SCIENCE 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendbuhai-l, Physics; E. H. Thurston, Engineering; Ira Eemsen, Chemistry; 



J. Le Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; O. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. Brooks, 



C. Hart Mereiam, Zoology; S. H. Scudder, Entomology; C. E. Bessey, N. L. Britton, 



Botany; Heney F. Osborn, General Biology; C. S. Minot, Embryology, Histology; 



H. P. Bowditch, Physiology; J. S^ Billinqs, Hygiene ; J. McKeen Cattell, 



Psychology; Daniel G. Brinton, J. "W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, September 23, 1898. 



CONTENTS: 

 The Origin of Gijmnosperms and the Seed Habit : 

 Professor John M. Coulter 377 



The Development of Photography in Astronomy {II. ) : 

 Professor E. E. Barnard 386 



Zoological Section {F) of the American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science : De. Robert 

 T. Jackson 395 



Notes on Physics : — ■ 



Section B at the Boston Meeting; The Flow of 

 Water in Pipes ; The Synchronograph ; Science 

 Abstracts; Cathode Bays; The Electrochemical 

 Equivalent of Silver vs. the Mechanical Equivalent 

 of Beat: W. S. F 403 



Current Notes on Meteorology :■ — 

 Papagueria; Tree Planting on the Plains: E. 

 Dec. Ward 405 



Bacteriological Notes : Dr. Simon Flexner 406 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 



The Folk-song Society; Articles on Wampum; 

 Native Face-painting : Professor D. G. Bein- 

 TON 407 



: Notes and News 407 



land Educational News 410 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



An Unusual Aurora : Peofessoe Simon New- 

 comb 410 



Scientific Literature: — 



Flower's Essays on Museums: F. A. L 411 



New Books 412 



M3S. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Profes- 

 Bor J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



TEE ORIGIN OF GYMNOSPEBMS AND THE 

 SEED HABIT.* 

 INTRODUCTORY. 



The most difficult as well as the most 

 fascinating problem in connection with any 

 group is its. phylogeny. The data upon 

 which we base opinions concerning phy- 

 logeny are never sufficient, but such opin- 

 ions usually stimulate research and are 

 necessary to progress. Any statement 

 dealing with this problem is merely an ex- 

 pression of our knowledge of comparative 

 morphology, and of our judgment concern- 

 ing the phylogenetic importance of certain 

 structures. 



To my mind, the most conspicuous error 

 in many schemes of phylogeny is the ten- 

 dency to focus attention upon very few 

 structures. It may be that the structures 

 selected are the most significant, but the 

 organism is a plexus of structures and 

 must be considered in its totality. Very 

 different structures have been laid hold of 

 by the processes of evolution, and it may 

 not be possible to relate the resulting forms 

 properly upon the basis of any one or two 

 structures. A conspicuous example is fur- 

 nished by the liverworts, in which one line 

 gave special attention to the structure of its 

 gametophyte body, another to the form of 

 its gametophyte body, a third to the struc- 



* Address of the retiring President of the Botan- 

 ical Society of America, delivered at Boston, August 

 19, 1897. 



