SCIENCE 



Editobial Cojimittee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; K. S. Woodward, Meohamcs ; E. C. Pickeeing, 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; E. H. Thueston, Eugineering; lEA Remsen, Chemistry; 



J. Le Conte, Geology; AV. M. Davis, Physiography; 0. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. Brooks, 



C. Haet Meeeiam, Zoology; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology; C. E. Bessey, N. L. Beitton^, 



Botany; Heney F. Osboen, General Biology; C. S. Mikot, Embryology, Histology; 



H. P. BowDiTCH, Physiology; J. S. Billings, Hygiene; J. McKeen Cattell, 



Psychology; Daniel G. Brinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, January 6, 1899. 



CONTENTS: 



The United States Naval Observatory: Professor 



A. N. Skinnee 1 



T!ie Psychology of Society : Professor Franklin 



H. GiDDINGS. 16 



Atomic WtigMs: De. FERDINAND G. WlECH- 

 mann 23 



Jolm Cummings: Peofessor Wm. H. Niles 24 



Scientific Books :— 



Holman on Matter, Energy, Force and Work : T. 

 C. M. Congdon's Qualitative Analysis; 3£uter's 

 Manual of Analytical Chemistry : Peofessoe W. 

 A. Noy'ES. Thompson's Wild Animals I have 

 known : T. S. P. Morris's Human Anatomy : 

 Professor Thomas D WIGHT. General 24 



Scientific Journals and Articles : 29 



Societies and Academies : — 



The Nebraska Academy of Sciences ; Science Cluh 

 of Northwestern University : Peofessoe W. A. 

 Looy. The Chemical Society of Washington : 

 "William A. Keug. Students' Geological Club 

 and Conference of Harvard University: J. M. 

 Boutwell. Torrey Botanical Club : E. S. BUE- 

 gess 29 



Disctission and Correspondence : — 



The Pumas of the Western United Slates : WlT- 

 MEE Stone. The Schmidt-Dickert Moon Model : 

 Oliver C. Faerington. Lehmann and Hansen 

 on 'the Telepathic Problem': PROFESSOR E. B. 

 Titchener 34 



Astronomical Notes: — 



The November Meteors ; Chase's Comet (J. 1898) ; 

 Stellar Motions : PROFESSOR WlNSLOW UPTON... 36 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 



The American Hero-Myth ; The Primitive Savage ; 

 A Booklet on Ethnology: PROFESSOR D. G. 

 BrintoN 37 



Sdentific Notes and News 38 



University and Elucational News 40 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review stiould be sent to the responsible editor, Profes- 

 sor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson N. Y. 



THE UNITED STATES^ NAVAL OBSEBVATOBY. 

 Although much interest was shown by 

 individuals in the science of astronomy in 

 the early history of our country, this in- 

 terest did not culminate in the founding 

 of any astronomical observatories until 

 the third and fourth decades of the present 

 century. About 1835 Professors Olmsted 

 and Loomis observed Halley's comet with 

 a five- inch telescope placed in the steeple 

 of one of the buildings of Yale College at 

 New Haven, Connecticut, but the observa- 

 tory erected by Professor Albert Hopkins 

 of Williams College, in 1836, was probably 

 the earliest establishment of the kind in the 

 United States. It was 48 feet long by 20 

 in breadth, and'consisted of a central apart- 

 ment surmounted by a revolving dome and 

 flanked by two wings. The dome con- 

 tained an equatorially mounted Herschelian 

 telescope of 10- feet focus, and a 3.5-inch 

 transit instrument was set up in one of the 

 wings. Only two years later Professor 

 Loomis built a small observatory at Hud- 

 son, Ohio, and furnished it with a 4-inch 

 equatorial telescope and a 2.7- inch transit 

 circle. The longitude and latitude of this 

 observatory was determined by Professor 

 Loomis, and he observed five comets and 

 sixteen occultations in the brief intervals of 

 leisure left from his regular class work in 

 the Western Reserve College. Another 

 indication of the zeal of individuals in the 

 advancement of science by actual astro- 



