March 20, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



469 



tion of the material from different depths in 

 the deposits. Some analyses indicate the 

 presence of hematite in addition to the 

 hydrous oxides and the brilliant red of some 

 of the clays near the surface of the ground 

 leads to the same conclusion. Some of the 

 pisoliths are attracted by the magnet showing 

 that there has even been a certain amount of 

 dehydration, unless indeed the presence of un- 

 decomposed magnetite, inherited from the 

 original rock, can be shown. 



The United States Geological Survey's Hy- 

 draulic Laboratory at Berlceley, California: 

 G. K. Gilbert. 



The laboratory has been established for the 

 purpose of investigating in a quantitative way 

 the laws controlling the transportation of 

 detritus by running water. Initially it is de- 

 termining the capacity of a stream of definite 

 discharge to transport sand of uniform grain 

 in a straight channel of definite width and 

 definite slope. The apparatus includes special 

 devices for measuring the quantity (dis- 

 charge) of water, the velocity, and the amount 

 of sand transported. In each experiment, 

 while water is flowing uniformly through a 

 long trough, sand is introduced from above at 

 a imiform rate, and the water is allowed to 

 arrange it on the bottom of the trough. After 

 a time the sand surface assumes a stable slope 

 adjusted to the maintenance of a velocity just 

 sufficient to transport the amount of sand 

 (load) fed to the water, and this slope is 

 measured. In the next experiment a different 

 quantity of sand is introduced and the result- 

 ing slope is measured. A series of such ex- 

 periments yields a curve or equation of the 

 relation between load and slope. The dis- 

 charge is then changed and the work repeated. 

 In this way, and by the progressive permuta- 

 tion of the controlled conditions, the labora- 

 tory is determining the elementary laws of 

 the transportation of detritus, in relation to 

 slope of channel, width of channel, size of 

 sand grain, discharge, mean velocity of cur- 

 rent, and bottom velocity. 



The laboratory is in the immediate charge 

 of Dr. E. C. Murphy. Space, power, and 



other important facilities are generously con- 

 tributed by the University of California. 

 Ealph Arnold, 



Secretary 



SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AND 

 MEDICINE 



Eegulae meetings of the Society for Ex- 

 perimental Biology and Medicine were held 

 on October 16 and December 18, 1907, and 

 February 19, 1908. The scientific program of 

 each of the meetings is appended.^ 



Twenty-fifth Meeting 



College of Physicians and Surgeons, Colum- 

 bia University. October 16, 1907. President 

 Plexner in the chair. 



Members elected — Edward T. Eeichert, M. 

 J. Eosenau, Eichard P. Strong. 



Program 



" Cardiac Insufficiency due to High Arterial 

 Pressure," by Haven Emerson. 



" Effect of Potassium Cyanide upon Metabol- 

 ism," by George B. Wallace and A. N. Richards. 



" Pneumothorax and Posture," by Charles A. 

 Elsberg. 



" The Hypersensitiveness of the Guinea-pig to 

 Horse Serum," by Paul A. Lewis. 



" A Sporozoan found in the Peptic Glands of 

 the Common Mouse," by E. E. Tyzzer. 



" The Hole of Tonicity in Human Isohemag- 

 glutination," by Frederick P. Gay. 



" Effects of Calcium and Magnesium Salts upon 

 the Development of Kigor Mortis," by S. J. 

 Meltzer and John Auer. 



" Restraint and Promotion of Tumor Growth," 

 by Simon Elexner and James W. Jobling. 



" Reestablishment of Function in Transplanted 

 Kidneys," by Alexis Carrel. 



" A Depressor Reaction obtainable by Traction 

 on the Carotid Artery," by Torald Sollmann and 

 E. D. Brown. 



" A Modification of Teichmann's Method for 

 obtaining Hemin Crystals," with a demonstration 



^Authors' abstracts of the papers read before 

 the Society for Experimental Biology and Medi- 

 cine are published in the Proceedings of the So- 

 ciety for Experimental Biology and Medicine. A 

 number is issued shortly after each meeting, and 

 costs 15 cents a copy. Copies may be obtained 

 from the managing editor, William J. Gies, 437 

 West 59th Street, New York. 



