SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XII. No. 310. 



Frog {Rana vireseens),' by Irving Hardesty. 

 ' Anastomosis of Nerve Cells in the Central 

 Nervous System of Vertebrates,' by N. Worth 

 Brown, with plate ; ' A brief Summary of the 

 Researches of Theodere Kaes on the Medulla- 

 tion of the Intra cortical Fibers of Man at dif- 

 ferent Ages,' by Helen Bradford Thompson ; 

 ' Book Notices.' 



The Botanical Gazette for November con- 

 tains an important paper, by Burton E. Liv- 

 ingston, of the University of Chicago, on the 

 nature of the stimulus which causes the change 

 of form in polymorphic green algse. The form 

 used was a species of Stigeoclonium, and it was 

 made to assume the spherical or filamentous 

 form and to organize zoospores or not at will. 

 The evidence seems perfectly clear that the re- 

 sponses, both in form and reproductive activity, 

 are due to changes in the osmotic pressure of 

 the medium and are in no way functions of its 

 chemical composition. A high osmotic pressure 

 decreases vegetative activity, inhibits the pro- 

 duction of zoospores, causes cylindrical cells to 

 become spherical, and frees the alga from cer- 

 tain limitations as to the orientation of planes 

 of cell division, while a low pressure has the 

 diametrically opposite effect in each case. Pro- 

 fessor Conway MacMillan publishes some care- 

 ful observations upon the structure of Lessonia, 

 one of the huge Laminaria forms. The material 

 studied was cast up upon the beach of Vancou- 

 ver Island. Mr. C. D. Beadle, of the Biltmore 

 Herbarium, describes ten new species of Cratse- 

 gus. Mr. John F. Cowell, Director of the 

 Buffalo Botanic Garden, gives an appreciative 

 biographical sketch, with portrait, of the late 

 David F. Day. Mr. Carleton E. Preston, of 

 Harvard University, records some field obser- 

 vations as to the root system and vegetative 

 propagation of Cactacese. 



Popular Astronomy for December has for a 

 frontispiece the New Allegheny Observatory, 

 whose corner stone was recently laid. The 

 address delivered upon this occasion by J. A. 

 Brash ear is given in full, as well as notes 

 descriptive of the cornep stone exercises and 

 the building itself. Another topic of interest 

 to general readers is that of the Leonid Me- 

 teors watched for last year and this. Pro- 



fessor "W". W. Payne discusses their orbit, and 

 the results of the observations made at va- 

 rious points this year are noted and charted. 

 Kurt Laves' practical help on the ' Adjust- 

 ment of the Equatorial Telescope ' is continued 

 in this number, and Charles P. Howard's 

 paper on the 'Total Eclipse, of May 28, 1900,' 

 is begun. E. S. Holden writes, ' Among the 

 Stars,' and S. W. Burnham contributes two 

 short articles on double stars. Many brief re- 

 ports of the Eros observation work are included 

 in the general notes, which, with the usual 

 Spectroscopic, Planet, Comet, Asteroid notes, 

 completes the last number of the volume for 

 1900. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADE3IIES. 

 GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OP WASHINGTON. 



The 104th regular meeting was held at the 

 Cosmos Club, November 14, 1900. 



The following papers were presented : 



'Notes on Lake Chelan and Vicinity,' by 

 Mr. Bailey Willis. 



The Cascade Mountains of Washington State 

 constitute a plateau, so thoroughly dissected, 

 however, that none of the original surface re- 

 mains. The greater number of the resulting 

 sharp peaks and ridges have summits close to 

 an imaginary sloping plane ranging in altitude 

 from 3,000 to 8,000 feet. The initial uplift was 

 succeeded by development of moderate relief, 

 followed by the last and principal elevation. 

 It is not yet known whether this final uplift is 

 late Pliocene or early Pleistocene. Lake Chelan 

 lies in an area of metamorphic and igneous 

 rocks, the oldest of which are schists of sedi- 

 mentary origin. They are cut by younger 

 granitic rocks. These in turn are traversed by 

 dikes of andesite, diorite porphyry, and acid 

 quartzose porphyries. 



' Remarks on Troost's Geological Map of the 

 Environs of Philadelphia, 1826,' by Mr. G. P. 

 Merrill. 



A copy of this rare map, which the Marcous, 

 in their catalogue of geological maps of North 

 America, state is unknown, was exhibited to 

 the Society. 



' Ore Deposits at Monte Cristo, Washing- 

 ton,' by Mr. J. B. Spurr. Among the rocks of 

 the Monte Cristo district are arkoses and 



