Maech 4, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



383 



Cambrian rocks of the Encampment region, 

 with east-west axes, were reduced to a pene- 

 plain at a time as yet undetermined, and the 

 warping of this old surface by post-Mesozoie 

 disturbances produced the arches of the present 

 mountains, with their axes north and south. 

 This peneplain is recognizable on the conti- 

 nental divide and the long spurs and parallel 

 ranges to the east and west in the Encamp- 

 ment region. The sedimentary strata occupy- 

 ing the flanks of the mountains and valleys 

 and ' parks ' of this region doubtless once cov- 

 ered most, if not all, of the peneplain, but it 

 has been laid bare over large areas of higher 

 ground by subsequent denudation and more 

 or less deeply incised by the streams. Brief 

 reference was made to the dissection of the 

 floors of some of the ' parks ' by the streams 

 draining them; to the systems of terraces 

 occurring along nearly all the larger streams 

 of the region and the diverse hypotheses ac- 

 counting for their origin, and to the minor 

 glacial phenomena. The paper was illus- 

 trated by a considerable number of lantern 

 slides and maps. F. S. Shiver, 



Secretary. 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



convocation week. 

 To THE Editor of Science : I heartily agree 

 with the views expressed in your editorial of 

 January 8 in regard to the affiliation of the 

 various national scientific societies. If scien- 

 tific men in this country are to exercise the 

 influence they ought to exercise in educational 

 matters; if they are to influence legislative 

 action when it concerns scientific work; if 

 they are to hold the place in the country which 

 is due to them and their work, they must come 

 together; they must learn to know each other 

 and to act as a unit. It seems to me that it 

 is very important to bring the scientific bodies 

 together at least once a year. The American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science 

 has taken the initiative because it is the 

 largest of all of the scientific societies. Its 

 policy has been to hold a meeting during con- 

 vocation week and invite the other scientific 

 societies to meet ■ at the same time and at the 



same place. The greatest freedom has been 

 granted these bodies, and all the privileges 

 which the large membership of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science 

 secures have been granted to them. There 

 seems to be a feeling on the part of some of 

 the societies, however, that the large associa- 

 tion is trying to influence their action and 

 force them into affiliation with it. I am con- 

 fident that the only desire of the American 

 Association is to bring the scientific men to- 

 gether for the good of all. 



I would suggest that each national scientific 

 society be asked to send a representative to a 

 meeting to be held at some central point be- 

 fore next summer, where this whole question 

 can be discussed in all of its bearings, and 

 see whether it is not possible to arrange for 

 meetings of all of the societies at the same 

 time and place once each year or at other 

 stated intervals. Such a committee could 

 discuss the advantages and disadvantages of 

 such gatherings, the influence which could be 

 brought to bear upon scientific education and 

 research and many other matters which would 

 naturally suggest themselves. I believe that 

 Science might take the initiative and request 

 the various scientific societies to send repre- 

 sentatives to such a meeting. 



Charles S. Howe. 



Case School of Applied Science. 



As the editor of Science has pointed out, 

 the advantages of the winter meetings of the 

 American Association and of its afiiliated so- 

 cieties are evident, and they certainly are 

 desirable for those who can afford to attend 

 them. The council, it is to be presumed, 

 would be glad, however, to hear and to con- 

 sider objections. Those of us who live on the 

 Pacific slope have some that are peculiarly our 

 own. 



1. In order to attend a winter meeting we 

 are obliged to rush off at the beginning of 

 our very short Christmas vacation, and to 

 spend a large part of that vacation crossing 

 and recrossing the continent. 



2. The trip is one of several thousand miles 

 that requires from six to ten days on trains. 



3. For this long trip we are unable to obtain 



