SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committee : S. Newcomb, Matbematics ; K. S. Woodwabd, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickeeino-, 



Astronomy ; T. C- Mendenhall, Physios ; R. H. Thdrston, Engineering ; lEA Remsen, Chemistry ; 



Joseph Le Conte, Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Heney F. Osboen, Paleontology ; 



W. K. Beooks, C. Haet Meeeiam, Zoology ; S. H. Scuddeb, Entomology ; C. E. Bessey, 



N. L. Beitton, Botany ; C. S. MiNOT, Embryology, Histology ; H. P. Bowditch, 



Physiology ; J.' S. Billings, Hygiene ; William H. Welch, Pathology ; 



J. McKbbn Cattell, Psychology ; J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, November 9, 1900. 



CONTENTS: 



The Imperial Physico- Technical Institution in Char- 

 loiienbnrg : Peofessoe Heney S. Caehaet... 697 



Plant Geography of North America : — 



The Physiographic Ecology of Northern Michigan : 

 De. Heney C. Cowles 708 



The Relations of the North AmericaJi Flora to that 

 of South America : Peofessoe William L. 

 Beay 708 



Names of Animals published by Osbeck in 1765: 

 Wm. J. Fox 716 



The Carnegie Museum Paleontological Expeditions 

 of 1900: J. B. Hatchee 718 



Opening of the Anthropological Collections in the 

 American 31-useum of Natural History 720 



Scientific Books : — 



Osiioald's Orundlinien der anorganischen Chemie : 

 Peofessoe Wildee D. Banceoft. Twelfth 

 Annual Report on the Railways of the United 

 States: Peofessoe R. H. Thdeston. Bed- 

 dard on Whales : PEOFESSOE H. C. BOMPDS. 

 General. Books Received 732 



Scientific Journals and Articles .". 727 



Societies and Academies : — ■ 



The Biological Society of Washington : F. A. 

 Lucas. The New York Academy of Sciences : Sec- 

 tion of Biology, Peofessoe F. E. Lloyd. Sec- 

 tion of Anthropology and Psychology : PEOFES- 

 SOE Chaeles H. Judd 728 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



The Earliest Use of the Names Sauria and Ba- 

 trachia: De. Theo. GiLL 730 



Notes on Inorganic Chemistry : J. L. H 731 



Notes on Meteorology : — 



Monthly Weather Review; Climate of Cordoba 

 {Argentina) ■.'R. DeC. Waed 731 



An Explosion of Scientific Interest : PEOFESSOE R. 

 H. Thueston 732 



Scientific Notes and News 733 



I and Educational News 736 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Profea- 

 sor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



THE IMPERIAL PHYSICO-TECHNICAL INSTI- 

 TUTION IN CHARLOTTENBURG."^ 



I. HISTORICAL. 



Through the courtesy of Professor Kohl- 

 rausch, President of the Eeichsanstalt, and 

 the Curatorium or governing body of the 

 institution, the writer was accorded the 

 privilege of working in the Physikalisch- 

 Technische Reichsangtalt as a scientific 

 guest during the last few months of 1899. 

 An unusual opportunity was thus afforded 

 of learning rather intimately the methods 

 employed and the results accomplished in 

 this famous institution for the conduct of 

 physical research, the supply of standards 

 and the verification of instruments of pre- 

 cision for scientific and technical purposes. 



It is well-known that the Eeichsanstalt 

 is situated in Charlottenburg, a suburb of 

 Berlin just beyond the renowned Thier- 

 garten. The buildings occupy an entire 

 square, the larger part of which, valued at 

 500,000 Marks, was the gift of Dr. Werner 

 Siemens. In making this gift, which was 

 offered in land or money at the option of 

 the government, Dr. Siemens declared that 

 he had in mind onlj' the object of serving 

 his fatherland and of demonstrating his 

 love for science, to which he avowed him- 

 self entirely indebted for his rise in life. 



* A paper presented at the 146th meeting of the 

 American Institute of Electrical Engineers, New York, 

 September 26, 1900. 



