SClKNTlIfIC NOT^S AND NEWS 403 



■ Mi". J. M. Hill, geologist of the U. S. Geological Survey, was trans- 

 ferred on July I to the Survey's office in San Francisco, in order to be 

 more directly in touch with western metalliferous mines. 



Mr. E. A, HoLBROOK, formerly superintendent of the Pittsburgh 

 branch of the Bureau of Mines, has been transferred to Washington 

 as assistant to the Director, Dr. F, G. Cottrell, whose nomination 

 has been confirmed by the Senate. 



Mr. Charles M. Hoy, who is collecting for the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution in Australia, reports that within the past few years many of 

 the characteristic mammals of Australia have been rendered extinct 

 or nearly so as a result of the introduction and rapid multiplication of 

 foxes and cats. 



The University of Arizona has conferred the honorary degree of Doc- 

 tor of Laws on Dr. T. H. Kearney, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 in recognition of his work on the breeding of Egyptian long-staple 

 cotton in Arizona. 



Prof. Vernon Kellogg, professor of entomology at Leland Stanford, 

 Jr., University, has been elected secretary of the National Research 

 Council for the year ending July i , 1 92 1 . 



Mr. W. S. W. Kew, of the U. S. Geological Survey, is studying the 

 oil conditions of northwestern Mexico for private parties while on fur- 

 lough from the Government service. 



Dr. F. Lamson-Scribner, of the Department of Agriculture, has 

 received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of 

 Maine. 



Prof. John Campbell Merriam, professor of vertebrate paleon- 

 tology at the University of California, and recently acting chairman 

 of the National Research Council, was elected president of the Carnegie 

 Institution of Washington on May 25, to succeed Dr. R. S. Woodward, 

 who retires at his own request after sixteen years of service in the 

 presidency. Dr. Merriam will assume office January i, 1921. 



Dr. John R. Mohler, chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture, received the degree of Doctor of Science 

 from Iowa State College on June 9. 



Mr. R. M. Overbeck has returned from Bolivia and will resume 

 his work in Alaska for the U. S. Geological Survey. 



Dr. C. L. Parsons was appointed as delegate from the National 

 Research Council to the meeting of the International Chemical Union, 

 held in Rome during the last week of June. Dr. Parsons went to 

 Europe in April on private business, expecting to remain until after the 

 meeting in Rome. 



Prof. H. PoSTMA, of Feist, Holland, visited Washington in May 

 and examined materials in the Division of Physical Anthropology of 

 the National Museum. 



