136 
place, the decimal system is quite inap- 
plicable to sciences which need a double 
system of registration, such as Geology (in 
which reference has to be made both to the 
order of the strata and to their geographical 
distribution), Geography, Zoology and 
Botany.”’ 
Warren, Ernest. 
502, 1 fig. 
apex of the lung. ] 
In Bibliographia Universali —d59 
SCIENCE. 
1898. An Abnormality in Rana temporaria. 
[N. S. Vou. X. No. 240. 
about is dealt with under 242, or whatever 
the number may be, and under that number 
he finds the desired cards. When I turn to 
a time-table to learn when a train leaves I 
do not need to study out why that train 
leaves when it does rather than ten minutes 
later or earlier. The time-table satisfies me 
78 Rana: 12.14 
Anat. Anz. Bd. 14 p. 551— 
[Vascular connection between rectal vein of hepatic portal and 
edidit Concilium Bibliographicum, 
Typographia Councilii Bibliograph i 
Specimen Card of the Concilium Bibliographicum. 
The first of these objections seems again 
insufficient to justify the destructive and 
revolutionary measures proposed. On crit- 
ical examination, indeed, it proves itself 
utterly groundless, being based upon a com- 
plete misconception of the decimal system 
as applied to a purely practical problem. 
This system does not attempt to force science 
into an artificial mould. It merely assigns 
an arbitrary number to each topic, so that 
the cards, when arranged according to these 
numbers, fall into their proper places. These 
numbers are so chosen that the framers of 
the system can expand it ad libitum, without 
ever altering the signification of the numbers 
previously used. How this latter feature 
can be reached the user of the catalogue 
does notneed to know. He merely finds in 
the key that the topic he desires information 
if I can find out when my train leaves. So 
it is with the Decimal System ; one word of 
frank criticism, one single instance in which 
by its use one would be prevented from 
finding the answer to a question of bibliog- 
raphy would have more value than these 
theoretical considerations of coordination 
and subordination, which have nothing to 
do with the case. The best proof, however, 
that the Committee’s argument is not seri- 
ous is the fact that in framing the new 
schedules, in spite of the entire freedom of 
action that was enjoyed, the Committee in- 
voluntarily built up a decimal system, anew 
one, for all sciences save Chemistry and 
Mathematics, and even here the deviations 
from a decimal arrangement are not greater 
than Dewey himself allows. A new decimal 
system has been created, the numbers being 
