954 
of deltas, possessing similar and rather highly 
specialized features, cannot be referred to 
merely accidental conditions governing the for- 
ward growth of the deltas. 
R. A. DALY. 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY. 
THE NEW MEXICO BIOLOGICAL STATION. 
THE Biological Station was founded as an in- 
dependent institution at Mesilla in 1896. In 
1899 it was moved to Las Vegas, and held a 
successful summer session in the New Mexico 
Normal University. A brief session was also 
held in 1900. The students in attendance have 
been mostly public school teachers. The re- 
sults ofthe research work have been published 
in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 
The Station will now be conducted as a part 
of the work of the biological department of the 
Normal University. The session of 1901 com- 
menced on the Ist of June. A course in nature 
study is offered to public school teachers, and 
opportunities are afforded for research work 
along a number of different lines. 
Las Vegas offers excellent opportunities for 
biological work. The summer climate is very 
good, and at no time is the heat excessive, as 
it is at lower altitudes in New Mexico and 
other parts of the Southwest. The altitude is 
about 6,400 feet, with mountains close by, rising 
above 11,000 feet. 
Four distinct life-zones, the Upper Austral, 
the Transition, the Canadian and Hudsonian 
can be studied within 35 miles of Las Vegas. 
It results from this that the local fauna and flora 
are extremely rich in species; in the Hudson- 
ian zone are forms of circumpolar distribution 
and others ranging to Alaska, though not to 
Asia or Europe; in the Canadian zone we find 
types identical with those of the mountains of 
the Northern States and of Colorado; in the 
Transition a varied assemblage typical, in part, 
of the foothill region of the Rocky Mountain 
range; in the upper Austral many species 
characteristic of the arid southwest, some rang- 
ing far southward and westward. With all this 
comes a certain percentage of local or endemic 
types, just how numerous further research must 
determine. Such are the snail Ashmunella 
thomsoniana porter and the magnificent butter- 
SCIENCE. 
(N.S. Vou. XIII. No. 337. 
fly Argynnis nitocris nigrocerulea, both found in 
Sapello Cafion. 
The Gallinas River, flowing through Las 
Vegas, contains a crayfish (Cambarus gallinus), 
described as new last year, some interesting 
fishes (Leuciscus and Rhinichthys), and a variety 
of aquatic insects, algee, etc. The Hot Springs, 
six miles away, contain some peculiar organ- 
isms, which have not yet been sufficiently ex- 
amined. — 
In the Arroyo Pecos, and elsewhere in the 
immediate vicinity of the town, is an immense 
alluvial deposit of Pleistocene age, containing 
innumerable remains of mollusca and occasional 
mammalian fragments. Special facilities are 
offered to students of wild bees (Apoidea), the 
available collections and literature being very 
extensive. Facilities are also offered for the 
study of Coccide and other groups of insects. 
Students should, if possible, bring their own 
microscopes, slides, forceps and other acces- 
sories. 
T. D. A. CoCKERELL. 
ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING THE THIR- 
TEENTH SUMMER MEETING OF THE GEO- 
LOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. 
Sessions. —The thirteenth summer meeting of 
the Society will be held in Denver on Tues- 
day, August 27th, in the East Denver High 
School building. The Council will meet on 
Monday evening at the hotel headquarters. 
The Society will be called to order by the 
President, Mr. Charles D. Walcott, on Tuesday 
morning, immediately following the general 
session of the American Association for the Ad- 
vancement of Science. 
Program.—The preliminary list of papers will 
be mailed about August 1st, and no supplemen- 
tary list will be sent. The Fellows are re- 
quested to send their abstracts on the printed 
form as promptly as.possible, and not later 
than July 15th. By the rule of the Council 
abstracts are required. Papers offered for 
printing should be fully described on the blank 
forms, extra copies of which will be promptly 
sent on request. 
Hotel Headquarters.—The Brown Palace Ho- 
tel has been selected by the local committee, 
A. A, A. S., as headquarters. The regular 
