SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodward, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, As- 

 tronomy ; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics ; E. H. Thurston, Engineering ; Ira Eemsen, Chemistry ; 

 J. Lb Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; O. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. Brooks, 

 Invertebrate Zoology ; C. Hart Mereiam, Vertebrate Zoology ; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology ; 

 N. L. Britton, Botany ; Henry F. Osborn, General Biology ; H. P. Bowditch, 

 Physiology ; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKeen Cattell, Psychology ; 

 Daniel G. Brinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Feiday, August 2, 1895. 



CONTENTS: 



The American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science 113 



A Rock Fissure: G. K. Gilbert 117 



The Metric System in England : T. C. M 119 



The ' Ball and Nozzle ' Phenomenon : William 

 Hallock 121 



The Present Prohleins of Organic Evolution: E. D. 

 Cope. 124 



Philosophy in the German Universities: Chas. H. 

 JUDD 126 



Current Notes on Anthropology (XI.) : — 128 



The German Anthropological Association, 1S94 ; 

 American Subjects at the German Anthropological 

 Association; American Objects in Nephrite: D. 

 G. Brinton. 



Physics:— 129 



On the Temperature Variation of the Thermal 

 Conductivity of Bocks : T. C. M. 



Scientific Notes and News:— 130 



Pithecanthropus Erectus; A Proposed County 

 Park System ; General. 



University and Educational Neics 133 



Correspondence: — 134 



Aboriginal Sandals : O. T. Mason. The Pignuts : 

 William Teelease. 



Scientijie Literature: — 136 



Vine's Botany : CONWAY MacMillan. Bene- 

 dikt's Oils, Fats and Waxes : Joseph P. Grab- 

 field. 



Scientific Journals 139 



American Journal of Science. 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Prof. J. 

 McKeen Cattell, Garrison on Hudson, N. Y. 



Subscriptions and advertisements should be sent to Science, 

 41 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa., or 41 East 49th St., New York. 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOB THE AD- 

 VANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



In a few weeks the American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science will begin 

 its annual session, in the city of Springfield, 

 Massachusetts. It is now fifteen years since 

 the Association met in New England, during 

 which time its meetings have been held in 

 various parts of the country, including 

 points as widely separated as Minneapolis 

 in the Northwest and Washington in the 

 Southeast. 



The meeting of 1880 was held in Boston 

 and, up to the present time, is distinguished 

 from all others, either earlier or later, by 

 the large attendance, the great local interest 

 manifested and the importance of the papers 

 presented. The meeting at Philadelphia, in 

 1884, was, perhaps, the closest approxima- 

 tion to the Boston meeting as far as con- 

 cerns these points, but the latter must still 

 be regarded as the high- water mark in the 

 history of the Association. 



It is unnecessary, in these columns, to 

 refer to the history of this Society, as it is, 

 doubtless, very well known to most of our 

 readers. The first meeting was held in the 

 year 1848, in the city of Philadelphia; the 

 organization then accomplished growing, 



