O x*s 1 E* IN \^ JCrf 



Friday, December 22, 1916 



CONTENTS 

 Simon Newcomb: Professor B. C. Archi- 

 bald 871 



The Biology of the Malayan Islands: C. F. 

 Baker 878 



The Presentation of the John Fritz Medal to 

 Elihu Thomson: President Bichard C. 

 Maclaurin 881 



The Convocation-weeTc Meetings of Scientific 

 Societies 883 



Meetings of the Sections of the American 

 Association 885 



Scientific Notes and News 887 



University and Educational News 890 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



Psychology and Medical Education: Pro- 

 fessor Jared S. Moore. The Retention of 

 Oil by Clay at Waterville, Me.: Homer P. 

 Little. The Recognition of Achievement: 

 "Willard N. Clute. Clouds: Dr. W. J. 

 Humphreys 890 



Scientific Boolcs: — 



Smallwood's Textbook of Biology: Pro- 

 fessor C. E. McClung 893 



Special Articles: — 



The Cause of the Disappearance of Cumarin, 

 Vanillin, Pyridine and Quinoline in the 

 Soil : Dr. William J. Bobbins 894 



Societies and Academies : — 



The American Physical Society: Professor 

 A. D. Cole. The Biological Society of 

 Washington : Dr. M. W. Lyon, Jr 895 



The American Association of Variable Star 

 Observers: F. E. B 898 



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

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

 On-Hudson. N. Y. 



SIMON NEWCOMB 



The numerous published biographical 

 sketches of Simon Newcomb all fail to set 

 forth accurately the full extent of the 

 world-wide recognition of his contributions 

 to scientific knowledge, and the breadth of 

 his interests and activities. No other Amer- 

 ican scientist has ever achieved such gen- 

 eral recognition of eminence. It seems de- 

 sirable, therefore, to assemble the facts to 

 fill this lacuna. 1 The plan which Monsieur 

 Lebon has employed in the admirable Sa- 

 vants du Jour series suggested the form of 

 the following synoptic notes. 



These notes were prepared several years 

 ago in consultation with members of Pro- 

 fessor Newcomb 's family, and after inspec- 

 tion of his remarkable collection of di- 

 plomas, medals, decorations, and certifi- 

 cates of membership and of other honors. 

 This collection became the property of the 

 nation in 1909, and it is now prominently 

 displayed in the historical section of the 

 National Museum in the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution at Washington. 



Born at Wallace, Nova Scotia, March 12, 1835 

 1853 : Came to tlie United States. 

 1854: Teacher in a country school at Massey's 



Cross Roads, Kent Co., Md. 

 1855 : Teacher in the village school at Sudlersville, 



Md. 

 1855, May 26: First publication, a letter in The 



National Intelligencer, Washington, D. C. 



1857, Jan.-Sept. 1861: Computer in the Nautical 

 Almanac office, then located at Cambridge, Mass. 

 (it has been in Washington, D. C. since 1866). 

 See also 1860, 1861. 



1858, July 2: B.Sc, Harvard University, Cam- 

 bridge, Mass. See also 1875, 1879-80, 1884, 

 1898-99, 1906. 



i A complete bibliography of Newcomb 's life 

 and works, by the writer, will soon be published 

 elsewhere. 



