856 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXII. No. 833 



After consultation with various biologist^s, it 

 appears without question that a properly con- 

 ducted survey of Panama would yield important 

 scientific results, both as regards additions to 

 knowledge and to the collections of the National 

 Museum. While the Isthmus is not so well en- 

 dowed with large forms of life as the great con- 

 tinental areas, such as Africa, southern Asia, etc., 

 its fauna and flora are rich and diversified. The 

 collecting which has been carried on there has 

 been on a rather limited scale, and an extensive 

 and thorough survey would surely produce new 

 scientific information of great value. 



A part of the fresh-water streams of the 

 Isthmus of Panama empty into the Atlantic 

 Ocean and others into the Pacific Ocean. It is 

 known that a certain number of animals and 

 plants in the streams on the Atlantic side are 

 different from those of the Pacific side, but as 

 no exact biological survey has ever been under- 

 taken, the extent and magnitude of these differ- 

 ences have yet to be learned. It is also of the 

 utmost importance to determine exactly the geo- 

 graphical distribution of the various organisms 

 inhabiting those waters, as the Isthmus is one of 

 the routes by which animals and plants of South 

 America have entered North America and vice 

 versa. When the canal is completed, the organ- 

 isms of the various watersheds will be offered a 

 ready means of mingling together, the natural 

 distinctions now existing will be obliterated, and 

 the data for a true understanding of the fauna 

 and flora placed forever out of reach. 



By the construction of the Gatun Dam, a vast 

 freshwater lake will be created, which will drive 

 away or drown the majority of the animals and 

 plants now inhabiting the locality, and quite pos- 

 sibly exterminate some species before they become 

 known to science. 



President Taft fully approved the plan for 

 a biological survey and suggested that such 

 arrangements be made with the secretary of 

 war, the secretary of agriculture, and the sec- 

 retary of commerce and labor as would enable 

 him to have their active cooperation in this 

 important work. The arrangements are now 

 in an advanced state, and field parties wiU be 

 sent to the isthmus at an early date. 



The expenses of these parties will be borne 

 from a fund contributed by a number of pub- 

 lic spirited friends of the institution. 



TEE POPULATION OF THE UNITED 

 STATES 

 The Census Bureau has issued a statement 

 giving the results of the thirteenth census for 

 the separate states. The figures and a com- 

 parison with the population of 1900 are as 

 follows : 



states 



Continental U. S. 



Alabama 



Arizona 



Arkansas 



California 



Colorado 



Connecticut 



Delaware 



Dis. of Columbia. 



Florida 



Georgia 



Idaho 



Illinois 



Indiana 



Iowa 



Kansas 



Kentucky 



Louisiana 



Maine 



Maryland 



Massachusetts . . . 



Michigan 



Minnesota 



Mississippi 



Missouri 



Montana 



Nebraska 



Nevada 



New Hampshire . 



New Jersey 



New Mexico .... 



New York 



North Carolina . . 

 North Dakota . . . 



Ohio 



Oklahoma 



Oregon 



Pennsylvania. . . . 

 Rhode Island .... 

 South Carolina . . 

 South Dakota. . . 



Tennessee 



Texas 



Utah 



Vermont 



Vir gini a 



Washington 



West Virginia . . . 



Wisconsin 



Wyoming 



Alaska 



Hawaii 



Porto Rico. . . . 



Military and naval 



1910 



91,972,267 

 2,138,093 



204,354 

 1,574,449 

 2,337,649 



799,024 

 1,114,756 



202,322 



331,069 



751,139 

 2,609,121 



325,594 

 5,638,591 

 2,700,876 

 2,224,771 

 1,690,949 

 2,289,905 

 1,656,388 



742,371 

 1,295,346 

 3,366,416 

 2,810,173 

 2,075,708 

 1,797,114 

 3,293,335 



376,053 



1,192,214 



81,875 



430,572 

 2,537,167 



327,301 

 9,113,279 

 2,206,287 



577,056 

 4,767,121 

 1,657,155 



672,765 

 7,665,111 



542,610 

 1,515,400 



583,888 

 2,184,789 

 3,896,542 



373,351 



355,956 

 2,061,612 

 1,141,990 

 1,221,119 

 2,333,860 



154,145 

 64,356 



191,909 

 1,118,012 



1900 



75,994,575 



1,828,697 



122,931 



1,311,564 



1,485,053 



539,700 



908,420 



184,735 



278,718 



528,542 



2,216,331 



161,772 



4,821,550 



2,516,462 



2,231,853 



1,470,495 



2,147,174 



1,381,625 



694,466 



1,188,044 



2,805,346 



2,420,982 



1,751,394 



1,551,270 



3,106,665 



243,329 



1,066,300 



42,335 



411,588 



1,883,669 



195,310 



7,268,894 



1,893,810 



319,146 



4,157,545 



790,391 



413,536 



6,302,115 



428,556 



1,340,316 



401,570 



2,020,616 



3,048,710 



270,749 



343,641 



1,854,184 



513,103 



958,800 



2,069,042 



92,531 



63,592 



154,001 



953,243 



91,219 



