536 EDITORIAL 



the phenomena observed in connection with the ripples in the 

 Medina without doing violence to the theory of the shallow 

 water origin of those beds. j q Branner. 



The experiment of holding the summer meeting of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science as far 

 west as Denver may be regarded as a success. The attendance 

 compared favorably with what has previously been realized at 

 several meetings in the interior, though for obvious reasons it 

 was less than the attendance at meetings held in the more 

 populous and accessible centers of the East. The papers and 

 discussions, so far as one could judge from listening to those of 

 a single section and from current opinion, also compared favor- 

 ably with those of average meetings. There was less diversion 

 from the specific purposes of the association by formal social 

 functions which were few, and there was correspondingly greater 

 real social intercourse between fellow scientists, because the 

 intersessional intervals were more largely left free for this, 

 a most laudable feature. The provisions for scientific excur- 

 sions, at least in geologic lines, were notably more ample than 

 usual and were arranged for the afternoons of the regular session, 

 the morning sessions being extended to make this possible. The 

 facilities for general and varied excursions at the close of the 

 formal sessions were exceptionally generous. Only one feature 

 of the general appointments and of the environment needs to be 

 singled out for adverse comment, and that was the dreary silli- 

 ness of the Denver press which, apparently recognizing its limita- 

 tions in reporting appreciatively and intelligently the real 

 scientific news, tried to make up for its inabilities by stale witti- 

 cisms and coarse cartoons, interspersed with extravagant personal 

 laudations of " the-greatest-scientist-on-earth " type. A few 

 subjects relating to the economic interests of the region and to 

 popular themes were, however, well reported. 



The general addresses were excellent ; that of retiring- 

 President Woodward was an incisive and discriminating discus- 

 sion of the progress of science, graced with an artistic marshaling 



