106 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 472. 



ducted experiments seem to be those by Gor- 

 ham and Tower; and in the lack of further 

 evidence in favor of an intracellular action of 

 KCN in this connection, we must conclude 

 that the destruction of the bacteria by the 

 KCN removes the condition which causes the 

 death of the cell, and in the absence of which 

 the eggs retain their potential power for 

 growth after fertilization. 

 Results of Recent Investigations in Proteid 



Chemistry: P. A. Levene. 



Eecent work on the chemistry of the pro- 

 teid molecule has furnished explanation of 

 many biological phenomena. Thus, in cer- 

 tain pathological conditions there appears in 

 the urine a sulphur and nitrogen-containing 

 substance, cystin. The source of the substance 

 in the organism had been unknown, until 

 through the efforts of Morner and Embden 

 and others, its radical was demonstrated to be 

 a normal constitiient of the proteid molecule. 



The chromatin of a developed cell differs 

 from that of an unfertilized egg by the pres- 

 ence in it of radicals of purin bases. It is 

 probable that these bases are derived from the 

 histidin radical, which is also a normal con- 

 stituent of proteids. 



Hemoglobin is known to be absent from 

 the unfertilized egg and it appears only in 

 course of development of the embryo. It 

 was shown recently that the non-proteid part 

 of hemoglobin is a pyrrol derivative and it is 

 probable that a pyrrol radical is present in 

 the proteid molecule. Chlorophyl is also a 

 pyrrol derivative, a fact further establishing 

 its close relationship to hemoglobin. 



The work of Emil Fischer points to the 

 way in which the various component radicals 

 may combine in order to form the proteid 

 molecule, and makes probable the eventual 

 synthesis of true proteid material. 



New Memhers. — The gentlemen named be- 

 low were elected to membership : A. C. Abbott, 

 Isaac Adler, B. H. Buxton, J. McK. Cattell, 

 H. L. Gushing, E. K. Dunham, Simon Flex- 

 ner, Eeid Hunt, Hugo Miinsterberg, J. A. 

 Murlin, Horst Oertel, E. L. Opie, Theobald 

 Smith, A. B. Wadsworth, E. S. Woodworth, 

 Naohide Yatsu. William J. GiES, 



Secretary. 



THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. SECTION 

 OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY. 



The section met on November 23, in con- 

 junction with the American Ethnological So- 

 ciety. A paper was read by Dr. Clark Wissler, 

 ' Eecent Eesearches on the Decorative Art of 

 the Plains Indians.' 



It was demonstrated by specimens and ex- 

 planations that among the Indians of the 

 plains may be found a type of graphic art 

 that is purely decorative in contrast to a type 

 that is absolutely symbolic. In addition, a 

 transition type occurs in which both the sym- 

 bolic and the asthetic motives function. The 

 whole of this art is the work of women. In 

 the purely decorative art complex, geometric 

 designs are built up from simple geometrical 

 elements. These elementary designs have 

 technical names and are worked into composi- 

 tions according to recognized principles and 

 standards. In the symbolic art the designs 

 are conventional representations of objects 

 with sacred or mystic associations and are 

 realistic in motive. While a number of con- 

 ventional designs are used which are known 

 once to have possessed symbolic value and 

 to have originated in realistic motives, the 

 majority of desig-n elements do not appear to 

 have originated in this way. Their occa- 

 sional use in a symbolic sense is an after- 

 thought and a makeshift. From which it ap- 

 pears that the graphic art of these Indians, as 

 we find it to-day, is an objective development 

 in contrast to the subjective symbolism of 

 other tribes. James E. Lough, 



Secretary. 



SECTION OF GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 



The regular meeting of the section took 

 place December 14, 1903, with Professor James 

 F. Kemp in the chair. 



The first paper on the program was ' Ex- 

 plorations and First Ascents in the Ganadian 

 Eockies,' by Professor Herschel C. Parker. 



This paper occupied the evening. It con- 

 sisted of an illustrated lecture describing the 

 section of the Eocky Mountains in British 

 Columbia and Alberta known as the ' Ga- 

 nadian Alps.' 



In a brief introduction an explanation was 



