June 2, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



587 



consensus of scientific opinion that the Central 

 Asian plateau, including Thibet, Chinese 

 Tui'kestan_ and Mongolia, was not only the 

 point of origin and distribution for many foiins 

 of animal life which exist to-day in America, 

 Europe and many parts of the world, but was 

 also the so-called "cradle of the human race." 

 Although its important relation to human an- 

 cestry has long been recognized, no coordinated 

 scientific investigation has ever been conducted 

 on a large scale. Its zoology, paleontology, 

 geology and botany bear the most intimate rela- 

 tions to the ancestry of man and it is with 

 reference to this problem, which is of world- 

 wide interest, that the expedition will conduct 

 its work. It will furnish material for the Great 

 Hall of Asiatic Life which is now being added 

 to the buildings of the American Museum of 

 Natural History in New York City. The expe- 

 dition also proposes to present to the Chinese 

 government a duplicate series of its collections 

 which it is hoped will be used as the basis of 

 a National Museum of Natural History in 

 Peking. 



The cordial support which all the officials of 

 the Chinese government have accorded the ex- 

 pedition and the facilities which have been 

 given to it for prosecuting its work, indicate 

 what a keen appreciation of the value of scien- 

 tific work there is in China. 



The Chinese Geological Survey for a number 

 of years has been carrying on geological and 

 paleontological explorations in various parts of 

 China and has already become an institution 

 of recognized importance throughout the world 

 because of the high standard of its work. The 

 survey has cooperated in the most friendly and 

 scientific spirit with the Third Asiatic Expedi- 

 tion and a plan of operations has been agreed 

 upon which is proving of great mutual benefit. 



The expedition expects to return from Mon- 

 golia about October 1, 1922. At that time 

 Professor Henry Fairfield Osborn, president of 

 the American Museum of Natural History, will 

 arrive in Peking with his wife and daughter to 

 inspect the results of the work and to plan for 

 future investigations. 



Professor Osborn is one of the greatest living 

 authorities on the evolution of man. His visit 

 to Peking can not but be an important event 

 in the scientific life of China. 



Mr. Clifford Pope, assistant in zoology, will 

 not accompany the expedition to Mongolia but 

 will continue his studies of the reptiles, fish 

 and batrachians of China. He has already ob- 

 tained more than 10,000 specimens and will 

 visit all the provinces of China before his work 

 is completed. 



Mr. James Wong, interpreter, will make an 

 expedition to Szechuan Province while the main 

 party is in Mongolia. His > work will be an 

 examination and reconnaissance of the caves 

 along the Yangtze Kiver preparatory to pale- 

 ontological studies for the winter of 19'22-23. 



Mr. Harry R. Caldwell, assistant in zoology, 

 will continue his zoological survey of Fukien 

 Province during the summer. 



Roy Chapman Andrews 

 Peking, April, 1922 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 

 THE UNIVERSITY OF HALIFAX 



Details of the plan recently announced for 

 amalgamating all institutions for higher edu- 

 cation in the maritime provinces of Canada 

 into a central university at Halifax, with the 

 assistance of the Carnegie Foundation, have 

 been made public. Alumni of the various col- 

 leges at present are considering the proposal. 

 The plan proposes : 



1. That there should be formed in Halifax an 

 overhead university connected with all the col- 

 leges, but not particularly with any one, which 

 should do the work of graduate and professional 

 schools for the provinces; that is, the work now 

 carried on by Dalhousie University in law, medi- 

 cine, dentistry and pharmacy, and that carried 

 on by the Nova Scotia Technical College in engi- 

 neering, should be done by the university, to- 

 gether with the junior and senior years and the 

 scientific portion of the freshman and sophomore 

 years of each college. 



2. That the various colleges situated outside of 

 Halifax, namely, Acadia, Kings, Mount Allison, 

 St. Francis Xavier and University of New Bruns- 

 wick, should move to Halifax, erect buildings of 

 their own, provide dormitory facilities, class 

 rooms, dining rooms, chapel and other needed 

 buildings for their own students, and in general- 

 conduct the work in English, French, German, 

 Latin, Greek, mathematics and history for the 

 first two 3'ears, caring for the housing and dis- 

 cipline of their students. 



