THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF CANADA. THE publications of the Geological Survey of Canada nave long been characterised by the want of promptness of publication. This defect is, however, to a large extent removed by the new departure made by the section of mines under the direction of Mr. E. D. Ingall. issuing a series of bulletins, giving in condensed and popular It consists in form information regarding the mineral resources of the Dominion, together with particulars of similar occurrences in other countries, which may be of use to mining engineers in Canada. We have received thirteen of these bulletins, and from the information given it is evident that the mineral resources of the Dominion are of a most varied character, and that the mineral industry is in a healthy condition. The subjects dealt with are platinum, coal, asbestos, infusorial earth, manganese, salt, zinc, mica, molybdenum and tungsten, graphite, peat, apatite, and copper. So far the production of platinum has been obtained from placer workings on Columbia. At Sudbury, Ontario, it is found in situ in comthe Similkameen river in British bination with arsenic and associated with the nickeliferous pyrrhotite deposits. The yield of platinum in Canada has been falling off for some years past and is now insignificant. The bulletin on coal covers sixty-four pages, and contains a collection of analyses of typical coals and a valuable bibliography of the subject. In 1902 the output of coal in Canada exceeded seven million tons. The principal areas at present worked are the Nova Scotia coalfields with rocks of Carboniferous age, and the Cretaceous coalfields of Vancouver island, and of the Crow's Nest Pass, British Columbia. Anthracite is mined in Alberta, and lignite is mined in the Souris river district, Assiniboia, and in the Yukon district. The asbestos industry of Canada is of considerable importance, the production having increased from 380 tons in 1880 to 40,000 tons in 1902. 88 per cent. of the world's supply. The deposits are found Canada now furnishes about in serpentine. In 1896 the manufacture of asbestic was begun. This is a finely-ground serpentine in which there is a small amount of very fine fibre disseminated, and the resulting product is specially adapted for fine plaster for walls and interior decoration. Its value per ton is low, but as its preparation involves little extra expense, it is claimed that a profit results from its manufacture. Infusorial earth was produced in Canada in 1902 to the amount of 1000 tons, valued at 3300l. It is mined at Bass river lake, and St. Ann's, Nova Scotia, and is sold chiefly in the United States. The uses to which it is put are varied. Formerly it was largely used in the manufacture of dynamite, but it has now been replaced by cheaper absorbents, such as wood pulp. It is now chiefly used as a polishing material and as a boiler covering. It can also be used in the manufacture of bricks when great lightness is required. Although Canada has not yet taken a prominent place among the manganese-producing countries of the world, this is not due to lack of deposits of the ore. production depends on the development of steel manufacture, The extent of the and, as Canada is now making great strides in this direction, its deposits will probably soon assume greater importance. The ores represented comprise pyrolusite, manganite, psilomelane, and wad, and as some of the Canadian deposits contain a large proportion of the first-named mineral, the ore is specially adapted for chemical manufacture. At present Ontario is the only province producing salt, the output in 1902 having been 64,000 tons. resources consist of the rock salt beds underlying some 2500 The country's chief square miles on the eastern shores of Lake Huron. amount of salt imported into Canada is at present double the The amount produced in the country, owing to the fact that salt is produced more cheaply in England, whence the bulk of the imports come. In eastern Canada mica occurs in large and important deposits, the mining industry being chiefly confined to the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The merchantable mica NO. 1850, VOL. 71] 571 crystalline limestone. pegmatite-granite and pyroxene, which cut the gneiss and is always associated with intrusive masses and dykes of for electrical purposes. The mica produced is chiefly used Apatite is widely distributed in Canada in deposits in the crystalline rocks, and in fossiliferous strata of Cambrian age. In 1889 the province of Ontario produced as much as 3547 tons, but since then, owing to the competition of the cheaply crystalline limestones of Canada, the output in 1901 having mined phosphates of Carolina, the output has rapidly decreased. Graphite is widely distributed in the gneiss and township, Ontario. The ores of molybdenum and tungsten Zinc ore is produced at one mine in Olden are of frequent occurrence in Canada. Copper ores have been known in eastern Canada for nearly a century, and large amounts of capital have been expended in developing what appeared to be promising localities, but little economic success has as yet resulted. been 2210 tons. The Canadian peat resources are dealt with by Dr. R. Chalmers in a bulletin of forty pages. The peat bogs in the eastern provinces are attracting attention in view of the depletion of the forests and the increasing prices of coal, and attempts are being made, in many cases with poor success, to utilise them in the production of fuel, coke, and mosslitter. In connection with this valuable series of bulletins of the Geological Survey, reference may be made to a memoir in the Ottawa Naturalist on the marl deposits in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, by Dr. R. W. Ells, the author of most of the bulletins mentioned. chief value attributed to this shell-marl was supposed The to be confined to its use as a fertiliser for soils deficient in calcareous matter. specially adapted for the manufacture of the best grades of Recently it has been found to be Portland cement, when mixed with a proper proportion of clay; and large manufacturing establishments have been established at several points, more especially in the province of Ontario. geological relations, and composition of the immense nickel The latest publication of the Geological Survey of Canada is an exhaustive report by Dr. A. E. Barlow on the origin, and copper ore deposits of Sudbury, Ontario. Details of the mining, smelting, and refining methods are given, and reference is made to the character and extent of all the more important nickel ore deposits in other countries. With a production of 6253 tons of metallic nickel in 1903, valued at 5,002,204 dollars, Sudbury is the largest producer of nickel in the world; and this monograph of 236 pages, with numerous plates and maps, summarises all the previous original investigations and supplies the most detailed and accurate information regarding these important deposits yet available. THE history of the Royal Horticultural Society has been THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SUCIETY1 chequered to any other society. At one time fashionable, it enjoyed a an extent probably exceeding that of fictitious prosperity. We say fictitious, for horticulture, especially scientific horticulture, was neglected, and, as a consequence, the wave or waves-for there were severalof prosperity broke on the shores of adversity, with the result that the gardens were curtailed, the expenditure was reduced in all directions, the valuable collections were sold history, but rather to point out the satisfactory progress in or destroyed, the herbarium and the library were dispersed. It is, however, not our purpose now to dwell on ancient recent years of which the journal before us affords evidence. Some foreshadowings of that progress date back to the year 1866, when an international horticultural exhibition on a very large scale was held on the ground where the Natural History Museum now stands. The exhibition itself differed from others mainly in its extent and in the larger participaprecluded it from embarking on such an enterprise, but by tion of foreign exhibitors. not by the society, the financial position of which at that time It was organised and managed, a special committee presided over by the late Sir Wentworth Dilke, to whose organising faculty and strenuous labour the success obtained was largely due. 1 The Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, vol. xxix., parts i., ii., and iii. We have a special reason for alluding to this nearly forgotten congress, because it may be looked on as the progenitor of two important events in the modern history of the Royal Horticultural Society. A large surplus was eventually derived from the exhibition, and this surplus was devoted to the publication of the proceedings before mentioned, to charitable purposes, and to the purchase of the valuable library of the late Dr. Lindley. This library was placed in the hands of trustees for the benefit, primarily, of the fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society, and, under certain regulations, of the general public also. In this way the society once more became possessed of an extensive library, which cannot be alienated if evil days should again arise. It is now, after various vicissitudes, fittingly installed, at the expense of Baron Sir Henry Schröder, in the new building erected for the society in Vincent Square, Westminster. Thus has been accomplished one result of the congress of 1866. Another consequence of that meeting was the formation of a scientific committee under the presidency of Sir Joseph Hooker, which has endeavoured so far as circumstances permitted to carry out the objects formulated in M. de Candolle's presidential address. The early days of the committee, when such men as Sir Joseph Hooker, Mr. Berkeley, Prof. Westwood, Mr. Wilson Saunders, Colonel Clarke, Mr. Andrew Murray, Sir William, then Mr., Thiselton-Dyer, and other naturalists took part in the discussions, remain as a pleasant memory. The Rev. Henslow, who acted as secretary for the last quarter of a century, has only lately relinquished his office. The committee still includes a body of experts in many departments of horticulture and natural history generally. Prof. not We have alluded to the new building, to the erection of which Baron Schröder has magnificently contributed, whilst others have not been backward. Much, however, remains to be done, and until the existing debt is cancelled much in the way of scientific experiment or research can be effected. The society has been exceptionally fortunate in its centenary year. Not only has it secured a fine hall for exhibition purposes, together with commodious offices and accommodation for the library, but through the generosity of Sir Thomas Hanbury it has come into possession of the late Mr. G. F. Wilson's interesting garden at Wisley, near Weybridge. at The old garden at Chiswick, the value of the services of which in the past is beyond compute, has been abandoned, soil and climate no longer being propitious for gardening operations. The cultural trials hitherto carried out Chiswick will henceforth be conducted at Wisley, and there is every reason to hope that in a short time a research station under a competent director may be established, and thus a great and pressing need may be supplied. This is rather a long preface to the notice of the Journal, but we hope it will not be thought irrelevant. The necessity for a journal to link together all the otherwise separate departments of the society has always been recognised, but in the evil days aforementioned the publication was often spasmodic and irregular. Since the appointment of the Rev. W. Wilks as secretary, and under the steady impulse of the president, Sir Trevor Lawrence, a great improvement all round has been manifested, and in no way more remarkably then in the contents and regularity of issue of the journal. So marked is the improvement that it has become too much for the digestion of some people, and some of the fellows are crying out, not for more, but for a more limited supply. Our notice has extended to such a length that we can only indicate some of the contents other than those relating merely to practical cultivation; such are Dr. Cooke's article on the fungous pests of the shrubbery, with coloured illustrations; on the heredity of acquired characters, by Prof. bv Henslow; gooseberry mildew, by Mr. Salmon; diseases of Calanthes, by Mr. Bidgood; note on electric heating Mr. Rogers; diseases of the potato, by Mr. Massee; Indian primulas, by Sir George Watt; and a large number of other communications which tend to show that the scien tific side of horticulture is not neglected. The abstracts from botanical and horticultural literature which have of late formed so important a feature of the Journal are omitted from the present part, possibly because so much space has, not unnaturally, been devoted to the proceedings in connection with the centenary celebration and the formal opening of the new hall by H.M. the King. The interests of the commercial side of horticulture, however great their importance, can very well be left to take care of themselves. Nevertheless, the cultivators may well look to the society for light and guidance in such matters as cucumber spot, and the many diseases which so very seriously affect their business prosperity. Progressive horticulture looks to the society to investigate outstanding problems, open out new paths, and generally to acquire and diffuse useful knowledge. Even if not immediately useful such knowledge is sure eventually to be of advantage even to the I practical man. With a research station at Wisley, a competent director, a sympathetic scientific con mittee to direct and advise, and an energetic secretary, the society may on entering its second centenary look forward to being able to advance scientific horticulture in a more thorough manner than it has ever done before. UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL THE Pioneer Mail states that a gentleman of Nagpur has bequeathed a sum of fifty thousand rupees to the Central Hindu College, Benares. AT the spring graduation ceremony of the University of Edinburgh on April 7 the honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon Prof. W. W. Cheyne, C.B., F.R.S., Dr. J. H. Jackson, F.R.S., Dr. A. D. Waller, F.R.S., Ser Frank E. Younghusband, and Prof. G. A. Gibson. THE Catholic University of America will receive, says Science, a bequest of 20,000l. from Miss Helen Tyler Gardiner. We learn from the same source that Mr. Andrew Carnegie has agreed to give a 10,000l. library to the Washington and Lee University on condition that the university raises an endowment of 10,000l. for maintaining it. THE Glasgow Herald announces that by the will of the late Mr. Donald the sum of 20,000l. is bequeathed to the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, to be paid on the death of Mrs. Donald. After various other bequests have been made, the residue of the estate is to go to the governors of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College for purposes specified in the trust disposition and settlement. THE Committee of the Privy Council has decided to recommend the King to grant a Charter incorporating a university in Sheffield. A large sum of money has already been given or promised for the endowment of the university, and, in addition, the city council has pledged the city to the gift annually of a sum equal to the proveeds rate of id. in the pound (the capitalised value of which gift is 200,000l.). The draft Charter of the proposed university provides for the establishment of a teaching university with powers to grant degrees in the faculties of arts, science, technology, and medicine. of a THE articles of agreement under which it is proposed t combine the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have been made public. Provision is made for a joint school of industrial science, to be known under the present name of the Institute of Technology, lo be governed by an executive board of nine members, of which three shall represent Harvard, and to be maintained by present institute funds, augmented by the income of all funds of the Lawrence Scientific School, by three-fifths ol the net income which may accrue from the Gordon Mckar bequest, amounting to several millions, and by the inco of all property which Harvard may hereafter acquire for the promotion of instruction in industrial science. NATURE THE new regulations recently issued by the War Office, under which commissions in the Army may be obtained by university candidates, provide that commissions shall be allotted each half-year to the University of London. To satisfy the requirements of the regulations, the Senate has appointed a nomination board for military commissions which will nominate qualified students for commissions, and arrangements have been made for the instruction of candidates in military subjects. To be eligible for a commission, a candidate must have graduated as an internal student, and this involves three years' study at one or more of the schools of the university. Before a student can be nominated for a commission he must, as a rule, have attended the various courses of instruction in military subjects in the university, and he must have been attached for two periods of six weeks, or for one period of twelve weeks, to a regular unit. Courses of lectures in military subjects are being given at the University of London by Colonel H. A. Sawyer, P.S.C., and Lieut.-Colonel F. N. Maude, P.S.C., late R.E. Royal Society, February 23.-"Two Cases of Trichromic Vision." By Dr. F. W. Edridge-Green. Communicated by Dr. F. W. Mott, F.R.S. He can One case (Prof. J. J. Thomson) sees only three colours in the bright spectrum-red, green, and violet. distinguish nothing of the nature of pure yellow, like the sensation given him by the sodium flame, in the spectrum. There is no definite colour to him at the portion of the spectrum where the normal sighted see pure blue. Reddishgreen would describe the orange and yellow regions and greenish-violet the blue. point which differs most from red and green. There was A 5950 (orange-yellow) is the no shortening of either end of the spectrum. Difference of Hue Perception.-The author then tested him with his apparatus for ascertaining the size of different parts of the spectrum which appear monochromatic, and found him defective in distinguishing differences of hue. Colour Mixtures.-Tested with Rayleigh's apparatus for matching spectral yellow by a mixture of red and green, the mixed colour of his match always appeared green to the author. Classification Test.-Only a few colours were selected in each case. On being asked to pick out all the yellows he chose those with orange in them. difficulty in matching the colours. He had considerable cases previously observed, the effects of simultaneous In common with the contrast were much more marked than in the normal sighted. Two wools changed colour to him on being contrasted, when no change was evident to the author. Lantern Test. He correctly named the red, green, and violet with and without the neutral glasses, and saw them at the normal distance. and blue. He called pure yellow He had difficulty with yellow The other greenish yellow.' case is that of Mr. research student in the Cavendish Laboratory, and was P. S. Barlow, a similar in most respects to the above. It is The author uses the term trichromic as a statement of the fact that persons having this vision see only three colours in the bright spectrum, whilst the normal sighted see six, and may, therefore, be designated hexachromic. probable that the appearance of the bright spectrum to the trichromic is very similar to that of a spectrum of feeble luminosity to the normal sighted, in which only three colours-red, green, and violet-are seen. difference perception which is found in these cases accounts The defective for most of the facts. the tetrachromic, as the sodium flame appears to give rise Both these cases are bordering on to a distinct sensation. March 2." Atmospheric Electricity in High Latitudes." By George C. Simpson, B.Sc. Communicated by Arthur Schuster, F.R.S. This paper is an account of a year's work on atmospheric electricity undertaken at Karasjok, Norway, from October, 1903, to October, 1904, with the results of a month's observations on atmospheric radio-activity made at Hammerfest. NO. 1850, VOL. 71] 573 Karasjok is situated well within the Arctic Circle (69° 17' N.), and during the winter has a severe Arctic climate, so that it is well situated for finding the influence of meteorological elements and the presence or absence of direct sunlight on the electrical conditions of the atmosphere. The observations were limited to determinations of the potential gradient, electrical ionisation, and atmospheric radio-activity. A continuous dissipation, atmospheric record of the potential gradient was obtained by means of Benndorf self-registering electrometer, and ments of the dissipation and ionisation were made three times each day unless the weather made it impossible to use the instruments. Measurements of the radio-activity a measure were made between the hours of 10 to 12 a.m., 3 to 5 p.m., and 8.30 to 10.30 p.m. on 253 days, and in addition 42 measurements were made between sults of the work are shortly as follows:and a.m. The reYEARLY VARIATION.-Potential Gradient.-The yearly course was found to be in accordance with the general rule for the northern hemisphere-rising rapidly from October to February, when it reaches a maximum, then falling more rapidly until the end of May, after which it remains constant until the winter sets in again during October. Dissipation. The yearly opposite to that of the potential gradient, the curves recourse is exactly presenting the two being almost mirror images of one another. Ionisation.-The course of the ionisation consists of a nearly linear six months' fall from the beginning of September to the end of February, followed by a similar six months' rise from March to the end of August. not DAILY VARIATION.-Potential Gradient.-The daily course for the whole year consists of a single period having a minimum about 5 a.m. and a maximum about 9 p.m. Dissipation. For the whole year the dissipation is slightly higher at midday than earlier in the morning, while the evening observations show the lowest dissipation of the three. Ionisation.-The daily period of the ionisation is RELATION BETWEEN THE METEOROLOGICAL AND ELECTRICAL so pronounced as that of the dissipation, but the ionisation is slightly lower in the evening than in the morning or at midday during the whole year. CONDITIONS OF THE ATMOSPHERE.-Wind.-As is to be expected, the dissipation increases greatly with the wind strength. Temperature.-Both the ionisation and dissipation become much less as the temperature goes down. With temperatures between 10° C. and 15° C. the dissipation is 4.95 per cent. and the ionisation 0.44 per cent., while with temperatures below -20° C. these become 0-83 per cent. and 0.17 per cent. gradient increases respectively. The Humidity. With rising relative humidity the dissipathe temperature falls. tion falls rapidly, and the ratio of negative to positive dissipation increases. into account, the same result is found for the ionisation; When the whole year is taken but for the winter and summer six months, taken separately, the effect of the humidity of the air on the ionisation is not apparent. INTERRELATION OF ELECTRICAL FACTORS.-Both the dissipation and ionisation greatly influence gradient. Low values of ionisation and dissipation are the potential accompanied by high values of the potential gradient, and vice versa. The dissipation increases with the ionisation. THE AURORA AND THE ELECTRICAL CONDITION OF ATMOSPHERE.-No relation whatever could be detected between the aurora and the electrical conditions of the atmosphere. The most careful watching of the electrometer needle revealed no variation of the potential gradient with variations of the aurora. as potential Relative THE RADIO-ACTIVITY.-Measurements of the radio-activity were There is a distinct connection between the radio-activity 574 the relative humidity rises, decreases with increasing wind strength, and is greater with a falling than with a rising barometer. All these facts support Elster and Geitel's theory that the source of the emanation in the atmosphere is the soil of the ground. Those meteorological conditions which prevent the air immediately above the ground from ascending tend to increase the radio-activity; on the contrary, all those conditions which cause a rapid circulation of the air greatly reduce the radio-activity when measured in the lower atmosphere. OBSERVATIONS AT HAMMERFEST.-The mean values of the 16.- A New Radio-active Element, which The radio-active preparation was gained from barium radium bromide, obtained from thorianite from Ceylon, while fractionating it in order to separate the radium. It collected along with small traces of iron and other impurities in the more soluble portions, and was precipitated by ammonia. From this preparation a quantity of about 10 mg. of a strongly radio-active oxalate was obtained, giving off strong emanation and imparting bright luminosity to sensitive screens. a The emanation was found to be identical with that of thorium; different samples gave for the half-period of decay from 52 to 55 seconds. For the half-period of the induced activity somewhat more The emanation given off by than 11 hours was found. the 10 mg. of the oxalate, dissolved in hydrochloric acid, corresponds in intensity to more than that of a kilogram more than of thorium in solution; consequently it was 100,000 times stronger than the common thorium emanation when compared weight for weight. Further work led to the separation of about 20 mg. of a substance giving nearly 250,000 times more emanation than thorium. Whether this active substance is the constant radioactive constituent of thorium preparations, or whether it is another new radio-active element, remains still unmore strongly radiodecided. It is hoped that an even active product may be obtained, and that it may be possible to describe more in detail the properties of the substance. Recent researches would appear to show that the amount of this substance in soil is comparable with, but still considerably smaller than, radium. March 30.-"The Rôle of Diffusion in the Catalysis of The deviations from the simple logarithmic formula in In the case under consideration, therefore, since increased convection modifies the observed reaction-velocity, there must be some error in the assumptions which lead to the conclusion that the diffusion velocity-constant is great in comparison with the chemical velocity-constant. This error is probably to be found in the assumption that the whole surface of the platinum is, under ordinary conditions, active towards hydrogen peroxide. as It cannot be claimed, from the above considerations, that Nernst's hypothesis is true for the platinum catalysis, but only that the diffusion-velocity is not great in comparison Other considerations, howwith the chemical velocity. the small value of the temperature ever, such the above hypomake it coefficient, probable that Further to thesis does apply this particular action. support for this view may, perhaps, be found in the fact ་་ The new that the deviations from the simple logarithmic law in with is PbO.ALO,.2CO,.4H,O or PыH2(CO).Â,.OH ̧. mammals peculiar to it included the dwarf hippopotamus, the zebra antelope, Jentink's duiker, and Büttikofer's monkey. The author enumerated eighteen species of mammals and twenty of birds, specimens of which had been obtained by various collectors in Liberia.-Abnormal remains of the red deer (Cervus elaphus): M. A. C. Hinton. The remains consisted of three antlers which were obtained from different post-Pliocene deposits in the south of England. They agreed in having all the tynes suppressed and in being supported upon very long pedicles, thus resembling in form, though much exceeding in size, those of the pricket. Rudimentary offsets were seen on the most perfect example, which proved the antler to be the third in the series. These antlers belonged to individuals who had suffered testicular injury at an early period of life, by which the characters of youth were retained for a longer period than was usual. On the affinities of Procolophon: Dr. R. Broom. The author believed that reptiles in Permian times became specialised along two distinct lines, the one represented by the pareiasaurians, anomodonts, therocephalians, and theriodonts, and terminating in the mammals, the second giving rise to all the other reptilian orders. The common ancestor was believed to have been a true reptile probably belonging to the order Cotylosauria. Procolophon was held to be an early member of the branch which led to the rhynchocephalians, and possibly fairly closely allied to the land ancestor of Mesosaurus.-Skulls of the fossil reptile Procolophon from Donnybrook and Fernrocks: Prof. H. G. Seeley. The author concluded that the main affinities were with the Anomodontia, chiefly with the Pareiasauria, and in the teeth with the Theriodontia; but that in a less degree there were indications of affinity with reptiles classed as labyrinthodonts. All parts of the skeleton supported the separation of the Procolophonia as an order of extinct Reptilia. March 7.-Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S., president, in the chair.-Two new aldehyde reactions: W. B. Ramsden. March 21.-Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S., president, in the chair.-A new genus Nevillina, of the subfamily Miliolininæ, of the Foraminifera H. Sidebottom.—On the temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity of carbon at low temperatures: H. Morris-Airey and E. D. Spencer. The method of taking observations at temperatures between the normal temperature and that of boiling oxygen was described, and the results plotted in the form of curves. The shape of the curves was discussed in connection with the theory that carbon conductors behave like loose powders. PARIS. Academy of Sciences, April 3.-M. Troost in the chair. -On the use of the hot and cold tube in the study of chemical reactions: M. Berthelot (see p. 568).-Observations on the new Giacobini comet made at the Observatory of Paris: G. Bigourdan. The observations were made on March 28 and 31; the positions of the comparison stars and apparent positions of the comet are given. On March 28 the comet appeared as a nebulosity of about the thirteenth magnitude, with a nucleus sensibly brighter than the rest. On March 31 the size had diminished, and the apparent brightness increased.-On the relation between the integrals of the total differentials of the first and second species of an algebraic surface: mile Picard.— The variation of the band spectra of carbon with the pressure and some new band spectra of carbon: H. Deslandres and M. d'Azambuja. The kathode spectrum in air having shown peculiar variations with the pressure, it was thought desirable to study the effect of pressure upon the carbon spectrum. The negative spectrum of carbon is a band spectrum which appears at the kathode in the oxygen and hydrogen compounds of carbon, and is especially intense in the case of carbon monoxide and dioxide. Two spectra were photographed simultaneously on the same plate, one from a Geissler tube containing the gas at a pressure of about 0-2 mm., and the other from the kathode of a tube in which the pressure was The capable of being varied up to nearly atmospheric. variations noted strongly resemble those already studied for the negative spectrum of air. Details of a new spectrum of carbon dioxide, given by the kathode at a pressure of 30 cm. of mercury, are given.-On the grains found In attached to Pectopteris Pluckeneti: M. Grand'Eury. The use of Geological Society, March 22. -Dr. J. E. Marr, F. R.S., president, in the chair.-An experiment in mountainbuilding, part ii. Lord Avebury, P.C., F.R.S. In this paper some experiments are described, which were conducted by an apparatus by means of which pressures could be applied in two directions at right angles to one another, a space of 2 feet square being reduced to one 22 inches square. In the first series, plastic materials, such as cloth and thin oilcloth, were used, with layers of sand between them. Two main folds crossing at right angles were formed, the upper one shifted over the lower. two layers of linoleum produced a different type of folding, and the lower layers of the linoleum were broken along the principal ridges. In the second series, a layer of plaster was introduced; this was found to be fractured, tilted up into a "writing-desk form, and forced irregularly into the sandy layers. Overthrusts were thus produced, so that in some cases a boring would have passed through two or even four layers of the rigid substance. In other cases, the edges of the primary fracture broke off more or less regularly, and the detached pieces were pushed up, assuming gradually a very steep angle. The remainder of the edges of the plate of plaster, having now room, were able to approach each other. Pliable material above the plaster was thrown into one or a few extensive folds, while that beneath assumed a greater number of small folds.-The Rhætic rocks of Monmouthshire: L. Richardson. The Rhætic rocks occur only in the neighbourhood of Newport, and the present paper describes three new sections and four new exposures. MANCHESTER. Literary and Philosophical Society, February 21.Prof. H. B. Dixon, F.R.S., vice-president, in the chair.Electrically-heated carbon tube furnaces: R. S. Hutton and W. H. Patterson. These furnaces are intended for experimental work, and not only enable extremely high temperatures to be attained, but with them the temperature, being under perfect control, can be kept steady at any value up to the maximum. February 28.-Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S., president, in the chair.-The early history of seed-bearing plants, as recorded in the Carboniferous flora (Wilde lecture): Dr. D. H. Scott, F.R.S. (see p. 426). the search for fronds giving rise to fossil seeds, the author system: |