246 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV, No. 1418 



of Biology and Agriculture, in consultation 

 witli the secretaries of the American Society of 

 Naturalists, the Botanical Society of America, 

 and the American Society of Zoologists. Under 

 the chairmanship of Professor L. E. Jones, the 

 following topics were developed: 



I. The federation of biological societies; the 



idea and possible plans for its realization: 

 C. A. Kofoid, C. E. AUen, F. E. Lillie. 



II. Some of the biological problems which fed- 



eration may help to meet: 



1. The needs in the field of genetics: 



K. A. Emerson, L. J. Cole. 



2. Society publications: J. B. Schramm. 



3. Correlation of meetings and progi-ams: 



A. F. Shull, W. 0. Allee. 

 These speakers, and other members of the 

 conference in informal discussion, developed a 

 variety of ways in which a federation or some 

 foi-m of cooperation would aid in the solution 

 of problems that are now pressing. It was 

 urged that more adequate outlets for publica- 

 tion might thereby be provided; that larger 

 editions of larger publications could be pub- 

 lished more cheaply than the present small 

 journals with limited circulation; that abstract- 

 ing, which is very inadequately done for 

 zoological literature, could thus be fostered; 

 that biology coiild thereby be popularized and 

 given more influence in everyday affairs; that 

 correlation of programs, with respect to place 

 and time, would be rendered less difficult; that 

 programs could be arranged around the larger 

 biological principles, rather than under the 

 headings Botany and Zoology; that formation 

 of new societies or organizations could be 

 initiated or given direction; and that adjust- 

 ment to changes in the grouping of interests, 

 such as that now presented in the field of 

 genetics, would be facilitated. 



It was evident from the discussion that the 

 general idea of federation was practically 

 unanimously approved by the conference, and 

 the following resolutions were adopted: 



Eesolved, 1. That it is the sense of this 

 meeting that the inter-society conferences should 

 be continued to consider the feasibility of fed- 

 eration of the biological societies and to develop 

 plans for the said federation; and 



2. That for the purpose of advancing these 



plans each society, as well as Sections F, G and 

 O of the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, be requested to designate its 

 president and secretary as members of an inter- 

 society council which shall be authorized (1) to 

 deal with all matters of common interest, such as 

 coordination of programs, that are consistent 

 with the existing regulations of the constituent 

 societies; and (2) to draw up proposals for a 

 constitution and by-laws of a federation of the 

 societies iu question, and to present them for 

 action at the next annual meeting. 



Considerable discussion arose as to the de- 

 tails of the proposed federation of societies, 

 but it was realized that these could not be 

 effectually determined in a single brief meeting, 

 and it was decided to leave these matters to 

 the inter-society council provided for in the 

 resolutions. Plans were made for securing 

 prompt action upon the resolutions by all 

 biological societies in session at Toronto and 

 it was informally understood that the proposed 

 council might invite representatives of other 

 sections of the American Association or of 

 other societies if it so desired. 



A further resolution was adopted, request- 

 ing the Division of Biology and Agriculture to 

 call the first meeting of the proposed inter- 

 society council at a date sufficiently early to 

 admit of deferred meetings and the completion 

 of a plan of federation before the next annual 

 meeting of the societies. The first meeting will 

 probably be called in April. 



The organizations represented in the con- 

 ference at Toronto were as follows : American 

 Societjr of Zoologists, American Genetic Asso- 

 ciation, American Society of Naturalists, 

 American Phytopathological Society, Eco- 

 logical Society of America, Botanical Soeietj 

 of America, American Society for Horticul- 

 tural Science, Society of American Foresters, 

 Society of American Bacteriologists, Amer- 

 ican Association of Economic Entomologists, 

 American Society of Agronomy, Entomological 

 Society of America, Sections F, G and of 

 the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, and the Division of Biology and 

 Agriculture of the National Research Council. 

 A. Franklin Shull, 

 Secretary of the Conference 



