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Friday, November 17, 1916 



CONTENTS 

 Popular Science Lectures 691 



The New England Intercollegiate Geological 

 Excursion : Professor Joseph Barrell . . . 701 



Cleveland Abbe: General A. W. Greelt 703 



The American Society of Naturalists 704 



The Endowment of the Medical Department 

 of the University of Chicago 704 



Scientific Notes and News 705 



University and Educational News 707 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



The Age of the Sed Beds in the Bio Grande 

 Valley: Dr. E. C. Case. The Sweet Potato 

 ' ' Soil Hot " or " Pox ' ' Organism : John A. 

 Elliott. The Synchronal Flashing of Fire- 

 flies : H. A. Allard 7O8 



Quotations : — 

 The Newcastle Meeting of the British, As- 

 sociation; The State College of Agriculture 

 at Cornell University 710 



Scientific BooTcs: — 

 Catalogue of the Fresh-water Fishes of 

 Africa in the British Museum: Professor 

 T. D. A. Cockerell. Pagel 's Einfiihrung in 

 die Geschichte der Medizin: Professor Rot 

 L. Moodie 712 



The Zero and Principle of Local Value used 

 by the Maya of Central America: Pro- 

 fessor Plorian Cajori 714 



Special Articles: — 



The Focus of the Auroral Streamers ore 

 August S6, 1916: Professor C. C. Trow- 

 bridge 717 



The American Astronomical Society: Dr. 

 Philip Pox 722 



MSS. intended for publication and boots, etc.. intended for 

 review should be sent to Professor J. McKeen Cattell, Ga 

 On-Hudson, N. Y. 



POPULAR SCIENCE LECTURES! 



INTRODUCTION 



At the meeting of the council in June, 

 1916, representations were made by the or- 

 ganizing committee of Section L (Educa- 

 tional Science) that much less attention is 

 given to popular lecturing now than was 

 formerly the case; and it was suggested 

 that efforts should be made to promote in- 

 creased public interest in science by means 

 of such lectures. The council, therefore, 

 appointed a committee representative of all 

 the sections of the association to institute 

 inquiries into this subject and prepare a 

 report upon it. Many local scientific so- 

 cieties, universities, university colleges and 

 similar institutions have organized popu- 

 lar science lectures ; and the committee has 

 endeavored to secure the results of the ex- 

 perience obtained, with the object of dis- 

 covering the elements of success or failure. 



A schedule of twelve questions was 

 drawn up and was widely distributed. To 

 prevent misunderstanding, it was pointed 

 out in an explanatory letter that the com- 

 mittee was concerned only with single 

 pioneer lectures for the general public, and 

 not with students' courses, such as are ar- 

 ranged by university extension authorities, 

 the Workers' Educational Association and 

 other organizations. 



i Report of the Committee of the British Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science consisting 

 of the president and general officers, Professor H. 

 E. Armstrong, Professor W. A. Bone, Sir Edward 

 Brabrook, Professor S. J. Chapman, Professor A. 

 Dendy, Professor R. A. Gregory (hon. sec), Pro- 

 fessor W. D. Halliburton, Dr. H. S. Hele-Shaw, 

 Professor P. Keeble, Mr. G. W. Lamplugh and Dr. 

 E. J. Russell, appointed by the council to consider 

 and report on the popularization of science through 

 public lectures. 



