340 The Botanical Gazette. [September, 
man, Britton and others, a resolution was passed requesting 
the Commissioner of Education to publish a monograph on 
the subject, to be prepared by Professor MacMillan. 
A motion was also passed for the appointment of a commit- 
tee to report at the next annual meeting of the section con- 
cerning some feasible way by which the section might use its 
influence in securing better botanical instruction in secondary 
schools. J. M. Coulter, D. H. Campbell, and N. L. Britton 
were appointed. 
21. ByRON D. HALsTeD: The shrinkage of leaves in dry- 
ang.—Contact photographs of fresh leaves, with the leaf from 
which they were taken dried and mounted at one side, were ex- 
hibited. These showed the exact amount of shrinkage in 
each instance, which was often surprisingly large: 
Mr. Kellerman thought the specimens were more shrunken 
than usual in herbarium specimens. Mr. Swingle thought 
the matter an important one in connection with transpiration 
experiments, in which the measurement of the area of thele 
is often deferred until it is dry. Mr. Jack spoke of using cot- 
ton to fill under rigid stems in the press, in order to make the 
leaves dry smooth and flat. j i 
22. J. H. PILLSBURY: Ox the quantitative analysts a 
colors of flowers and foliage.—In the absence of the author 
the paper was read by title. 
TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 22. - 
23. S. M. Tracy: D¢éstribution of the Graminee in t : 
United States.—There are 112 genera in our territory. me 
distribution of the more important species, both indigen 
and introduced, was traced and maps were shown. ~ hased 
24. L. BRITTON: A consideration of species © 
upon the theory of evolution.—The earth's flora was C0 ei and 
tively uniform to the end of the carboniferous perl " The 
nearly as much so up to the close of the apse com- 
Segregation into various floras has thus taken place itate in 
paratively recent times. This should make one rez rather 
calling closely related forms one a variety of the other, 
than two incipient species. 7 
Mr. Coville thought that for the proper ceive ample 
systematic botany closely related forms should r f -ms whic 
consideration. Whether it is possible to consider se as ¥3- 
do not intergrade as good species, and those w ee 
Tieties, must yet be determined by working botanist> 
advancement of 
