798 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 490. 



1. Let the association keep up all its sec- 

 tions, possibly adding to the number, freely 

 cooperating with special societies, each section 

 showing a willingness to unite in preparing a 

 program with any one or more special societies 

 having a like object. 



2. Years ago at meetings of the association, 

 T;he late W. A. Rogers in Boston and E. S. 

 Morse in Detroit, strenuously advocated the 

 presentation of no papers that did not present 

 the results of original work. Professor Cope 

 often took the same ground, not infrequently 

 helping to reject papers because of their pop- 

 ular nature. 



I have recently thought it desirable to have 

 a number of speakers selected by officers of the 

 sections, perhaps with the approval of the 

 council, to present some topic or series of 

 topics in a popular way to attract ' outsiders.' 

 It woiild hardly be safe to permit any volun- 

 teers to present pajjers on a popular topic. 



3. Education, economies, but not philology. 



4. Once a year, preferably in winter, till this 

 date has had a fair trial. 



5. Meet most of the time in populous re- 

 gions from Washington to Boston, Detroit, 

 Chicago, where many people are most sure to 

 attend. 



6. The association through Science is now 

 performing a great work. W. J. Beal. 



ERRORS IN NOMENCLATURE. 



To THE Editor of Science: In the Ameri- 

 can Naturalist for February is a paper by 

 Miss E. G. Mitchell purporting to date from 

 Cornell University and expressing acknowledg- 

 ments to Instructor H. D. Reed and myself. 

 Besides some typographic errors it contains so 

 many incorrect generic and specific names 

 that, in justice to the university and our- 

 selves. Dr. Reed and I feel obliged to dis- 

 claim responsibility for them. Two years ago 

 some dissections and observations were made 

 by Miss Mitchell in this laboratory, and she 

 was probably encouraged to complete and pub- 

 lish them. But at that time our concern was 

 with the subject-matter, and we did not un- 

 dertake to verify the names of the fishes ex- 

 amined. Neither the manuscript nor a proof 

 has been submitted to us recently, as would 



have been required before assenting to publi- 

 cation as if from the department. Others, 

 like ourselves, probably query why the paper 

 was not passed upon by the ichthyological 

 editor of the Naturalist. A list of corrections 

 has been sent to Miss Mitchell, in Louisiana, 

 with the expectation that she will request their 

 immediate publication. Burt G. Wilder. 

 Ithaca, N. Y. 

 May 2, 1904. 



SPECIAL ARTICLES. 

 A reference to the origin of species in an 



EARLY letter (1796) SIGNED BY BOTH 

 LAMARCK AND GEOFFEOY. 



Among the papers of the elder Peale which 

 were recently dispersed in Philadelphia was a 

 four-page letter in folio, on official paper, 

 signed by Lamarck as director of the Museum 

 of Natural History and by GeofFroy as ' pro- 

 fessor and secretary.' The writing is in the 

 hand of Geoffroy, and it is, accordingly, fair to 

 assume the composition and the doing into 

 English were also his. The ideas, however, 

 are subscribed to by Lamarck ' for director ' 

 in his characteristic hand. 



One might add that manuscripts connected 

 with Lamarck are rare ; in fact, few are known 

 which touch upon variation in species, and the 

 present letter may, therefore, be quoted 

 literatim, for what it contains of an extra 

 philosophical nature will be at least of human 

 interest as indicating the type of correspond- 

 ence which such a man as Peale would have 

 read to his colleagues of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences. 



at Paris, 30 Juny 1796 



LIBEKT£, tGAUTt, FKATERNITE. 

 MUS:6UM NATIONAL 

 d'histoire NATUEELLE. 

 The Professors directors of the National Mu- 

 seum OF Natural History To Mr. Peales, 

 at Philadelphia. 

 Sir, 



Mr. Beauvois has transmitted us the letter 

 wich you directed to him, by wich you propose 

 yoursel to enter into a correspondance with the 

 Museum of Natural History of the freneh Nation. 

 We are pleased to seize an opportunity wich can 

 afford us some communication with a Naturalist 

 of your merit. Every thing you announce is 



