May 23, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



82k 



Medicago marina, Eryngium maritimum, 

 Echinophora spinosa,. Polygonum maritimum, 

 Agropyrum, Juncus, etc; (3) the strand cliff 

 formation, Crithmum, Lotus, Btatice and 

 Inula; (4) the halophytic strand formation, 

 Atropis, Atriplex, Salicornia, Suoeda, Salsola, 

 etc. ; (5) the saltmarsh formation, Juncus, 

 Scirpus, Carex, Althcea and Tamarix; (6) the 

 strand meadow formation, and (Y) the fresh- 

 water swamps. 



The forest formations of the interior are 

 the following: (1) the oak-ash formation 

 Quercus, Fraxinus, Acer, Ulmus and Prunus, 

 a very widely distributed and extensive vege- 

 tation, with several closely related oak for- 

 mations; (2) the formation of the black pine 

 {Pinus nigra), resembling the Mediterranean 

 formation in few points other than the single 

 common facies; (3) the birch formation 

 {Betula alba) found here and there through- 

 out the interior; (4) the stream bank forma- 

 tion {Alnus and Salix) ; (5) the poplar for- 

 mation (Populus alba, P. nigra) of the broad 

 moist valleys. The only extensive thicket 

 formation is of a mixed character, containing 

 Corylus, Juniperus, Populus, Carpinus, Acer, 

 Cratcegus, Fraxinus, etc. The herbaceous 

 formations of a closed character are the heath, 

 the mountain meadow, the meadow, and the 

 swamp meadow. The open formations are 

 those of the rockfield, the sandbanks, and the 

 swamps, pools and streams. 



The vegetation of the mountain region is 

 treated in exhaustive fashion. The tabular 

 statement of the positions of the various for- 

 mations in the different ranges, found from 

 pages '287 to 304, cannot be too highly com- 

 mended. In itself, it is a notable contribu- 

 tion, showing in graphic fashion the zonation 

 and alternation of the mountain vegetation. 

 The forests comprise the red beech formation 

 (Fagus silvatica) , the pine formations {Pinus 

 leucodermis, P. pence), the fir formation 

 (JPicea omorica), the spruce and fir formation 

 {Picea vulgaris, Abies alba), and the mixed 

 formation, containing Picea, Ahies, Pinus, 

 Fagus, Acer, etc. The subalpine thickets are 

 composed largely of Pinus mughus, Bhodo- 

 dendrum, Juniperus, Alnus, Salix and Fagus. 

 The herbaceous vegetation comprises the sub- 



alpine herb, the alpine mat, and the peralpine 

 rockfield formations. 



The marine vegetation is considered briefly 

 under the headings, litoral region and sea 

 region; no formational limitation is at- 

 tempted. The special consideration of the 

 floristic of the vegetation is found in the 

 third and fourth parts. The two charts, 

 one showing the distribution of the forma- 

 tions over the entire country and vertically 

 on the mountains, the other the vegetation 

 regions, are excellent, and are of the greatest 

 service in gaining a knowledge of the general 

 features of the vegetation. The whole book 

 impresses one with its modernness and 

 thoroughness. The author moreover has been 

 exceptionally happy in picturing formations 

 by description, a fact which has caused 

 the lack of numerous illustrations to be much 

 less noticeable. Frederic E. Clements. 



The Univeesitt of Nebraska. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY. 



A REGULAR meetin'g of the American Mathe- 

 matical Society was held at Columbia Univer- 

 sity on Saturday, April 26. The President 

 of the Society, Professor Eliakim Hastings 

 Moore, occupied the chair, yielding it during 

 the afternoon session to Professor Thomas S. 

 Piske. Thirty-seven members were in at- 

 tendance at the two sessions. The Council 

 announced the election of the following per- 

 sons to membership in the Society: Professor 

 C. E. Bikle, Columbia University; Professor 

 E. W. Duke, Hollins Institute, Va. ; Dr. J. G. 

 Hardy, Williams College; Professor H. L. 

 Hodgkins, Columbian University; Dr. J. IST. 

 Ivey, Tulane University; Dr. J. H. McDonald, 

 University of California; Dr. H. C. Moreno, 

 Stanford University; Dr. T. M. Putnam, 

 University of California; Dr. E. W. Eettger, 

 University of California; Mr. W. H. Roever, 

 Harvard University; Professor Irving String- 

 ham, University of California; Dr. S. D. 

 Townley, University of California; Mr. H. E. 

 Webb, Stevens School, Hoboken, N. J.; Mr. 

 A. W. Whitney, University of California. 

 Three applications for admission to member- 

 ship were received. 



