330 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 61. 



have their optic associations. In fishes even he 

 has already demonstrated an indirect connection 

 between the optic tectum and the axial lobe, 

 which latter must be regarded as functionally 

 and probably morphologically equivalent to the 

 cortex of the higher forms. 



In a second editorial Prof. Herrick discusses 

 Neurology and Monism. He advocates a dynamic 

 monism which stands in strong contrast with the 

 analytical monism of Lloyd Morgan, as pre- 

 sented especially in his recent work on Compar- 

 ative Psychology. Interesting applications are 

 hinted at in the field of algedonics. 



The concluding sixty pages of the number are 

 devoted to book reviews and the bibliography 

 of the half-year past. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADEL- 

 PHIA, JANUARY 7, 1896. 



Dr. Benjamin Sharp made his second com- 

 munication on the ethnology of Alaska and 

 Siberia, based on collections made by him the 

 past summer during the cruise of the U. S. 

 Revenue Cutter 'Bear.' He described a large 

 collection of instruments, weapons and house- 

 hold utensils and exhibited a number of lantern 

 illustrations. 



A minute of the Academy's appreciation of 

 the clearness of judgment, knowledge of affairs 

 and courtesy of personal intercourse which had 

 been the characteristics of the administration 

 of the retiring President, General Isaac J. Wis- 

 tor, was adopted. 



JANUARY 14. 



A paper entitled ' New Species of the Hal- 

 icoid Genus Polygyra,' by Henry A. Pilsbry, 

 was presented for publication. 



Me. Henry A. Pilsbry exhibited and de- 

 scribed a specimen of Pleurotomaria from Mul- 

 lica Hill, N. J. It resembles P. solariformis 

 and P. perlata, but is much more discoidal and 

 is probably the imperfectly described P. crota- 

 loides of Morton. 



JANUARY 21. 



Papers under the following titles were pre- 

 sented for publication: 'Descriptions of New 

 Species of Mollusks,' by Henry A. Pilsbry; 



' The Molting of Birds, with special reference 

 to the Plumages of the Smaller Birds of eastern 

 North America, ' by Witmer Stone. 



Mr. Edw. Goldsmith described a peculiar 

 crystallization as the result of long-continued 

 evaporation of solutions of Iodide of Potassium. 

 The crystalline form is hexagonal and resembles 

 that which has been obtained from kelp liquids. 



Prof. Edw. D. Cope exhibited and described 

 the remains of fossil Balienidai, of which he had 

 determined sixteen species from the Neocene 

 of Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. 

 The ear bones of an apparently undesoribed 

 Balsenoptera and of a Balaena, apparently iden- 

 tical with afiinis, were also described. 



A resolution was adopted urging on the at- 

 tention of the Smithsonian Institution the de- 

 sirability of continuing the rental of a table at 

 the Naples Zoological Station for the benefit of 

 American students of biology. 



A paper entitled ' Contributions to the Zool- 

 ogy of Tennessee, No. 3, Mammals,' by Samuel 

 N. Rhoads, was presented for publication. 



The newly elected President, Dr. Samuel G. 

 Dixon, resigned the professor.ship of histology 

 and microscopic technology in consequence of 

 increase of executive duties. 



Dr. Benjamin Sharp continued his communi- 

 cation on the ethnology of Alaska, based on 

 collections made by him during last summer's 

 cruise of the U. S. Revenue Cutter ' Bear. ' 



In continuation Dr. D. G. Brinton spoke of 

 the supposed influence of Asiatic emigration on 

 the primitive civilizations of America. Review- 

 ing the subject as illustrated by languages, 

 myths, industries, arts and physical character- 

 istics of the tribes, he expressed the belief that 

 there was no reason to suppose that any such 

 influence had been exerted. He was aware 

 that in holding this belief he stood almost alone 

 among American ethnologists, although his 

 views were in harmony with those of some of 

 the best European authorities. 



A special committee of the Entomological 

 Section of the Academy reported a mode of ex- 

 terminating the tussock moth, Orgyia leucos- 

 tigma, with which the trees of the city streets 

 and squares are so badly infested. 



