OCTOBEB 23, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



569 



distinguish between this species (Musca do- 

 mestica Linnseus) and others, which under 

 certain conditions may have appeared in the 

 traps in considerable numbers, and while hav- 

 ing no relevancy, materially affect the re- 

 sults. Such biological facts as are given are 

 compiled without reference to sources, and 

 some of the statements are obviously wrong. 

 For instance, this — " The number of eggs laid 

 by each female fly during the season is about 

 1,000" (p. lY). Presenting compiled matter 

 in this manner can not be too strongly dis- 

 couraged, as it forms a stumbling block to 

 future investigators; for appearing to have 

 originated with the author giving them and 

 based on sufficient data, in reality they are 

 statements made by others and should not 

 be accepted unless the sources are given. 

 Otherwise, science would be credulous. 



A. Aesene Girault 



Urban A, III., 



September 23, 1908 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES 

 The American Naturalist for September 

 begins with an article by T. D. A. Cockerell 

 on " Some Results of the Florissant Expedi- 

 tion of 1908." It notes that the best exhibit 

 of Florissant fossils is now at the University 

 of Colorado and incidentally describes two 

 new species of fossil plants. Leroy D. 

 Swingle describes the " Embryology of 

 Myosurus Minimus" and this arouses the 

 query should a specific name be capitalized 

 even in the title of an article? J. A. Allen 

 presents " Another Aspect of the Species 

 Question" showing that the problems of 

 nomenclature are somewhat different in zo- 

 ology from what they are in botany and that 

 botanists do not always describe their species 

 so that they may be recognized from the de- 

 scriptions alone. G. H. Parker considers 

 " The Origin of Vertebrate Eyes " casting the 

 weight of his opinion with those who con- 

 sider that they arose from the internal central 

 nervous system and not on the exterior. 



Bird-Lore for September-October contains 

 the following articles, mostly illustrated : " A 

 Eaven's Nest," by Francis H. Allen, " Hum- 



mingbird Eccentricities," by Mary P. Allen; 

 " A Mockingbird's June," by Albert V. Good- 

 pasture ; " The Growth of Young Black-billed 

 Cuckoos," by A. A. Saunders; "Chestnut- 

 sided Warbler," by Mary A. Dickerson, and 

 the sixth paper on " The Migration of Fly- 

 catchers," by W. W. Cooke. The "Educa- 

 tional Leaflet," by Mabel Osgood Wright, is 

 devoted to the kinglets. The report of the 

 Audubon Societies notes the establishment of 

 three new Bird Reservations, near Kev West, 

 Fla., Klamath Lake, Oregon, and Lake Mal- 

 heur, Oregon. 



The Museums Journal, of Great Britain, for 

 August contains a brief summary of the pro- 

 ceedings at the Ipswich conference, the pro- 

 gram followed and lists of officers and mem- 

 bers. The papers presented will appear in 

 subsequent numbers. A brief article is de- 

 voted to "The British Museum (Natural 

 History)," dealing with the question of the 

 appointment of a keeper of zoology and a 

 director, positions which have been vacant 

 since the retirement of Sir E. Ray Lankester 

 at the end of 1907. 



The American Museum Journal for Octo- 

 ber under the caption " To the Bahamas for 

 Coral " notices the successful expedition made 

 for this purpose and gives some fine pictures 

 of living corals. Additions are noted to the 

 exhibition series of fossil horses and dinosaurs, 

 to the collection of whales, series of heads of 

 game animals, and the exhibit illustrating the 

 motions of the planets. 



The Museum News of the Brooklyn In- 

 stitute notes important changes in the arrange- 

 ment of the collections and numerous addi- 

 tions to the exhibition series. A novelty is the 

 installation of a large group showing the home 

 of the guacharo bird, so arranged that the 

 visitor can illuminate the cave by pressing a 

 button. Another important group is that of 

 Steller's Sea Lion. An article on the botan- 

 ical collections calls attention to some im- 

 portant material in the herbarium. The part 

 devoted to the Children's Museum contains 

 a list of material that may be loaned to 

 schools. 



