SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committeb : S. Nkwcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickeeing, 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physios; R. H. Thueston, Engineering; lEA Remsen', Chemistry; 



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



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



Botany; Henky F. Osboen, General Biology; C. S. MiNOT, Embryology, Histology; 



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



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



Friday, May 6, 1898. 



CONTENTS: 



The National Academy of Sciences 613 



Some Aids 1o the Study of Stereoscopic Vision : Peo- 

 FESSOE Joseph Jasteow 615 



Classification of Igneous Bocks: H. W. TOENEE...622 



The Divtrse Flo)-as of the Bocky Mountain Eegion : 

 T. D. A. COCKERELL 625 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 



The Niagara Gorge; Soidh Carolina; Dunes in 

 North Germany: Peofessoe W. M. DAVIS 627 



Current Notes on ileteorology : — 



The Gulf Stream and the Temperature of Europe ; 

 Atmospheric Dust; Sfeteorological Conditions of 

 the Klondike Begion ; Climate and Commerce : 

 E. Dec. Waed 628 



Current Notes on Anthropology: — ■ 



3Iexican A rchxology ; The Smithsonian Beport for 

 1895: Professor D. G. Beinton 629 



Notes on Inorganic Chemistry: J. L. H 630 



Scientific Notes and News : — 



The Becent Eclipse of the Sun ; The Philadelphia 

 Zoological Garden ; Solomon Strieker ; Gen- 

 eral 631 



University and Educational News : — 

 Doctorate Fellowships at the University of Chicago ; 

 General 636 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Isolation and Selection : Peofessoe H. S. Wil- 

 liams, Peofessoe J. Mark Baldwin. A View 

 of the Ohio Valley in 1755 : Peofessoe W. M. 

 Davis. ' Mrs. Piper, the Medium:' Peofessoe 

 William .Tames, Peofessoe J. McKeen Cat- 

 tell 637 



Scientific Literature : — 



Beport of the Naval Court of Inquiry upon the 

 Destruction of the 3Iaine: Peofessoe E. H. 

 Thueston. Birds of Village and Field: J. D., Je. 642 



Scientific Journals 644 



Societies and Academies : — 



The Biological Society of Washington : P. A. LlT- 

 OAS. The Anthropological Society of Washington : 

 De. J. H. McCoemick. The Philosophical So- 

 ciety of Washington : E. D. Preston. The Sec- 

 tion of Biology of the N. Y. Academy of Sciences : 

 H. E. Ceampton._ Tlie Academy of Science of 

 St. Louis: Peofessoe Wm. Teelease 646 



New Books 648 



TBE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



The annual stated session of the Acad- 

 emy was held in Washington, April 19th to 

 22d. 



The President, Dr. "Wolcott Gibbs, pre- 

 sided over all the sessions and thirty-five 

 other members of the Academy were in 

 attendance, as follows : 



Messrs. Cleveland Abbe, Alex. Agassiz, Geo. F. 

 Barker, Carl Earns, A. G. Bell, J. S. Billings, W. 

 H. Brewer, W. K. Brooks, Elliott Coues, Wm. H. 

 Ball, Wm. L. Elkin, S. F. Emmons, G. K. Gilbert, 

 Theo. N. Gill, F. A. Gooch, Arnold Hague, Asaph 

 Hall, James Hall, C. S. Hastings, Geo. W. Hill, 

 Alpheus Hyatt, S. P. Langley, O. C. Marsh, T. C. 

 Mendenhall, A. A. Michelson, Simon Newcomb, J. 

 W. Powell, F. W. Putnam, Ira Eemsen, H. A. 

 Eowland, C. A. Schott, C. D. Walcott, Wm. H. 

 Welch, C. A. White and A. W. Wright. 



The public and business sessions of the 

 Academy were held in the pavilions of the 

 Congressional Library. It was an advan- 

 tage for members to have a convenient op- 

 portunity to examine the magnificent ar- 

 rangements and decorations of the library, 

 and the place of meeting was preferable to 

 the extemporized quarters in the ISTational 

 Museum. Still the rooms were not very 

 accessible, their acoustical properties were 

 extremely bad, and the temporary character 

 of the arrangements are scarcely befitting a 

 great National Academy. It is curious 

 that Washington, with its immense scien- 

 tific activity and continuous series of meet- 

 ings and conventions, should have no suit- 



