December 10, 1915] 



SCIENCE 



843 



own tumor, and in the other 50 per cent, greatly 

 to retard the return of the disease. A similar 

 dose of X-ray given to the cancer direct out- 

 side of the body did not influence the subse- 

 quent growth of a graft of this tumor when 

 returned to its original host. The contrast 

 between these figures and those of the control 

 series is striking, as is also the number of lo- 

 cal recurrences in the two series. If this pro- 

 nounced result is obtained with one stimu- 

 lating dose it is probable that a more pro- 

 nounced effect might be obtained by a second 

 exposure to X-ray after a suitable interval. 



James B. Murphy, 

 John J. Norton 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The 543d meeting of the society was held in 

 the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club, Saturday, 

 October 23, 1915, called to order by President 

 Bartsch at 8 p.m., with 85 persons present. 



Under the heading Brief Notes: Dr. C. W. 

 Stiles recorded observations on blood examina- 

 tions (cell counts, hemoglobin, etc.) of 600 chil- 

 dren, between 6 and 17 years of age, in North 

 Carolina. Dr. Stiles also made remarks on the 

 International List of generic names of birds. 



Under heading Exhibition of Specimens: Dr. J. 

 N. Eose showed some interesting examples of hum- 

 ming-birds ' nests which he had collected in Brazil 

 the past summer. 



The first paper on the regular program was by 

 Professor A. S. Hitchcock, "Collecting Grasses in 

 the Southwest." Professor Hitchcock spoke of 

 his trip during the summer in the region from 

 California to west Texas for the purpose of col- 

 lecting grasses. 



At Grand Canyon was found the rare Stipa arida 

 Jones. At Ft. Bragg, Calif., was found Agrostis 

 ireviculims Hitchc, known only from this locality 

 and the western coast of South America. It is 

 abundant on the open ground back of the sandy 

 clay cliffs at this point. In a springy place on the 

 side of the cliffs there was a colony of Phleum 

 alpinum L., a grass of the high mountains of Cali- 

 fornia. Its occurrence at sea level was very un- 

 expected. At various points in northern Cali- 

 fornia occurs Danthonia americana and D. cali- 

 fornica. In these species the culms disarticulate 

 near the base at maturity. An examination of the 



swollen base of the detached culms discloses, 

 hidden beneath the sheath and prophyllum, a 

 cleistogamous spikelet consisting of a single 

 floret. The floret and enclosed caryopsis are much 

 larger than those of the panicle. 



Cleveland Natural Forest, lying east of San 

 Diego, was visited to investigate Calamagrostis 

 densa Vasey. This species known only from the 

 type collection by Orcutt was provisionally united 

 with C. Jcoelerioides, by the speaker,i y^-^i he is now 

 satisfied that the two are distinct species. 



An ascent was made of Humphreys Peak of the 

 San Francisco Mountains, near Flagstaff, Arizona. 

 These are the highest mountains in Arizona, the 

 peaks extending above timber line. In the alpine 

 region four species of grasses were found, Trise- 

 tum spicatum, Foa rupicola, Festuca hrachypliylla 

 and Agropyron scribneri. Collections were made 

 at several other places of interest: Oracle, about 

 45 miles north of Tucson, in company with Pro- 

 fessor J. J. Thornber; Big Spring, Alpine and Del 

 Eio, in western Texas; and the Guadalupe Moun- 

 tains of southern New Mexico, especially rich in 

 Mexican species. Professor Hitchcock's paper 

 was discussed by the chair. 



The second and last paper of the program was 

 by E. L. Garner, "African Studies; Things in 

 Common Among Men, Apes and Other Mammals." 

 Mr. Garner spoke of the courtship, family life, 

 period of infancy, arrival of puberty, instincts, 

 homes, habits and moral traits of the African 

 anthropoid apes as observed by him in their wild 

 state, during many years of observation in Africa. 

 Among other things he stated that the period of 

 gestation was probably seven months; that the 

 young ape was born with usually 4 teeth present, 

 twin births are exceedingly rare, the female be- 

 comes sexually mature at from 7 to 9 years, and 

 the male from 1 to 2 years later, the usual length 

 of life is 20 to 21 years; that their foods are 

 mainly vegetable, but that flesh is an essential 

 part of their diet; that they have no permanent 

 homes, but travel about as nomadic families; that 

 their sleeping position is on their bacK or side like 

 that of men, they often make their beds 18 to 25 

 feet off the ground, but the young are delivered 

 in a bed on the ground in a well-drained place; 

 that sight and particularly hearing are acute, but 

 that smell is not much more developed than in 

 man and touch is less acute than in man; that 

 the right of ownership among them is well re- 

 spected. Mr. Garner concluded by saying he 

 1 In Jepson, "Flora of California," 3: 125. 

 1912. 



