846 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 101. 



the laws of the phenomenon cannot yet be de- 

 rived they at least appear to be definite. 



Note on the Osmotic Theory of the Voltaic Cell: 

 By H. M. Goodwin. Prof. Goodwin dissents 

 in this article from some conclusions reached 

 by Prof. Bancroft in a recent paper on ' The 

 Chemical Potential of the Metals,' and presents 

 results of recent determinations of the E. M. F. 

 of certain types of cells in support of his posi- 

 tion. 



The Division of an Alternating Current in Par- 

 allel Circuits with Mutual Induction: By Fred- 

 erick Bedell. This paper is devoted to a dis- 

 cussion, both graphical and analytical, of the 

 case of branch circuits which act inductively 

 upon one another. The general formulae are 

 derived and several special cases are considered. 

 The results are not of a character which could 

 be presented here to advantage. 



On the Specific Gravity and Electrical Conduc- 

 tivity of the Normal Solutions of Sodium and Po- 

 tassium Hydroxides, and Hydrochloric, Sulphuric 

 Nitre and Oxalic Acids: By E. H. LooMis. The 

 results of careful determinations of the specific 

 gravity and conductivity are here presented in 

 the case of some salts and acids for which these 

 quantities had not previously been accurately 

 determined. 



New Books. — Wuller: Experimentalphysik. 

 Carhart and Patterson: Electrical Measure- 

 ments. Le Blanc: Electrochemie. Fleming: 

 Alternate current transformer. Bedell: Prin- 

 ciples of the Transformer. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 NEW YORK ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 



The Section of Geology and Mineralogy, held 

 its regular monthly meeting November 16th, 

 with Prof. Albert H. Chester in the chair, as 

 chairman pro tem. 



The first paper was by Dr. E. O. Hovey, en- 

 titled ' On a Deep Well-boring at Key West, 

 Fla. ' Dr. Hovey described the geological sec- 

 tion uncovered by the well for a depth of more 

 than 2000 feet. A number of microscopic organ- 

 isms were obtained. It proved somewhat difii- 

 cult to identify the geological horizons, but 

 without much doubt the well penetrated a con- 

 siderable distance into Miocene. In the lime- 

 stone many grains of quartz, possibly of second- 



ary depositions, were met, and also rolled grains 

 of quartz, doubtless in the nature of sand. Dr. 

 Hovey commented on the significance of the 

 phenomena, and expressed his obligations to 

 Prof. Alexander Agassiz, from whom the sam- 

 ples had been obtained. The paper will ap- 

 pear in full in an early number of the Bulletin 

 of the American Museum of Natural History. 



Prof. A. J. Moses then exhibited a number of 

 new mineralogical instruments which had re- 

 cently been sent from Europe. They included 

 a little adjustable dark room which could be 

 fitted to a Fuess No. 2 Goniometer, so that 

 crystals could be measured by daylight. Per- 

 fect signals could be obtained even in a well- 

 lighted room. The instrument is called the 

 Traube Verdunklungsvorrichtung. The uni- 

 versal rotation attachment for mineralogical 

 microscopes which has been invented by Prof. 

 Klein, of Berlin, for measuring the angle of the 

 optic axes of microscopic crystals was also 

 shown. Klein's new rotation apparatus for the 

 orientation of thin sections was next described. 

 The new attachment which can be adjusted to 

 the Fuess Goniometer No. 2 for measuring the 

 optic axes was shown and an opportunity was 

 afforded to test it by actual experiment. The 

 von Federow mica wedge (Glimmerkeil), which 

 consists of a series of superposed ^-undulation 

 mica plates in step-like arrangement and is used 

 for all the purposes of a quartz wedge, con- 

 cluded the paper. 



The third paper was read by Mr. A. Chester 

 Beatty, and was entitled ' The Minerals of the 

 Elkhorn Mine, Montana. ' Mr. Beatty exhibited 

 with comments, a remarkable series of calamine, 

 smithsonite, native silver and other minerals. 



Prof. A. H. Chester presented a paper on the 

 new discovery of the brassy, micaceous mineral 

 which seems, from the only analysis, to be 

 chalcodite, and which has been found in a quarry 

 at Rocky Hill, New Jersey. He also exhibited 

 a remarkable series of rutile from Graves Moun- 

 tain, Georgia. 



G. F. Kunz described a new meteorite from 

 Guatemala, and read a joint paper by Dr. 

 Hillebrand and himself upon a new discovery 

 of prosopite in Utah. He read also a joint 

 paper by J. H. Pratt and himself on the new 

 find of saphires at Utica, Mont. 



