SCIENCE 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E.i S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; R. H. Thubston, Engineering; iRA Remsen, Chemistry; 



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



Brooks, C. Hart Meeeiam, Zoology; S. H. Scubdee, Entomology; N. L. Beitton, 



Botany; Heney F. Osbokn, General Biology; H. P. Bowditch, Physiology; 



J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. MoKeen Cattell, Psychology ; 



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



G. Brown Goode, Scientific Organization. 



Friday, Mat 15, 1896. 



CONTENTS: 



Some Problems about to Confront Astronomers of the 

 Twentieth Century: J. K. Rees 717 



On a New Form of Radiation : W. K. E6NTGEN..726 



Behavior of Sugar towards Bontgen Bays : Ferdi- 

 nand G. Wiechmann 729 



The X-Bays in' Medicine and Surgery: Charles 

 L. Norton 730 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 

 De Lapparent's LeQons de geographie physique : 

 The Interior Plateau of British ColunMa ; The 

 Volcanic Group of Topographic Forms; Le tour 

 du monde ; Thunder Storms at Sea are Nocturnal ; 

 W. M. Davis 731 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 



The Anthropological Institute of Great Britain; 

 Canadian Archseology : D. G. Beinton 733 



Scientific Notes and News : — 



Batrachians and Crustaceans from the Subterranean 

 Waters of Texas; The Forest Besources of the 

 United States ; Cape Colony Geological Commission ; 

 The Metric System; General 734 



University and Educational News 738 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Principles of Marine Zoogeography : Aenold E. 

 Ortmann. The Child and Childhood in Folk- 

 Thought: Franz Boas. The Discussion of In- 

 stinct: C. Lloyd Morgan. The Subject of 

 Consciousness : Johannes Rehjikb. The Pre- 

 rogatives of a State Geologist : Eeasmus Ha- 

 WOETH. A Correction: T. A. Jaggar, Je. 

 Tlie Absolute and the Belative : J. "W. Powell..739 



Scientific Literature : — 



Mareou's Life, Letters and Works of Louis 

 Agassiz. Mosso's Fear: J. McKeen Cattell. 

 Hueppe's BaTderiologie : H. W. CoNN 745 



Scientific: Journals : — 



The Astrophysical Journal ; The American Geolo- 

 gist 748 



Societies and Academies : — 



The Academy of Science of St. Louis : Williaji 

 Trelease. New York Academy of Sciences, Sec- 

 tion of Anthropology, PsycJwlogy and Philology : 

 Livingston Farrand. Torrey Botanical Club : 

 W. A. Bastedo. Geological Conference of Har- 

 vard University: T. A. JAGGAE, jR. Philo- 

 sophical Society of Washington: Beenaed R. 

 Geeen 750 



S03IE PBOBLEMS ABOUT TO CONFRONT AS- 



TRONOMERS OF THE TWENTIETH 



CENTURY. 



Members of the New York Academy of Sciences, 

 Ladies and Gentlemen: The nineteenth cen- 

 tury has shown vigorous development in all 

 branches of science, and in none more than in 

 astronomy. The effective work of numerous 

 observers and mathematicians has lifted us 

 to greater heights of knowledge, making 

 visible and clear many things previously 

 discerned dimly. But the elevation has also 

 extended our horizon, and the boundaries 

 of knowledge appear ' infinitely infinite.' 

 This evening I shall not make any attempt 

 to sketch the details, or even the general 

 features of the view before us, as we stand 

 at the end of the century, looking down from 

 the elevated position the scientific workers 

 in astronomy enable us to occupy. I shall 

 content myself with a much narrower sur- 

 vey, selecting here and there some especial 

 part of the field before us, with the desire 

 of stating briefly what has been done in that 

 field and in what condition it now stands. 



From the point of view of the practical 

 astronomer the stars are so many signal 

 lights marking the ' milestones on the great 

 celestial highway traversed by the planets, 

 as well as on the bj^ways of space occasion- 

 ally pursued by comets.' If we desire to 

 know the position of a planet or a comet on 



*Address of the retiring President of the New York 

 Academy of Sciences, March 30, 1896. 



