SCIENCE 
el 
FrmAy, JUNE 7, 1912 
CONTENTS 
Some Thoughts on Modern Mathematical 
Research: PRoFESSoR G. A. MILLER ...... 877 
Scientific Distribution of Grades at Reed Col- 
lege: PRESIDENT WILLIAM T. FOSTER ..... 887 
Scientific Notes and News ...............-- 889 
University and Educational News ..........- 891 
Discussion and Correspondence :— 
The Heating in the Culebra Cut: EDWARD 
H. Wiuurams, Jr. The Crocker Land Ez- 
pedition: Dr. EDMUND OTIS HovEy, HzR- 
BERT s Pe SRIDG PAIN en l-taleteierietiisysiterelcrets 892 
Unwersity Control:— 
Letters from Harvard University ........ 893 
Scientific Books :— 
De Terra’s Vergleichende Anatomie des 
menschlichen Gebisses und der Zahne der 
Vertebraten: Dr. WILLIAM K. GREGORY. 
Bliicher’s Modern Industrial Chemistry: 
Dr. ALLERTON S. CUSHMAN ............. 904 
Scientific Journals and Articles ............ 905 
Special Articles :—- 
The Tertiary Deposits of Eastern Mexico: 
ESD ED UMBUB Mieih ye srepatelcyanets ciel aveoleteteteia aise 906 
Societies and Academies :— 
The Anthropological Society of Washing- 
ton: Dr. TRUMAN MicHELSON. The Philo- 
sophical Society of the University of Vir- 
GinrayeR ae ME BIRD elie cteieleiclsieiteteke eileen 908 
MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended for 
review should be sent to the Editor of SciENCE, Garrison-on- 
Hudson, N. Y. 
SOME THOUGHTS ON MODERN MATHE- 
MATICAL RESEARCH? 
MatTHEMATICS has a large household and 
there are always rumors of prospective 
additions despite her age and her supposed 
austerity. Without aiming to give a com- 
plete list of the names of the members of 
this household we may recall here a few of 
the most prominent ones. Among those 
which antedate the beginning of the chris- 
tian era are surveying, spherical astron- 
omy, general mechanics and mathematical 
optics. Among the most thriving younger 
members are celestial mechanics, thermo- 
dynamics, mathematical electricity and 
molecular physics. 
Usually a large household serves as one 
of the strongest incentives to activity, and 
mathematics has always responded heartily 
to this incentive. As the most efficient con- 
tinued service calls for unusual force and 
ingenuity, mathematics has had to provide 
for her own development and proper nour- 
ishment in addition to providing as liber- 
ally as possible for her household. This 
double object must be kept prominently 
before our eyes if we would comprehend 
the present mathematical activities and 
tendencies. 
There is another important incentive to 
mathematical activity which should be men- 
tioned in this connection. Mathematics has 
been very hospitable to a large number of 
other sciences and as a consequence some 
of these sciences have become such frequent 
visitors that it is often difficult to distin- 
guish them from the regular members of 
the household. Among these visitors are 
1 Read before the Illinois Chapter of the Society 
of the Sigma Xi, April, 1912. 
