1895. MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL 27 



It was supposed that as they occur in countless billions 

 they are the origin of bitumen, but this is not certainly 

 proved. (Fig. 2 shows spore-cases of Proto-salvinia from 

 Chicago boulder clay.) 



EDITORIAL. 



The Phipps Conservatory. — Our first information regard- 

 ing this institution comes from Mr. Logan, whose article intro- 

 duces the present number of the Journal. It should be a great 

 stimulus to biological research. The Pittsburg Microscopists 

 will not be slow to improve the opportunity. Just as we go to 

 press word comes that the following rare forms have just been 

 identified there : 



Rhapidiophrys elegans,. Asplanchna brightwellii, Dendroso- 

 ma radians, 



Governemental Delay. — In 1888, six years ago, one E. F. 

 Tnomas, in the employ of the post office in this city stole some 

 money which publishers had on deposit for the pa3'ment of 

 second rate postage. The Department has just got around to- 

 refund the money. Mr. Conger a Republican politician, was 

 postmaster in 1888. It was well-known for some time before his 

 arrest, that Thomas was living fast, indulging in horse-race 

 attendance, in drinking and in associating with questionable 

 women, yet bis accounts got into inextricable confusion before 

 Mr. Conger looked after him properly. 



The New Science Review. — The third, or January issue 

 of this attractive quarterly of science, fully keeps up the high 

 standard attained in its two jjreceding numbers, and is likely to 

 add to the favor with which the promising enterprise has been 

 everywhere received. It contains several articles of notable 

 character, among them one by Major-General Drayson, dealing 

 with that subject of reform in educational methods which at- 

 tracted so much attention to Mr. Jordan's paper on " Mental 

 Training," in the October number. Grant Allen, in " The A.ma- 

 teur in Science," deals in his well-known sparkling manner 

 with a side issue of the same interesting sul)ject. The question 

 of " What Electricity Is,'' propounded in the October number, 

 has called lorth a number of well written replies. Among the 

 other articles are papers on " Union of Astronomy and Geol-r 



