126 



NATURE 



[ArRiL 3, 19 1_ 



Government whereby they would be in great reserves, 

 protected from contaminating influences, and led to 

 a higher and better life. 



Many papers were communicated to the various 

 sections, but limitations of space will not permit us 

 to describe them. The presidents of sections and the 

 subjects of their addresses, where this information 

 has reached us, were as follows: — A, "The Relation 

 between Pure and Applied Mai hematics," Prof. H. S. 

 Carslaw; B, Prof. C. Fawsitt; C, "The Evolution 

 of the Physiographic Features of South Australia," 

 Mr. W. Howchin ; D, "The Present Aspect of Some 

 Problems of Heredity," Prof. H. B. Kirk; F> Prac- 

 tii al Aspects of Anthropology," Dr. W. Ramsay 

 Smith ; G, Observations regarding the Production and 

 Distribution of Consumable Wealth and Economic 

 Capital, with an Inquiry into the Probable Effect of 

 Arbitrary Regulations of Minimum-wage Standards 

 upon the Cost of Living; H, "A Review of the Exist- 

 ing Conditions of the Twin Professions of Engineer- 

 in;; and Architecture in Australia"; K, "The Relation 

 of Fertilisers to Soil Fertility," Mr. F. B. Guthrie. 



A large number of reports received the approval of 

 the general council of the association, but we can only 

 refer to a few of them. 



It was approved that a committee be appointed 

 with instructions (a) to bring under the notice of the 

 Federal Government the desirability of it? providing 

 for a re-determination of the difference of the longi- 

 tudes of Singapore and Darwin, and of the differences 

 of longitude of the Australian observatories from each 

 other ; (b) to communicate with the Indian Govern- 

 ment with respect to the possibility of re-determining 

 the difference between Madras and Singapore. 



Prof. David brought up a recommendation that in 

 view of the already proved importance to pure science, 

 to weather forecasting, and to shipping, of the 

 meteorological station and wireless installation at 

 Macquarie Island, a committee be appointed with 

 power to add to its number to take all steps necessary 

 to maintain the station on a permanent basis. Mac- 

 quarie Island is situated just half-way (a) between 

 Australia and New Zealand, and (b) between both 

 those countries and the Antarctic continent. 



In the reports presented to the Glacial Research 

 Committee, Prof. W. G. Woolnough records an ex- 

 tensive area of Permo-Carbonifcrous glacial beds dis- 

 covered by him on the Manning' River and the Mac- 

 leay River, some 150 to 250 miles north of Sydney. 

 The Boulder beds are associated with marine strata, 

 and near Tane, on the Manning River, the more 

 southern locality, the boulders are embedded in lime- 

 stone. This occurrence is compared with the marine 

 srlacial beds of Jervis Bay, New South Wales. Mr. 

 R. Speight summarises the results of recent investi- 

 gations into the glaciation of New Zealand. 



It was resolved that in view of the rapid decadence 

 and disappearance of the Australian aborigines it is 

 urgent that, in the interests of science, further records 

 and collections, illustrative of the beliefs, customs, 

 and manner of life of the aborigines should be made 

 for public preservation, more especiallv with reference 

 to Queensland and Western Australia. It was re- 

 solved also to take such steps as may be deemed 

 necessary to enforce the existing law with regard to 

 the exploration of anthropological material, and fur- 

 ther to prevent the indiscriminate exportation of other 

 anthropological and ethnological specimens from anv 

 part of the Commonwealth. 



A committee was appointed to consider the best 

 means of securing the efficient teaching; of English 

 pronunciation in Australasian universities, training 

 colleges, and schools. 



A committee appointed at the Sydney meeting, 191 1, 



NO. 2266, VOL. 91] 



brought up a progress report on the steps to be taken 

 with the view to the compilation of a list of the 

 scientific serial periodical literature, both in public 

 and private possession, in each of the principal cities 

 of Australia. 



REPORTS OF THE SMITHSONIAN 



INSTITUTION. 1 



THE report of the sei retary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution for the year ending June 30, 1912, 

 has been received from Washington. The general 

 report reviews the affairs of the institution proper, 

 with brief paragraphs relating to its several branches. 

 The numerous appendices provide, in addition, detailed 

 reports of the work — placed by Congress under the 

 direction of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution — in the United States National Museum, 

 the Bureau of American Ethnology, theS National 

 Zoological Park, and some four or five other organisa- 

 tions. 



It is worthy of note that the total permanent fund 

 of the institution amounts to 197, 384J. The income 

 for the year was 21,4322., of which 11,675?. was in- 

 terest on the permanent fund. The disbursements tor 

 the year amounted to 21,107/. More than this, the 

 institution was responsible to Congress for the spend- 

 ing of the grants to the scientific organisations named 

 above, and these reached a total of 148,400/. 



The report of the Board of Regents consists of two 

 main divisions : first, the annual report of the secre- 

 tary, giving an account of the operations and condi- 

 tions of the institution for the year ending June 30, 

 191 1, and following the same general lines as the 

 more recent report by the secretary dealt with above ; 

 and, secondly, the general appendix, comprising a 

 selection of miscellaneous memoirs of interest, chiefly 

 belonging to the year 191 1, likely to be useful to men 

 of science and others. 



Among the original contributions to the general 

 appendix is one by Mr. F. Alex. McDermott, of 

 Washington, on recent advances in our knowledge of 

 the production of light by living organisms ; others 

 are by Mr. N. C. Macnamara, on organic evolution : 

 Darwinian and De Vriesian ; by Mr. Paul C. Stand- 

 ley, on some useful native plants of New Mexico ; 

 and by Mr. William R. Maxon, on the tree ferns of 

 North America. 



Prof. A. M. Tozzer, of Harvard University, in a 

 paper reprinted from the Proceedings of the American 

 Antiquarian Society (Worcester, Mass., April, 191 1), 

 gives much interesting information concerning the 

 value of ancient Mexican manuscripts in the study of 

 the development of writing. These manuscripts, and 

 those of Central America, constitute important 

 examples of primitive ideas regarding art and illus- 

 tration, as well as data of great ethnological value. 

 The countries of Mexico and Central America are 

 the only fields of the New World where any appre- 

 ciable data on prehistoric life other than monuments, 

 implements, and other objects are found. The manu- 

 scripts of Mexico are divided by Prof. Tozzer into two 

 classes — those written before the advent of the 

 Spaniards, and those written during early Spanish 

 occupation. 



Prof. Tozzer describes the manuscripts under dis- 

 cussion, and follows the development of writing from 

 the period of reminders or mnemonics, to actual pic- 

 tures, from them to a symbolistic and conventional 



1 Report of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for the Year 

 ending June ,o, 1012. (Washtneton : Government Printing Office, 10.12.) 



Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 

 showing the Operations, Expenditures, and Condition of the Institution for 

 the Year ending June 30, 190. (Washington : Government Printing Office, 

 1912.) 



