228 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IX. No. 215. 



upon the universal human material of specula- 

 tion and fancy its special stamp and impress. 

 Such a manifestation is by no means necessarily 

 conditioned by blood-kinship." 



It is to be regretted that such a divergence of 

 opinion as to the proper signification of this 

 word exists in two branches of the same science. 

 Does it not show the necessity of an improved 

 terminology ? 



THE EXTINCTION OF THE POLYNESIAN. 



A HUNDRED years ago the Hawaiian Islands 

 were said to have had 400,000 native popula- 

 tion ; now 30,000 is a high estimate. The same 

 fearful diminution has been going on through 

 Polynesia. Dr. Tautain has recently studied its 

 causes in the Marquesas Islands U Anthropolo- 

 gie, 1898, No. 4). The principal are the follow- 

 ing : (1) Leprosy, which leads to impotence 

 and sterility ; (2) tuberculosis, which is emi- 

 nently contagious and destructive ; (3) syphilis, 

 which is less marked than might be supposed ; 

 (4) licentiousness, the consequences of which 

 are very visible in developing metritis and ster- 

 ility or abortion. This last is the most injuri- 

 ous of all the causes, and Dr. Tautain places it 

 as the principal factor in leading to diminished 

 natality. The total absence of sexual morality 

 operates in many directions to undermine the 

 viability of the race. 



D. G. Brinton. 



University of Pennsylvania. 



MEETING OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE 3IAEINE 

 BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 



At a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees 

 of the Marine Biological Laboratory, held at 

 Columbia University, the report of the Treas. 

 urer showed that the funds of the institution 

 were in a satisfactory condition. Professor S. 

 F. Clarke, of Williams College, very generously 

 contributed $400 to defray the expenses of cer- 

 tain necessary alterations and repairs in and 

 about the laboratory buildings, and a rising 

 vote of thanks was given, as an expression of 

 the gratitude of the Board for the very accept- 

 able gift. 



The following minute relative to the death 

 of Professor Peck, the Assistant Director, was 

 unanimously adopted : 



" The Trustees of the Marine Biological Laboratory 

 have lieard with profound sorrow of the death of their 

 colleague. Professor James I. Peck, of Williams Col- 

 lege. They wish to record their aj)preoiation of the 

 invaluable service which he rendered to the Marine 

 Biological Laboratory, and especially to express their 

 high regard for the generous and unfailing way in 

 which as Assistant Director he devoted himself to the 

 maintenance and development of the Laboratory. 

 They feel the deepest sympathy with Williams Col- 

 lege and with his family in the loss which both have 

 sustained." 



Bj' special vote the Board expressed itself as 

 favorable to the establishment of more intimate 

 relations between the Laboratory and the Zoo- 

 logical Bulletin. Circulars explaining these 

 relations, and announcements for the forthcom- 

 ing season, will be issued to members of the 

 Corporation, and to others interested, at an 

 early date. 



The election of an Assistant Director was re- 

 ferred to a committee with power, and since 

 the meeting Dr. Ulric Dahlgren, of Princeton 

 University, for three years one of the instruc- 

 tors at Woods Holl in the department of in- 

 vertebrate zoology, has been appointed to the 

 position. H. C. Bumpus, 



Secretary. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. 



President J. G. Schurman and Professor 

 Dean C. Worcester arrived at Vancouver on Jan- 

 uary 30th, and immediately embarked on the 

 steamship ' Empress of Japan ' on their way to 

 the Philippines. 



Professor D. T. MacDougal, of the Uni- 

 versity of Minnesota, has been appointed to be 

 director of the laboratories of the New York 

 York Botanical Garden. He will enter upon 

 the duties of the new position next July, by 

 which time it is believed the new museum 

 building will be ready for occupancy. The 

 laboratory system occupies the greater por- 

 tion of the upper floor, connecting with the 

 library rooms and the herbarium. 



Professor G. H. Darwin has been elected 

 President of the Eoyal Astronomical Society, 

 London. 



Professor Mendelejev, of St. Petersburg, 

 has been elected a correspondent in the Section 



