November 1, 1895.] 



SCIENCE. 



571 



Spengel; for Holland, Dr. P. P. C. Hoek ; 

 for Eussia, Prof. W. Schimkewitscli; for 

 Switzerland, Prof. A. Lang; for the United 

 States, Prof. W. B. Scott. 



Prof. F. E. Scluilze proposed the appoint- 

 ment of a commission of five members to 

 codifj^ the rules of nomenclature of living- 

 beings now used or recommended in various 

 countries ; the code to be published with 

 the same text in three languages. 



The proposition was unanimously adopted 

 and the commission appointed as follows : 

 Prof E. Blanchard (Paris), Prof. Victor 

 Carus (Leipsic), Dr. F. A. Jentink (Ley- 

 den), Dr. P. L. Sclater (London), Dr. C. 

 W. Stiles (Washington). 



The following resolutions introduced by 

 Dr. Stiles were unanimously carried : 



Whereas, The Third International Zo- 

 ological Congress considers Article 16, 

 3-1(1) of the Universal Postal Convention 

 of Vienna, forbidding the transmission 

 through the mails of " animals and insects, 

 living or dead, excepting the eases provided for 

 [i. e., live bees] in the Regidations of detail," 

 as a hindrance to the advancement of sci- 

 ence, and 



Whereas, Switzerland is at present the 

 seat of the International Bureau of the Uni- 

 versal Postal Union, be it therefore by this 

 Third International Crongress held at Ley- 

 den, September 16-21, 1895, 



Resolved, That this Third International 

 Congi-ess respectfully petition the Swiss 

 Federal Government through its delegate. 

 Prof. Studer, to introduce, at the next In- 

 ternational Postal Congress, the following 

 amendment to Article XIX. (Samples), 1, 

 of the ' Regidations of Detail and Order, ^ i. e., 



5th. ISTatural History Specimens — such as 

 dried or preserved animals and plants, geo- 

 logical specimens, etc. — not sent for com- 

 mercial purposes, provided the packages 

 conform to the general conditions prescribed 

 for ' Samples of Merchandise;' and be it 

 further 



Resolved, That this Third Internationa^ 

 Congress call upon all of its delegates and 

 members to bring this amendment to the 

 attention of their respective governments, 

 and to urge the several governments to in- 

 struct their delegates to the next Interna- 

 tional Postal Congress (Washington, D. C, 

 1897) to support the same; and be it further 



Resolved, That the Secretary of this Third 

 International Congress send a copy of these 

 resolutions to every government represented 

 in the Universal Postal Union, but not rep- 

 resented at the Third International Zoologi- 

 cal Congress. 



Wednesday afternoon was occupied by 

 an excursion to the Hook of Holland. 



THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH. 



Sectional meetings at 10 A. M. Prof. 

 Apathy (Klausenburg) presented a paper 

 upon a controlling element and its position 

 with reference to the cells in invertebrates 

 and vertebrates. The speaker distinguished 

 between ganglion cells and nerve cells; the 

 latter (as the muscle cells do for the con- 

 tractile substance) produce the controlling 

 substance which grows out, reaches and 

 penetrates ganglion cells, sensory cells and 

 muscle cells. This is done by means of the 

 intercellular bridges, derived from the em- 

 bryo, which always connect together the 

 cells of the bodj^ The old conception of 

 Max Schultze has thus again been brought 

 forward in opposition to the views of 

 Biitschli, Leydig and others. By the gold 

 chloride method, confirmed by methyl blue 

 and other stains. Prof. Apathy has been 

 able to distinguish both kinds of cells and 

 the finer details of the controlling primitive 

 fibrils, especially within the ganglion cells, 

 and also to establish the connection between 

 the controlling motor and sensory primitive 

 fibrils. An extremely interesting demon- 

 stration of these facts was given at the close 

 of the session. 



M. C. Janet (Beauvais) read a paper 



