SCIENCE- G OS SI P. 



was elliptical or very much tilted. By examining the 

 light with the photometer, so as to see if the varia- 

 tion was such as would be produced by a dark 

 sphere, we could determine which of these two 

 hypotheses was correct. Some stars would need 

 exceptional methods of examination ; for instance, 5 ■ 

 Cephei, which is much longer passing from maximum 

 to minimum than vice versa. This would be ex- 

 plained if the star revolved in an elliptical orbit 

 whose minor axis was parallel, or nearly parallel, to 

 the line of sight, the focus round which it and its 

 satellite revolved being the one which the former 

 approached nearest to in the half period after 

 eclipse. It would thus describe this part of its 

 orbit more rapidly than the other. Again, /3 Lyrae 

 with a double period has probably two satellites of 

 unequal size, which would account for the fact that, 

 though the maxima of this star are equal, the 

 minima are unequal. R. J. Hughes. 



Norman Court, Southsca : 

 Feb. ib/'t, 1900. 



EDITORIAL NOTICE. 



I have to sincerely thank the very large number of 

 our readers who have so kindly inquired, and ex- 

 pressed their sympathy, during my past serious illness. 

 It was occasioned by an acute attack of pneumonia, 

 resulting from a chill on December 14th last. The 

 consequent after-effects so frequently attending a 

 seizure of this kind are rapidly passing away. 



J have to thank my colleague, Miss Flora Winstone, 

 for having, unaided, conducted the editorial duties of 

 Science-Gossip numbers for January. February, and 

 March. I greatly regret, however, to have to say 

 that this lady has had to undergo a severe surgical 

 operation, entailing the removal of a portion of the 

 skull. 1 am happy to report that it was successfully 

 accomplished, and she is progressing towards re- 

 covery. JOHN T. CARRINGTOX, 



• Editor Science-Gossip. 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



Ordinary meetings arc marked t, excursions'; names 0/ 

 persons follovjing excursions areof Conductors. § Lantern 

 /.ttustrations. 



Royal Institution of Great Britain^ 



April 3.— tFishes. Professor E. Ray Lankester, F.R.S. 



,, 5.— tHighest Andes. E. A. Fitzgerald, F. L.S. 



,, 6. — fSolid Hydrogen. Professor Dewar. F.R.S. 



„ 7.— fPolarised Light. Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S. 



South London Entomological and Natural History 



Society. 

 April 12.— tPaperby J. W. Tutt, F.E.S. 



„ =6.— tJWild Flowers at Home. E. Step, F.L.S. 



,, 26. — f§Ornithology. 



North London Natural History Society. 



.April 5. — f Some Birds of Norfolk Broads P.J.Hanson. 



,, 19. — fFruits and Seeds on iheir Travels. H. YV. S. 

 Woruey-Berrison, F.L.S. 



,, 28. — "'Visit Mammals Section B. M. J. A. Simes. 



Lameeth Field Clue and Scientific Society. 

 April 2.— rHow the Earth is Weighed and Meisured. T. J- 

 Hall, F.R.A.S. 

 ,, 7. -Visit Odontological Society's Museum, Leicester 



Squarp, AV.C. 

 ,, 16. — ^ookham and Ranmore. G. Masters. 

 ., 28. — " Kew Gardens E. J. Davies. 



Croydon and Norwood Branch Selborne Society. 

 April 3— i Mosses of Croydon District. H.G.Bradley. 

 ,, 20. — t-Annunl Meeting. 



The Sidcur Literary and Scientific Society. 

 April 3.— Sound, Light, and Heat. Rev. D. Ross, B.Sc 

 May 1. --t Microscopical and Wild Flower Evening. Messrs. 

 Hembry and Tappolet. 



Haufstead Astronomical and Scientific Society. 



April 6.-tPaper. Frederick Womack, M.B.. B.Sc. 



May 4.— tHypnotism. A. E. Tebb, M.D., B.S., D.P.H. " 



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ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



O. H. E. (Walton-on-Thames). — The vivid green 

 colour sometimes found on decaying wood is, we 

 believe, caused by some species of bacteria. It is 

 certainly not chlorophyll. Several kinds of bacteria 

 produce brilliant colours in the substance occupied 

 by them. 



EXCHANGES. 



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Fossils. Oidovician, Silurian. Devonian, Bbaetic, and 

 Jurassic, will exchange for Cba'k, Thanet, Woolwich, Old- 

 haven, London Clay, Crag or Drift species.— Dr. Brendon 

 Gubbin, 15 Redland Grove, Bristol. 



Wanted to exchange (or to borrow for examination) Shells 

 used as Money, singly or strung together by their users. Other 

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 Wilfred Mark Webb, F.L.S., 2 The Broadway, Hammer- 

 smith, W. 



Offered. 100 Nus. of "Nature," 1880 to 1883, contain 

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 Street, Werneth, Oldham. 



Offered. Type Slide of Foraminifera, by Hailes, with 

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 Wanted, a good Type Slide of Diatoms with names, late 

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Offered. Tropical and European Butterflies, Moths, 

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 Dorsetshire. 



