572 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 67 



chell was shown and commended by Dr. Britton. 

 Also a sedge Reimaria maritima, only lately 

 found in Florida at Lake Worth, but having a 

 wide distribution elsewhere. 



The announced paper for the meeting was 

 read by Miss Alexaudrina Taylor, entitled ' A 

 comparative Study of the superficial Periderm 

 in a number of species of Salix,' and was well 

 illustrated by diagrams. In most text-books 

 the work of Sanio is taken as authority on the 

 development of superficial periderm. From 

 the large number of species of the genus Salix, 

 he selected one as a type. The many varia- 

 tions from this type pointed to the possibility 

 that, by extending the study over a greater num- 

 ber of species than those studied by Sanio, one 

 might be found which might more justly be 

 called the type of the genus. This was the 

 object of the above study. 



W. A. Bastedo, 

 Recording Secretary pro tern. 



WEST VIRGINIA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE. 



The fifteenth regular meeting of the Academy, 

 which was also the first annual session of the 

 organization, was held at Morgantown, March 

 24, 1896. 



The following officers were reelected : 



President, Dr. A. D. Hopkins; Vice-Presi- 

 dent, Prof. Thos. C. Miller; Secretary and 

 Treasurer, Mr. W. Earl Rumsey ; Correspond- 

 ing Secretary, Prof. B. H. Hite. 



The President, in referring to the history and 

 first year's work of the Academy, stated that 

 the Academy was organized on February 25, 

 1895, with sixteen active members and twelve 

 associate members, representing chemistry, 

 physics, geology, biology, entomology, mechani- 

 cal and civil engineering, zoology, medicine, 

 agriculture, horticulture and general science. 



Fourteen regular sessions of the Academy 

 have been held, twenty-eight communications 

 have been presented, and three important reso- 

 lutions have been passed. The communications 

 referred to the following subjects and branches 

 of science : 



Chemistry, 1 ; psychology, 3 ; electricity, 2 ; 

 geology, 1 ; horticulture, 2 ; bibliography, 2 ; 

 agriculture, 2 ; entomology, 2 ; mechanical engi- 

 neering, 3 ; ornithology, 2 ; general science, 1 ; 



anthropology, 1 ; botany, 1 ; civil engiueeringr 

 1 ; hydrography, 2 ; forestry, 2. 



The resolutions were with reference to the 

 publication of topographic maps, waterways 

 and forest preservation. 



The only communication presented at this 

 meeting besides the President's remarks was by 

 Prof. L. C. Corbett, who announced the comple- 

 tion and successful test of an improved auxanom- 

 eter, which was exhibited at work. In ex- 

 planation Prof. Corbett stated that the chief 

 features of the machine are that all parts of the 

 instrument are mounted upon a rigid base ; 

 the usual sj'stem of proportionate pulleys has 

 been replaced by a simple lever of the first type, 

 i. e., where the fulcrum is between the power 

 and the weight. The record is made in ink 

 upon a paper-bound cylinder. The rate of the 

 cylinder is retarded to a single revolution in 24 

 hours. The record of each day, therefore, ap- 

 pears as a platted curve rather than in the form 

 of a spiral, as is the case with recording drums 

 making a revolution each hour. The mode of 

 attaching the auxanometer to the plant has been 

 improved upon by substituting wooden forceps 

 with relatively broad faces for the usual bent 

 pin ; this is again connected with the recording 

 arm of the instrument by a fine wire instead of 

 the usual cord. In this way the objectionable 

 features of the system of weighted cords and 

 pulleys are overcome. 



W. Eael Rumsey, 



Secretary. 



NEW BOOKS. 

 A Compendium of General Botany : Max Wes- 



tbemaiee, translated by Albert Schneider. 



New York, John Wiley & Sons. Pp. x+299. 

 Natural History of Selhorne : Gilbert White, 



with an Introduction by Edward S. Morse. 



Boston and London, Ginn & Co., 1896. Pp. 



xii+251. 

 The Psychology of Attention : Th. Ribot, third 



revised edition. Chicago and London, Open 



Court Publishing Co. 1896. Pp. xii + 120. 

 An Examination of Weismannism : George 



John Romanes. Chicago and London, The 



Open Court Publishing Co. Pp. ix+221. 



35 cts. 



