September 24, 1915] 



SCIENCE 



431 



satisfactory when the dimensions do not vary 

 too much and are fairly constant. Identifica- 

 tion by a given description becomes difficult 

 when either one or both dimensions vary be- 

 tween wide limits. The distinguishing dimen- 

 sional features of the seciospores of a given 

 species, for instance, are not determined by 

 the lowest and highest values (e. g., 15-26 by 

 22-41ju,) that the spores may attain, but by 

 the most common combinations of width and 

 length measured; that is, by the standard 

 values. The latter can not be expressed in 

 averages, which will vary with the numerical 

 basis used and with the personal factor in 

 picking out the spores to be measured. The 

 numerical basis in particular is a factor which 

 has been almost totally neglected in descrip- 

 tions. I propose to give, in all cases but those 

 of very constant measurements, a formula 

 containing the numerical basis, the extreme 

 range of width and length and the most com- 

 mon combinations of width and length found. 

 The formula in our example would read: 

 (48) 15-26^ by 22-^l;«, (19-22 by 26-30;^). 

 (48) is self-explanatory; it gives the numer- 

 ical basis ; that is, the number of spores meas- 

 ured. 15-26/4 by 22-41^ are the extreme meas- 

 urements of width and length. (19-22 by 26- 

 30/a) are the standard values of width and 

 length. These values are found by arranging 

 all measurements in two progressive tables, 

 one by widths, the other by lengths. It is then 

 an easy matter to find the most common values. 



In cases where misunderstandings may 

 arise the formula can be given as follows: 

 (48 measured) 15-26/x by 22-41;ii (standard 

 19-22 by 26-30^). 



For all measurements of a simple nature 

 the old formula can still be retained, although 

 the numerical basis should in every case be 

 given. The method is, of course, not confined 

 in its usefulness and accuracy to spores alone. 

 E. P. Meineoke 



TEE NOBTS CAROLINA ACADEMY OF 

 SCIENCE 



The North Carolina Academy of Science held 

 its fourteenth annual meeting at Wake Forest 

 College on Friday and Saturday, April 30 and 



May 1, 1915. The reading of papers began at 2:50 

 I'.M. on Friday and continued until 5:30, at which 

 time adjournment was had, followed by the an- 

 nual meeting of the executive committee. At 

 night Dean Charles E. Brewer, of Wake Forest 

 College, made the academy welcome to the college. 

 President J. J. Wolfe, of the academy, then de- 

 livered his presidential address, ' ' The Status of 

 the Theory of Descent. ' ' Next Professor John F. 

 Lanneau delivered a lecture "The Cosmoid," il- 

 lustrated by an apparatus of his own design; and 

 Professor A. H. Patterson gave a short talk on 

 "The Importance of Humidity in Health and the 

 Arts" with a demonstration of an interesting 

 form of humidifier of North Carolina manufac- 

 ture. 



The academy met in annual business meeting on 

 Saturday morning. Eeports of the secretary-treas- 

 urer and of the various committees were made and 

 an invitation for the academy to hold its next an- 

 nual meeting at the State Agricultural and Me- 

 chanical College was accepted. An interesting 

 discussion on the matter of membership was held 

 and it was resolved to try to bring into the acad- 

 emy in 1916 all the scientific people of the state. 

 To this end a large and representative canvassing 

 committee was appointed. Ten new members were 

 elected, who bring up the total membership to date 

 to 70. 



The following ofiicers were elected for 1915-16. 



President — A. S. Wheeler, University of North 

 Carolina, Chapel Hill. 



Vice-president — ^W. A. Withers, State Agricul- 

 tural and Mechanical College, West Ealeigh. 



Secretary-treasurer — E. W. Gudger, State Nor- 

 mal College, Greensboro. 



Additional members executive committee — Z. P. 

 Metcalf, State Agricultural and Mechanical Col- 

 lege, West Ealeigh; W. C. Coker, University of 

 North Carolina, Chapel Hill; E. T. Miller, Trinity 

 College, Durham. 



At the close of the business meeting, the reading 

 of papers was resumed and continued until 1:30 

 when the program was finished. The total attend- 

 ance was 21 out of a membership of 70. There 

 were 23 papers on the program, of which only 

 three were read by title. Perhaps the most 

 marked feature of the meeting was the consider- 

 able discussion which followed the reading of 

 many of the papers. Including the presidential 

 address, which will be published in the current 

 number of the Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Sci- 

 entific Society, the following papers were pre- 

 sented : 



