Januaey 24, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



151 



of zoological literature. Each, article is read 

 by a zoologist who determines for what classes 

 of workers the paper is of interest and pre- 

 pares a brief resume, noting any new species 

 or genera described. In order to indicate the 

 contents of the articles, the topics met with 

 have been arranged in the form of a compre- 

 hensive classification and then numbered, so 

 that each paper is assigned by a numerical 

 symbol to the divisions with which it deals. 

 The reference to each paper is printed on a 

 card and bears the appropriate numbers to 

 designate one of the topics treated in the 

 publication. Where the reviewer finds vari- 

 ous matters treated in one paper several dif- 

 ferent editions of the cards are printed, dif- 

 fering only from one another in the classi- 

 ficatory symbol employed. Thus a given work 

 may be found to contain an account of the 

 occurrence of a white badger in a given 

 country, together with considerations on albin- 

 ism in general. The paper would emerge 

 from the hands of the reviewer with a symbol 

 for each of these asjjects. The indication 

 11.57 would mean that the paper in question 

 dealt with albinism, and the card would ac- 

 cordingly be sent to subscribers interested in 

 that subject; the symbol 9.74 Meles would 

 mean that the card must go to all subscribers 

 interested in the badger; and a third symbol 

 would designate the country or district in 

 which the animal was found. The naturalist 

 interested in the absence of pigment in ani- 

 mals (albinism) subscribes for that portion of 

 the catalogue which deals with his subject, and 

 receives every two montlis the new citations of 

 papers on albinism. Some of these may refer 

 to observations made near at hand; but much 

 will relate to foreigTi publications and might 

 remain unknown save for the agency of the 

 Concilium. The whole series of cards may be 

 subscribed for by an institution, which thus 

 sectires a bibliography of zoology since 1896, 

 the value of which, in saving time and ensur- 

 ing acquaintance with the literature of any 

 branch of the subject, is incalculable. Since 

 it is issued on cards the catalogue is not only 

 always up to date, but has all the references 

 on a given topic together at one point. 



Unfortunately, the actual services rendered 



by the Concilium, great though they have 

 been, have fallen somewhat short of its pro- 

 gram. This, however, is entirely due to the 

 limitation of its resources. The organizers 

 of the institute are satisfied that the experi- 

 mental period has proved beyond question that 

 the program can be fully realized if they be 

 provided with the necessary means. It is to 

 find these means that the committee we have 

 mentioned has been formed. Their success is 

 greatly to be desired, and that, as we have 

 shown, in wider interests than those of zoology 

 alone. — From the London Times. 



A LETTER RELATING TO TEE BIOGRAPHY 

 OF LAMARCK 

 Professor Joubin, chairman of the Lamarck 

 Memorial Committee, has just sent the Ameri- 

 can members of this committee a copy of a 

 letter dealing with the biography of Lamarck, 

 written by his son nearly half a century ago. 

 Its materials are timely and I append a trans- 

 lation. 



LETTER OF GILLAUME DE LAMAECK, SON" OF THE 



GREAT NATURALIST, WRITTEN JUNE 11, 1865, 



TO HIS SON EUGENE DE LAMAECK, THEN 



LIEUTENANT ON BOARD THE SLOOP 



OP WAR " SUEPEISE " 



My Dear Son: 



I have read with pleasure the few lines you 

 sent me taken from a work of which I have never 

 heard. Bistoire naturelle des professeurs du 

 Jardin des Plantes — this is indeed a singular 

 title. One would have thought it the history of 

 some class or other of animals; one of the most 

 important works of my father is entitled: His- 

 toire des Animaux sans Verteires; but " The 

 Natural History of the Professors" — that seems 

 to me a little strong. 



Be this as it may, the eulogy does exist and it 

 is merited. Moreover, this is not the first that I 

 see. Nevertheless, the name of my father has 

 remained in obscurity. I always feel provoked 

 when I see the statues erected to Gteorges Cuvier, 

 to de Jussieu, to Gfioffroy Saint-Hilaire, or when 

 I see the names of these scientists given to the 

 streets which surround the Jardin des Plantes, 

 when I see the busts of the professors in the gal- 

 leries of the Natural History Museum, all with 

 the exception of that of my father. But what 

 can one do about it? It does not merely suffice 

 to have the reputation, to have the scientific 



