SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 



OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Editokial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodward, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickebing, 

 Astronomy ; T. C Mbndenhall, Physics ; R. H. Thukston, Engineering ; Iea Remsen, Chemistry ; 

 Chaeles D. Walcott, Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Heney F. Osboen, Paleon- 

 tology ; W. K. Beooks, C. Haet Meeeiam, Zoology ; S. H. Scuddbe, Entomology ; C. E. 

 Bessey, N. L. Beitton, Botany ; C. S. Minot, Emhryology, Histology ; H. P. Bow- 

 DiTCH, Physiology ; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; William H. Welch, Pathol- 

 ogy ; J. MoKbbn Cattbll, Psychology ; J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, February 21, 1902. 



CONTENTS: 



The Story of the Establishment of the Nation- 

 al Bureau of Staiidards : President Heney 

 S. Pbitchett 281 



The, Astronomical and Astrophysical Society 

 of America (II.) : W. S. Eichblbeeger . . . . 284 



The Relation of the American Society of Nat- 

 uralists to other Scientific Societies: Peo- 

 FESSOE E. A. BlEGE 299 



Alpheus Hyatt: Samuel Henshaw 300 



Scientific Books: — 



Baldivin's Dictionary of Philosophy and 

 Psychology: Peofessoe Erank Thilly. 

 Botanical Stirvey of the Dismal Sicamp: 

 De. Fsedeeic E. Clements. Monographic 

 der Termiten Afrikas : N. Banks .302 



Scientific Journals and Articles 307 



Societies and Academies: — 



The Northeastern Section of the American 

 Chemical Society: Heney Fay. New York 

 Academy of Sciences, Section of Anthropol- 

 ogy and Psychology: De. R. S. Wood- 

 WOKTH. Section of Astronomy, Physics and 

 Chemistry: Dr. F. L. Tufts. Zoological 

 Glut of the University of Chicago: De. C. 

 M. Child. The Texas Academy of Sciences : 

 Peofessoe F. W. Simonds. The Elisha 

 Mitchell Scientific Society: Peofessoe 

 Chas. Baskeeville 308 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 



.4- Geographical Society of North America: 

 Peofessoe W. M. Davis. The Rise of Al- 

 kali Salts to the Soil Surface: Peofessoe 

 E. W. Hilgard. Reprints of Scientific Pa- 

 pers: De. Robert MacDougall. The Sac- 

 ramento Forests of New Mexico : Dr. 

 RoBEET T. Hill j?13 



Shorter Articles: — 



The Emiryo of Nymphcea: Heney S. Co- 

 naed 316 



William LeRoy Broun 316 



Scientific Notes and News 317 



University and Educational Neics 320 



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

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

 fessor .T. McKeen Oattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



THE STORY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 



THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF 



STANDARDS. 



The passage of a bill, during the closing 

 days of the last session of Congress, pro- 

 viding for the establishment of a National 

 Bureau of Standards, came as a surprise to 

 many. As the work of this bureau ought 

 in the future to have a large bearing upon 

 science and industry it may not be without 

 interest to record the circumstances under 

 which this legislation was effected, and to 

 bring to the attention of those who in the 

 future may be interested in the matter the 

 names of a few men who, though not men 

 of science, gave their time and labor 

 heartily in the interest of this work. It 

 has so happened that, although my own 

 part in this has been very small, the cir- 

 cumstances have been known to me. 



The National Bureau of Standards, as the 

 new title reads, grew out of what has been 

 called for many years the Office of Weights 

 and Measures. In the early thirties 

 large discrepancies were discovered in the 

 weights and measures of the United States 

 in the various custom-houses, and Congress 

 authorized the Secretary of the Treasury 

 to establish a shop for the manufacture of 

 uniform standards. In 1836 provision was 

 made for similar standards for the different 

 states, and the ' Office of Standard Weights 

 and Measures ' was established. 



