898 
Dr. Britton remarked that this forms an in- 
teresting addition to the number of coast plants 
found in the Shawangunk range. It has been 
claimed that the breaking up of sandstone 
rocks there has produced a sandy soil suffi- 
ciently similar to that of the seashore to permit 
the growth of certain arenophilous plants usu- 
ally found only on the coast. 
Dr. T. F. Allen spoke of a specimen of Rhus 
vernicifera, the lacquer tree of Japan, which is 
growing luxuriantly on his farm in Connec- 
ticut. It resembles our swamp sumach, Rhus 
venenata, in appearance, and is becoming a 
handsome tree. Some of his family who are 
sensitive to Rhus poisoning find it necessary to 
avoid going near it. 
Dr. Britton also reported a gift to the Botanic 
Garden of about 200 volumes which had be- 
longed to the botanist, David Hosack. They 
are in excellent condition, and some of them 
extremely rare. EDWARD S. - BURGESS, 
Secretary. 
BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, 312TH 
MEETING, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH. 
Mr. F. A. Lucas read a ‘ Letter from H. H. 
Field Concerning the Concilium Bibliograph- 
icum, and the Proposed Catalogue of the Royal 
Society,’ calling attention to the expense of the 
proposed publication, even though no card cat- 
alogue was issued, and stating that the Concil- 
ium could carry out the entire scheme at a less 
cost than the incomplete publication proposed 
by the Royal Society. 
Mr. Frederick V. Coville read a paper on 
‘The Botanical Explorations of Thomas Nuttall 
in California,’ showing that the dates on which 
Nuttall is stated to have visited various locali- 
ties were erroneously given. 
Professor Barton W. Evermann described ‘A 
Physical and Biological Survey of Lake Max- 
inkuckee,’ giving the various problems whose 
solution was desired, and the methods em- 
ployed for soundings, obtaining the tempera- 
ture, and studying the plankton of the lake. 
O. F. Coox, Secretary. 
SCIENCE CLUB OF THE UNIVERSITY OF 
WISCONSIN. 
THE November meeting of the Science Club of 
the University of Wisconsin was held on the 21st 
SCIENCE. 
LN. S. Vou. X. No. 259. 
instant, the Vice president, Mr. Edward Krem- 
ers, inthe chair. Theprogramme of the evening 
was a paper by Mr. Louis Kahlenberg on ‘The 
Present Status of our Knowledge of Solutions.’ 
After an exposition of the modern theories of 
solution and of electrolytic dissociation, the 
speaker pointed out that his recent researches 
on non-aqueous solutions have shown that there 
are solutions that conduct electricity in which, 
according to molecular weight determinations 
there is no dissociation, and that furthermore, 
the molecular conductivity in some solutions 
does not change with the dilution, and that in 
others it decreases as the volume increases. 
These facts can not be harmonized with the 
theory of electrolytic dissociation. 
In the criticism of the general theory of so- 
lutions it was emphasized that the solvent does 
not act merely asso much space, but that it has 
afar more important function, the very act of 
solution itself depending on a mutual interaction 
of solvent and solute. 
The paper was discussed by Messrs. B. W. 
Snow, H. L. Russell, E. Kremers and C. F. 
Burgess. Wm. H. Hoses. 
DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 
AN ALIEN CLEMATIS IN NEW MEXICO 
Las July I found an interesting and peculiar 
Clematis growing along the road-side in the town 
of Las Vegas, N. M., apparently wild. It was 
clearly related to the Clematis (Atragene) occi- 
dentalis (Hornem.) of the adjacent mountains, 
but still quite distinct. It did not come into 
full flower until the C. occidentalis was over, and 
the flowers were yellow instead of blue or white. 
Careful comparisons showed that the plant was 
different from anything known in America, so 
I drew up a description, under the name of C. 
crux-flava, ‘the yellow cross.’ During the rest 
of the summer I examined a good deal of the 
country near Las Vegas, and nowhere was the 
new Clematis to be seen, except within the limits 
of the town. A very vigorous plant was found 
growing ina garden, but nobody knew how it 
got there. These facts suggested an alien, so I 
sent specimens to Dr. B. L. Robinson at Cam- 
bridge, and to Kew Gardens, requesting that 
they might be compared with the Asiatic species. 
From both places in due time came the reply 
