72 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. 993- 



creased by constant warfare. The squirrel is 

 never safe from the lynx, the caribou from the 

 wolf, the rabbit from the fox." 



As to conservation both sea and land game 

 are steadily diminishing. The forests are fire- 

 devastated, and immense waste continues in 

 many directions. Indians and Eskimos are 

 decreasing, and yearly bands escape starvation 

 only through charity. Dr. Grenfell recog- 

 nizes that the aboriginal inhabitants and the 

 lower order of animals must go to the wall. 

 He is however optimistic as to the development 

 of Labrador; with the exploitation of the pulp 

 forest for the whites, and by the reindeer herds 

 for the natives. 



The index completely ignores the new 

 matter, an unfortunate oversight of the pub- 

 lishers. 



A. W. Greely 



BOTANICAL NOTES 



THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL BOTANICAL 

 CONGRESS 



Attention of botanists is called to the 

 "first circular" in regard to the next Inter- 

 national Botanical Congress, recently issued 

 by the Organizing Committee. 



Dear Sir and Colleague, 



Tlie International Botanical Congress, held at 

 Brussels in May, 1910, decided, on the invitation 

 of the Eoyal Society of London, that the next 

 meeting of the congress, in 1915, should be held 

 in London. 



At a representative meeting of British botan- 

 ists, held in London on May 10, 1911, a provi- 

 sional bureau was nominated, consisting of three 

 presidents (Professor F. O. Bower, Sir David 

 Prain and Professor A. C. Seward) and a general 

 secretary (Dr. A. B. Eendle). The bureau was 

 empowered to cooperate with the permanent 

 bureau of the Brussels Congress and to arrange 

 for the appointment, in consultation with the Brit- 

 ish botanists, of an organizing committee. This 

 organizing committee was elected at a general 

 meeting of British botanists held in London on 

 March 11, 1912; and at a second meeting held on 

 May 17, an executive committee was appointed. 

 A number of distinguished patrons of botany were 

 also invited to lend their support to the con- 

 gress. 



The following general regulations for the con- 

 duct of the congress have been approved by the 

 executive committee: 



1. The Fourth International Botanical Con- 

 gress shall be held in London from Saturday, 

 May 22, to Saturday, May 29. 



2. Membership of the congress shall be condi- 

 tional upon subscribing to its regulations and the 

 payment of a subscription of fifteen shillings. 

 Members will receive all the publications of the 

 congress. Ladies accompanying members may at- 

 tend the meetings and excursions of the congress 

 on payment of ten shillings each. 



3. The work of the congress shall include the 

 different branches of botanical science; and the 

 congress will also carry on the work on (1) nom- 

 enclature, and (2) bibliography and documenta- 

 tion, left over from the previous meeting. 



The permanent bureaus entrusted with the work 

 concerned with (1) nomenclature, and (2) bibliog- 

 raphy and documentation will act in conjunction 

 with the executive committee. 



4. Any language may be used in the discussions ; 

 if desired by the members, propositions shall be 

 translated forthwith into English, French and 

 German. English shall be the ofS.cial language of 

 the congress. 



Particulars of meetings, discussions, excursions, 

 etc., will be issued later. 



American botanists are reminded that it is 

 not too early to begin making arrangements 

 for this congTess. Communications may be 

 addressed to the general secretary. Dr. A. B. 

 Rendle, keeper of the department of botany, 

 British Museum, Cromwell Road, London, 

 England. 



A NEW KIND OP BOTANICAL TEXT-BOOK 



It is not often that the reviewer of books 

 finds one of a new type, and especially is this 

 true in regard to elementary text-books in 

 science ; yet in John G. Coulter's " Plant 

 Life and Plant Uses " (Am. Book Co.) we 

 find just such a case. It is so unlike the 

 usual book designed for beginners in botany 

 that the author allows the use of the word 

 text-book only with particular limitations and 

 restrictions. Avowedly intended as " a foun- 

 dation for the study of agriculture " and 

 " domestic science " the author has not al- 



