1913] Albert P. Mathews 263 



of the country than any other step taken. Chemical Abstracts has 

 welded the various divisions of the science together, and so great 

 has its value proved to be, that the membership in the society has 

 almost doubled since it was started.^ The society publishes three 

 Journals, Chemical Abstracts (the abstract Journal), the Journal of 

 the American Chemical Society, and the Journal of Industrial 

 Chemistry, which are distributed to all members of the society for 

 the dues, $10 a year. Chemical Abstracts appears every two weeks ; 

 the other two are monthly Journals. 



Relation of the society to the naturalists. Two possibilities 

 are open to us in forming the Biological Society: we could make 

 use of the American Society of Naturalists, reorganize that and 

 change it into a new society with new aims; or we might Start a 

 new society, leaving the " Naturalists " to f ulfill some other usef ul 

 function (such as that adopted in their recent reorganization). The 

 name of the " Naturalists " is badly chosen for a general biological 

 society, such as that proposed; and, since its partial resuscitation 

 along its old lines might weaken our efforts (if the two societies 

 should Cover in any way the same field), it appears wiser to me to 

 organize a new society, and to allow the " Naturalists " to have its 

 aim changed to the one sketched in the plan of reorganization. 



Discussion of the objects of the proposed biological society. 

 The importance of a biological abstract journal. ( i ) The 

 objects in paragraph i, page 261, are so desirable as not to need dis- 

 cussion. (2) The desirability of starting a Biological Abstract 

 Journal, in English, has long been apparent. Funds alone have been 

 lacking in the past to accomplish this object. The Organization of 

 this society would make it possible to issue such a Journal. This 

 would do more to unify and stimiilate biology than any move we 

 could make. (3) How the ends sought in objects 2, 3, and 4 (page 

 261) could be attained, will now be shown. 



List of the present biological Journals and their esti- 

 MATED cosT AND PRiCE OF SUBSCRIPTION.^ The figures submittcd 

 in this list are approximate only and are based on estimates supplied 

 by various firms and individuals. The subscription list is a rough 



* The reader is reminded that this was written in 1908. [Ed.] 



