SCIENCE 



Friday, Apeil 17, 1914 



CONTENTS 



The Mechanical, the Historical and the Sta- 

 tistical : Peofessob Josiah Eoyce 551 



The National Academy of Sciences: Db. Ab- 

 THTJB L. Day 566 



The American Physical Society: Pbopessoe A. 

 D. Cole 569 



The American Journal of Botany 570 



The Canadian Entomological Service 570 



Scientific Notes and News 571 



University and Educational Neios 575 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Mineral Nomenclature: Edgar T. Wheeby. 

 TJie Wellesley Fire: Louise Sheewood Mc- 

 Dowell 575 



Scientific Books: — 

 Savage-Landor's Across TJnhnown South 

 America: De. J. C. Beannee. Stamper's 

 Teaching of Arithmetic: Lambert L. Jack- 

 son. Adams on Animal Ecology: De. V. E. 

 Shelfoed 577 



Special Articles: — 



The "Golden Mean" in the Inheritance of 

 Size: B. H. A. Geoth. "The Lowest Tem- 

 perature Obtainable with Ice and Salt": 

 De. Ross Aiken Goetnee 581 



The American Petroleum Society: Ieving C. 

 Allen 585 



The American Bison Society: William P. 

 Wharton 586 



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

 reriew should be sent to Professor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison- 

 On-HudsOD. N. Y. 



TSE MECHANICAL, THE HISTOBICAL AND 

 THE STATISTICAL 



I. PEACTICAL PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING 



This meeting is the outcome of conver- 

 sations which resulted from the recent 

 book of Dr. Henderson on "The Fitness of 

 the Environment." Yet this company is 

 not called for the sake of discussing, on the 

 present occasion, that book, or any of the 

 scientifie problems which it more directly 

 considers. The connection, then, between 

 Dr. Henderson's book and this evening's 

 undertaking needs some explanation. As 

 you know from the wording of the call to 

 which you have so kindly responded, one 

 principal purpose which I have in mind 

 as I address you is practical. I shall ask 

 you, before the evening is done, to give 

 some thought to the question: Is it advis- 

 able for us to meet again occasionally, as 

 opportunity offers, in order to discuss some 

 questions of common scientific interest. 

 You represent various departments of re- 

 search. Is it worth while for you, or for 

 some of you, at your own pleasure, to come 

 together in such a way as the present one, 

 in order to take counsel about different 

 problems which belong, not only to a single 

 science, and not only to some special group 

 of sciences, but also to the realm which is 

 common to a decidedly wide and varied 

 range of scientific inquiries ? 



My part in this evening's discussion is 

 determined by this practical question. I 

 can not come here as a representative of 

 any one department of research in natural 

 science. I am limited in my present under- 

 taking to such an appeal as a student of. 

 philosophy may have a right to address to" 



