Duncan Johnston, K.C.M.G., 

 C.B., R.E., F.R.G.S., F.G.S., President of 



the Section 323 



University and Educational Intelligence 328 



Societies and Academies 3^9 



