August 31, 191 6] 



NATURE 



543 



Scottish Highlands, Miss CzapUcka will relate 

 .her experiences during a winter and a summer 

 spent among the tribes of Arctic Siberia, a paper 

 which, illustrated by a unique series of lantern 

 slides, will throw much light on the culture and 

 beliefs of the Tungus and other tribes, and, in a 

 second communication, will deal with the physical 

 types of these tribes. Finally, Miss Freire- 

 Marreco will deal with personal experience as an 

 •element in folk tales. 



In Section I (Physiology) Prof. A. R. Cushny 

 will deal in his presidential address with the ana- 

 lysis of living matter through its reactions to 

 poisons. He proposes to discuss how far the 

 reaction to drugs may be utilised to test for the 

 .presence of different kinds of living matter. The 

 papers to be considered by the section are : — 

 "Report on Chloroform Apparatus," by Prof. 

 A. D. Waller; "Effect of Pituitary Extract on the 

 Secretion of Cerebro-Spinal Fluid," by Prof. 

 W. D. Halliburton ; " Arginine and Creatine 

 Formation (Further Investigations)," by Prof. 

 W. H. Thompson; "The Properties required in 

 Solutions for Intravenous Injection," by Prof. 

 W. M. Bayliss ; " The Secretion of Urea and 

 Sugar by the Kidney," by Prof. P. T. Herring; 

 ■"The Effect of Thyroid-feeding on the Pancreas," 

 by Dr. Kojima. There will also be a discussion 

 upon the action of poison gases, inaugurated by 

 Sir Edward Schafer. 



The subject of Dr. A. B. Rendle's presidential 

 address to Section K (Botany) is unusual in that 

 it will deal with the application of botanical work 

 ro economic uses. It is believed that the circum- 

 stances, especially the conditions which will obtain 

 after the war, call for an effort on the part of the 

 botanist to meet problems which will then be 

 pressing. The papers to be read before the sec- 

 tion include: — "Leaf Architecture,"- by Prof. 

 F. O. Bower; "The Botanical Study of Coal," by 

 X)r. Marie Stopes ; " On Rhynia gwynne- 

 vaughanii," by Dr. R. Kidston and Prof. W. H. 

 Lang; "Are Endemics the Oldest or the Youngest 

 Species in a Country?" by Dr. J. C. Willis; "Geo- 

 graphical Distribution of the Composite," by Mr. 

 J. Small; "Survey Work near Bellingham," by 

 Miss Charlotte Measham ; "On the Distribution 

 of Starch in the Branches of Trees and its Bearing 

 on the Statolith Theory," by Miss T. L. Prankerd. 

 In addition there will be a lecture by Sir J. Stirling 

 Maxwell on "Afforestation," and a number of 

 reports on various problems ; there will also be a 

 discussion on the collection and cultivation of drug 

 plants. 



In Section L (Educational Science) the pro- 

 gramme will be devoted to three main topics : the 

 position of science in secondary and higher 

 education, the reform of the primary school, and 

 the normal performances of school children. 

 Papers on primary school reform will be read 

 by Mr. J. G. Legge, Prof. T. P. Nunn, and Prof. 

 J. A. Green, and the discussion will be opened by 

 Mr. Crook, oresident of the National Union of 

 Teachers. Next day Mr. J. Talbot will deal with 

 science teaching in public and grammar schools, 



NO. 2444, VOL. 97"| 



and will be followed by the Rev. H. B. Gray on 

 " The Relative Value of Literary and Scientific Sub- 

 jects in a Course of General Education " ; Principal 

 Hadow on " Science Teaching in the Universities" ; 

 and Dr. E. F. Armstrong on "The Value of 

 Science in Industrial Works." On the subject of 

 "The Place of Science in the Education of Girls " 

 Miss M. E. Marsden and Dr. Mary H. Williams 

 will read papers. At the meeting on the Friday, 

 held jointly with the Psychological Sub-Section, 

 Prof. J. A. Green and Mr. C. L. Burt are to open 

 a discussion on " Normal Performances of School 

 Children at Different Ages." 



In Section M (Agriculture) the presidential 

 address to be given by Dr. E. J. Russell will be 

 a discussion of the methods by which crop produc- 

 tion can be increased. The following papers will 

 be read: — "British Forestry, Past and Future," 

 by Prof. W. Somerville; "The Utilisation of 

 Forest Waste by Distillation," by Mr. S. H. 

 Collins; " Soil Protozoa and Soil Bacteria," by Mr. 

 T. Goodey ; "Climate and Tillage," by Mr. T. 

 Wibberley ; "Economy in Beef Production," by 

 Prof. T. B. Wood and Mr. K. J. J. Mackenzie; 

 "The Relation of Manuring and Cropping to 

 Economy in Meat Production," by Prof. D. A. Gil- 

 christ ; "The Composition of British Straws," by 

 Prof. T. B. Wood; "Losses from Manure Heaps," 

 by Dr. E. J. Russell and Mr. E. H. Richards ; 

 "The Fixation of Nitrogen," by Mr. E. H. 

 Richards. There will also be a discussion on 

 motor cultivation, and another on ensilage. 



As already announced, several sections are 

 arranging excursions. In this connection it may 

 be mentioned that Section M proposes on the Tues- 

 day to visit the Northumberland County Council 

 Farm at Cockle Park ; on the Wednesda}'^ Lord 

 Allendale's Farm will be inspected; on the Thurs- 

 day the woods near Lintz Green will be visited, 

 where H.M. Woods and Forests Department has a 

 plant in operation for the distillation of waste wood ; 

 and on the Friday there will be an opportunity to 

 Insp>ect general types of local farming in Durham. 



Section H also Is arranging to meet the 

 Cumberland and W^estmorland Archaeological 

 Society on the Thursday and visit the Roman wall. 

 Papers relevant to this visit are to be read by 

 Prof. Haverfield and Mr. Collingwood on the 

 evening of Wednesday, September 6. In view of 

 the local interest and the fact that leading archae- 

 ologists, including the President, are to take part, 

 it is prop>osed that the meeting be held in the 

 Lecture Theatre of the Literary and Philosophical 

 Society. 



Another engagement for the Wednesday evening 

 is that of an informal reception and conversazione, 

 which will be held in the Laing Art Gallery and 

 Museum. The Right Hon, the Lord Mayor of 

 Newcastle has very kindly consented to welcome 

 the guests. Not only will this function provide a 

 common meeting-ground for the members, but it 

 will also give them an opportunity of viewing the 

 special loan collections which have been formed 

 by the Laing Art Gallery Committee in connection 

 with the Association's visit. 



