SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committed : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; R. S. Woodward, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; R. H. Thurston, Engineering; Ira Remsen, Chemistry; 



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



C. Hart Mbrriam, Zoology; S. H. Scudder, Entomology; C. E. Bessey, N. L. Britton, 



Botany; Henry F. Osboen, General Biology; C. S. Minot, Embryology, Histology; 



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



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



Friday, March 18, 1898. 



CONTENTS: 



The Development of Electrical Science (J.): Pro- 

 fessor Thomas Gray 361 



The Province and Problems of Plant Physiology: 

 Professor D. T. MacDougal 369 



The Mouth-parts of the Rhyngota : Professor John 

 B. SraiH 374 



Thomas Jeffery Parker : G. B. H 376 



A Commission of PuWie Health.. 378 



Owrrent Notes on Anthropology : — 



Can Sex be Distinguished in Skulls ? The Earliest 

 Italians: Professor D. G. Brinton 380 



Notes on Inorganic Chemistry: J. L. H 380 



Scientific Notes and News : — 



The Fourth International Congress of Physiology ; 

 The Allegheny Observatory ; The Biological Labora- 

 tory of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences ; 

 General 382 



University and Educational News 385 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



The Longevity of Scientific Men: J. McK. C. 

 The Pevival of Alchemy — A Rejoinder : Dr. 

 Stephen H. Emmens 386 



Scientific Literature: — 



Miron on Les huiles minerales; Gill's Handbook 

 of Oil Analysis : Professor S. F. Peckham. 

 Swingle Zur Kenniniss der Kern und Zelltheilung 

 be iden Sphacelariaceen ; Strasburger's Das kleine 

 botanische Practicum : FREDERIC E. Clements. 

 MerrilVs Stones for Building and Decoration: 

 E. H. T 389 



Societies and Academies : — 



The Entomological Society of Washington : L. O. 

 Howard. The Philosophical Society of Washing- 

 ton: E. D. Preston. Biological Society of 

 Washington : F. A. LuCAS. The Torrey Botan- 

 ical Club: Edwards. Burgess 392 



Scientific Journals 395 



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

 for review sliould be sent to the responsible editor, Prof. J. 

 McKeen Cattell, Garrlson-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



TSE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICAL 



SCIENCE. * 



In a brief discourse on the development 

 of electrical science little time can be given 

 to the earljr history of the subject. This 

 part is more or less familiar to all the mem- 

 bers of the Academy, and hence it may be 

 passed over by only such brief reference as 

 may serve to recall to mind the more im- 

 portant of the early discoveries. The early 

 Greeks have recorded some elementary 

 phenomena now known to be electric, and 

 it is probable that such knowledge was not 

 uncommon, though little noticed. It is only 

 in comparatively recent times that scientific 

 research has taken the place of superstition 

 and attempts have been made to classify 

 and find reasons for the existence of all 

 natural phenomena. 



Beginning with the 17th century, proba- 

 bly the first investigator worthy of notice 

 in this subject was Gilbert, of Colchester, 

 who published his work entitled ' De Mag- 

 nete ' in 1600. Gilbert made systematic 

 experiments and showed that the property 

 of attracting light bodies could be given to 

 a large number of substances by friction. 

 He also showed that the success of the ex- 

 periment depended largely upon the dryness 

 of the body. These experiments gave rise 



* Address of the President delivered before the an- 

 nual meeting of the Indiana Academy of Sciences on 

 December 29, 1897. 



