SCIENCE 



Editoeiai Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, As- 

 tronomy ; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics ; E. H. Thueston, Engineering ; Ira Eemsbn, Chemistry ; 

 J. Le Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; O. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. Beooks, 

 Invertebrate Zoology ; C. Hart Mereiam, Vertebrate Zoology ; S. H. Scudder, Entomology ; 

 N. L. Beitton, Botany ; Henry F. Osborn, General Biology ; H. P. Bowditch, 

 Physiology ; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKeen Cattell, Psychology ; 

 Daniel G. Brinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology ; 

 G. Brown Goode, Scientific Organization. 



Friday, March 27, 1896. 



CONTENTS: 



Proposed Legislation in Regard to the Metric System. A57 



On the Reflection of the Rontgen Rays from Platinum : 

 Ogden N. Eood 463 



Purther Experiments with X-Rays : Edwin B. 

 Frost 465 



The Reception of Foreign Students in French Univer- 

 sities and Schools: G. Beown Goode 467 



The Essence of Nnmier: George Bruce Halsted..470 



Robert Edicard Earll : G. Beown Goode 471 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 



The Study of Home Geography in Italy ; The Dan- 

 ube; The Location of Settlements; Mittendorff' s 

 Peru.: W. M. DAVIS 472 



Sdentijic Notes and News : — 



Zoological Nomenclature ; The Toronto Electing of 

 the British Association ; Entomology ; Astronomy : 

 H. J. General 474 



University and Educational News 477 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Experiments showing that the Rontgen Rays cannot 

 be Polarized by Doubly Refracting Media : Alfeed 

 M. Mayee. Color Vision and Light: W. Lb 

 Conte Stevens. The Philadelphia Brick Clays, 

 etal.: EoLLiN D. Salisbuey. Primitive Habi- 

 tations in Ohio: Waeeen K. Mooeehead. 

 Questions Regarding Habits and Instincts : G. 

 Stanley Hall, E. E. Gueley. Neicly 

 Hatched Chickens Instinctively Drink : Heney 

 W.Elliott 478 



Scientific Literature : — 



Achelis' Moderne Volkerkunde; Chamberlain on The 

 Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought: D. G. 

 Beinton. Turpin's Inorganic Chemistry; Wil- 

 liams' Chemical Experiments: E. H. Keisee. 

 Nernst and Schonflies' Einfiihrung in die mathe- 

 mafische Behandlung der Naturwissensehdften : 

 Feedinand G. Wiechmann 482 



Societies and Academies : — 



Biological Society of Washington : F. A. Lucas. 

 The Woman's Anthrojwlogical Society: A. Cae- 

 MAN. Tlie Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia : Edw. J. Nolan. New York Section of 

 the Chemical Society: Dueand Woodman. 

 Geological Conference of Harvard University : T. 



A. Jaggae, Je 486 



New Books 492 



PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN REGARD TO 

 THE METRIC SYSTEM. 



We have received from Professor J. K. 

 Rees, Secretary of the American Metrolog- 

 ical Society: (1) The Report submitted to 

 the House of Representatives on March 

 16th, by Mr. Chas W. Stone, from the Com- 

 mittee on Coinage, Weights and Measures. 

 (2) A copy of the bill reported unani- 

 mously by the Committee on Coinage, 

 Weights and Measures of the House. (3) 

 A letter addressed by the American Metro- 

 logical Society to persons interested in the 

 Metric System. (4) A petition form to be 

 signed by any and all persons favoring the 

 bill. The Secretary will be glad to supply 

 copies of the petition to those who will ob- 

 tain signatures. In order to keep a record 

 of all signers, the Society requests that a 

 duplicate list be sent to the ofiice of the 

 Society at Columbia University, New York. 



INTEODXJOTIOIsr AND CONCLUSION OF THE RE- 

 POET SUBMITTED BY MR. STONE. 



Almost the only power clearly and ex- 

 pressly vested in Congress by the Constitu- 

 tion which has remained practically un- 

 exercised to the present day is that of fix- 

 ing the standard of weights and measures. 

 This power is conferred in the fifth clause 

 of Section VIII. of Article 1, which enumer- 

 ates among the powers of Congress " to coin 

 money, regulate the value thereof and of 

 foreign coins, and fix the standard of 



