SCIENCE 



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



Astronomy; T. C. Mendbnhall, Physics; E. H. Thueston, Engineering; Iea Eemsen, Chemistry; 



J. Lb Contb, Geology; "W. M. Davis, Physiography; 0. C. Maesh, Paleontology; W. K. Beooks, 



C. Haet Meeeiam, Zoology; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology; C. E. Bessey, N. L. Beitton, 



Botany; Hkney F. Osbokn, General Biology; C. S. MiNOT, Embryology, Histology; 



H. P. BOWDITCH, Physiology; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKeen Cattell, 



Psychology; Daniel G. Beinton, J. W. Powsll, Anthropology. 



Friday, Decembee 16, 1898. 



CONTENTS: 



The General Conference of the International Geodetic 

 Association at Stuttgart, October 3-lS, 1S9S : E. 

 D. Peeston 841 



The Annual Report of the Secretary of Agriculture : 

 A. C. True 847 



2%e Breeding of Animals at Woods JSoll during the 

 Months of June, July and August : Peofessoe 

 H. C. BUMPUS 850 



An Ampere Balance : PEOFESSOE W. E. Ayeton, 

 Peofessoe J. Vieiamd Jones 858 



Notes on Physics : — 

 Electrical Vibrations; Manometrie Flames; Ethe- 

 rion: W. S. F 859 



Zoological Notes: — ■ 



The Brain of the Chimpanzee ; Fresh-water Pearls 

 of the United States ; The Washington Meeting of 

 the American Ornithologists' Union: F. A. L 860 



Owrrent Notes on Anthropology: — 



Origin of Neolithic Art in France; Palxoliihic 

 Stations in Russia; The Stigmata of Degeneration : 

 Professor D. G. Beinton 862 



Scientific Notes and' Neivs : — 



The 'Humane' Society ; The Seventh International 

 Geographical Congress; State Oionership of the 

 Telegraph and Telephone ; General 863 



University and Educational News 871 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Zoological Bibliography and Publication : F. A. 

 Bather. Men of Science and the Humane Soci- 

 ety : H. C. Meeoee 873 



Seientifie Literature: — 



Ward's Outlines of Sociology : GUSTAVO TosTl. 

 Instincts and Habits of the Solitary Wasjjs : PRO- 

 FESSOR T. X>. A. Cockerell. Four-footed 

 Americans and their Kin : W. H. OSGOOD. 

 Qualitative Chemical Analysis: Professor Ed- 

 vs'AED Eenoxjf. Dana's Text-book -of 3Iineral- 

 ogy: A. J. M 874 



Scientific Journals 879 



Societies and Academies : — 



Section of Biology of the New York Academy of 

 Sciences : De. Gaey N. Calkins. The Philo- 

 sophical Society of Washington: E. D. PRESTON..879 



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

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

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



THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTER- 

 NATIONAL GEODETIC ASSOCIATION 

 AT STUTTGART, OCTOBER 3-lS, 

 ISOS* 



The International Geodetic Association 

 is an organization for the measurement of 

 the earth. Conferences are held every few 

 years to consider projects, formulate meth- 

 ods and direct the execution of vpork by 

 which the aforesaid object may be attained. 

 Although the name as used in English does 

 not necessarily imply the determination of 

 the earth's size and shape, this is, neverthe- 

 less, the governing idea, and the Association 

 follows loyally the lines marked out by the 

 society of which it is the legitimate off- 

 spring, the German Gradmessung of 60 

 years ago. Now that the Association is 

 firmly established on a permanent and in- 

 ternational basis, it is worth while to seek 

 the origin and trace its interesting course 

 of development. In 1829 the Eussian 

 government expressed a desire to connect 

 their triangulation with that of Prussia. 

 Thus stimulated, the German work was 

 given greater expansion, and in 1838 the 

 work of Bessel and Baeyer, ' Gradmessung 

 in Ostpreussen,' appeared. This developed 

 into the ' Kustenvermessung,' and the work 

 was continued under that name. In 1861 

 Baeyer sounded the keynote of the scien- 

 tific spirit of the age when he proposed co- 



* Published by permission of the Superintendent 

 of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. 



