JUNE 7, 1901.] 
formation of the new committee, because of 
Sir Michael’s assurance that all evidence 
would be sifted and because of his faith in 
the validity of the evidence he had to give. 
Others probably voted in the affirmative for 
the same reason. 
Without asking for evidence from Sir 
Joseph Hooker, Sir W. Wharton, Sir 
George Nares, Sir A. Geikie, Captain Creak, 
Captain Tizard or Mr. Buchanan, the new 
committee proceeded to cable to Melbourne 
the modifications which have led Professor 
Gregory to resign. 
In bringing a condensed account of the 
negotiations before the Fellows of the Royal 
Society I desire to call attention to certain 
special difficulties which the Society has 
had to encounter in the struggle. 
(1) The fact that nearly the whole of the money 
voluntarily subscribed was obtained through 
members of the Geographical Society and 
from its funds. 
(2) The fact that Sir Clements Markham, Presi- 
dent of the Royal Geographical Society, a man 
of remarkable energy, resource and resolution, 
was the chief antagonist of the amendments 
passed by the Joint Committee. 
(3) The fact that the Junior Secretary and Sir 
John Evans were absent from England during 
the most critical period. 
(4) Professor Gregory’s appointment to the Chair 
at Melbourne, involving his absence from Eng- 
land during a large part of the negotiations. 
Making all allowance for these difficulties, 
I believe that the majority of the fellows 
will consider that the claims of the scien- 
tific chief in an expedition undertaken to 
do scientlfic work have not received from 
the Royal Society that unflinching, undi- 
vided and resolute support which they 
would have expected and desired. 
Hpwarp B. Pounton. 
OxrorD, May 15, 1901. 
FIRST REPORT OF THE LIMNOLOGICAL COM- 
MISSION OF THE AMERICAN MICROSCOP- 
ICAL SOCIETY. 
TuE initial report of a body so recently 
_ organized as this can hardly be more than 
SCIENCE. 
897 
preliminary in character, all the more so 
that the field entrusted to itis as extensive as 
untried. When, by the action of this Society 
a year ago, the Limnological Commission was 
organized and its members asked to assume 
the duties laid upon them in connection 
therewith, they accepted, not without some 
hesitancy at the extent of the work before 
them. ‘The study of fresh-water bodies is 
indeed a great field, barely touched upon at 
one or two points in this country, and no- 
where in the world even superficially covered 
as yet. Nevertheless it was the original 
field of biologic study ; it was and is access- 
ible to public and private workers prac- 
tically everywhere, and affords opportuni- 
ties for extended or limited work in any 
particular department of biologic research 
towards which the student may be drawn. 
Furthermore, to this work attaches an un- 
doubted interest for all who come within its 
territory, while its problems have not only 
great biologic importance, but are also of 
economic value as well as of decidedly prac- 
tical character, touching as they do upon 
the important questions connected with 
fish culture, municipal water supply and 
sewage disposal. 
In this first report it will not be possible 
to do more than outline succinctly what 
has developed from our correspondence 
and discussion thus far regarding the object 
of the work, to make a brief survey of the 
field under discussion, of the ends to be 
reached and of some of the means for at- 
taining them, and finally to invite proposi- 
tions concerning the methods and problems 
under consideration and cooperation in pro- 
ceeding toward their solution. 
It may be fitting at the outset to state 
briefly the outlook before the Commission. 
Such a venture as this is not entirely un- 
heard of and consequently venturesome. 
A similar body was appointed some years 
ago by the Swiss National Society of 
Natural Sciences. As a Swiss investigator, 
