July 11, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



37 



prospecting for oil in "Wyoming and Kentucky. 



Chas. H. Richardson. Some results of recent 

 geological research in Vermont. 



February 6. H. 8. Steensland. The action of 

 benzol on animals. 



Frank P. Knowlton. The electrocardiogram, 

 with demonstration. 



March 14. E. D. Roe, Jr. The irreducible fac- 

 tors of 1 -\- X + X- -\- ■■■ -\- x'-n-". 



R. R. Tatnall. The production and measurement 

 of low pressures. 



April 11. L. M. Hickernell. The habits and 

 structure of the 17-year cicada. 



H. F. A. Meier. The fixation of atmospheric ni- 

 trogen by plants. 



May 9. Louis Mitchell. The use of diagrams in 

 the solution of hydraulic problems. 



Rich D. Whitney. The destruction of under- 

 ground structures by electrolysis. 



THE TROPICAL RESEARCH STATION OF THE 



NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY IN 



BRITISH GUIANA 



After two years of temporary suspension 

 on account of the war, the Tropical Zoological 

 Station of the JSTew York Zoological Society, 

 in British Guiana, is again proceeding with 

 its various activities. Director William Beebe 

 now has with him Inness Hartley, research 

 associate, Alfred Emerson, research assistant, 

 and John T. Van, artist. In a short time two 

 visiting- zoologists will arrive at the station 

 for the pursuit of special studies. 



In order to live and work in close proximity 

 to the jungle and the river life of British 

 Guiana, the old station at Kalacoon was va- 

 cated, and the new one was planted in the 

 government Penal Settlement, at Katabo. 

 There, in an ideal spot, a commodious lab- 

 oratory and dormitory have been developed, 

 and an extensive program of investigation has 

 been laid out. Three tropical rivers of con- 

 siderable importance, the Essequibo, Cuyuni 

 and Mazaruni, render the whole western half 

 of British Guiana available to the station near 

 the meeting-place of their waters. The Maza- 

 runi Rapids are eight miles above the station. 



A garden has been planted, and Indian 

 hunters bring to the table of the station varied 

 supplies of tapir, deer and agouti meat and 

 fish. Animal life in close proximity to the 



station is abundant, and the choice of subjects 

 for investigation is fairly bewildering. 



Again has the government of British Guiana 

 been most liberal in promoting the objects of 

 the station, and the Zoological Society looks 

 forward with lively interest to the year's 

 record of results. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



The Rt. Hon. John William Steutt, Lord 

 Rayleigh, the great English physicist, died on 

 July 1, at the age of seventy-six years. His 

 eldest son is the Hon. Robert John Strutt, pro- 

 fessor of physics in the Imperial College of 

 Science, London. 



Wesleyan University, at its recent com- 

 mencement, conferred the degree of doctor of 

 science on Edward Lee Thorndike, '96, pro- 

 fessor of psychology at Teachers' College, Co- 

 lumbia University; Frank Bowers Littell, '91, 

 astronomer, ISTaval Observatory, Washington, 

 D. C, and George Arthur Burrell, recently in 

 command of United States Army Chemical 

 Service. 



At the commencement of the University of 

 Vermont the degree of doctor of letters was 

 conferred on Dr. Liberty Hyde Bailey, formerly 

 director of the college of agriculture of Cor- 

 nell University, and the honorary degree of 

 doctor of science on Dr. Marshall Avery 

 Howe, curator of the museums of the New 

 York Botanical Garden. Dr. Bailey delivered 

 the commencement address, taking for his sub- 

 ject, " The aspiration to democracy." 



The honorary professional degree of master 

 of horticulture has been coiiferred upon Ed- 

 mund H. Gibson, of the U. S. Bureau of Ento- 

 mology, by the Michigan Agricultural College. 



The agricultural building at the Kansas 

 State Agricultural College has been named 

 Waters Hall in honor of Dr. Henry Jackson 

 Waters, former president of the college, now 

 managing editor of the Kansas City Weehly 

 Star. 



Dr. D. T. MacDougal, director of the de- 

 partment of botanical research, Carnegie In- 

 stitution of Washington, was elected a corre- 

 sponding member of the Societe Rationale 



