SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 



OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Friday, June 24, 1904. 



CONTENTS: 



The Organization and Work of the Bureau of 

 Standards : Dr. Edwaed B. Rosa 937 



Scientific Books: — 



Rice on Christian Faith in an Age of Sci- 

 ence: R. M. W 949 



Societies and Academies: — 



Section of Anthropology and Psychology of 

 the Neio York Academy of Science: De. 

 James E. Lough 950 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



A Flying Machine in the Army: Brigadier 

 General Edward Wellman Serkell. 

 Notes on Animal Behaviour: Dr. Arthur 

 W. Weysse 952 



Special Articles: — 



The Inheritance of Song in Passerine Birds : 

 William E. D. Scott. Standards of Audi- 

 tion: De. I. M. Bentley 975 



Quotations : — 



l^he Atlantic City Session of the American 

 Medical Association; Dedication of the 

 Medical Laboratories of the University of 

 Pennsylvania •. . . 961 



Botanical Notes: — 



Adirondack Plants; Algae in Water Sup- 

 plies; Structure of the Plant Nucleolus; 

 Number of Pollen Grains in Indian Corn; 

 The Early Palling of Box-elder Leaves; 

 Philippine Plant Names: Professor Chas. 

 E. Bessey 963 



Expedition for Solar Research 964 



Carnegie Institution Of Washington 965 



Scientific Notes and Netcs 966 



University and Educational News 968 



MSS. intended for publication and hook", etp... iTitended 

 for review stiould be sent to the Elitor of Science, flnrri- 

 8oi-on-Hud8on, N. Y. 



THE ORGANIZATION AND WORK OF TEE 

 BUREAU OF STANDARDS. 



The Bureau of Standards was organized 

 July 1, 1901, as one of the Bureaus of the 

 Treasury Department, and Professor S. W. 

 Stratton, of the Chicago University, was 

 appointed director. On July 1, 1903, it 

 was transferred along with certain other 

 bureaus to the newly established Depart- 

 ment of Commerce and Labor. 



The functions of the Bureau of Stand- 

 ards are briefly stated in the act of con- 

 gress by which it was established. The 

 bureau is to acquire and construct when 

 necessary copies of the standards adopted 

 or recognized by the government, their 

 multiples and subdivisions; to make accu- 

 rate comparisons with these standards of 

 instruments and standards employed in 

 scientific investigations, engineering, manu- 

 facturing, commerce and educational insti- 

 tutions; to conduct researches pertaining 

 to precision measurements and to determine 

 the physical constants and properties of 

 materials. The bureau is also to furnish 

 such information concerning standards, 

 methods of measurement, physical con- 

 stants and the properties of materials as 

 may be at its disposal, and is authorized to 

 exercise its functions for the government 

 of the United States, for state or municipal 

 governments, for scientific societies, educa- 

 tional institutions, corporations, firms or 

 individuals, and although not expressly 

 authorized in the act referred to, sometimes 

 also serves foreign governments. No fees 

 are collected for services performed for the 

 national or state governments. From 

 others a reasonable fee is charged, and a 



