TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 109 



BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY, including PHYSIOLOGY. 



General. 



On the Progress of Natural Science in the United States and Canada. 

 By Philip P. Carpenter, B.A., Ph.D. 

 The principal part of this communication was devoted to an explanation of the 

 principles and working of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D.C. It 

 was founded " for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men," and was 

 not restricted either by nation or "red tape." It gives aid to students in prose- 

 cuting any branch of' research ; carries on an extensive series of meteorological 

 observations over the North American Continent; directs the Natural History 

 observations of the various governmental Exploring Expeditions of the U.S. Govern- 

 ment ; superintends an intricate system of exchanges of books and specimens 

 between individuals or Societies in 'Europe or America, in conjunction with the 

 Royal Society, and with special exemption from customs ; and gives to the world 

 a large amount of original matter through the press. The entire Museum depart- 

 ment of the United States Government, till lately deposited at the Patent Office, 

 is now the propertv of the Smithsonian Institution, with authority to exchange 

 duplicates. The publications consist of three classes— (1) the " Smithsonian Con- 

 tributions to Knowledge," expensive works sold at cost price; (2) the "Miscellane- 

 ous Collections " of pamphlets, which are freely distributed ; and (3) an annual 

 volume of Reports, &c. published at G overnment expense. In regulating exchanges, 

 whether of books or specimens, the directors do not require a quid pro quo, but 

 simply a friendly reciprocity ; their first desire being to make their materials useful 

 to science, wherever that can best be done*. 



The Federal Government, as well as most of the Sovereign States, have published 

 Reports on Geology and other branches of science, many of which are of the highest 

 value. The ten quarto volumes on the ' Pacific Railroad,' abounding in plates, 

 contain a complete resume of the Natural History of the great western deserts and 

 the Rocky Mountains, and may be purchased in Washington for about £5. The 

 State of 'Massachusetts is giving liberal aid to Professor Agassiz in forming a 

 magnificent museum at Cambridge University, which will be arranged geographi- 

 cally. There is already a vast amount of material accessible to students, and of 

 duplicates for exchanges. The State Museum at Albany is under the direction of 

 the Regents of the University of New York. They have a large number of dupli- 

 cate palaeozoic fossils, available for exchange. The Academy of Natural Science of 

 Philadelphia, the Lyceum of New York, and the Natural History Society of Boston, 

 are well known by their publications. The Colleges of Yale, Amherst, and 

 Charleston, S.C., have also dor.e good service to science. In Canada, the Geologi- 

 cal Survey under Sir W. Logan is not surpassed by any for admirable arrangement. 

 The Natural History Societies both of Montreal and of Toronto publish periodicals. 

 In M'Gill College, "Montreal, under Professor Dawson, and in the University of 

 Toronto, under Professor Hincks, the study of natural science is steadily increasing. 

 The importance of the magnetic observations at Toronto is well known ; and a 

 system of recording meteorological information, at the public grammar schools of 

 Canada West, is now being organized in connexion with the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. 



Remarks on the Final Causes of the Sexuality of Plants, with particular refer- 

 ence to Mr. Darwin's Work ' On the Origin of Species by Natural Selec- 

 tion.' By C. J. B. Daubeny, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., Professor of Botany 

 in the University of Oxford. 



Dr. Daubeny began by pointing out the identity between the two modes by which 

 the multiplication of plants is brought about, the very same properties being im- 

 parted to the bud or to the graft, as to the seed produced by the ordinary process 

 of fecundation ; and a new individual being in either instance equally produced. 



* All communications to the Smithsonian Institution should be addressed to " Professor 

 Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A." 



