548 
‘ 
before us these features are not treated, but presumably 
in the “ Flora” they will be incorporated. Also it would add 
to the interest of the book if a summary of the principal 
ecological features were presented. It is evident from 
the published list of contributors that Mr. Davey has 
been successful in enlisting the services of many well- 
known systematists ; but more workers are required, 
especially residents in the districts just north and east of 
Truro, also in Camborne and the country lying south. 
To these and to botanists visiting the county Mr. Davey 
will gladly supply copies of ‘‘the tentative list,” which is 
interleaved for notes, so that their records may be re- 
turned to him in November, 1903, when the accumulated 
data will be worked up. 
Outer Isles. By A. Goodrich-Freer. Pp. xv + 448. 
(Westminster : Constable and Co., Ltd., 1902.) Price 
12s. 6d. net. 
Tuis book contains much valuable information about the 
Outer Hebrides and their people, and it is good service 
to have it put on record in accessible and readable form. 
Specially good are the accounts of the Cez/zdh, or custom 
of ‘assembling together during the long winter nights to 
pass them off in happiness and mirth,” and of the process 
of “fulling” or dressing the Harris cloth. But the work 
as a whole is blemished by a want of perspective. The 
natives of the Outer Isles are, after all, not without faults, 
and even vices, and some of their virtues are shared by 
inhabitants of the ‘‘adjacent islands of Great Britain and 
Ireland.” There is something to be said on the side of 
the landlord, the Free Kirk, and even the sporting Sasse- 
nach, and the reiteration of their enormities on all 
possible occasions becomes very tiresome. It is not true 
that the people of the Outer Hebrides are ‘‘ practically 
less known to the average Englishman than the in- 
habitants of New Zealand or of Central Africa,” or that 
“those who penetrate to their islands, so far at least as 
they are represented by comfortable inns in easily 
accessible places, come back knowing nothing of the 
life of the people, and only ready to condemn them as 
half-savage, extortionate, and above all, idle.” 
The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and 
Burma, Published under the authority of the Secre- 
tary of State for India in Council. Edited by W. T. 
Blanford. Rhynchota, vol. i. (Heteroptera). By W. L. 
Distant. Pp. xxxvili+ 438. (London: Taylor and 
Francis, 1902.) 
THIS important work continues to make steady progress, 
and we have now the pleasure to notice the appearance 
of another volume devoted to entomology, in addition to 
those already published by Sir G. Hampson on “ Moths,” 
Col. C. T. Bingham on “Hymenoptera” and Mr. R. I. 
Pocock on “Spiders.” Mr. W. L. Distant is so well 
known as a close student of Rhynchota, and also for his 
careful and accurate work, that we have no doubt that 
specialists will find the present volume to be one of the 
most complete and satisfactory that has yet appeared on 
the subject; and it should give a great impetus to the 
study of Rhynchota, especially in India and in the 
adjacent countries. 
Following Severin, Mr. Distant accepts fifteen families, 
eleven of which are represented in India, the first volume 
including descriptions of the Pentatomide, Coccidz and 
Berytidea. We may point out that Dr. D. Sharp’s 
estimate of about 18,000 species of Rhynchota, quoted 
by Mr. Distant on p. xxxv, is obviously much too low, 
the number given by Mr. W. F. Kirby as long ago as 
1892, in the second edition of his ‘“ Elementary Text- 
book of Entomology” (p. 14), being already 18,300. 
The volume is illustrated by 249 excellent text illustra- 
tions by Mr. H. Knight, including a series of very clear 
illustrations of structure in the introduction. 
No. 1718, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
[OcToBER 2, 1902 
LETIERS TO THE EDITOR. 
[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions ex- 
pressed by his correspondents. Netther can he undertake 
to return, or to correspond with the writers of, rejected 
manuscripts intended for thts or any other part of NATURE. 
No notice ts taken of anonymous communications. | 
The Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C. 
Sir,—It gives me great pleasure to answer in writing some 
of the questions which you, and others who are interested in 
scientific research, have asked in respect to the scope of the 
institution lately founded in Washington by Mr. Andrew 
Carnegie. 
To begin with, it may be well to recapitulate the facts already 
made known. The amount of his gift is ten million dollars 
(2,000,000/.), so invested that the annual income is five hundred 
thousand dollars (100,000/7,), The control of this fund is in- 
vested in a board of twenty-seven trustees, selected from widely 
separated parts of the United States, and including many men 
who have won distinction and confidence by the service they 
have rendered in public life. It is not a board made up of 
specialists, but rather (if I may be allowed the expression) of 
generals—that is to say, of men accustomed to the administra- 
tion of large affairs, political, financial, philanthropic and 
educational. Absolute power is given to this board to devise 
such methods and form such plans as may seem to them wise in 
order to carry out the purposes of Mr. Carnegie. These pur- 
poses he has clearly defined in the deed of trust and, with less 
formality, in the remarks which he addressed to the trustees 
when they first came together on January 29, 1902, under the 
chairmanship of the Hon. John Hay, Secretary of State, and 
recently the Ambassador of the United States in London. 
In one general phrase, which reads as follows, Mr. Carnegie 
thus lays down the principle which has guided him :—‘‘It is 
proposed to found in the city of Washington an institution 
which, with the co-operation of institutions now or hereafter 
established there or elsewhere, shall in the broadest and most 
liberal manner encourage investigation, research and discovery, 
show the application of knowledge to the improvement of man- 
kind, provide such buildings, laboratories, books and apparatus 
as may be needed, and afford instruction of an advanced 
character to students properly qualified to profit thereby.” 
There are six points upon which the munificent donor then 
proceeds to lay emphasis, and these are, namely, the promotion of 
original research; the discovery and encouragement of excep- 
tional men; the increase of facilities for higher education ; the 
assistance of those now engaged in research ; the bringing to 
Washington of students qualified to profit by the work carried 
on in the several departments of the Government; and finally, 
the publication of scientific memoirs. 
So far all was clear. Mr. Carnegie’s part was performed. 
Now began the perplexities and responsibilities. The trustees, 
many men of many minds, must take the subsequent 
steps. Fortunately, there was no occasion for hasty action ; 
at the outset no buildings were to be constructed, no 
faculty was to be brought together. Such considerations 
could be postponed indefinitely. The trustees decided to 
take time for reflection and for conference with the leaders 
of science at home and abroad, before the adoption of 
a programme. Letters were addressed to many persons who 
could not be reached in person. Confidential interviews were 
secured with those who could be seen in Europe and the United 
States. The experience of existing institutions was studied, 
such as the Royal Society, the Royal Institution, the Academies 
of Science in Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Paris and other cities. 
Attention was given to the conditions which have helped or 
retarded the progress of eminent men during the last generation 
