June 14, 1907] 



SCIENCE 



949 



size on most maps. The deflection of the Eed 

 river by the raft to the northeast side of its 

 flood plain, and the resulting development of 

 rapids, not yet graded, where it turns by a 

 new course into the Mississippi flood-plain are 

 items worth mention. 



The lakes on the tributaries of the Danube 

 near its mouth have, like those lateral to the 

 Eed river of Louisiana, been explained as due 

 to aggradation of the main-river flood-plain. 

 In view of the above restatement of the prob- 

 lem of the Eed river lakes, that of the Danube 

 lakes also may require a new interpretation. 

 W. M. D. 



THE BICENTENARY OF LINN^VS 

 The trustees of the British Museum have 

 deputed one of their officers. Dr. F. A. Bather, 

 assistant keeper of the geological department, 

 to represent the museum at the celebrations in 

 Sweden of the bicentenary of the birth of 

 Linnaeus. Dr. Bather has been instructed to 

 present two addresses to the University of 

 Upsala and the Swedish Academy of Sciences, 

 the former of which reads as follows : 



The British Museum (Natural History), London. 



To the Royal University of Upsala. 



It is with feelings of peculiar indebtedness that 

 the Board of Trustees of the British Museum 

 desires on this occasion to greet and congratulate 

 the University of Linnaeus. 



In January, 1758, was published the tenth edi- 

 tion of the ' Systema Naturse,' the edition from 

 which the zoologists of the world now date the 

 technical nomenclature of animals. In January, 

 1759, the British Museum was first opened to the 

 public, and its Natural History Departments be- 

 gan the systematic study of the living and extinct 

 animals and plants, taking for their guidance the 

 works of Linnaeus, and for their teacher his favor- 

 ite pupil, Daniel Charles Solander. 



By the acquisition of the Banksian Herbarium 

 and Library, already brought to such perfection 

 of arrangement by Solander and Jonas Dryander, 

 the British Museum became the repository of 

 many plants described by Linnaeus, notably the 

 originals of the celebrated ' Hortus CliflFortianus,' 

 as well as of valuable manuscripts and books con- 

 nected with the great Swede. 



Desiring, therefore, to share in your celebration 

 of one to whom the British Museiim owes so much, 

 the Trustees beg to join with this letter ' A Cata- 



logue of the Works of Linnaeus Preserved in the 

 Libraries of the British Museum,' which they have 

 had specially printed in honor of this occasion, 

 and they have appointed as their delegate to pre- 

 sent the same one of their ofiScers, Dr. Francis 

 Arthur Bather, M.A.Oxon, Assistant Keeper of 

 the Greological Department. 



May the world-wide fame of Linnseus and the 

 fortune of the ancient University of Upsala ever 

 endure and increase to the advancement of learn- 

 ing and the benefit of mankind! 



Edwin Rat Lankestee, 



Director 



Beitish Museum (Nattjbal Histoey), 

 May 11 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



M. DE Lappaeent, professor of mineralogy 

 and geology at Paris, has been elected per- 

 manent secretary of the Paris Academy of 

 Sciences in succession to the late M. Berthe- 

 lot. 



The senate of the University of Toronto 

 has conferred the degree of LL.D., on Dr. S. 

 Weir Mitchell, of Philadelphia. 



At the recent commencement of the Jeffer- 

 son Medical College, of Philadelphia, the 

 honorary degree of doctor of laws was con- 

 ferred upon George Sumner Huntington, 

 M.D., ScD., professor of anatomy. College of 

 Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia Uni- 

 versity. Professor Huntington delivered an 

 address on ' Modern advances in the teaching 

 of anatomy and other medical sciences.' 



Professor Eolla C. Carpenter, who holds 

 the chair of experimental engineering at Cor- 

 nell University, has been given the degree of 

 doctor of laws by the University of Michigan. 



New York University has conferred the 

 doctorate of laws on Dr. Joseph D. Bryant, of 

 New York City, retiring president of the 

 American Medical Association; on Charles W. 

 Hunt, New York City, secretary of the Ameri- 

 can Society of Civil Engineers, and on Pro- 

 fessor George F. Swain, professor of civil 

 engineering of the Massachusetts Institute of 

 Technology. 



Sir William Eamsay, K.C.B., has received 

 the Order of Commendatore della Corona 

 d'ltalia from the King of Italy. 



