I 



550 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 275. 



mass from which he separated, and Q5 fo of the 

 total momentum of the nebula. These same dis- 

 crepancies occur also in the other planets with 

 no apparent regularity. The present discrep- 

 ancies can not be due to transfer of energy 

 through tidal action. The computations show 

 an irregular distribution of mass and momenta 

 throughout the system which could not be 

 derived by known laws under the nebular 

 hypothesis, and so necessitates the construction 

 of a new hypothesis which will give this un- 

 symmetrical distribution. Some of the lines 

 along which this new hypothesis may be sought 

 are suggested. W. G. T. 



American Chemical Journal, March, 1900. 

 ' Anethol and its Isomers,' by "W. R. Orndorff 

 and D. A. Morton. 'The supposed Isomeric 

 Potassium Sodium Sulphites,' by G. S. Fraps. It 

 was found impossible to obtain the two sodium 

 potassium salts of sulphurous acids which are 

 theoretically possible, if the acid has the asym- 

 metrical structure. ' Condensation Compounds 

 of Amines and Camphoroxalic Acid,' by J. B. 

 Tingle and A. Tingle. ' A Method for the De- 

 termination of the Melting-Point,' by M. 

 Kuhara and M. Chikashige. The authors place 

 the substance between a pair of thin cover- 

 glasses. These are held in a holder of platinum 

 and inserted into a test-tube, which serves as an 

 air-bath. ' The Symmetrical Chloride of Pa- 

 ranitro-orthosulphobenzoic Acid,' by F. S. Hol- 

 lis. ' Stereoisomers and Racemic Compounds,' 

 by H. C. Cooper. 



The March issue of Terrestrial Magnetism 

 and Atmospheric Electricity contains the follow- 

 ing articles: 



The physical decomposition of the permanent mag- 

 netic field of the United States. No. 1. The assumed 

 normal magnetization and the characteristics of the 

 primary residual field, by L. A. Bauer and D. L. 

 Hazard. 



Die Aufgaben der erdmagnetiseben Forsohung der 

 Vereinigten Staaten Nordamerikas, by L. A. Bauer. 



Biographical sketch and portrait of the late Alexis 

 de Tillo. 



Einige Gesiehtspunkte fiir die Einrichtung Erd- 

 magnetischer Simultan-beobachtungeu zur Erfor- 

 schung der Ursachen der Erdmagnetiseben Storungen, 

 by Ad. Schmidt. 



A comparison of the isogonic charts for the year 

 1900, issued by the ' Deutsche Seewarte ' the United 



States Hydrographio Ofiice, and the United States 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey, by J. A. Fleming. 



The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey : 

 Its origin, development, and present status, by E. D. 

 Preston. [Illustrated.] 



Notes regarding magnetic instruments : 



A source of error in theKevp magnetometer, by H. 

 Morize. 



The Coast and Geodetic Survey magnetometer, by 

 L. A. Bauer. 



The efiect of glass covers in magnetic instruments, ' 

 by E. G. Fischer. 



The number concludes with 16 pp. of abstracts 

 reviews, and notes on terrestrial magnetism 

 and atmospheric electricity. 



The Journal of the Boston Society of the Medi- 

 cal Sciences for February 20th, opens with an 

 article by H. G. Beyer, on the ' Relation be- 

 tween Mental Work and Physique,' in which 

 the author arrives at the same conclusions as 

 those reached by Dr. W. T. Porter, that pre- 

 cocious children weigh more and dull children 

 less than the average of their age. C. S. Minot 

 briefly describes 'A hitherto Unrecognized Form 

 of Blood Circulation without Capillaries in the 

 Organs of Vertebrates.' D. A. Sargent dis- 

 cusses ' The Relation of the Cephalic Index to 

 Height, Weight, Strength and Mental Ability,' 

 finding among eleven hundred Harvard stu- 

 dents the brachycephalic were superior in 

 scholarship and the dolichocephalic in athletics. 

 W. H. Smith describes and figures ' Branching 

 Tubercle Bacilli in Sputum,' and Harold C. 

 Ernst gives a summary of a fully illustrated 

 paper on ' The Development of the Microscope.' 



SOCIETIES AND ACADE3IIES. 

 NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIEN-CES. 

 SECTION OF ASTRONOMY, PHYSICS AND CHEM- 

 ISTRY. 



. A MEETING of the Section was held on Mon- 

 day evening, March 5th. Professor R. S. Wood- 

 ward gave an account of the Jubilee of Sir 

 George G. Stokes, which he attended as a dele- 

 gate from Columbia University. The Jubilee 

 was held on the 1st and 2d of June, 1S99, on 

 the fiftieth anniversary of the professorship of 

 Sir George G. Stokes at Cambridge. Stokes' 



