256 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 685 



locality; later after the glaeiation it re- 

 turned to the southern land mass, there to 

 develop its high variation and specializa- 

 tion. Probably during its exile the mam- 

 malian stem arose. The North American 

 Pelycosauria (though having a common 

 ancestry in pre-Permian times) never came 

 in contact with the southern Anomodontia, 

 and played their role independently. 



Dr. W. D. Matthew described a new four- 

 horned pelycosaur from the Permian of 

 Texas; also a mole from the Lower Mio- 

 cene of South Dakota. 



Mr. Walter Granger, summarizing his 

 studies on the American Hyracotheres, 

 showed that the generic term Eoliippus 

 covered all the Wasatch, Wind River and 

 Huferno Basin species of the family; Oro- 

 hippus all the Bridger forms; and Epihip- 

 pus all the Uinta forms. He also demon- 

 strated that on premolar 3 of the upper 

 jaw, the last cusp to develop was the an- 

 terior-internal, while on premolar 4 it was 

 the posterior-internal which developed last. 

 This striking divergence in the phylogeny 

 of two adjacent teeth causes a demand for 

 much further study, before the history of 

 the various teeth can be summarily treated. 



Mr. Harold Cook described a new horn- 

 less acerotherine rhinoceros from the Lower 

 Miocene of Nebraska. 



Dr. F. B. Loomis discussed the fauna of 

 the Lower Miocene of Nebraska, describing 

 a new Parahippus, a hornless rhinoceros 

 {Acerotherium) and two new Dicerotheres. 

 A review of the fauna and consideration 

 of the nature of the sedimentation led him 

 to advocate an eolian origin for the beds. 

 The last session of the meeting was devoted 

 to museum methods, the discussion being 

 led by Mr. A. Herrman, Dr. Matthew and 

 Professor Chas. Schuchert. 



At the business session the following offi- 

 cers were elected for 1908: 



President — Professor R. S. Lull, of Yale. 



Secretary-treasurer — Dr. W. D. Matthew, of the 

 American Museum. 



Executive Committee — Dr. C. R. Eastman, of 

 Peabody Museum; Mr. G. A. Peterson, of Car- 

 negie Museum; Professor Wm. Patten, of Dart- 

 mouth College. 



F. B. Loomis, 



Secretary 



TEE NEW EDUCATION IN CHINA 



That most popular simile of schoolboy 

 compositions, of Juno springing full-armed 

 from the head of Jupiter, may be applied 

 to the new education in China. From the 

 Chinese government the new education 

 came forth by imperial edict. The edict 

 and the consequent commands and direc- 

 tions present a fully articulated scheme of 

 education. 



Four grades of education were made: 

 (l)The primary school, of five years; (2) 

 the common school, of four years; (3) the 

 middle school, of five years; (4) the 

 provincial college, of at least two years, 

 and for some students one; (5) the Im- 

 perial University, at Peking, of such a 

 length as may be desired. 



Such a course, in its whole duration, 

 covering from sixteen to twenty years, 

 represents a most impressive endeavor to 

 introduce the western system of education 

 into the Middle Kingdom. 



The system is indeed western, but it is 

 western colored by Japanese influences. 

 The martial conqueror of China has be- 

 come her teacher in things intellectual, and 

 more willing has China become to receive 

 her conqueror as a teacher since this teacher 

 has become the conqueror also of Russia. 

 The rapid advancement of Japan to a 

 place among the great nations gives to her 

 example and teachings a peculiar impres- 

 siveness. Japan in turn, it may be added, 

 found in Germany and America her in- 

 tellectual and pedagogical models. 



The Avon to the Severn flows, the Severn to the 



sea; 

 And Wycliffe's dust must spread abroad, wide aa 



the waters be. 



