434 
on Lumbricus, Mrs. M. A. Bigelow on Olfac- 
tory nerves of Vertebrates, Dr. Neal on origin 
of motor nerves in Selachians, Dr. A. D. 
Morrill on histology of nervous system in pla- 
narians, Mr. Yerkes on physiology of pineal 
eye in lizards, Miss Marion Hubbard on the 
nervous system of Dero. 
In ZooLtoey: A monograph on Arenicola 
cristata is under way: The nephridia are 
being studied from the points of view of anat- 
omy and embryology by Mr. R. S. Lillie, 
the spermatogenesis by Mr. E. R. Downing, 
Odgenesis by Mr. Arthur E. Hunt, Organs of 
circulation by Miss Emma Keith. The first 
part of this monograph, the embryology, by 
Dr. C. M. Child, is already published and other 
parts, including the ones mentioned, are well 
under way. The zoological studies not already 
mentioned include work on Coelenterata by Dr. 
Murbach, on Hemiptera by Mr. W. M. Chester, 
on Pycnogonida by Mr. L. J. Cole, on Nemertea 
by Miss C. B. Thompson, on Pectinatella by Miss . 
A. W. Wilcox, on Acmzxa by Miss M. A. 
Willcox, on Amphipoda by Dr. 8. J. Holmes, 
on Limulus by Dr. Wm. Patten, on Lamelli- 
branch gill by Dr. E. L. Rice, on Annelids by 
Dr. A. L. Treadwell. 
In variation statistics and allied subjects, 
Miss M. M. Entemann on Polistes, Dr. EB. C. 
Edwards on Synapta, Dr. H. BE. Crampton on 
Lepidoptera, Miss A. C. Dimon on snails. 
In Borany: Cytological work has been 
carried on by Dr. B. M. Davis, Miss C. M. 
Derick, Dr. Walter Swingle. 
Physiological work has been carried on by 
Dr. R. H. True and Mr. Roberts. Dr. George 
T. Moore and Dr. Erwin Smith have also been 
working in this department. 
NOTES ON INORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 
From the current chemical journals the fol- 
lowing notes are taken: 
ProFessor Firtica still persists in his claims 
of being able to change phosphorus into arsenic 
and antimony and gives PN,O as the true for- 
mula of arsenic, and P,N,O, as that of antimony. 
Christomanos, preparing arsenic, according to 
Fittica’s directions, from commercial phospho- 
rus, tests it without success for the presence of 
phosphorus and nitrogen, but Fittica replies 
SCIENCE. 
(N.S. Von. XIII. No. 324, 
that this should not occasion surprise, since 
methods used for testing in one class of com- 
pounds often fail when applied to those in 
which the nitrogen is more firmly united. 
THE cause of the much discussed poisonous 
qualities of arsenical wall papers has been 
shown by Biginelli to be due to the evolution of 
a gas, diethyl arsin, formed under the influence © 
of the mold Pencillium brevicaule, which thrives 
on arsenic, and develops on arsenical papers. 
SomME time since reference was made in these 
columns to the work of H. J. Moller on the pro- 
tective value of different colored glasses for 
chemical and drug bottles. His former method 
was photo-chemical, but he now finds the use 
of the spectroscope equally satisfactory, and 
much simpler, a pocket spectroscope answering 
every purpose. Glasses have a protective value 
in proportion as they absorb the blue and violet 
light from the line F to the line H. Dark red 
glass is the best but most expensive; the dark 
olive-green of cheap bottles is very satisfac- 
tory; dark brown-yellow bottles are effective, 
but lighter shades of brown, green or blue have 
little value. 
THE claims of Desgrez and Balthazard for so- 
dium peroxid as a regenerator of the air in sub- 
marine navigation have caused Jaubert to 
claim priority, as having been at work on the 
problem for more than three years. According 
to the latter, however, sodium peroxid has 
many disadvantages, but he expects in the near _ 
future to publish results attained with other 
substances which are more effective, and 
cheaper than even compressed oxygen. 
Ir has been noticed at various times during 
the past four years that the water of the river 
Rhone exhibits certain reactions characteristic 
ofaldehydes. Thisis found by Causse to be due 
to the presence of ferrous oxy-thio-carbonate 
FeCO2S, which is formed by the combination 
of carbon dioxid with ferrous sulfid. The 
latter results from the reduction of sulfates by 
organic matter. The compound is broken up 
by distillation, or on standing, with the for- 
mation of an ocherous deposit. 
THE reduction of sulfates in water to hy- 
drogen sulfid has been supposed to be due to 
the action of Beijerink’s Spirillwm desulfuricans, 
