Apeil 17, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



637 



Institute, the Field Museum of Natural His- 

 tory and the Chicago Academy of Sciences. 

 In addition to the usual program of papers, 

 three special features are proposed for the 

 meeting : 



1. An exhibit of museum devices. This is 

 intended to include devices of all kinds which, 

 whether original or not, have proved useful in 

 various museums. 



2. A discussion of the future work of the 

 association. An effort will be made to de- 

 termine the advisability of undertaking cer- 

 tain lines of work which have been proposed. 

 Among these the most prominent are: 



(a) Publication of a Directory of Amer- 

 ican Museums of Art and Science. The sec- 

 retary will submit data concerning the cost 

 and scope of this work and general discussion 

 of these data is desired. 



(b) Publication of an annual table of mu- 

 seum statistics, either as a supplement to the 

 directory of museums or independently. 



(c) Establishment of a bureau of informa- 

 tion and permanent exhibit of museum tech- 

 nique, to which museums would contribute 

 plans of buildings and cases, samples of labels 

 and other devices of installation, etc., and to 

 which museums may apply for information 

 on matters of museum practise and perhaps 

 for loan of samples. 



{d) Advisability of publishing a jgurnal. 



3. A general discussion of topics of special 



(a) Educational work of museums. In view 

 of the wide interest manifested in various 

 phases of the educational work of museums, 

 the time seems ripe for a general discussion 

 of the relation of educational work to other 

 museum fvmctions and for a concise review 

 of the educational work actually being done, 

 with a discussion of practicable means of co- 

 operation between museums. It is desired 

 that this discussion shall serve to define the 

 attitudes taken by the various classes of mu- 

 seums of art and science to this subject. 



(b) Reciprocal relations between museums 

 in securing the services of lecturers and ex- 

 perts, in carrying on field explorations, and 

 in exchange of economic and educational col- 

 lections. 



(c) Adaptation of buildings to museums, 

 including a discussion of floor plans, natural 

 and artificial lighting, and the general aiT 

 rangement of exhibits and grouping of sub- 

 jects. Exhibits of floor plans will facilitate 

 discussion of this subject. 



{d) Methods of exhibiting valuable books. 



(e) Advisability of free distribution of mu- 

 seum publications. 



Members who attend the meeting are re- 

 quested to come prepared to discuss these 

 subjects and to contribute to the exhibit of 

 museum devices whatever is likely to be of 

 interest to others. Inquiries and suggestions 

 may be addressed to the secretary. 



Announcement of headquarters and other 

 details will be made shortly by the entertain- 

 ment committee. 



Paul M. Rea, 



Secretary 



The Chableston Museum, 

 Chaeleston, S. C. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 

 As a matter of information for those who 

 plan to attend the summer meeting at Dart- 

 mouth College, begirming on June 29, the 

 local coromittee thinks it proper to mention 

 the facilities for reaching that place. The 

 railroad station is known as " Norwich and 

 Hanover " on the Passumpsic Division of the 

 Boston and Maine Eailroad. White River 

 Junction, four miles south of Hanover, is the 

 center of four lines of railroad: The Concord 

 Division of the B. & M. system; the Central 

 Vermont Railroad and the Connecticut River 

 Division, B. & M. R. R. (eight hours to New 

 York) and also connecting at Greenfield and 

 Springfield (Boston and Albany R. R.) for the 

 West; the Central Vermont Railroad, making 

 connection with Montpelier, Burlington and 

 the West (thirty hours to Chicago) ; the Pas- 

 sumpsic Division, B. & M. R. R. (eight hours 

 to Montreal) . It may be added for the benefit 

 of members who would come by way of New 

 York that the White Mountain express will 

 probably be put on for the summer about that 

 time. This train has heretofore left New 

 York at 8 :40 a.m., and is due at Hanover 

 Station at 4:45 p.m. — a through train from 



