278 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX, No. 1264 



paper on the " Phylogeny and Classification 

 of Reptiles," previously mentioned. During 

 the last two years of his life he was also pre- 

 paring a paper on new Permian reptiles. It 

 is a matter of the deepest regret to all of 

 Williston's colleagues in paleontology that he 

 did not live to complete his great comparative 

 work on the Eeptilia, which would have 

 summed up all his researches and observations 

 and the facts stored in his mind which have 

 never found their way into print. 



A few of the more general features of Wil- 

 liston's life-work and character are as follows : 

 He strove arduously through forty years of 

 investigation to discover new material in the 

 field and to widen our basis of facts in several 

 distinct lines of investigation; he preferred to 

 discover new facts rather than to reinterpret 

 older ones or to adjust the interrelations of 

 facts; in general, liis material was notably of 

 his own finding. Nevertheless, especially in 

 his late years, he labored very successfully to 

 classify and synthetize his material, and with 

 it that which had been treated by other work- 

 ers. Here his genial personal character and 

 admirable relations with his colleagues shone 

 forth; he was singularly appreciative of the 

 work of other men and ready to adopt what- 

 ever he believed to be solid and enduring in 

 previous attempts at classification. Thus Wil- 

 liston's work stands in contrast with that of 

 Cope and Marsh, whose personal differences of 

 opinion led to the setting up of two entirely 

 distinct systems of classification as well as 

 of nomenclature, irrespective both of priority 

 and of merit. Williston's keen, broad knowl- 

 edge of human anatomy, of the muscles as 

 well as of the bones, doubtless aided his pene- 

 trating insight into the habits of the extinct 

 animals, and while generally conservative and 

 cautious, his phylogenetie studies and sug- 

 gestions were of high value. His views on 

 taxonomic standards" and on college and high- 

 school education^ were, like his views on pa- 

 's What is a Species," Amer. Nat., XLII., 184- 

 94. 



'• ' ' Has the American College Failed to Fulfill 

 Its Function?" Troc. Nat. Edtic. Assn. (1909), 

 p. 526. 



leontologic problems, characteristically sober, 

 moderate and well considered, lighted up in 

 their expression with his genial, half-humor- 

 ous manner. He was ready to confess and 

 appraise defects or faults on his own side, but 

 quick to resent exaggerated accusations and 

 criticisms from the other side. 



His friends and colleagues met him last at 

 the Pittsburgh meeting of the Paleontological 

 Society of America, December 30, 1917, and 

 enjoyed a few of his short and characteristic- 

 ally enthusiastic communications and dis- 

 cussions. With Dr. Holland, myseK and 

 many other warm friends he stayed the old 

 year out and saw the new year in at the 

 society smoker. He returned home quite 

 suddenly, and this was the last occasion on 

 which we were privileged to enjoy his genial 

 presence, his humorous narratives, and his 

 inspiring influence in paleontology. 



Henry Fairfield Osborn 

 The Ameeican Museum of Natueal History, 

 February 21, 1919 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



THE BRITISH MINISTRY OF HEALTH BILL 



The text of the Ministry of Health Bill, 

 presented to the House of Commons on Feb- 

 ruary 17, has since been published. Accord- 

 ing to Nature the bill differs little from the 

 measure originally presented to the last Par- 

 liament. That it does differ to some extent, 

 however, particularly in bearing signs of 

 having been worked at and polished, is worthy 

 of mention. The new bill carries the stamp 

 of finality, and suggests that most of the State 

 Departments performing health functions — 

 the Local Government Board, the Board of 

 Education, and the Insurance Commissioners 

 especially — ^have arrived at arrangements more 

 or less agreeable to all parties. The position 

 as between the two first-named, for example, 

 is shown to be fairly easy. Even as regards 

 the place to be taken by the Insurance Com- 

 missioners, there is less reason for dissatis- 

 faction, and concessions no doubt have been 

 made by the various bodies and individuals 

 concerned. Speaking generally, the measui-e 



