proceedings: biological society 211 



European Russia centuries ago. Overlooking the fact that this absorp- 

 tion resulted from peaceful intercourse and unconscious assimilation, 

 these German writers began to agitate in favor of Germanizing non- 

 German nationalities by violence. I'nder the influence of this propa- 

 ganda appeared Pan-Slavism. 



It is believed that the desire to denationalize other nationalities 

 rises from the economic interests of the ruling nationality, oi' rather of 

 its ruling classes, for the differences in nationalit}^ handicap the expan- 

 sion of trade and business. The results of the efforts to crush weaker 

 nationalities have been negative, as bitterness, hostility, and opposing 

 force have been created. The problem of nationality can not be solved 

 by violence. 



There are three philosophical doctrines dealing with the problem: 

 cosmopolitanism, emphasizing the unity of mankind and ignoring na- 

 tionality, or opposing it; nationalism, ignoring the unity of mankind, 

 believing in the separation of one nationality from another and holding 

 one's own nationality to be the highest, with a special mission in his- 

 tory (]\Iessiahs, Kultur, etc.); and internationaHsm, holding that all 

 nationalities have equal rights for existence. Self-determination of 

 nationalities is a principle of internationalism. When this principle is 

 realized, the growth of peaceful intercourse and voluntary assimila- 

 tion of nationalities will be secure, — a step forward in the progress of 

 mankind. ' Frances Densmore, Secretary. 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The o79th regular meeting was held in the Assembly Hall of the 

 Cosmos Club, Saturday, February 9, 1918; called to order by President 

 Rose at 8 p.m. ; thirty-six persons present. 



LTnder the heading brief notes and exhibition of specimens, A. S. 

 Hitchcock referred to the feeding of gulls and pelicans at Tobago as 

 observed by him. The gulls outnumbered the pehcans by 10 to 1 

 and almost^ as the pelicans brought up fishes, the alert gulls snatched 

 them away before the pelicans could adjust the fishes for swallowing. 

 This note was discussed by the Chair, L. 0. Howard, and others. 



The regular program was as follows: 



S. A. Rohwer: Notes on the nesting habits of the social wasps. After 

 stating that the term ''social wasps" was restricted to the family 

 Vespidae, Mr. Rohwer told of the recent advances in knowledge of the 

 habits of the Neotropical species by the work of A. Ducke and R. von 

 Ihering. The recent work on the habits suggest that the family may 

 be divided into two sub-families on the shape of the fovea, through 

 which the ligament connecting the gaster with the propodemn passes. 

 These two groups have different habits. In the polygamic forms many 

 of the species swarm, the nest is begun by a number of females and 

 lasts no fixed period. The monogamic forms never swarm, the nest is 

 begun by a single female and is used only a single season. Eighteen 

 shdes, arranged to show the development in nest making from the 



