138 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVIII. No. 709 



may result from adequate cooperation be- 

 tween mathematicians and engineers. 



The chief difficulty in the way of de- 

 veloping mathematical physicists appears 

 to lie in the inadequate appreciation of 

 this type of work by contemporary society. 

 Pure mathematics has a prestige of more 

 than twenty centuries behind it, and 

 the practical work of the engineer appeals 

 even to the dullest of intellects; but we 

 have failed thus far, in this country espe- 

 cially, to adequately esteem the worker in. 

 the intermediate field. "We must look to 

 it that more attention is given to this field 

 in our colleges and universities. Every 

 university should have two or three men 

 eminent in mathematical physics as well 

 as two or three men eminent in pure 

 mathematics. Thus, while I would not 

 advocate the pursuit of pure mathematics 

 or the pursuit of practical engineering less, 

 I would urge the pursuit of mathematical 

 physics more. It is only by the cultiva- 

 tion of this branch of study and investiga- 

 tion that we can keep alive the sources of 

 engineering knowledge. Important and 

 indispensable as the practical work of the 

 engineer is, the cultivation of investigation 

 and discovery in his science is still more 

 important and indispensable. Hence I 

 would urge that when the more pressing 

 questions of elementary instruction in 

 mathematics and engineering have been 

 adjusted, we give attention to the more 

 inspiring and more important questions of 

 the clarification and enlargement of the 

 fundamental ideas of our sciences. 



R. S. Woodward 



THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES^ 



In his historical sketch of the academy, 



published in 1902, Mr. W. K. Higley, lata 



secretary of the academy, divides the history 



of the institution into three periods, first, that 



' Extracted from the annual report of the sec- 

 retary. 



preceding the fire of 1871; second, that be- 

 tween the time of the fire and the erection of 

 the present building in Lincoln Park, and 

 third, the period dating from the occupancy of 

 these new quarters. It is often of interest and 

 value to cast a retrospective glance over a 

 period of years in the history of an institu- 

 tion, in order that a clear idea may be ob- 

 tained of the value of the operations. It is 

 now thirteen and a half years since the build- 

 ing was first occupied and the intervening 

 years have witnessed a steady growth in the 

 collections and also in the interest of the 

 academy's work among the citizens of the 

 community and of the city. The collections 

 which were turned over to the curator in July, 

 1894, were comparatively small in number, 

 although containing some very interesting 

 and valuable material. The records show an 

 aggregation of about 55,000 specimens on this 

 date. In the thirteen and a half years this 

 number has been increased fourfold ; the num- 

 ber of specimens in the museum January 1, 

 1908, being 226,781, or an increase of 171,781 

 specimens. It must be remembered that the 

 majority of these additions were presented by 

 the owners or collectors, as there has been no 

 fund for the purchase of specimens. It must 

 not be forgotten, however, that several mem- 

 bers of the academy, like our deceased patron, 

 Mr. George H. Laflin, have from time to time 

 given money for the purchase of material, but 

 the entire amount spent for such purposes has 

 not exceeded $5,000. A part of the collections 

 have been secured by the museum staff while 

 on their vacations. 



An analysis of the additions shows that 

 three departments head the list in the number 

 of additions : 



Mollusca 89,757 



Insects 33,914 



Paleontology 21,145 



The first named contains several types, a 

 larger number of cotypes and a very extensive 

 series of autotypes and locotypes, as well as 

 many rare species and development series. 

 The same is true of the fossil collection and 

 to a less degree of the insect collection. The 



