his experiments, were that, in accordance with Mlle. de Chauvin's experiments, and contrary to those of Dr. Powers, the axolotl will, with a few exceptions, transform if placed under special conditions which force it to breathe air more frequently than usual; that starvation, irregular feeding, and temperature have no influence on the metamorphosis; that the elimination of oxygen from the water has likewise no bearing on the point, as the animal will not, in the circumstances, rise to the surface and make use of its lungs at more frequent intervals than animals placed under normal conditions.-G. E. Bullen: Some cases of blindness in marine fishes. Work hitherto performed, e.g. that of Hofer, de Drouin de Bouville, and others, upon the pathology of fishes has been directed largely upon species of fresh-water habitat. The present author has found, in certain specific cases of blindness in marine fishes, pathological conditions similar to those described, and others with slight modifications, in several fresh-water species. The examples dealt with in detail are traumatic corneal opacitis in a conger-eel, corneal opacitis, &c., in a greater weaver, and corneal opacitis and cataract in a pollack. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt: The patella in the Phalacrocoracidæ. From a study of the patella in a number of species of this family, the author had found that in adult individuals that bone was composed of the true patella solidly fused with the proximal portion of the cnemial process of the tibiotarsus, which became dissociated from the latter early in the life of the bird. Late in life this fusion obliterated the tendon of the ambiens muscle, which heretofore had been described as passing through the patella and persisting through life. Royal Meteorological Society, May 21.-Mr. C. J. P Cave, president, in the chair.-E. Gold: Determina tion of the radiation of the air from meteorological observations. The theory of the cooling of the air during the night hours was developed and applied to observations made near the earth's surface and 130 ft. above it, in order to obtain an estimate of the radiating power of the atmosphere. The results obtained show that even on calm, clear nights, when the air at the higher level is warmer than that near the surface, the cooling of the air is affected by convection, and the observations available do not suffice for the determination of the correction to the value of the radiating power necessary on this account.—S. C. Russell: Results of monthly and hourly cloud-form frequencies at Epsom, 1903-10. The author had made hourly records of the varieties of cloud observed each day throughout the eight years, and these he has grouped under fifteen forms of cloud. The total number of individual records approximates to 100,000. The cumulus cloud yielded the greatest number of daily values (1622), the stratus coming next (1155). The upper clouds, which include the cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirro-macula, showed a marked prevalence during the summer with minima during the winter. Morning and evening maxima, with a midday decline, are common to all these varieties. The intermediate clouds, which include cirro-cumulus, alto-stratus, alto-cumulus, and cumulo-stratus, are also more prevalent in the summer than in the winter. The lower forms, which include strato-cumulus, nimbus, fracto-nimbus, fracto-cumulus, stratus, and fog, attain their maxima in the winter months, their minimum frequency being in the summer. clouds of diurnal ascending currents, cumulus and cumulo-nimbus, are independent of any seasonal variation in hourly frequency, the maxima at noon and 3 p.m. respectively, taking place at these hours in every month of the year. The Geological Society, May 28.-Dr. Aubrey Strah... president, in the chair.-P. G. H. Boswell: The ag the Suffolk valleys, with notes on the buried chatt-of drift. The main watershed of Suffolk follos generally the Chalk Escarpment. Suffolk forms plateau, dissected by a valley-system which is palm in form. The strata cut through by the valleys, a the mantle of glacial deposits which more or l covers the whole county, are described bric Reasons are given for thinking that the Contorte Drift does not extend far south of the Waw The valleys, although they may have been klok earlier, are on direct evidence post-Pliocene in age;ts by analogy with the Waveney and the Norfolk river. they may be younger than the Contorted Drift. Upper Boulder Clay covers much of the plateau, a.. wraps down into the valleys. The Glacial Sands, & below it also appear at times to lie on the valle slopes. Intense glacial disturbances are found to isituated always on "bluffs" or "spurs' of th plateau, which were in existence before the adven of the valley-glaciers to the action of which disturbances have been attributed. In each of the main valleys occur one or more buried channels of drift; borings made recently allow these to be in. scribed in detail, and the deposits filling them to b discussed. These buried channels were ably eroded by sub-glacial water-streams. TI evidence indicates that the pre-Glacial or cach Glacial contours of Suffolk were in the mar much as they are now.-D. E. Innes: The interi structure of Upper Silurian rugose corals from ti Grindrod collection, Oxford Museum. prob Physical Society, May 30.-Prof. A. Schuster, F R.S president, in the chair.-Prof. A. W. Bickerton: The origin of new stars. The author gave an account of 2 theory which he has held for many years. He pointsou that the energy developed by mutual fall of colliding suns is so great that shearing must ensue. Hence the problem of oblique impact of all suns is taken in two divisions-first, the actually colliding parts that are torn away and coalesce, and, secondly, the parts that escape the collision but are profoundly influenced by it. The impact of meteoric swarms, nebulæ, and sidereal systems may similarly be taken in two parts. The coalesced part is called the third body. The pr perties of this new body are best studied in the thr star resulting from grazing suns. The third star is thermodynamically unstable, and selectively sorts as atoms into ensphering shells. It rotates, and has at its formation a special distribution of its elementIt will produce a new star. Its deduced properties correspond with the three criteria of thermodynami intensity, complex light curve, and the physical pec.. liarities shown in each series of the spectrograms of novæ. Dr. W. H. Eccles: Electro-thermal phenomena at the contact of two conductors with a theory of a class of radio-telegraph detectors. The paper deduces mathematically the laws connecting the current and the applied E.M.F. in a circuit containing a light contact of two conductors. When an electric current passes across a light contact of two different sub stances, heat is liberated or absorbed in accordance with the law of Peltier, heat is generated in accor ance with the law of Joule, and, in the regions of the conductors where there is a temperature gradient, heat is liberated or absorbed in accordance with the laws of the Thomson effect. These thermal actions are very noticeable in contacts made of badly cons ducting natural oxides or sulphides on account of the high resistivity and the large thermoelectric effects in these substances. The low thermal conductivities of these substances exalt the electrical consequences by conserving the heat. The bulk of the wireless tele graphy of the world is carried on by such contacts as these, and the present paper, therefore, constitutes a theory of the action of these detectors.-J. Walker: The extraordinary ray resulting from the internal reflection of an extraordinary ray at the surface of a uniaxal crystal. By the principle of least time it is shown that the diameter of the extraordinary wavesurface described round the point of incidence, that is, conjugate to the reflecting surface, is coplanar with the incident and reflected extraordinary rays, and is the median of the triangle formed by these rays and a parallel to the reflecting surface. The directionrosines of the reflected ray are then obtained in terms of those of the incident ray and the said diameter of the wave-surface.-S. Butterworth: The evaluation of certain combinations of the ber, bei, and allied func tions. NEW SOUTH WALES. Linnean Society, March 26.-Mr. W. W. Froggatt, retiring president, in the chair.-Annual General Meetng.-Presidential address: "A Century of Australian Civilisation, from a Zoologist's Point of View." The address was devoted to a consideration of the great Changes that have been wrought by the advent of the white man with his domestic animals, in the displacement of the aboriginal population and the original fauna, in the course of a hundred years' civilisation.Ordinary Monthly Meeting.-Mr. W. S. Dun, president, in the chair.-A. H. S. Lucas: Notes on Australian marine algæ. No. 1.-H. J. Carter: Revision of the Australian species of the subfamilies Cyphaleine and Cnodaloninæ (family Tenebrionidæ). April 30.-Mr. W. S. Dun, president, in the chair.1. B. Walkom: Stratigraphical geology of the PermoCarboniferous system in the Maitland-Branxton district, with some notes on the Permo-Carboniferous alaogeography in New South Wales. The vertical succession of the formations represented in the area under consideration-Lower Marine Series, Greta Coal Measures, and Upper Marine Series has been worked ut in some detail. Vertical sections of the Lower Marine Series were obtain in three localities, showing a thickness of nearly 4800 ft. In his important monograph on the geology of the Hunter River Coal Measures of New South Wales (1907), Prof. David mapped the outcrop of this series and gave numerous detailed sections of the coal seams developed at many points along the outcrop; but, at this time, very little was known about the development between Branxton ind Pokolbin. Additional data now available show hat in four localities, as elsewhere, the main Greta am is split, and that the upper split has been struck in each case; the lower split seems to be entire at Rothbury, but splits again further north.-A. B. Walkom: The geology of the Permo-Carboniferous sistem in the Glendonbrook district, near Singleton. The Glendonbrook district lies from five to fifteen iles E. by N. from Singleton. Permo-Carboniferous rocks are developed there in a small isolated basin. They consist chiefly of sandstones, conglomerates, and shales belonging to the Lower Marine Series, Greta Coal Measures, and Upper Marine Series. The whole basin is only some three miles in diameter, and is surrounded by rocks of Carboniferous age. Further to the west, nearer Singleton, owing to heavy faultng, rocks belonging to the Upper Coal Measures and Upper Marine Series also appear. All these rocks are described more or less in detail, and their relations to one another discussed. A coal seam about In ft. thick occurs in the Greta Coal Measures in the basin mentioned above.-A. B. Walkom: Notes on some recently discovered occurrences of the pseudomorph, glendonite. Glendonite, a pseudomorph after glauberite, has been recorded from seven horizons in New South Wales and Tasmania, all, however, in the Upper Marine Series. In this paper, the occurrence of the mineral in rocks of the Lower Marine Series is recorded for the first time, with details of a comparison of crystals from both series. BOOKS RECEIVED. "J." A Memoir of John Willis Clark. By A. E. Shipley. Pp. xi+362. (London: Smith, Elder and Co.) IOS. 6d. net. The Essence of Buddhism. By P. L. Narasu. Second edition. Pp. xx+359. (Madras: S. Varadachari and Co.) The Posture of School Children. By J. H. Bancroft. Pp. xii +327. (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.) 6s. 6d. net. Jesus Christus und sein Stern. By A. Stentzel. Pp. vi+240 +16 plates. (Hamburg: Astronomischen Korrespondenz.) 6 marks. Schriften der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Danzig. Neue Folge. Dreizehnten Bandes. Zweites Heft. Pp. 1+167. (Danzig.) 34 Bericht des Westpreussischen Botanisch-Zoologischen Vereins. Pp. 20+268. (Danzig.) Le Système du Monde des Chaldéens à Newton. By J. Sageret. Pp. 280. (Paris: F. Alcan.) 3.50 francs. Determinative Mineralogy, with Tables. By Prof. J. V. 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(1) The Fractional Part of nke; (2) The Trigonometrical Series Associated with the Elliptic -functions G. H. Hardy and J. E. Littlewood.-A Proof that every Equation of Degree has n Roo's Real or Imaginary: W. N. Roseveare.-The Evaluation of a Certain Definite Integral: J. Hammond.-Foucault's Pendulum : Dr. T. J. I'A. Bromwich. FRIDAY, JUNE 13. ROVAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETV, at 5.-Note on Variable Stars of Cluster Type: H. C. Plummer.-The Determination of Maxima and Minima of Variable Stars of Long Period: M. E. J. Gheury.--A Photographic Determination of the Proper Motion of 250 Stars in the Neighbourhood of 443: A. A. Rambaut.-The Planet Jupiter in 1890: A. Stanley Williams.-The Origin of Solar Electricity: J A. Harker.-Note on a Method of Balancing Dome Shutters: W. H. Maw.-Devices for Subtabulation T. C. Hudson.Some Spectrographic Measures of the Solar Rotation at the Kodaikanal Observatory: J. Evershed and T. Royds.Preliminary Results of Observations made with the Cookson Floating Zenith Telescope: A. S. Eddington.- Probable Papers: The Spectrum of Nova Geminorum No. 2, 1912, April, and 1913, February-April: Rev. A. L. Cortie.-The Position of the Sun's Axis as Determined from Photographs of the Sun from 1874 to 1912: F. W. Dyson. MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY, at 8.-Note on the Genus Pseudomalaxis, Fischer, and Descriptions of a New Species and a New Subgenus: Marqués de Monterosato.-Note on the Freshwater Mollusca found with Unio Auriculatus, Spengl, at Barn Elms, Surrey: A. S. Kennard and B. B. Woodward.-The Land Mollusca of the Kermadec Islands: Tom Iredale.-Definitions of Further New Genera of Zonitida: G. K. Gude. PHYSICAL SOCIETY, at 8-Some Experiments on Tinfoil Contact with Dielectrics: G. E. Bairsto.-A Method of Measuring the Pressure of Light by Means of Metal Foil: G. D. West. ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, at 8.-(1) The Measurement of W. ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, at 4.30. -Pilot Balloon Oberva ROYAL SOCIETY, at 4.30.-Probable Papers: Atomic Specific Ha LINNEAN SOCIETY, at 8.-Impressions of the Feeding-tracks of I. ». maximus and Helix aspersa: Mrs. Longstaff-African Species of Genus Crotalaria: E. G. Baker.-Aphareocaris, nom. nov (Apre Paulson), a Genus of the Crustacean Family Sergestide: Dr. WT Calman.-Water-colour Drawings of Australian and South Af Plants Miss Fuller.-An Anatomical Study of the Cone-genus le dostrobus: Dr. Agnes Arber.-Fresh-water Rhizopoda from North South America: G. H. Wailes.-A Revision of the Genus Symphytom Tourn. Cedric Bucknall.-Some New British Plants. Dr. C. E. Mos Phreatoicus in South Africa. -Keppel H. Barnard 372 Geography and Travel. (Illustrated.) By G. A. J. C.~ 37: The Birmingham Meeting of the British Associa tion. By F. W. G. Microscope Stands. Notes Our Astronomical Column: The Variation of Solar Radiation Recent Observations of Novæ The National Physical Laboratory during 1912. The Royal Observatory, Greenwich The American Philosophical Society Books Received Diary of Societies. Editorial and Publishing Offices: ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON, W.C. 37 31 352 382 Advertisements and business letters to be addressed to the Publishers. Editorial Communications to the Editor. Telegraphic Address: PHUSIS, LONDON. Telephone Number: GERRARD 8830. THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1913. MENDELISM AND STOCK-BREEDING. he Principles of Stock-Breeding. By Prof. James Wilson. Pp. vii + 146. (London: Vinton and Co., Ltd., 1912.) Price 5s. net. N this volume Prof. Wilson claims "to deal with the problem of stock-breeding in the ht of the Mendelian discovery." The book is dressed to breeders; for the sake of clearness is shorn of many words common to the writings the modern exponent of this branch of biological ence, and it is clearly designed to stimulate the actical breeder to base the conduct of his busiess on Mendelian principles. We are nor he A book from the pen of Prof. Wilson is sure O command attention, and in this instance he rings abundant enthusiasm to help him in his sk, and is full of hope for the future. ot convinced, however, of the wisdom of the ndertaking; neither scientific enthusiasm pe appeals forcibly to the practical man; quires facts on which to base his work. The uthor himself demonstrates that very few facts pplicable to the breeding of domesticated animals re yet to hand, and it seems to us that the time as not yet come when breeders as a whole an reap substantial benefit from the theory of fendel. The enthusiastic Mendelian may, perhaps, conider that he has effectively disposed of the opinion - many biologists that Mendelism has not yet een proved to be the main road, has merely been hown to be a side track alongside that road which eads to the solution of the mysteries of heredity and variation. But the practical breeder is aware of this scientific scepticism; he is even more diffiult to convince than is the pure theorist, and we loubt if the examples of applied Mendelism which Prof. Wilson gives will serve to stimulate his belief n the practical value of that theory. There are three main reasons why the applicaion of Mendelism to stock-breeding is rendered difficult time, cost, and trustworthy data. ToHay we have a very meagre allowance of data, and he little we have is rarely trustworthy. In order gain such data many years must pass, and many wealthy breeders must content themselves with the collection of facts which shall be recorded n great detail. This knowledge must be gained by exceedingly careful observation of the results obtained by breeding on a definite plan and on a arge scale, and the records must be designed to mbrace the conduct of a number of characters which may in themselves be exceedingly difficult to observe; and when the facts are known they must be applied. 66 One The author gives an instance of such application. Assume," he says lightly, "that sixty-four heifer calves are got, because this is the smallest number that will split into all the possible cases"; of these, only one can have the characters desired, and these characters can only be fully determined after the animal has grown up. But in order to get such a herd of heifer calves a much larger number must be bred; and suppose this heifer dies before she reaches maturity, or suppose she proves to be sterile! Is this a problem which is likely to attract any but a very rich and a very large breeder? may grow wheat on an infinitely larger scale at a nominal cost, but the breeding of stock in sufficient numbers is a very different matter, as Raymond Pearl's experiments clearly show. It is true the author adds that "In practice such a number need not necessarily be bred, because from a smaller number the desired stock could eventually be raised." But he does not define what he means by "eventually," and it seems that the element of chance must have a large share in the calculation. In the early part of the book, Prof. Wilson gives a lucid account of the old theories of stock-breeding. We scarcely think, however, that he does full justice to some of the experimental work done in those days, and cannot agree with some of the deductions he draws from his study of the subject; as, for instance, in the degree of attention paid by the old breeders to the part played by the sire, and, if we understand him aright, in the relation of artificial selection to evolution. The chapter on the Mendelian theory and animals is another instance of the author's power of exposition. In spite of great difficulties, he has surely made this part of his subject clear to his readers. In doing so he has emphasised the fact. that when you can apply Mendel's theory to observed phenomena you may thus obtain valuable knowledge of the forces which act in order to produce those phenomena, and he shows that to this extent you will gain a clearer view of their significance. But if this is all the help Mendelism will give to breeders there will undoubtedly be much disappointment shown by those who have been led to expect that it will serve as a short cut to the production of improved breeds, and for the modification of special characters; that it will take the place of those laborious methods of selection hitherto practised by the few successful breeders--who are born with an eye for the detection of minute variations, and can afford to fail many times --and thus put success within the reach of all. In our opinion, much more research and many practical experiments on a large scale are needed before a book on the practical advantages to be derived from Mendelian methods can, with advantage, be presented to breeders, since premature assertion of the utility of a theory tends to alienate the practical man, and to destroy his confidence in the value of science. THE INDEXING OF CHEMICAL General Index to the Chemical News. Vols. i to c. Pp. 712. (London: Chemical News Office, 1913.) Price 21. N compiling an index of chemical literature on anything like a large scale numberless difficult problems are encountered at the outset. The question as to whether authors and subjects should be divided or not is usually answered in the affirmative and with good reason. The inquirer generally knows whether he wishes to refer to an author's name or to some subject, and it is undoubtedly a help to be able to turn with certainty to one section or the other. The mere alphabetical arrangement of authors' names would appear to be simple, but the greatest difficulty is often experienced if any effort is to be made to secure that individual authors are to be properly identified with their work. An index of subjects offers even more problems to be considered. Over an extended period of years, changes of nomenclature are bound to occur, and the same compound is often described under two or even three synonyms. Is the indexer to record the names as they stand, or is he to use the modern name only, and index all older varieties or synonyms under that? In view of the fact that authors rarely know even the rudiments of nomenclature, and seldom consider whether it is correct to write, e.g., caustic soda, sodium hydrate, or sodium hydroxide, it would appear that the only possible thing to do in such a case is to decide on "sodium hydroxide," and index all references to "caustic soda" or "sodium hydrate under it. With organic compounds the case is much more difficult, but the point has, perhaps, been sufficiently illustrated. The index under review is one that will be necessary to every reader of the Chemical News, and, indeed, will be useful to all chemists, giving, as it does, references to so many subjects, such as university intelligence, &c., which are found in perhaps no other chemical journal. The advisability of putting authors and subjects together is a matter of opinion, but the searcher after names will turn over with some im patience the 35 pages which separate "Bonz * "Booth." The identification of certain authors example, "Mr. Brown" and "Dr. Schmidt must be difficult, as there are twenty"Browns" and twenty Schmidts." This, course, illustrates a common failing of authors not putting their full names to their papers The German "ü" is taken as "u" through This, we believe, is the custom of the BreMuseum, but to mix up "Mullers" Müllers is, in our opinion, obviously incorre As regards the subjects the list of books viewed, which occupies the thirty-five pages mentioned, is very valuable, and so are the o lected references to many other matters of gene chemical interest, but it is really regrettable t some effort has not been made to avoid duplic headings; this is the chief fault we have to f with the book. Under "acids" we have "ch hydric" and "hydrochloric," "evanhydric" e "hydrocyanic," "naphtholsulphonic" and "* tholic sulpho," "bioxybenzoic," "dioxybenzoic, and "dihydroxybenzoic," with no cross-referen from one to the other. Entries are also to found, again without cross-references, une acid, carbolic, and phenol, aldehyde, anisic, a anis-aldehyde, alizarin, nitro-, and nitraliz carbamide and urea, benzalacetophenone 2: benzylidene acetophenone, benzene, benzine, benzol, carbon bisulphide, disulphide, and sulp! and many others. Cross-references there are indeed, but many unnecessary; particularly "Amyl-dietharet; cinn-. See Cinnamyldiethacetate." In a work of this kind misprints are almost evitable, but a little more care in the proof-reader, might have avoided such mistakes as alikali can' metals," "alsohols," "eperiments," salysilic," &c. "metho J. C. C. PETROLOGY AND BUILDING STONES (1) The Petrology of the Sedimentary Rocks. B Dr. F. H. Hatch and R. H. Rastall. With a Appendix on the Systematic Examination Loose Detrital Sediments by T. Crook. Po xiii + 425. (London: George Allen and C. Ltd., 1913.) Price 7s. 6d. net. (2) Building Stones and Clay-Products: A Ha book for Architects. By Prof. Heinrich Ries Pp. xv+415+lix plates. (New York: Jot. Wiley and Sons; London: Chapman and Hall Ltd., 1912.) Price 12s. 6d. net. |