770 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 489. 



is usable by amateurs and other non-technical 

 bryologists. The general botanist who wishes 

 to know something about all kinds of plants 

 has often felt that there is a needless techni- 

 cality in the books devoted to the lower plants, 

 and with the single exception of the lichens, 

 the mosses have suffered most of all. Several 

 years ago Professor Grout began work on the 

 descriptive botany of the mosses with the in- 

 tention of remedying this condition of things, 

 and the result was a handy little elementary 

 manual entitled 'Mosses with a Hand-Lens.' 

 The success of this booklet has encouraged 

 him to undertake a larger book, to which he 

 gives the name ' Mosses with Hand-Lens and 

 Microscope.' Of this. Part I. was published 

 some time last year and was noticed in Science 

 upon its appearance. Part H. is now in the 

 press, and is to appear about the middle of 

 May. An examination of advanced sheets 

 shows that this is to be still better than the 

 first part. With this book, when completed, 

 the study of the mosses will be little more diffi- 

 cult than that of the flowering plants. 



SUMMER BOTANY. 



The seaside laboratories are tempting bot- 

 anists to vacation work at Woods Hole, Cold 

 Spring Harbor and Vancouver Island, with 

 several more stations yet to be heard from. 

 In the interior the Lakeside Laboratory at 

 Cedar Point (near Sandusky), and the alpine 

 laboratory on Pike's Peak offer to the in- 

 lander out-of-door recreation mingled with 

 serious study. There should be little difficulty 

 in determining where to go, in case one wants 

 to get out into the air while at work. The 

 sea always calls some of us, and the moun- 

 tains too call us with a voice that we can not 

 resist. Down by the sea we may study the 

 strange and beautiful things that grow in the 

 depths; on the mountain side we may study 

 ' changes in vegetation due to altitude and low 

 temperature. At the seaside we may bathe 

 when we are warm and tired ; on the mountain 

 side we cool off in the thin air two miles 

 above sea level, and rest under the fragrant 

 Rocky Mountain pines and fir trees. Where- 

 ever we go we may do a little work — ^possibly 

 a good piece of work; at any rate we may be 



refreshed physically and mentally, so as to 

 return to our class-rooms and laboratories in 

 September able to do better work there. 



Charles E. Bessey. 



THE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF THE 

 BUREAU OF FISHERIES AT WOODS 

 HOLE, MASS. 

 The laboratory will be thrown open on June 

 16, and will be at the service of a limited num- 

 ber of investigators, for the study of prob- 

 lems in marine biology, from that date until 

 the middle of September. The occupant of a 

 table will as usual be furnished with the ordi- 

 nary apparatus and reagents and with ma- 

 terial for research free of charge. Certain of 

 the steam and other vessels of the bureau will 

 be at the disposal of the laboratory, and sys- 

 tematic collecting will be in progress during 

 the entire season. Candidates for laboratory 

 privileges are advised to submit their applica- 

 tions as early as possible. Those who are not 

 already known at the station will be expected 

 to offer evidence of their qualifications. . Ap- 

 plications should be sent to the director. Dr. 

 F. B. Sumner, College of the City of New 

 York, New York, N. Y. 



SCIENTIFIC POSITIONS IN THE PHILIP- 

 PINE ISLANDS. 

 The Civil Service Commission announces 

 that on June 1-2, 1904, examinations will be 

 held for the positions named below in the 

 Bureau of Government Laboratories at Ma- 

 nila, P. I. 



Pathologist $1,800 



Pharmacologist 1,800 



Chemist, Analytical Division, soils and 



waters 1,600 



Chemist, Economic Products Division, fa- 

 miliar with organic chemistry, essential 



oils, etc 1,600 



Chemist and collector. Economic Products 



Division 1,500 



Assistant for physical chemist 1,500 



Entomologist 1,400 



Bacteriologist of Serum Division 1,400 



These salaries represent the lowest salaries 

 for entrance into the Bureau and it is the 

 plan, as far as possible in the future, to bring 

 in new men in the lowest salaried positions. 



