314 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol,. II., No. 31. 



only to the novice. It is decidedly a French 

 work, written b^' a true Frenchman. Neither 

 an instrument nor an accessory is mentioned, 

 unless either invented or manufactured by a 

 Frenchman. The stands of Verick are given 

 great prominence, as are also those of Hartnack. 

 When we consider how beautiful and useful 

 are the instruments of our own countrj', to 

 say nothing of the fine productions of English 

 houses, we are forced to call the work ' an 

 elementary treatise on the French micro- 

 scope.' For convenience, elegance of design, 

 and varied adaptabilitj', the French microscope 

 will not compare with those of our own coun- 

 try, while we far excel in the superior quality 

 of our objectives. 



The microscopist will be much interested in 

 reading the chapter on the projection micro- 

 scope. Electricit}' will soon furnish us with 

 proper illumination. 



More information is given under the head 

 of mineralogical research than in any work 

 brought to our notice. Among the accessories 

 mentioned is the camera lucida of Oberhauser. 

 It is a form little used in America, and yet 

 it is one of the most convenient and perfect 

 of its kind. 



The new pattern of Malassez's Compte- 

 globules, bj- Verick, is minutely described. 

 The results obtained hy this instrument promise 

 to be verj' accurate : we have practically tested 

 its merits, and can give testimony to its pre- 

 cision. The method for photographing from 

 the microscope is not so simple as that em- 

 ployed here by the use of dry plates ; and, if 

 the frontispiece be taken as a sample, it is not 

 more satisfactory. The author shows perfect 

 familiaritj^ with the instruments and accesso- 

 ries, together with their applications as made 

 and used in his own country. C. H. Stowell. 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 

 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E.— GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY. 



Reports of comtnittees on geological subjects. 



To the call for a report of the Committee to 7nemo- 

 rialize the legislature of New York for a new sur- 

 vey of Niagara Falls, Prof. James Hall responded, 

 that several surveys had been made, or were jn 

 progress, in connection with legislation by the State 

 of New York for preserving the scenery. Tliese 

 would supersede the need of any worli of the kind 

 by the association. The committee was discharged. 



To the call for a -report of the Committee on state 

 geological surveys, Prof. N. H. Winchell responded, 

 that the committee had never been called together, 

 and there was no probability of its action. The' 

 committee was discharged. 



To tlie call for a report of the Committee on the 

 international congress of geologists. Dr. T. Sterry 

 Hunt (by request of the chairman. Professor Hall) 

 responded as follows : — 



The committee held a meeting in the month of 

 November last. Two important questions came up, 

 — of geological nomenclature, and topography. It 

 was suggested by Professor Hall, that the only action 

 which could be taken in support of the system of 

 uniform mapping and colors, and signs and symbols, 

 would be to prepare maps of the United States as 

 a whole, and perhaps also maps of portions of the 

 United States, and to color them by different 

 systems; the system adopted being that of Major 

 Powell of the U. S. geological survey, and one or 

 two others. Major Powell has been good enough 

 to say that he would endeavor to prepare such maps, 

 and aid in every way the carrying-out of the scheme. 

 I have no doubt that the matter will be so well man- 



aged that the whole question of geological topography 

 will be settled. 



As to the question of geological nomenclature, 

 we had much difficulty in getting reports of the 

 previous meetings; and we have named several 

 persons, some of whom have already handed in, 

 or have in process of preparation, their abstracts 

 of geological nomenclature; and I have every rea- 

 son to hope that in the course of a few weeks we 

 shall have the whole of that matter in shape to 

 transmit to the Berlin congress a full and proper 

 representation of the views of American geologists 

 with regard to our geological nomenclature. There 

 is one thing very much to be regretted, — the possi- 

 bility that the meeting of the American association 

 and the British association will come in collision 

 with the meeting of the Berlin congress. Nothing 

 definite has been arranged, so far as I can learn- by 

 letters. I have met with no response, but I was told 

 that the time of the Berlin congress had not been 

 fixed. In the committee which was held to consider 

 arrangements for the meeting of the British associ- 

 ation, it was suggested that we put ourselves in com- 

 munication with the local authorities of the Berlin 

 congress, and endeavor to get them to fix the time of 

 their meeting so late in September as will allow 

 members of the American and British associations 

 to leave this continent after the meeting of our asso- 

 ciations so as to be present at the Berlin congress. 



The committee was continued. 



The Committee to confer with the United- Stales 

 geologist in regard to co-operation between, govern- 

 ment and state geological surveys was called on for a 

 report. Prof. James Hall of Albany responded in- 



