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 



Feidat, March 6, 1908 



CO'NTE'NTS 

 The American Society of Naturalists: — 

 Presidential Address: Professor J. Piay- 



FAIE MCMURRICH 361 



Gooperatioii in Biological Research: Pro- 

 fessors Frank R. Lillie, William Tas- 

 LEASE, Henry H. Donaldson, William H. 

 Howell, James R. Anqell 369 



ScAentifio Books: — 

 Poincar4's The Value of Science : Pro- 

 fessor R. M. Wenlet. Uhler and Wood's 

 Atlas of Absorption Spectra: Professor 

 Henry G. Gale 386 



Societies and Academies: — 

 The Oregon State Academy of Sciences. 

 The Anthropological Society of Washing- 

 ton: Dr. Walter Hough. The Philosoph- 

 ical Society of Washington: R. L. Faeis 390 



Discussion and Correspondence: — 

 Age of a Cooling Olobe: Dr. George F. 

 Becker. The Earth as a Heat -radiating 

 Planet: De. J. M. Schaebeele. Progressus 

 Rei Botanioce: De. Edwaed W. Beeby . . . 392 



The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Re- 

 search 394 



The University of Illinois 394 



Scientific Notes and News 395 



University and Educational News 400 



MSB. intended for publication and books, etc., intended tot 

 review should be sent to tbe Editor of Science, Garxison-on- 

 Hudson, N. Y. 



TBE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS 

 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS^ 



On several occasions during the last few 

 years, indeed, ever since my election to the 

 honorable position which I occupy to-night, 

 I have been asked "What is the use of con- 

 tinuing the existence of the Society of Nat- 

 uralists?" When one is in the full enjoy- 

 ment of an honor so greatly appreciated as 

 that which I now enjoy it is a veritable 

 cold douche for some well-meaning but not 

 altogether tactful friend to suggest that the 

 honor may after all be an empty one and 

 that the presidential chair I occupy is that 

 of a society so moribund that it would be a 

 kindness to let it turn its face to the wall 

 and enter into its eternal rest. But a cold 

 douche may have a highly salutary effect 

 both in tempering a too great elation and 

 in bringing one into the proper frame of 

 mind for considering whether, after all, 

 there may not be force in the suggestion. 

 Gentlemen, I have passed through these 

 experiences, I have considered calmly and, 

 so far as possible, impartially the condition 

 of the society and its relations to other 

 organizations, and a reaction has set in. 

 My appreciation of my position is reestab- 

 lished and I am now more convinced than 

 ever before that the Society of Naturalists 

 has still an important part to play in the 

 advancement of scientific achievement on 

 this continent. 



The society makes for the solidarity of 

 those sciences which, in older days, were 

 included in the term natural history. It 

 was originated for the purpose of pro- 



' Delivered on December 31, 1907. 



