248 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. I. No. 9. 



Oleates, together luith Related Phenomena, 



Especially those of Protoplasm. G. Quincke. 



Wiedemann, Ann. 1894. Vol. 53, p. 593. 



This article is a continuation of Prof. 

 Quincke's investigation published in 1888 

 (Weid., Ann., Vol. 35, 1888, p. 562, et 

 seg) , and a reply to the criticisms which his 

 article provoked. It gives the results of 

 elaborate investigations upon the phenom- 

 ena observable u^jon mixing various soaps, 

 oils and water, and traces them to surface 

 tension and allied forces. Some very inter- 

 esting suggestions are given upon the simi- 

 larity of some of the resulting appearances, 

 with the arrangement of the heavenly bodies 

 in space, and a strong likeness is shown be- 

 tween some of these peculiar bubbles with 

 very thin, solid walls formed in such mix- 

 tures, and some of the formations in plant 

 cells. The observations also go far toward 

 explaining the motions sometimes obsei'ved 

 in cells, which would seem to be due to the 

 sam.e forces as produce those peculiar mo- 

 tions of a drop of oil upon water. 



On the Comparison of High Range Mercury 

 Thermometers of Jena Glass 59III, with the 

 Air Thermometer at temperatures between 

 300° and 500° C. By Alfons Mahlke. 

 (Wied. Ann. 1894. Vol. 53, p. 965.) 

 Contains a very careful determination of 

 the apparent co-efficient of expansion of 

 mercury in Jena glass 59III, and demon- 

 strates the availability of mercury thermo- 

 meters made of this glass for the measure- 

 ment of temperatures up to 500° C. (900° 

 Th). William Hallock. 



On the Units of Light and Radiation. Hy 

 A. Macfaelane, D. Sc, LL.D. A pa- 

 per read before the American Institute of 

 Electrical Engineers, 16th January, 1895. 

 (Abstract. ) 



The author shows that the difficulty ex- 

 perienced in defining and denoting the dif- 

 ferent ideas commonly expressed by the 

 word ' candle ' is due to the want of a name 



for the unit of solid angle ; and suggests 

 the word steradlan, which has already been 

 used for that purj)0se. 



He considers the different physical ideas 

 in the general subject of radiation, an^ 

 shows the appropriate exj)ression for the 

 unit of each. With this sj^stem of radiation 

 units he compares the sj'stem of units of 

 light recently proposed by M. Blondel, and 

 shows that the light system ought to be par- 

 allel to, not identical with, the radiant en- 

 ergy system. Finally he discusses M. Hos- 

 pitaller's proposed sj^mbols for light quan- 

 tities. 



GEOLOGY. 



Report on the Bevier Sheet, by C. IT. Gordon 

 and others. Aethue Winslow, State 

 Geologist, Mo. Geol. Surv. 1894. 

 This is the second of a series of detailed 

 reports on areal geology in Missouri. The 

 main feature is a carefully prepared and 

 well executed topographic and geologic map, 

 which includes portions of Macon, Ran- 

 dolph and Chariton counties, an area of 

 about 250 square miles. This map is on a 

 scale of ^3^55 ij and the topography is shown 

 by contoui's of 20 feet interval. The topo- 

 graphic base was executed by Messrs. C. 

 H. Gordon, C. F. Marbut and M. C. Shel- 

 ton. On the map are shown the horizon 

 lines of the coal beds and the distribution 

 of the geological formations, as well as the 

 location of coal pits, drifts and drill holes. 

 It is accompanied by a sheet of columnar 

 and cross-sections, which give details of the 

 geology. In the accompanying text, Mr. 

 Gordon describes the physiography, includ- 

 ing the topography, drainage, soil, forestry, 

 etc., and the stratigraphic and economic 

 geology. The Quaternary geology is re- 

 ported on by Prof. J. E. Todd, and the 

 distribution of the clays and shales by Mr. 

 H. A. Wheeler, E. M., who were employed 

 as specialists and whose reports on these 

 subjects for- the whole State are in process 

 of preparation. J. D. R. 



