Decembeb 18, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



879 



H. F. Osborn : " Environment and Relations of 

 the Tertiary Mammalia." 



T. W. Stanton : " Succession and Distribution 

 of Later Mesozoic Invertebrate Faunas." 



W. H. Dall : " Conditions governing the Evolu- 

 tion and Distribution of Tertiary Faunas." 



Ralph Arnold : " Environment of the Tertiary 

 Faunas of the Pacific Coast." 



F. H. Knowlton : " Succession and Range of 

 Mesozoic and Tertiary Floras." 



R. D. Salisbury : " Physical Geography of the 

 Pleistocene with Special Reference to Conditions 

 Bearing on Correlation." 



D. T. MacDougal: "Relation of Plants to Cli- 

 mate vpith Special Reference to Pleistocene Con- 

 ditions." 



T. C. Chamberlin : " Diastrophism as the Ulti- 

 mate Basis of Correlation." 



Bailey Willis, 

 Vice-president of Section E 



E. O. HOVET, 

 Secretary of the Geological 

 Society of America 



THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS 

 The following circular, prepared for mem- 

 bers of the American Society of Naturalists, 

 is published in Science, in the hope of reach- 

 ing many members of the affiliated societies 

 ■who are not now members of the Society of 

 Naturalists. It is hoped that all who are in- 

 terested in the scientific study of evolution 

 will join the naturalists in making a sys- 

 tematic efEort to present the results of modern 

 investigation in this field. Many who have 

 not hitherto attended to the matter will also 

 now appreciate the other advantages to be ac- 

 complished by strengthening this association 

 of the special scientific societies to which they 

 belong. Candidates are requested to apply 

 directly to the secretary of the society, in ac- 

 cordance with the article of the constitution 

 printed below. 



EEOEGANIZATION AND ANNTJAl MEETING 



In view of the opinion, apparently so wide 

 spread, that the American Society of Naturalists 

 has no important function, and is not meeting the 

 requirements of a proper cooperation between its 

 aifiliated societies and others, the following plan 

 of reorganization is presented by the president 



and executive committee. (Attention is especially 

 called to paragraph 5.) 



1. The Society of Naturalists shall remain inde- 

 pendent of other general societies. 



2. The Society shall continue to represent the 

 natural afBliation between its group of technical 

 societies composed of scientific specialists. 



3. Cooperation with other organizations shall 

 be accomplished through the executive committee, 

 which shall be selected with a view to the estab- 

 lishment of such external relations. 



4. The policy of the Society shall be redefined, 

 so as to adjust it more definitely to exert an influ- 

 ence for the encouragement of research in the 

 larger field of science which it has cultivated from 

 the start. 



5. It is suggested that the main object of the 

 society be considered the study of evolution in all 

 of its many-sided aspects (historical, environ- 

 mental, experimental, etc. ) . There is no subject 

 which would so well hold together all the present 

 members (including botanists, zoologists, physiolo- 

 gists, anatomists, paleontologists, anthropologists, 

 etc.). It is suggested, therefore, that each year 

 original contributions dealing with evolutionary 

 matters be presented at one or more of the ses- 

 sions of the American Society of Naturalists. It 

 may also prove desirable to have reports each 

 year of the most important recent work in evolu- 

 tion, in several of its different aspects (botany, 

 zoology, paleontology, etc. ) . In this way members 

 could be kept in touch with the most important 

 advances in dififerent departments. Such reviews 

 should be given by men eminent in their respective 

 fields. 



This year the Darwin Memorial Celebration of 

 the American Association will be conducted along 

 the lines sketched above. The Society of Natural- 

 ists will, therefore, not attempt, at this meeting, 

 to present a similar program ; but, after the presi- 

 dential address, will devote its session to the con- 

 sideration of other problems. 



New Members 



The above plan will doubtless attract a consid- 

 erable number of investigators interested in the 

 general problems of evolution, and it is hoped 

 that all available candidates will be induced to 

 join the Society at this time, and will have their 

 names sent in. 



Aetiole II. — Section 1. Membership in this 

 Society shall be limited to persons professionally 

 engaged in some branch of Natural History, as. 

 Instructors in Natural History, Oflicers of Mu- 



