the Forestry School, Royal Indian Engineering College, bert Hill. The Philosophical Transactions for 1887 (vol. clxxviii. B, 59 362, Pls, 32 and 33) the author published the results of investigations into the structure and nature of the tuberwellings on the roots of Vicia Fab1 and other Leguminous se duef facts established in that paper were as follows: the tubercles occur in all places and at all times on the roots Fionaceous plants growing in the open land, but that in d mecha and in properly conducted water-cultures they developed, unless the root is previously infected by with the contents of other tubercles. In other words, 200 grcies can be produced at will by artificial infection. The be also showed that the act of infection is a perfectly site me, and is due to the entrance into the root-hair of a hake infecting tube or filament, which starts from a mere ant dot at the side or apex of the root-hair, passes down the ** of the latter, traverses the cortex of the root from cell to until its tip reaches the innermost cells of the cortex, where branches and stimulates these cells to divide and form the ng tubercle. ese facts of the infection were entirely new, as were the chols, and the author showed actual preparations of the eting flaments passing down the root-hairs, at the time De 1599). In this paper the author described and explained the trumpethaped enlargements of the filaments, and the bacterium-like contate! the cells (bacteroids--gemmules), and showed that the der ense from the former. He also pointed out that the rootare das urted at the point of infection, and that the infectiment originates there from a brilliant granule, presumably the bacteroids. Another important observation was that * protoplasm of the cells of the tubercle is stimulated by the vity of the bacteroids in it, and behaves like a plasmodium. The author now draws attention to some results of his further researches into this confessedly difficult subject. Alter numerous culture experiments and observations made 1 year 1888, it was decided to abandon the broad-bean as subject for histological analysis, chiefly because it takes so ng to exhaust its stores of reserve materials; it was better for lures to he made with the pea, the cotyledons of which are mach smaller, and the plant of which is more easily managed Revery way in water and pot cultures, while the tubercles and * calents present no essential features of difference. but more conclusive evidence than the above is offered for the Day of the bacteroids in the two cases. In some of the cultures made in the summer of 1888 the roots of the pea were successyalected with bacteroids taken from the tubercles of the and this is a point of importance, in view of the belief teach species of Leguminosa may have its own species of Reruid. especially the very young root-hairs, with extremely decate cell walls, that are infected, and the first sign is the arance of a very brilliant colourless spot in the substance of cell wall: sometimes it is common to two cell walls of rootin contact, and not unfrequently one finds several rootFars all fastened together at the common point of infection. Tha highly refringent spot is obviously the "bright spot tened to in the author's previous paper as the point of en from which the infecting filament takes origin grows larger, and develops a long tubular process, which rows down inside the root hair, and invades the cortex, passing 475 from cell to cell, as described in 1887. It 4 matter of fact, then, the "bright spot" is the point of Tigin of the infecting filament; and, as a matter of inference om the experiments, it cannot but be developed from one the "bacteroids" or "gemmules" of the tubercles. This atches nself to the root hair, fuses with and pierces the Plicate cellulose wall, and grows out into a hypha-like filament ate expense of the cell contents. The further progress of filament has already been described in the author's memoir in the Philosophical Transactions for 1887. Researches were made during 1888 and 1889 with the object learning more about the conditions which rule the development of the tubercles, and the relations of the organism to them. The experiments seem to prove conclusively that the well-being The organism of the tubercle and that of the pea or bean go hand in hand. This of course is only so much evidence in favour of the view that we have here a case of symbiosis of the closest kind, as expressed in the previous memoir. During the spring and summer of 1888 numerous experiments were made with water-cultures with beans, allowed to germinate in soil so as to be infected by the " germs" therein, as demonstrated previously. Several dozens of such cultures were made, and some of them placed in the dark, others in the ordinary light of the laboratory, and some in a well-lighted greenhouse. Tables were prepared showing the number of leaves, living and dead, the condition of the roots, the height of the stem, and so forth, as recorded every week or so or at shorter intervals) when the plants were examined. It resulted that, when the beans are in any way so interfered with that they do not assimilate more material than is necessary for the growth and immediate requirements of the plant, the infecting organism either gains no hold at all on the roots, or it forms only small tubercles which are found to be very poor in "bacteroids": in some cases the starving plants began to develop tubercles, which never became large, and in which the infecting organism seemed to be in abeyance. Whether this is due to the bacteroids being developed in small quantities, or to their absorption into the plant, is still a question. In these tubercles the chief difference was the paucity in bacteroids, and the prominence of the branched filaments in the cells. In the spring of this year (1889) the author started a series of water-cultures of beans, infected artificially by placing the contents of tubercles on their root-hairs, and kept the roots oxygenated by passing a stream of air through the culture liquid for twenty-four hours at intervals of a few days: here again the increased growth of the plants-not compensated by increased assimilation-seemed to cause the suppression of the tubercles, or the formation of very poor ones only. These and similar experiments lead to the conclusion that the organism which induces the development of the tubercles is so closely adapted to its conditions that comparatively slight disturbances of the conditions of symbiosis affect its well-being: it is so dependent on the roots of the Leguminosa, that anything which affects their well-being affects it also. Some experiments with peas, which are now being tabulated, may throw some light on the wider question which has been raised of late, as to the alleged connection between the development of these tubercles and the increase of nitrogen in Leguminous plants. Thirty-two peas were sown in separate pots of silver-sand, or soil, in five batches of six each, and one of two, and treated in various ways. The tubercles were developed on all but one of the plants, except those in the completely sterilized media. The evidence at present goes to show that the Leguminous plant gains nitrogen by absorbing the nitrogenous substance of the bacteroids from the tubercles; that nitrogenous substances are thus brought by the "bacteroids" ("gemmules") of the infecting organism of the plant; and that, finally, no satisfactory explanation seems forthconing as to how the organism obtains this nitrogen in certain cases where no compounds of nitrogen have been added. At any rate, if we regard the pot of sand and its pea as one system, there is in some cases a distinct gain of nitrogen in the crop, and in the sand at its roots. The author then refers to the literature since 1887, and reviews two papers by Prazmowski which bear directly on these researches. "To sum up, Prażmowski's account of the whole matter confirms that given to the Royal Society by the author in 1887, excepting that he interprets the origin and nature of the bacteroids differently; he regards them as produced from the contents of the filaments-as germ-like bodies developed in the interior of the filaments, and not budded off from them. This is hypothesis only, however, for the author expressly states (p. 253), Direct habe ich ihre Theilungen nicht gesehen, obgleich ich mir die Mühe gab, sie in den verschiedensten Nährmedien und unter den verschiedensten äusseren Bedingungen zu züchten.' He concludes they can only multiply in the still living pro toplasm. "As to the shapes of the bacteroids and tubercles, Prażmowski's statements agree with those of previous observers, and he also remarks the plasmodium-like appearance of the cell protoplasm at certain stages, as noticed by myself. Some observations on a possible spore-formation need not be dwelt upon, as he recognized his mistake in a subsequent paper in 1889. "I think it will be admitted by all who study the literature of this subject, that the only real point at issue between Prażmowski and myself is the nature of the bacteroids and their origin from the filaments. I interpreted them as extremely minute budding 'gemmules,' and not bacteria; Prazmowski, with Beyerinck, regards them as true Schizomycetes. We have all alike failed to actually see the process of budding or fission, a fact which will surprise no one who has examined these extremely minute bodies, which are, as Beyerinck rightly puts it, among the smallest of living beings. "The fact of infection, and the mode of infection, by means of a hypha-like filament passing down the root-hair were definitely established by myself in 1887, and it is satisfactory to find it confirmed in every essential detail by Prazmowski. Our views as to the symbiosis, the struggle between the protoplasm and the 'gemmules' (or 'bacteroids') are the same; though Prazmowski and Beyerinck carry the matter a step further in definitely inferring the absorption of the conquered bodies of the latter, a point in part supported by some of my experiments. "As to the occurence, origin, and structure of the tubercles, Prażmowski's account is simply in accordance with my own; and it is interesting to note how many points of detail-the distortions of the root-hairs, the relations of the branching filaments to the nuclei and cell-contents, and those of the incipient tubercle to the end of the filament, for example-are confirmed by him." The Chemical Society, November 7.-Dr. W. J. Russell, F.R.S., President, in the chair.-The following papers were read :-Isolation of a tetrahydrate of sulphuric acid existing in solution, by Mr. S. U. Pickering. The freezing-points of mixtures of sulphuric acid and water form three distinct curves representing the crystallization of water, of the hydrate, H2SO4 + H2O, and of sulphuric acid, and the highest point of each of these curves is in exact correspondence with the composition of the substance which crystallizes out. Solutions containing between 40 and 75 per cent. of sulphuric acid had not hitherto been frozen; but it appeared to the author that if his former deductions from the irregularities in the curves representing the densities and other properties of the solutions of the acid were correct, an independent curve representing the crystallization of a new hydrate should occupy this interval, and that this new hydrate should have the composition H2SO, + 5H2O, or H2SO, + 4H,O. Experiment has proved it to be the latter. The two branches of the new curve rise from about -80°, and meet in a sharply marked angle at a point corresponding with the composition of the tetrahydrate, the temperature at which this point is reached being - 25. The tetrahydrate forms large, well-defined, hard crystals. author regards the isolation of this hydrate as affording fresh confirmatory evidence of the hydrate theory of solution.Additional observations on the magnetic rotation of nitric acid, and of hydrogen and ammonium chlorides, bromides, and iodides in solution, by Dr. W. H. Perkin, F.R.S. In his previous experiments, the author has limited his observations on nitric acid to the pure acid HNO,; he has now examined a somewhat diluted acid, and the results indicate that HNO, unites with water, forming an acid analogous to orthophosphoric acid, viz. (OH),NO. The experiments on hydrogen chloride, bromide, and iodide were originally made on single samples in a very concentrated solution of each. These gave abnormally high results-rather more than twice the values calculated for the pure compounds—but on examination of solutions of different strengths, it was found that the rotation increases up to a dilution equivalent to about six or seven molecular proportions of water, to one molecular proportion of hydride, the value then remaining practically stationary. To see whether the solvent had any influence, a solution of hydrogen chloride in isoamyl oxide was examined, and was found to give values nearly identical with those calculated from the chlorine derivatives of the paraffins ; and there can be little doubt that, if the other hydrides could be examined in a similar way, analogous results would be obtained. As union with water should reduce the rotations, the results are at present inexplicable. The compounds with ammonia and the compound ammonias have also been further examined; the results are remarkable when considered in relation to afforded by the hydrides, as the rotations found, inve being those calculated from the results obtained in the sa the paraffin derivatives, or those found in the case of hyir chloride dissolved in isoamyl oxide, nearly correspond with required on the assumption that the hydrides are prese aqueous solution together with ammonia. The rotat however, do not vary with the strength of the saline solu The author's explanation of this is that when the sal.. dissolved in water, they dissociate almost entirely in hydride and the amine, the hydride undergoing an incrrsrotation on account of its being in aqueous solution. in case of triethylamine hydrochloride the numbers are lower t there is evidently less dissociation; and in the case of tetrah ammonium chloride little or no dissociation appears to place. Solutions of ammonium iodide and diethylamine hy chloride in absolute alcohol gave somewhat lower nude than aqueous solutions, indicating somewhat smaller, althstill large, amount of dissociation. Ammonium nitrate and L ammonium sulphate in aqueous solution give numbers agree closely with the calculated values, and apparently do dissociate to any appreciable extent. In the discussion war followed the reading of this paper, Dr. Gladstone, F.E stated that, on examining Dr. Perkin's solution of hydro chloride in isoamyl oxide, he found that the refraction dispersion values deduced for the chloride are very much sm than those afforded by aqueous solutions.-Phosphoryl trifluoride by Prof. T. E. Thorpe, F.R.S., and Mr. F. J. Hamry Phosphorus oxyfluoride, POF, may be easily and convenie made by heating a mixture of cryolite and phosphoric ac and collecting the products at the mercurial trough-Acetyla of cellulose, by Messrs. C. F. Cross and E. J. Bevan. On heats: cotton cellulose with acetic anhydride and zinc chloride, a pro.. is obtained which appears to be a pentacetyl derivative cellulose. The compound is very stable, and on alkalihydrolysis yields a substance having the properties of a normie cellulose. It would therefore appear that all the oxygen of th. cellulose molecule acts as hydroxylic oxygen, and, in view of ins result, a reconsideration of the present ideas as to the constituras of cellulose is rendered necessary. -Action of light on mo oxygen, by Dr. A. Richardson. The presence of liquid water very much facilitates the oxidation of many substances under the combined influence of sunlight and oxygen, but if the water present as aqueous vapour, the decomposition is exceedingly slow, and in some cases is entirely arrested. The author in that peroxide of hydrogen is formed when water containing par ether, or pure water acidified with pure sulphuric acid, is exposi to light in an atmosphere of oxygen, and draws the conclas that the oxidation of substances under the influence of ig involves in many cases initially an oxidation of water to hydngs peroxide, and that the oxidation of the compound is the res of a secondary interaction between it and the hydrogen perotile In the discussion which followed the reading of the paper, Pol Armstrong pointed out that, whilst Dr. Richardson assumed that water was directly oxidized when mixed with ether and exponed to oxidation, Mr. Kingzett had argued-and in the cast turpentine had adduced weighty experimental evidence that the hydrogen peroxide was a secondary product formed by the action of water on an organic peroxide. The use of ether or sulphuric acid, which Dr. Richardson had added with the obed of protecting the peroxide, was to be deprecated, since hydrogen peroxide in weak solutions was comparatively stable; m satisfactory evidence had been adduced that the peroxile ↳ formed in the absence of a third substance when water and oxygen are exposed to light. Prof. Dunstan remarked that he had found that hydrogen peroxide was not formed when purs ether was used, although a substance was obtained which 5 capable of liberating iodine from potassium iodide. The President said that in experiments which he and Captain Abo had made together on the fading of water-colours, the action of aqueous vapour had been most strikingly apparent; colou were found to be stable on exposure to light in dry air, which were considerably affected when aqueous vapour was presenta-B-dibenzoylstyrolene and the constitution of Zinin's lepuden derivatives, by Prof. F. R. Japp, F. R.S., and Dr. F. Klinge mann. The authors have continued their investigation of the interactions of dibenzoylstyrolene (anhydracetophenone benal, and find that there is an almost perfect parallelism in behar between it and one of the three isomeric oxy epidens prepared by Zinin, viz. the acicular oxylepiden" melting The various compounds obtained by them stand to the ore at 220 ding compounds of the lepiden series in the relation of jinyl derivatives of furfuran to tetraphenyl derivatives, a which is exhibited in the first place by dibenzoylstyrotoxylepiden themselves. Like acicular oxylepiden," ystyrolene yields two isomeric derivatives on heating; rrride formed in larger quantity in each case is almost ay a derivative of crotolactone, whilst the isomeride ors in smaller quantity is probably a stereometric isomeride ocalar lepiden" and dibenzoylstyrolene respectively.— en-diacetyladipate, by Prof. W. H. Perkin.--(1 : 2) hylpentamethylene, by Dr. T. R. Marshall and Prof. Perkin-Action of reducing agents on a-w-diacetyl125, formation of (1:2) methylethylhexamethylene, by r f S Kipping and Prof. W. H. Perkin. -Action of twong agents on a diacetylpentane; formation of (1:2) Theptamethylene, by the same.- -Oxyamidosulphonates L their conversion into hyponitrites, by Dr. E. Divers, , and Mr. T Haga. The oxyamidosulphonates are the Uzdates of Fremy, which Claus and Raschig have shown teen sulphonic derivatives of hydroxylamine. The authors at these compounds on treatment with alkali, instead of lang hydroxylamine and the alkaline sulphate as asserted by is and Kaschig, and as it is admitted they do when hydroyan acid, are converted exclusively into sulphite and in me thus, zHO NH.SOK + 4KHO – (KON), + 480. The reducing action of the oxyamidotates has been examined, and it is found that the generally el view that it is due to the supposed conversion of these a sulphate and hydroxylamine, the latter then acting ne copper hydroxide in the usual way, is untenable. The Joys of leaf, tin, zinc, and cadmium, by Mr. A. P. Laurie. inen ension of his previous observations (Trans. Chem. Soc., XM the author has made voltaic cells with the various v, and has thus compared their behaviour with that of the ingle metal by means of an electrometer. He concludes that he meals now examined do not combine together, thus con*ming Marthiessen's conclusions. November 21-Dr. W. J. Russell, F.R.S., President, the chair.-The following papers were read:-The law of the freezing points of solutions, by Mr. S. U. Pickering. The tituents of flax, by Messrs. C. F. Cross and E. J. 4 A As a result of their examination of the cuticular conments of the fibre, the authors have isolated ceryl alcohol, fatty acids, of which one appears to be cerotic acid, an oily , and a residue of complex, ill-defined, inert compounds worliking "ketones" on hydrolysis. These "ketones" have the teratur of raw flax and flax goods, and from their morjenty of emalsifying with water undoubtedly exercise an imanence on the wet processes of fine spinning of flax. The pect group of constituents associated with the cellulose in De tre proper is found to yield mucic acid on oxidation with Se nine acid, and flax cellulose when oxidized with potasermanganate yields, in addition to oxycellulose and oxalic d. acid substances from which furfural is obtained on acid -Acetylcarbinol (acetol), by Prof. W. H. Perkin and JB Tingle. The authors announce the preparation of anhydrous acetylcarbinol. Zoological Society, November 19.-Prof. W. H. Flower, F., President, in the chair.-The Secretary read a report on theans that had been made to the Society's Menagerie during the tonth of October 1889, and called special attention to the t of a young male Gaur (Bibos gaurus) from Pahang, one he native States in the Malay Peninsula, presented to the Set by Sir Cecil C. Smith, the Governor of the Straits lement-The President exhibited and made remarks on a hed of an African Rhinceros (Rhinoceros bicornis) with a third eno horn partially developed. The animal from which it as taken had been shot by Sir John Willoughbey, in Eastern -The Secretary exhibited a skin of an albino variety of he Cape Mole Rat Georychus capensis), forwarded to the Society by the Rev. G H. R. Fisk, of Cape Town. -Mr. A. SmithWoodward exhibited and made remarks on a portion of the ft of an extinct Saw fish (Sclerorhynchus) from the chalk Mount Lebanon. Mr. Goodwin exhibited and made remarks Specimens of some rare Paradise Birds obtained by him on anwen Stanley, New Guinea, when in company with Sir Wiliam Macgregor's recent expedition; also some photographs on the same occasion.-A communication was read from he Rev Thomas R. K. Stebbing and Mr. David Robertson Staining the descriptions of four new British Amphipodous Crustaceans. These were named Sophrosyne robertsoni, Syrrho fimbriata, Podoceropsis palmatus, and Podocerus cumbrensis. Of these, Sophrosyne robertsoni belonged to a genus first observed at Kerguelen Island.-Mr. G. W. Butler read a paper on the subdivison of the body-cavity in Lizards, Crocodiles, and Birds, in which an attempt was made to analyze the complex conditions of the membranes observable in the last two groups, and to express them in terms of the simpler structures found in the Lizards.-Mr. J. H. Leech read the third part of his paper on the Lepidoptera of Japan and Corea, comprising an account of the Noctue and Deltoid; in all upwards of 475 species. Of these forty-six were now described as new to science, and two others were considered to be varietal forms. -Mr. R. Lydekker read a paper on the remains of a Theriodont Reptile from the Karoo System of the Orange Free State. The remains described were an associated series of vertebræ and limb-bones of a comparatively large Theriodont, which was probably different from any described form. The humerus was of the normal Theriodont type, and quite distinct from the one on which the genus Propappus had been fonnded, which the author considered to belong to a form closely allied to, if not generically identical with, Pariasaurus.-Mr. G. B. Sowerby read the descriptions of thirteen new or rare species of LandShells from various localities.-A communication was read from Mr. Edward A. Minchin containing an account of the mode of attachment of the embryos to the oral arms of Aurelia aurita. It was shown that the embryos of Aurelia aurita are developed on the arms, in broad capsules formed as evaginations of the walls of the oral groove, and that the capsules increase in size with the addition of more embryos. Linnean Society, November 21. Mr. W. Carruthers, F.R.S., President, in the chair.-Prof. Duncan exhibited and made remarks on a stem of Hyalonema Sieboldii, dredged between Aden and Bombay, a remarkable position, inasmuch asthis Glass Sponge had not previously been met with in any waters west of the Indian Peninsula. Prof. Stewart criticized the occurrence, and referred to a parasite on the Sponge which had been found to be identical with one from the Japanese seas. -Mr. James Groves exhibited and gave some account of a new British Chara, Nitella batrachiosperma, which had been collected in the Island of Harris.-Mr. Thomas Christy exhibited some bark of Quillaia saponaria from Chili, which has the property of producing a great lather, and is extensively used for washing silk and wool. It is now found to solidify hydrocarbon oils and benzoline, and thereby to insure their safe transport on long voyages; a small infusion of citric acid rendering them again liquid.-Dr. F. Walker exhibited and made remarks on some plants collected by him in Ireland. -Mr. W. Hachett Jackson gave an abstract of an elaborate paper on the external anatomical characters distinctive of sex in the chrysalis, and on the development of the azygos evident in Vanessa Io.-Mr. E. B. Poulton followed by giving a résumé of his researches on the external morphology of the Lepidopterous pupa.—Mr. J. H. Leech gave an account of some new Lepidoptera from Central China. PARIS. Academy of Sciences, December 2.-M. Hermite in the chair. On the fermentation of stable manure, by M. Th. Schlesing. A series of experiments has been carried out by the author for the purpose of ascertaining whether, during fermentation under cover from the air, the manure of farmyards liberates nitrogen, as it is known to liberate a mixture of carbonic acid and methane. He finds that at the temperature of 52° C. no gaseous nitrogen is generated from the decomposition of nitric compounds; nor is any nitric combination formed by oxidation of ammonia in presence of organic substances. The organic matter loses more carbon than oxygen, the proportion of hydrogen remaining about the same. The reading of the paper was followed by some remarks by M. Berthelot on the same subject.-Remarks on the diastases secreted by Bacillus heminecrobiophilus, by M. Arloing. These re-earches show that under artificial cultivation this organism secretes several soluble ferments, enabling it to prepare for assimilation all the organic substances needed for the nutrition and development of a living being; and that amongst these ferments, or associated with them, there is one that transforms the organic matter, while liberating gases-that is, exercises a function hitherto attribute l to the micro-organisms themselves, and not to their secretions. Verbal report on the work of E. D. Suess, entitled "Das Antlitz der Erde, vols. i. and ii., 1885 and 1888, by M. Daubree. This fundamental treatise on the constitution of the earth is here described as a summary of the facts already established regarding the geology of the various parts of the globe, the essential features of its present mountain ranges and depressions, and the successive movements of the terrestrial crust of which these are the outcome. The work marks a new departure in the progress of physical geography.-Observations of Swift's new comet made with the Brunner equatorial at the Observatory of Toulouse, by M. B. Baillaud; and with the large equatorial at the Observatory of Bordeaux, by MM. G. Rayet and Picart. All these observations, extending from November 21 to November 27, give the same results: comet very faint and greatly diffused, making observations very difficult. Tables are also given of observations made at Algiers by MM. Trépied, Rambaud, Sy, and Renaux, during the same period. - Mechanical realization of thermodynamic phenomena, by M. Chaperon. Purely mechanical systems may be conceived, which present a striking analogy to heat-engines in respect of their influence on finite movements. The author here describes one of these systems, which is distinguished by its extreme simplicity.— On the correspondence between the characteristic equations of gases, by M. Ladislas Natanson. The author here shows that Wroblewskis posthumous memoir, published by the. Vienna Academy in November 1888, forms a natural complement to Van der Waal's law that at absolute, that is, corresponding temperatures proportional to the critical temperatures of the different bodies, the pressures, P, of their saturated vapours are proportional to the respective critical pressures.-Method of measuring the spheric and chromatic aberrations of the objectives of the microscope, by M. C. J. A. Leroy. Findine in an artificial eye certain effects connected with the aberra tions of sphericity and refrangibility, the author has applied the method known as "Cuignet's keratoscopy" to the study of the aberrations of the eye, and of the objectives of the microscope. His present observations are confined to the objectives alone.On the electric conductivity of the Eiffel Tower and its conductors, by M. A. Terquem. It is shown that the tower with its complete system of lightning conductors, constructed under the direction of MM. Becquerel, Berger and Mascart, is calculated to afford perfect security for a considerable space round about.-Fresh researches on the preparation and dersity of fluorine, by M. Henri Moissan.-Papers were submitted by M. Daniel Berthelot, on the electric conductivities and multiple affinities of aspartic acid; by MM. E. Jungfleisch and L. Grimbert, on some facts relative to the analysis of sugars; by M. G Colin, on the varying effects of virulent substances used for inoculating animals; by M. P. Fliche, on the silicified woods of Algeria; by M. Stanislas Meunier, on the Phu-Hong meteorite, with remarks on the limerick type; and by M. Léon Teisserenc de Bort, on the distribution of atmospheric pressure over the surface of the globe. DIARY OF SOCIETIES. LONDON. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12. ROYAL SOCIETY, at 4.30.-The Relation of Physiological Action to Atomic Weight: Miss H. J. Johnstone an 1 Prof. T. Carnelley -An Experimen al Investigation into the Arrangement of the Excitable Fibres of the Internal Capsule of the Bonnet Monkey (Macacus sinicus): Dr. Beevor and Prof. V. Horsley, F. R.S.-On the Effect of the Spectrum on the Haloid Salts of Silver Capt. Abney, F.R.S., and G. S. Edwards.-Magnetic Properties of Alloys of Nickel and Iron: Dr. Hopkinson, F.R.S. MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY, at 8.-On the Radial Vibrations of a Cylindrical Shell: A. B. Basset, F. R.S.-Note on 51840-Group: G. G. Morrice.-On the Flexure of an Elastic Plate: Prof. H. Lamb, F. R.S.-Notes on a Plane Cubic and a Conic: R. A. Roberts.-Complex Muluplication Moduli of Elliptic Functions for the Deter.ninants 53 and 61: Prof. G. B. Math: ws. INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, at 8.-Annual General Meeting. - Election of Council and Officers for 1890.-Electrical Engineering in America: G. L. Addenbrooke. (Discussion.) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13. ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, at 8. QUEKETT MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, at 8. INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, at 7.30.-Hydraulic Station and Machinery of the North London Railway, Poplar: John Hale. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14. ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, at 3.45. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15. SUNDAY LECTURE SOCIETY, at 4.-The Geology of London (with Oxyhydrogen Lantern Illustration): Rev. J. F. Blake. MONDAY, DECEMBER 16. SOCIETY OF ARTS, at 8.—Modern Developments of Bread-making: William Jago. ARISTOTELIAN SOCIETY, at 8.-Symposium-Is there Evidence of Design in Nature?: S. Alexander, Dr. Gildea, Miss Naden, G. J. Romanes. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17. ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY, at 7.45-Accumulati mms of Caporal WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1Ë SOCIETY OF ARTS, at 8.-London Sewage: Sir Robert Rawlinson. 1. ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY. at 7-Report of the Wis BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, and SERIALS RECEIVED Tschermak: "Die mikroskopische Beschaffenheit der Williams and Lascelles: "Introduction to Chemical Rendle: "The Cradle of the Aryans' Mr. Cope on the Causes of Variation.-Prof. E Ray Protective Coloration of Eggs.-E. B. Titchener Galls.-R. McLachlan, F. R. S.; D. Wetterhan; Crown &vo, Cloth. Price 38. 6d. per Vol.; Half Morocco, 6s. 6d. THE CONTEMPORARY SCIENCE SERIES. EDITED BY HAVELOCK ELLIS. dans of the vols, will be illustrated, containing between 300 and 400 pp. The first rol was issued on October 25, 1889. Others to follow at short intervals. THE CONTEMPORARY SCIENCE SERIES will bring within general reach of the English-speaking public the best that is known and ught in all departments f modern scientific research. The influence of antific spirit is now rapidly spreading in every field of human activity. Seesal progress, it is felt, must be guided and accompanied by accurate owledge,-knowledge which is, in many departments, not yet open to the Bagish reader. In the Contemporary Science Series all the questions of dern life-the various social and politico-economical problems of to day, The most recent researches in the knowledge of man, the past and present Errences of the race, and the nature of its environment-will be frankly tigated and clearly presented. "A work which, for range and grace, originality and incisiveness of style treatment, is not readily to be matched in the long list of books designed re or less to popularize science."-Scottish Leader. ELECTRICITY IN MODERN LIFE. By G. W DE TUNZELMANN. 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