I9I3] Editorials 505 



the Journals listed. Most of the men eligible for membership are prob- 

 ably connected with some Institution where the Journals are on file and 

 while many would like all of them, more would regard it as an unneces- 

 sary expense. At $10 for a good Abstract Jour., with one or two 

 others, more men would think the object worth while. 



I should want the estimated costs of Journals worked out by experts 

 in such lines. From a number of years' experience in the Council of 

 the Amer, Chem, Soc'y I have found that it is the easiest thing in the 

 World to overestimate resources in advance, and that, where in advance 

 it seems certain that a certain membership at a certain rate will leave a 

 comfortable margin, in retrospect it is apt to be found that the expenses 

 have an uncomfortable way of mounting faster than the income. 



All this does not mean that I am opposed to a general society. If 

 the majority, or a large number, of biological workers do want it, I 

 think it should be delegated to a larger committee to go more into 

 detail, utilizing the experience of others, like the Amer. Chem. Soc'y. 



ToRALD Sollmann, Western Reserve Univ. In reply to your in- 

 quiry as to Mathews' plan, it seems to me that object i is already accom- 

 plished by the formation of the Federation of Amer. Societies for 

 Exper. Biology. I believe that this is as far as it is necessary to go 

 at present. In my opinion it would be a great mistake to increase the 

 expense of the societies to their members. Every such increase would 

 make membership, and attendance at the meetings, more difficult to 

 some men. It seems to me more desirable that the members should 

 attend the meetings than that they should receive additional Journals, 

 to which they generally have access in the departmental libraries. 



Colin C. Stewart, Dartmoiith Med. School. — I do not know how 

 I can any better show my hearty approval of the Mathews plan than by 

 promising my füll subscription as soon as the scheme may go into 

 Operation. The need for something of the nature of "Biolog. Abstracts," 

 the bürden of subscription expenses (or what is worse, the necessity 

 of doing without Journals), and the number of Journals, grow greater 

 year by year. 



Edward L. Thorndike, Teachers College, Columbia Univ. I think 

 some such plan as the Mathews plan is desirable. You should include 

 the new Joiir. of Animal Behavior. Also I think $5,000 a year should 

 be allowed to pay for the actual reviews written for the "Abstracts." 



J. L. ToDD, McGill Univ. If the enormous difficulties in the way of 

 consolidating and operating the societies with biological interests could 



