Apbil 30, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



681 



this society is faced to-day, and the result 

 must be determined by the vote which you 

 will presently be called upon to cast. 



My task is certainly not a congenial one, 

 but as your president to whom the issue 

 has been presented in a most unexpected 

 manner, it is my duty to bring before you 

 as clear an analysis of the situation as it 

 is possible for me to give, and then leave 

 the final decision in your hands. 



In the last presidential address delivered 

 to this society. Dr. McMurrich defined the 

 great function of the Society of Natural- 

 ists in a very concrete but comprehensive 

 phrase, when he said that "It makes for 

 the solidarity of those sciences which, in 

 the older days, were included in the term 

 natural history, ' ' and he then proceeded to 

 show how the necessary development of the 

 biological sciences in particular wrought a 

 change in the work and character of the 

 society, and even threatened to obliterate 

 its raison d'etre. It is not my purpose to 

 enlarge upon the line of thought which 

 these remarks naturally suggest, but rather 

 to employ them as the starting point for 

 further consideration of those activities 

 which properly devolve upon an organiza- 

 tion of this kind, to indicate further direc- 

 tions of usefulness, and, if possible, convey 

 to the minds of my hearers some small 

 measure of that conviction which assures 

 me that there is, more than ever, an open, 

 fertile and as yet unoccupied field which it 

 should be our special duty to cultivate in 

 the interests of pure science. 



One of the essential features in the ac- 

 tivity of the Society of Naturalists has been 

 the opportunity for the unreserved discus- 

 sion of abstract scientific problems in which 

 specialists alone are competent to engage, 

 and who alone could derive benefit from 

 such deliberations. Complete removal from 

 the distractions of social life and large pub- 

 lic gatherings, are conditions essential to 

 success, and these conditions have been met 



in the past by placing the meetings at the 

 time of the mid-winter recess when mem- 

 bers could find a few days of relief from 

 their professional work. So long as these 

 conditions were observed, the work of the 

 society was not only successful, but it com- 

 manded wide consideration and respect, 

 and there was an atmosphere of enthusiasm 

 and esprit de corps which made member- 

 ship a thing to be sought for and valued. 



The American Association has been ac- 

 customed from the time of its organization 

 to hold its meetings in summer, usually the 

 latter part of August or early September. 

 In 1902, however, for reasons which we 

 need not stop to analyze or discuss at this 

 time, the association resolved to hold winter 

 meetings, and to make these events syn- 

 chronize with the meetings of the Natural- 

 ists. By many this unfortunate step was 

 viewed with alarm, since they clearly per- 

 ceived that there could never be room for 

 two such bodies, occupying such distinct 

 fields of endeavor, and with such distinctive 

 methods and objects, in joint sessions, and 

 that sooner or later there would be dissatis- 

 faction and one must yield. 



The American Association, by reason of 

 its very constitution, must always remain 

 distinct and apart from the Society of Nat- 

 uralists. The two organizations occupy 

 distinct spheres of usefulness which should 

 not be compromised by being brought into 

 too close contact, and it is well that this 

 relation should not only be recognized but 

 maintained, since in that way alone may 

 they strengthen and supplement each 

 other's work in the most effective manner. 

 The great purpose of the American Asso- 

 ciation is to popularize scientific knowledge 

 and effect its widest distribution. In this 

 way it aims to secure for scientific men the 

 widest recognition and the most perfect 

 facilities for their work. It seeks, there- 

 fore, first of all, to gather about a relatively 

 small nucleus of scientific men, the largest 



