686 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol XII. No. 305. 



work dates from 1832 is calculated to mislead 

 others, it seems desirable to call attention to 

 the facts in the case. 



The earliest American edition of the work, 

 entitled ' The American Edition of the New 

 Edinburgh Encyclopsedia,' was published at 

 Philadelphia by Edw. Parker and Jos. Dela- 

 plaine, Edw. Parker, and Jos. Parker (the firm 

 changing twice apparently), in 18 volumes, each 

 in two parts, making 36 volumes in all. Each 

 has the full title printed on the outside cover, 

 together with the date of publication, which 

 ranges from 1812 to 1831. 



This edition was probably printed directly 

 from the Edinburgh one, as fast as the parts 

 came out. Of this, however, I am not sure, as 

 I have not the dates of the latter at hand. 



After this publication was finished, extra 

 copies, which were apparently struck off from 

 the same type, as they are absolutely identical, 

 were bound up in 18 volumes with a new title 

 page : ' The Edinburgh Encyclopsedia conducted 

 by David Brewster, first American edition,' all 

 the volumes bearing date of 1832. 



The statement ' first American edition ' prob- 

 ably misled Dr. Allen, though except for the 

 title page and introduction, this edition seems 

 to be identical with the real first American edi- 

 tion of 1812-1831. Both ' editions ' are in the 

 library of the Academy of Natural Sciences of 

 Philadelphia. Witmee Stone. 



THE SPENCEE-TOLLES FUND OF THE AMEEICAN 

 MICEOSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 



To THE Editoe of SCIENCE : At the annual 

 meeting of the American Microscopical Society, 

 held in New York City during the last week in 

 June, the especial attention of the Society was 

 directed toward the Spencer-ToUes fund. As 

 many are unfamiliar with the movement, per- 

 mit us to state its history briefly as follows : 



After the death of Charles A. Spencer in 1881 

 and of Robert B. Tolles a few years later, it 

 was deemed fitting that a sum should be raised 

 to provide a proper memorial to the father of 

 American microscopy and his distinguished 

 pupil, as a tribute due their services to the sci- 

 entific world. The first notice of the movement 

 was suflBcient to bring, unsolicited, from the 

 Royal Microscopical Society of London a con- 



tribution for this purpose. Additional sums 

 subscribed by the members and others, together 

 with the natural increase under the careful 

 management of the Custodian, have brought the 

 sum to a total at date of $756. The recent 

 death of Herbert R. Spencer, the last of the 

 three famous American workers, to whose ef- 

 forts toward the perfecting of microscopic ob- 

 jectives the entire scientific world is so deeply 

 indebted, serves as the immediate impulse of 

 this movement toward the enlargement of the 

 fund to a point at which its income may be suf- 

 ficient to encourage in some way the advance- 

 ment of science. It is accordingly desired that 

 this tribute to the Spencers, father and son, and 

 to their co-worker, Mr. Tolles, should be in- 

 creased at once to the sum of at least $1,200, 

 in order that the income therefrom may be 

 offered each year under proper conditions as a 

 reward for or assistance toward some scientific 

 work or investigation of suitable character. 



To this end the undersigned were appointed 

 by the Society to secure cooperation in the 

 effort to increase the fund, and to solicit con- 

 tributions toward that end. We believe that 

 the object will appeal to every one who is called 

 upon to use the microscope in any capacity 

 whatever, and contributions will be welcomed 

 from all. Remittance should be made to Mr. 

 Magnus Pflaum, Custodian of the Spencer- 

 Tolles Fund, Bakewell Law Building, Pittsburg, 

 Pa., who will at once return a proper receipt for 

 the same. 



For the American Microscopical Society. 

 Committee : 



Heney B. Ward, The University of Ne- 

 braska, Lincoln. 



Adolph Feiel, 520 East Main St., Colum- 

 bus, Ohio. 



Henry R. Howland, 217 Sumner St., 

 Buffalo, N. Y. 



Custodian : 



Magnus Pflaum, Bakewell Law Building, 

 Pittsburg, Pa. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



TOREEY botanical club, OCTOBER 9, 1900. 



The scientific program consisted of reports 

 of summer work. 



