58 
Is the present movement being pushed for 
the benefit of any particular person? This 
question was asked at the hearing referred to 
by the Chairman of the Committee. 
Are there not already too many detached or- 
ganizations scattered throughout the depart- 
ments of the government in such a manner that 
their business affairs cannot be properly super- 
vised ? 
This objection might be met by saying that 
all the scientific work of the government should 
be brought together under one department, un- 
der proper supervision, and with committees in 
Congress to look after it. Indeed, it seems to 
me likely that Congress would pass some gen- 
eral measure of this kind rather than take up 
special legislation for the Observatory alone. 
A. HALL, JR. 
ANN ARBOR, June 30, 1899. 
CEREBRAL LIGHT AGAIN. 
In 1897 Dr. Scripture contributed a note 
to ScIENCE (Scr 6, p. 138, July 23) on what 
he calls ‘cerebral light.’ Soon afterward 
(Scr. 6, p. 257, Aug. 18) I tried to show that 
whether the phenomena described was of cere- 
bral origin or not the observations of Dr. 
Scripture did not prove it. I fear Dr. Scripture 
did not see my criticism. 
Now, again, Dr. Scripture brings forward 
(Scr. 9, p. 850, June 16, 1899) what he thinks 
demonstrative proof of cerebral origin. Ob- 
serving the cerebral figures in the early 
dawn, and looking at the window, he was able 
to see the figure in the frame of the window. 
‘‘Now,’’ says he, ‘‘placing the fingers of the 
two hands against the outer ends of the two eye- 
balls, I displaced them simultaneously in oppo- 
site directions. Asa result there appeared two 
images of the frame moving in opposite direc- 
tions. But the retinal figures seen in front of 
the frame remained single and did not move. 
Granting that there was no error in my observa- 
tions, I cannot imagine a more conclusive proof 
as to the cerebral nature of the light.’’ 
Now, I freely grant that there was no error in 
his observation, yet his conclusion does not 
follow. In proof of this it is only necessary to 
make the same experiment with any after- 
image, say that of the sun. I have just done 
SCIENCE. 
[N. S. Vou. X. No. 237. 
so. Jt behaves in exactly the same way as his 
cerebral figures. The reason isobvious. When 
we press on the sides of the eyeballs external 
images of objects move in the field of view be- 
cause their retinal images move on the retina. 
But retinal brands do not move on the retina 
and, therefore, their spatial representatives do 
not move in the field of view. I pointed this 
out in my previous criticism, and this is the 
reason I think that Professor Scripture did not 
see it. 
As to whether the phenomenon described, 
or, indeed, any after-image, is retinal or cere- 
bral I have nothing to say. Whether a change 
in a cerebral cell has its origin in a peripheral 
impression (retinal), or in the course of an optic 
fiber, or in the cell itself, it may be difficult to 
say. 
JosEPH LE CONTE. 
BERKELEY, CAL., June 28, 1899. 
POT-HOLE VS. REMOLINO. 
To THE EDITOR OF SCIENCE: The term 
‘pot-hole,’ so frequently applied, of late, to 
rounded cavities formed by rivers in their rock- 
beds, is inelegant and grates harshly on people 
of sensitive temperament. I suggest, in place 
of it, the Spanish word remolino, which is the 
common designation in the Republic of Colom- 
bia, for phenomena of this order. 
OscarR H. HERSHEY. 
FREEPORT, ILL., June 19, 1899. 
ASTRONOMICAL NOTES. 
PROPER MOTION. 
A VALUABLE contribution to the list of stars 
with proper motions is made by Professor Por- 
ter, Director of the Cincinnati Observatory, in 
Publication No. 14 of that Observatory. This 
is in continuation of similar studies previously 
published, and contains the results of meridian- 
circle observations of 2,030 stars made between 
1893 and 1898, and a careful comparison with 
earlier observations. A large number of the 
stars have an appreciable proper motion. 
FUNDAMENTAL STAR CATALOGUE. 
THERE has recently been distributed Vol. 
VIII., Part II., of the publications of the Nau- 
tical Almanac Office, which contains Professor 
