162 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [July, 



main for twenty-four hours longer, until all is dissolved that will dissolve. 

 Filter, and to the filtrate add a small quantity of acetic acid, until it 

 becomes turbid. After twenty-four hours more there is a precipitate, 

 and the filtered fluid also remains turbid. Now add ammonia, drop by 

 drop, and allow the solution each time to remain for twenty-four hours, 

 until at length, in the course of a few days, it remains entirely clear. 

 If the neutral solution stains too yellow, add a little acetic acid ; if too 

 red, a little ammonia. 



EDITORIAL. 



The American Society of Microscopists will meet this year at 

 Buffalo, N. Y., holding a four days' session, August 20-23 inclusive. 

 In another column will be found the President's official announcement. 

 We hope our friends will at once decide to go and make vacation ar- 

 rangements accordingly. 



o 



Special Creation. — "If each of the half million of species of ani- 

 mals and plants which now live, and each of the millions of kinds which 

 have become extinct, has been the subject of a ' special creation,' then 

 special creation is but a name given in our ignorance to the law by which 

 species are produced," says Professor Jordan.* If the law is not cor- 

 rectly expressed by the Darwinian theory, let the objector state it more 

 correctly. But this criticism of special creation might be still more 

 plainly put, somewhat as follows : 



A species exists only upon paper — not in nature. What does exist 

 in nature is a group of forms nearly alike, and not differing from each 

 other beyond a given amount, and which, merely for convenience, we 

 describe on paper as one species. A group which one naturalist calls 

 one species may be divided by another naturalist into two or more spe- 

 cies. Certain forms are so like to two different species as to make it 

 questionable to which of the two they belong. Varieties are therefore 

 spoken of. The claim of " special creation," which cannot well apply 

 to species, might more properly be claimed for varieties. But what has 

 been alleged above of species applies in less degree to varieties. From 

 this it follows that individuals alone exist in nature with such fixedness 

 as to permit the claim of special creation, and to them its claim would 

 better be transferred. But the law of production of individuals is well 

 understood, and if it suits anyone better to denominate that law 

 " special creation" than to call it " evolution," good and well. Arose 

 by any other name would smell as sweet. What's in a name? 



Mrs. Louisa Reed Stowell, who is so well known to all micros- 

 copists, has been appointed as an assistant to the Botanist in the De- 

 partment of Agriculture. This will add another to the group of 

 working microscopists in Washington, and, we hope, to the friends of 

 this Journal. We extend to her a cordial greeting and best wishes 

 for success in her new field of labor. Our Washington Microscopical 

 Society has never yet had a lady's name on its rolls. Now is a good 

 time to make the innovation. 



♦Darwinism. — A brief account of the Darwinian Theory of the Origin of Species. By David Starr 

 Jordan, Ph. D.,M. D. A. B. Gehman & Co. Chicago, 111., 1888. 



