228 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVI. No. 659 



the peneplain of the Veld had probably been 

 worn down with reference to the normal base- 

 level of the ocean when the region stood' 

 several thousand feet lower than now; and 

 that its uplift is so recent that, over most of 

 the surface, the long, west-flowing rivers have 

 not yet had time to deepen their valleys in 

 their upper and middle courses. Farther 

 towards the Atlantic, it is to be expected that 

 a beginning of incision must already have 

 been made; but critical observations are 

 lacking in that direction. 



Further physiographic results of the same 

 excursion are presented in an article on " The 

 Mountains of Southernmost Africa " (Bull. 

 Amer. Oeogr. Soc, XXXVIIL, 1906, 593- 

 €23), where the heavy Mesozoic series and a 

 conformably underlying Paleozoic series are 

 folded in well-defined east-west anticlines and 

 synclines, apparently peneplained in one cycle 

 and greatly eroded in a second, with the result 

 of developing a remarkably well-adjusted 

 drainage system, containing excellent examples 

 of subsequent and resequent streams, as well 

 as of deep-cut transverse water gaps in the 

 ridges. Many of the ridges are anticlines, and 

 serve admirably to correct the prevailing mis- 

 apprehension that the ridges of long-eroded 

 mountains should be of synclinal structure. 



W. M. D. 



DEDICATION OF THE ALDROVANDI MV ■ 



8EUM OF TEE UNIVERSITY OF 



BOLOGNA, ITALY 



With felicitous ceremonies, extending 

 through June 11-13, the University of Bo- 

 logna has dedicated to the memory of the 

 illustrious seventeenth century Bolognese nat- 

 uralist, Aldrovandus, a new geological mu- 

 seum. ' Amongst the foreign universities rep- 

 resented were Glasgow, Oxford, Cambridge, 

 Berlin, Konigsberg, Breslau, Halle, Vienna, 

 Paris, Upsala, Christiania, Pennsylvania, 

 Yale, Michigan, Cornell, etc. 



The addresses on the principal day were 

 delivered before a distinguished audience in 

 the Ai-chgymnasium, Senator Capellini, presi- 

 dent of the University of Bologna, presiding. 

 Following his eloquent address, a study of the 



motif of the occasion was given by Professor 

 Costa. Responses from foreign countries were 

 given by Professors Brusina, of Agram; Pelis- 

 sier, of Montpellier; Ferguson, of Glasgow; 

 Schiick, of Upsala; Borcea, of Rumania; 

 Eichter, of Hungary, and Dr. Wieland, of the 

 Carnegie Institution of Washington. The 

 celebration was finally concluded by a dinner 

 tendered the delegates by the mayor of Bo- 

 logna. 



The University of Bologna enjoys the proud 

 distinction of being the oldest university in 

 Europe, and possesses in addition to fine zool- 

 ogical collections, paleontological collections 

 of great importance, as well remembered by 

 Americans, due, largely, to the indefatigable 

 efforts of Senator Capellini, now extending 

 through a period of fifty years. This ancient 

 university, so thoroughly imbued with the 

 spirit of modern research and enterprise, is 

 indeed to be congratulated on thus coupling 

 the deep historical interest of the vast and 

 wonderful pioneer labors of Aldrovandus, 

 whom Capellini happily compares with Aris- 

 totle, with twentieth century science. 



G. E. W. 



CENTENARY OF THE GEOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY ' 



In September next the Geological Society 

 will celebrate its hundredth birthday. In 

 honor of this interesting occasion preparations 

 have for some time been in progress. Invita- 

 tions to the celebration have been issued to all 

 the foreign members and foreign correspond- 

 ents of the society; the various geological 

 surveys all over the globe, universities having 

 chairs of geology or mineralogy, scientific 

 academies, societies and musevmis at home and 

 abroad have been invited to send delegates to 

 London. The large number of acceptances 

 already received include the names of many 

 of the most distinguished geologists of the 

 present day, both in the old and the new 

 world. 



It has been arranged that a series of excur- 

 sions to various parts of this country shall 

 take place before the centennial meeting, 



'■ From Nature. 



