Aveust 11, 1899. ] 
is one which has frequently been discussed 
both in the Council and before the Associ- 
ation. Itis true, the weather is apt to be 
warm the third week in August, and it is 
true that many Eastern college men dislike 
or are unable to interrupt their vacations 
abroad or at the seashore or mountains 
when their fall terms do not open until late 
in September or the Ist of October. It is 
true, also, that many members, both college 
men and those connected with the govern- 
ment surveys and investigating bureaus, 
are unable to interrupt their long field trips © 
to out-of-the-way portions of the country. 
On the other hand, however, many of the 
Western colleges and most of the normal 
and high schools, from which institutions 
the Association derives many members, con- 
stituting a class in which it ought of right be 
especially strong, begin the fall term about 
the Ist of September, and to fix the meeting 
time at a later date would prevent their at- 
tendance. There are also obvious objec- 
tions to a winter meeting on the part of 
perhaps a majority of the members of the 
Association. Thatcollege men from a com- 
paratively limited section of the country 
can hold successful meetings during the 
winter holidays has been abundantly shown 
by the experience of the American Society 
of Naturalists, the Society of Morphologists, 
and the kindred organizations which meet 
The ex- 
periment of midwinter meetings of an in- 
together each year at that time. 
dividual Section of the American Associ- 
ation in connection with the organizations 
just mentioned has been tried successfully, 
and there is no strong reason why it should 
not become acustom. Another alternative 
which has been suggested is to hold the 
SCIENCE. 
165 
meeting in late June or early July. The 
National Educational Association meets at 
about that time, but draws largely from a 
It might, 
however, be worth while for the American 
rather different class of workers. 
Association to try the experiment of such a 
change of date. 
Looking over the ground as a whole, it 
seems to us that the American Association 
even in its present condition is a good and 
sound working body of scientific men. Its 
aims are admirable, and its policy is ad- 
justing itself to rapidly changing conditions. 
No one denies that it can be improved, but 
this improvement must naturally be of 
rather slow growth, and depends on the 
active interest of the scientific men of the 
country in its objects, their appreciation of 
all it could do, and their determination to 
help in its work. 
THE INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIEN- 
TIFIC LITERATURE. 
REPORT FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. 
PrREsIDENT Seta Low, LL.D., Corumepra 
Untversity—Dear Sir: The committee ap- 
pointed by you beg to report on the plans 
for an International Catalogue of Scientific 
Literature as follows : 
We regard the establishment of such a 
catalogue as one of the most important con- 
tributions that can be made to the advance- 
ment of science, and greatly appreciate the 
efforts of the Royal Society to carry it into 
effect. We think that all institutions and 
all men of science should do everything in 
their power to perfect the arrangements for 
the catalogue and to promote its efficiency. 
We submit herewith discussions of the 
several schedules of classification from pro- 
fessors of this University engaged in teach- 
ing and carrying out investigations in the 
different sciences. Wedo not asa commit- 
