148 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 473. 



Germany ' Centralbliittei' ' for nearly all the 

 sciences, and there are in all countries ' trade 

 journals ' for the applied sciences such as 

 medicine and engineering. But there exists 

 no journal covering the whole field of scien- 

 tific philosophy, psychology, ethics and logic, 

 appearing at frequent intervals and appealing 

 directly to the interests of all professional 

 students. It is a matter of importance at the 

 present time that the relations between phi- 

 losophy and psychology should remain inti- 

 mate, and that the fundamental methods and 

 concepts of the special sciences, now receiving 

 attention on all sides, should be kept in touch 

 with philosophy in its historic development. 

 What may be accomplished by the prompt 

 publication of short contributions is demon- 

 strated by the Oomptes Rendus of the Paris 

 Academy, whose four-page articles cover 

 nearly the whole scientific activity of Prance. 

 A fortnightly journal is particularly suited for 

 discussion, the interval being just long enough 

 to permit of questions and answers. Pinally 

 the special function of such a journal is the 

 quick and complete publication of reviews and 

 abstracts of the literature." 



The Botanical Gazette for December con- 

 tains the following articles : P. N. Transeau, in 

 a paper ' On the Geographic Distribution and 

 Pcological Relation of the Bog Plant Societies 

 of Northern North America,' finds that the 

 bog plant societies of North America show an 

 optimum dispersal in moist climates subject 

 to great temperature extremes. Relations of 

 the bog societies are with the conifer rather 

 than with the deciduous forests. The bog 

 societies are considered as relicts of former 

 widespread societies, and are observed in vari- 

 ous places largely because of favorable tempera- 

 ture conditions. Pdward W. Berry discusses 

 ' Aralia in American Paleobotany,' giving a 

 critical account of the fossil forms that have 

 been referred to this genus. — In his conclud- 

 ing instalment of ' The Vegetation of the Bay 

 of Pundy Salt and Diked Marshes: an 

 Pcological Study,' Professor Ganong considers 

 the mesophytie and hydrophytic conditions of 

 the Bay of Pundy marshes, also the succession 

 of plants in place and time. In his con- 

 clusion he makes an earnest appeal for more 



careful description of ecological facts, longer 

 periods of study before publication, and ad- 

 vance in the method of correlating meteorolog- 

 ical data with vegetation, the recognition of 

 physiological as well as structural adaptations, 

 and a careful study of the exact nature of 

 plant cooperation and competition. — Alice 

 Eastwood publishes a synopsis of Oarrya, a 

 characteristic California genus, and describes 

 three new species.^ — J. T. Bergen, in a study 

 of ' The Transpiration of Bpartina junceum 

 and other Serophytic Shrubs,' has reached 

 the conclusion that during the leafy season 

 the relative power of transpiration of the 

 leaves compared with that of the cortex is 

 much greater for equal areas, and that leafless 

 individuals of Spartina grow but little in any 

 season. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



THE SAN FRANCISCO SECTION OF THE AMERICAN 

 MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY. 



The fourth regular meeting of the San 

 Prancisco Section of the American Mathe- 

 matical Society was held at the University 

 of California on December 19, 1903. Four- 

 teen members of the society were present. A 

 number of other teachers of mathematics liv- 

 ing in or near San Prancisco attended both 

 of the sessions. The following officers were 

 elected for the ensuing year: 



Clmirman — Professor Allardiee. 

 Secretary — Professor. Miller. 



Program Committee — -Professors Haskell, String- 

 ham and Miller. 



The dates of the regular meetings of the 

 section were changed from May and Decem- 

 ber to February and September. This change 

 is to go into effect after the nest regular meet- 

 ing, which will be held at Stanford University 

 in May. The following papers were read: 



De. E. M. Blake : ' Exhibition of models of 

 polyhedra bounded by regular polygons.' 



Professor M. W. Haskell : ' Brianchon hexa- 

 gons in space.' 



Professor E. E. Allaedice : ' On the locus of 

 the foci of a system of similar conies through 

 three points.' 



Professor Irving Stringham : ' On curvature 

 in absolute space.' 



