2^6 



SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



Surface Tension of Oil Films on Water. — 

 When olive oil is dropped on water a film is formed, 

 in the middle of which an oil drop persists. The 

 size of the drop, its angle of contact, and the sur- 

 face tension of the film have been shown experi- 

 mentally by R. H. Weber to vary with the size of 

 the surface. The values of the surface tension 

 found varied also with time, and it was concluded 

 that the film consisted of a third liquid formed 

 from the oil and water, probably by hydrolysis. 



Maxwell's Poems.— It is not, perhaps, generally 

 known that James Clerk Maxwell wrote a large 

 number of poems, many of which are very original 

 in character. The early life and brilliant career of 

 this great physicist are well known, and it is not 

 surprising to find that a man with such a wide 

 capacity for knowledge as Maxwell possessed 

 should also have a poetical mind. The following 

 is an extract of one of his poems taken at 

 random : — " Through many an Ohm, the Ampere 

 flew, And ticked this answer back to me : I am thy 

 Farad staunch and true, Charged to a Volt with 

 love for thee." 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



Ordinary meetings are marked f, excursions * ; names of persons 

 following excursions are of Conductors. Lantern Illustra- 

 tions §. 



titdtiox or Great Britain*. 

 and 9.— t " Waves and Ripples in Water, Air, and 



Aether " Professor J. A. Fleming. 

 " The Cell." Dr Allan Macfadyen. 

 " Recent Excavations at Delphi and in the Greek 



Islands.'' Dr. A. S. Murray. 

 " Interference of Sound." Lord Rayleie-h. 

 " The Cell." Dr. Allan Macfadyen. 

 " Recent Excavations at Delphi and in the Greek 



Islands." Dr. A. S. Murray. 

 " The Discovery of the Future " H. G. Wells. 

 "The Cell." Dr. Allan Macfadyen. 

 " Recent Excavations at Delphi and in the Greek 



Islands." Dr. A. S. Murray. 

 ''• The Ions of Electrolysis.' Professor A. Crum 



Brown. 



South London- Entomological and Natural History 



Society. 

 Jan. 9.— § '■ Notes on the Nightjar." E. Step. 

 „ 23.— Annual Meeting. 



Hampstead Scientific Society. 



Jan. 3.— t " Entomology of Iceland." Rev. F. A. Walker, 

 D.u., F.SS. 

 „ 8 — § Photographic Section " Portraiture." 

 „ 10. -t " The Anatomy of a Sea-Anemone." Dr. J. W. 



Williams, F.S.S. 

 ., 24. — Photographic Section. Demonstration on the 

 Carbon Process. 



NOTICES TO CORKESPONDENTS. 



To Correspondents and Exchangers.— Science-Gossip is 

 published on the 25th of each month. All notes or short com- 

 munications should reach us not later than the 18th of the month 

 for insertion in the following number. No communications can 

 be inserted or noticed without full name and address of writer. 

 Notices of changes of address admitted free. 



Editorial Communications, articles, books for review, instru- 

 ments for notice, specimens for identification, etc., to be addressed 

 to John T. Carrington, 110 Strand, London, W.O. 



Business Communications.— All business communications 

 relating to Science-Gossip must be addressed to the Manager, 

 Science-Gossip, 110 Strand, London. 



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Notice. — Contributors are requested to strictly observe the 

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ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



S. S. D. ( Dunfanaghy).— We do not know that Reynolds pub- 

 lished such an Atlas. If so, it would be out of date. The 

 Geological Survey of Ireland would be best. You might try 

 W. & A. K. Johnston's " Geological Map of the British Isles." 

 See p. 82, Vol. IV. of Science-Gossip for notice 



EXCHANGES. 



Notice. — Exchanges extending to thirty words (including 

 name and address) admitted free : but additional words must be 

 prepaid at the rate of threepence for every seven words or less. 



Wanted, European and exotic leaidoptera, especially African, 

 Western North Americiu and Papilios, < irnithopterae. Offered, 

 European and exotic species, especially Indian, some rare, 

 Armandia lidderdalii. — Roger Verity, 1 Via Leone Deeimo, 

 Florence, Italy. 



A few well-set Cloantha solidaginis, on black or white pins, 

 offered in exchange for living pupae of lepidop:era. -Charles 

 Mosley, 20 Moor End Road, Lock wood, near Huddersfi eld. 



Wanted, living specimens of Rubus chamaemorus, caesius, 

 saxatilis, also arcticus and any other foreign species. Offered, 

 Natural History books and exotic butterflies. — W. Harcourt 

 Bath, Palmyra, Alcester Road, King's Heath. 



Offered, exhibition mounted microscopic slides, mounting 

 material, British Butterflies aud Moths, Land, Fiesh water and 

 Marine Shells, valuable duplicates in exchange for camera, 

 half or whole plate preferred, lenses or any photo graphic 

 sundries. — J. Rockvicw, Wick Road, Brislington, Somerset. 



Will Exchange 52 plain lantern slides, views in Ireland, for 

 the first seven vols. Science-Gossip (Mew Sews). — Arthur 

 Robertshaw, Elleuroyde Hall, Luddenden Foot S.O., Yorks. 



Wantfd, the two volumes of the " Cambridge Natural 

 History " dealing with . Insects. Liberal exchange in named 

 exctic butterflies, and other insects offered. —A. H. Bastiu, 

 28 New Road, Reading. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Editorial .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 225 



Science in 1901 226 



Physical Science in 1901. By W. H. Cadman . ..228 



Astronomy in 1901. By F. C. Dennett 229 



Chemistry iv 1901. By CA. Mitchell, B.a 229 



Microscopy in 1901. By F. Shillington Scales .. 230 



Field Botany in 1901. By James Saunders, A.L.S. . . 23u 



Structural Botany in 1901. By Harold A. Haig .. 231 



Photography in 1901. By D. Foulkes-Winks. M.R.P.S. 232 



Possibilities of the Future. By F. Winstone .. 232 

 An Introduction to British Spiders.' By Frank 



Percy Smith. Illustrated 234 



Butterflies of the Palaearctic Region. By Henry 



Charles Lang, M.D., F.E.S. .. .. ..236 



Books to Read. Illustrated .. 238 



Mollusca 240 



Science Gossip 240 



Notes and Queries. Illustrated 213 



Botany. Illustrated .. 244 



Photography 247 



Astronomy 248 



Microscopy. Illustrated 249 



Chemistry 254 



Physics. Illustrated 255 



Notices — Exchanges 256 



