538 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 483. 



pology. Otliei- papers were read on Maori 

 folk-lore and studies on various southern 

 languages. 



'The Influence of the Southern Ocean 

 on Australasian Climates' was the presi- 

 dential address of Professor Gregory in 

 the geography section. The effect of 

 oceanic circulation upon weather condi- 

 tions and the occurrence of weather cycles 

 were the two points most strongly insisted 

 on. Mr. Bowen gave a highly interesting 

 account of the work of the Discovery in 

 the South Seas, illustrating his remarks by 

 lantern slides prepared from photographs 

 taken by the expedition. 



Agriculture in Section G2 dealt with 

 highly practical matters. The president, 

 Mr. Cato, chose for his subject 'Pomology.' 

 Mr. Gilruth read an important paper on 

 'The Effect of Injection of Non-pathogenic 

 Cultures with Virulent Ones of Anthrax.' 

 He showed that the anthrax was under cer- 

 tain conditions rendered quite innocuous 

 by this means. 



In the architectural section the presi- 

 dent, Mr. Deane, dealt with 'Day Laborers 

 on Government Works.' This attracted 

 much attention because of the many in- 

 stances of colonial governments doing their 

 own contracting. 



In the sanitary science section Dr. Tids- 

 well, in dealing with the hygienic action of 

 boric acid, spoke strongly of the deleterious 

 effect that this acid has even when used in 

 small quantities as a preservative of dairy 

 produce. 



The education section was the best at- 

 tended and a larger number of papers was 

 presented to it than to any other section. 

 The disciissions evoked in many cases were 

 animated. The president dealt with ele- 

 mentary education in Queensland, and 

 there were papers on the teaching of mod- 

 ern languages, mathematics, geography, 

 etc., and the discussions will probably do 



much towards the adoption of modern edu- 

 cational methods in Australasia. 



Besides the formal meetings of members 

 the association had provided numerous ex- 

 cursions to the many points of scenic or 

 scientific interest in the neighborhood of 

 Dunedin. The botanists were mixch inter- 

 ested in the abundance of the endemic New 

 Zealand flora still to be found near the 

 town. The geologists viewed and collected 

 from the outcrops of the rare and peculiar 

 alkaline rocks that occur in the Otago 

 Peninsula in such profusion. 



Several of the leading citizens of the 

 town entertained the visitors by drives into 

 the country and at afternoon parties at 

 their residences and enabled the workers 

 in various branches of science to meet in 

 social intercourse. 



P. Marshall. 



Otago Univeksity. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. 

 Ahoriginal American Basketry: Studies in a 

 Textile Art Without Machinery. By Otis 

 TuFTON Mason. From the Eeport of the U. 

 S. National Museum for 1902, pp. 171-548, 

 with 248 plates. Washington, 1904. 

 A number of influences have been operating- 

 for ten years or more to arouse an interest, 

 both scientific and popular, in the basketry of 

 the American Indians. Our museums have 

 sent their representatives far and wide in the 

 search for types, and the competition of pri- 

 vate collectors has resulted in a species of 

 basket hysteria which shows no particular 

 signs of abating. This interest, however 

 aroused, is widespread and real and has at 

 last found fitting expression in the sumptuous 

 memoir on the subject which has just ap- 

 peared from the pen of Otis T. Mason. Pro- 

 fessor Mason has long ranl^ed as the leading 

 American authority on primitive industries 

 and technique and there was no one so well 

 equipped as he to undertake the task of col- 

 lecting and reviewing the results of the scat- 

 tered studies which have recently been ac- 

 cumulating at a rapid rate. He has acquitted 

 himself admirably. 



