SCIENCE 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; R. S. Woodwakd, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickeeing 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; R. H. Thukston, Engineering; lEA Eemskn, Chemistry; 



J. Lk Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; W. K. Brooks, C. Hart Merriam, Zoology; 



S. H. Scud DEE, Entomology; C. E. Bessey, N. L. Beitton, Botany; Henry F. Osborn, 



General Biology; C. S. Mikot, Embryology, Histology; H. P. Bowditch, Physiology; 



J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKeen Cattell, Psychology; Daniel G. Bein- 



TON, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, April 7, 1899. 



CONTENTS: 



The Fresh-Walcr Biological Stations of the World : 

 Professor Heney B. Ward 497 



Brunissure of the Vine and other Plants : Dr. AL- 

 BERT F. Woods 508 



An Automatic Mercm-y Pump : Dr. Ralph R. 

 Lawrence 510 



Scientific Books : — 



Wallace on the Wonderful Century : Peofessor 

 W. K. Brooks. Hueppe's Principles of Baeteri- 

 ologii : H. W. C. Hoskins on The Elements of 

 Graphic Statics : Peopessor FREDERICK N. 

 Wilson. General. Books Received 511 



Scientific Journals and Articles 517 



Societies and Academies : — 



Chemical Society of Wasliington : William H. 

 Krug. Geological Conference and Students' Club 

 of Harvard University : J. M. BoDTWELL. Tor- 

 rey Botanical Club: E. S. BOEGESS 517 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Some Suggestions for Scientific Seminars and 

 Conferences : PEOFESSOR RicHAED E. Dodge. 

 A Remarkable Sun-dog : Professor H. L. Os- 

 BOEN. Degrees in Science at Harvard Univer- 

 sity : Professor J. McKeen Cattell 520 



Scientific Appointments under the Government 523 



Scientific Notes and News 524 



University and Educational News 528 



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

 for review should be sent to ttie responsible editor. Profes- 

 sor J. McKeen Cattell. Garnson-on-Hudson N. Y. 



THE FRESHWATER BIOLOGICAL STATIONS 

 OF THE WORLD* 



Away back at the beginning of the inves- 

 tigation of minute forms of life, which fol- 

 lowed upon the invention of the microscope, 



* Annual address of the President before the Ne- 

 braska Academy of Sciences at Lincoln, November 

 25, 1898. 



or shall I say discovery, for it seems to 

 have been historically an accident, the 

 early students searched the ditches and 

 ponds and lakes for the organisms which 

 constituted the objects of their study. 

 Anton von Leeuwenhoek, whose name is 

 familiar to you as one of the most zealous 

 early workers among microscopic objects, 

 enriched science by a long series of new 

 organisms of this character. Roesel von 

 Roseuhof, whose careful investigations on 

 various fresh-water animals, published un- 

 der the title of ' Insect Diversions ' are 

 still standard sources of information con- 

 cerning the habits and structure of these 

 forms, together with Svvammerdam, Tremb- 

 ley, O. F. Miiller, and a whole host of 

 others, devoted their attention almost ex- 

 clusively to the fresh-water fauna. But 

 this movement seems to have culminated 

 with the appearance, in 1838, of Ehrenberg's 

 famous volume ' The Infusion Animalcules 

 as Complete Organisms.' 



Extended investigations had already im- 

 pressed zoologists with the richness of 

 the marine fauna. Numerous animal 

 groups of common occurrence in the 

 sea were apparently entirely wanting in 

 fresh water, and the astounding richness of 

 the sub-tropical and tropical oceans with 

 which the European investigators came 

 early in contact on the shores of the Medi- 

 terranean, and in the expeditions to the 

 new lands of the Tropics, entirely over- 



