18 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVIII. No. 705 



from instructor to be assistant professor of 

 graphic arts. 



The following promotions have been made 

 at Lehigh University : L. D. Conkling becomes 

 assistant professor of civil engineering; S. S. 

 Seyfert, assistant professor of electrical engi- 

 neering; A. W. Klein, assistant professor of 

 mechanical engineering; Joseph Daniels, as- 

 sistant professor of mining engineering; J. 

 W. Miller, assistant professor of mathematics ; 

 J. E. Stocker, assistant professor of mathe- 

 matics and astronomy; F. E. Ingalsbe, assist- 

 ant professor of geology; C. S. Fox, assistant 

 professor of modern languages. In the de- 

 partment of chemistry D. J. McAdam, Jr., 

 has been promoted from assistant in chem- 

 istry to instructor in physical chemistry and 

 qualitative analysis; F. S. Beattie from in- 

 structor in chemistry to instructor in indus- 

 trial chemistry and qualitative analysis. 



DI8CV88I0N AND CORRESPONDENCE 



THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS 



To THE Editor op Science: As secretary of 

 the American Society of Naturalists it has 

 recently been necessary for me to become 

 more familiar with the organization and re- 

 lations of this society and to face its problems 

 from a new point of view, especially in con- 

 nection with arrangements for a program for 

 the next meeting in December. 



Some of my suggestions will probably be 

 benofitted by discussion and, hence, should be 

 published in advance of the meeting. I am 

 aware that this matter was brought up in 

 Chicago some years ago, but as action is still 

 delayed I shall try to formulate the problem 

 concisely in the hope of securing the atten- 

 tion of the society. 



The recent publication of the program of 

 the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science for a Darwin celebration 

 shows most clearly how urgent this problem 

 is. Here arrangements, peculiarly the prov- 

 ince of the naturalists, have been perfected 

 without consulting their official representa- 

 tives! Speakers have been engaged and 

 dates set which may conflict seriously with 

 the plans of the Society of Naturalists now 



maturing. Yet the American Association 

 evidently desires to foster biological inter- 

 ests in undertaking such an extensive and 

 appropriate program. The difficulty lies in 

 the faulty organization of the naturalists! 

 I have accidentally learned of a Darwinian 

 celebration to be held about the same time 

 under the auspices of the botanists. Other 

 affiliated societies have not been heard from. 

 Such lack of an organized cooperation be- 

 tween these societies must generally bring 

 about diffuse results with more or less dupli- 

 cation or conflict. In this case, though each 

 of the three or more Darwinian celebrations 

 will probably prove to be well worth while,. a 

 proper recognition of the Society of Natur- 

 alists, as a primary natural division of the 

 American Association, would have secured 

 immediately a well-balanced correlation of 

 effort resulting in a single celebration, even 

 more effectively organized and representative. 

 If, however, the society is to be thought of as 

 a division of the American Association, it 

 must be conceded the power of initiating and 

 controlling action relating to the Naturalists. 



The plan of organization for the Society of 

 Naturalists, suggested below, would not 

 merge it with any other society nor destroy 

 its individuality, as has been feared at times 

 would happen ; on the contrary, it should gain 

 a more dignified position, and its usefulness 

 would be more generally recognized. 



The following is my idea: 



1. The Society of Naturalists is largely 

 made up of members of affiliated societies, 

 and still represents a real cooperation between 

 these related special interests which have de- 

 veloped since its foundation. This coopera- 

 tion should be maintained and extended by an 

 effective organization. 



2. The activity of this society, however, 

 is now practically restricted to an annual 

 dinner and to an annual discussion, though 

 it makes occasional and irregular attempts 

 at united effort when some common cause 

 must be advanced, as, for instance, coopera- 

 tion in biological investigation and teaching, 

 or the dealing with educational, sociological 

 or health problems, involving a national effort 

 of the biological societies. 



