48 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LI. No. 1306 



of conifers there is but slight evidence in the 

 more recent history of the study of fossil 

 conifers to show that stem anatomy or 

 strobilar morphology furnish any easier read 

 or more definite criteria than vegetative habit, 

 and from the nature of the remains we can 

 not hope to have all of the criteria in in- 

 dividual cases. Even the older students in 

 dealing with foliar impressions were not 

 guilty of more pretentious absurdities than 

 have been put forward imder the banner of 

 anatomy during the past decade. 



The present volume contains 190 illustra- 

 tions which on the whole appear rather uni- 

 formly better than those of volume m. al- 

 though it is difficult for the reviewer to under- 

 stand why paper and presswork were wasted 

 on such illustrations as that forming the 

 frontispiece of the present volume. The bib- 

 liography which has a certain air of complete- 

 ness really contains not more than about 

 twenty per cent, of the literature, but i)erhaps 

 this should not be criticized since it avowedly 

 contains only " papers and works referred to 

 in the text." 



On the whole it seems to the reviewer that 

 Professor Seward has performed a difficult 

 task about as well as could be expected, and 

 despite their obvious shortcomings, which have 

 been freely criticized, these four volumes are 

 a mine of information for the student inter- 

 ested in the floras of the past. 



Edward W. Berry 



Johns Hopkins TjNnrBRSiTT 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR 



THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE 

 REPORT OF THE ST. LOUIS MEETING 



The seventy-second meeting of the Amer- 

 ican Association for the Advancement of 

 Science and the affiliated national scientific 

 societies was held in St. Louis, December 29, 

 1919, to January 3, 1920, under the presidency 

 of Dr. Simon Flexner. 



In spite of the adverse ruling of the United 

 States Railroad Administration on the grant- 

 ing of reduced fares and other difficulties at- 

 tending travel, the attendance was most satis- 

 factory. All sections held sessions except 



Section C, and twenty-two affiliated societies 

 presented attractive programs. The experi- 

 ment of holding all meetings under one roof, 

 namely the Soldan High School, is believed to 

 have been a success, for the advantages of this 

 concentration, including registration head- 

 quarter and luncheon facilities, more than off- 

 set certain minor difficulties. 



The formal opening of the meetings of the 

 association took place in the spacious audi- 

 torium of the Soldan High School on Monday 

 evening, December 29, Chancellor Hall of 

 Washington University delivering the address 

 of welcome. President Flexner responded 

 fittingly, after which he introduced the re- 

 tiring president. Professor John M. Coulter 

 who then delivered the address on " The 

 Evolution of Botanical Research," which was 

 printed in the issue of Science for January 2. 



At the conclusion of his address the re- 

 vised constitution was read and unanimously 

 adopted. The following changes were made 

 in the copy of the revised constitution as it 

 appeared in the ISTovember 21 issue of Science. 



Article II. Increasing the annual dues from $4 

 to $5 and the fee for life membership from $75 to 

 $100. 



Article V. Changing the title of Section H from 

 Anthropology and Archeology to Anthropology and 

 that of Section I from Psychology and Philosophy 

 to Psychology. That the proposed Section J be 

 designated as Section K and that the letters as- 

 signed to sections following be dropped back one 

 letter alphabetically in the order given. 



The Committee on Policy submitted an 

 amendment to the Constitution to be acted 

 upon at the next meeting providing for a 

 section R, Conservation of National Re- 

 sources. 



The new constitution was declared in effect 

 at the end of the present Convocation. 



A reception was tendered to the members of 

 the association at the close of this meeting. 



On Tuesday evening at the Soldan High 

 School an address complimentary to the mem- 

 bers of the association and affiliated societies 

 and the citizens of St. Louis was delivered 

 by President Flexner. His subject was 

 " Present Problems in Medical Research." 



