December 30, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



949 



denco foi' submergence in a number of local- 

 ities ill Europe, and concludes that the 

 amelioration of the climate began about 

 30,000 years ago, ' which synchronizes with 

 the astronomical calculations to marvellous 

 nicety.' 



ETHNOGRAPHY OF GERMAN EAST AFRICA. 



The Germans set a good example by 

 their investigations of the native tribes in 

 their newly acquired possessions. An in- 

 stance of this is an article by Dr. F. von 

 Luschan on the Wassandaui, Warangi, 

 Wambugwe and neighboring peoples of 

 German East Africa. It is amply illus- 

 trated and presents a clear idea of their 

 general stage of culture. Among other 

 curious facts mentioned is one explaining 

 the rapid diminution of the tribe known as 

 the Wataturu. The men of this tribe are 

 industrious and accustomed to do the work 

 which in neighboring tribes is performed 

 by the women ; hence, they are in great de- 

 mand in these tribes as husbands, and, as 

 the rule is that they follow their wives, 

 their own tribe diminishes. {Beitrdge zur 

 Ethnographie des abflusslosen Gebiets von 

 Deutseh- Ost- Africa, Berlin, 1898.) 



D. G. Beinton. 



Univeesity of Pennsylvania. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. 



Twelve scientific societies, representing more 

 than half of the most important scientific work 

 accomplished in America, are beginning their 

 meetings at Columbia University as we go to 

 press. We have ah-eady called attention to the 

 dates and other arrangements for these meet- 

 ings, and full reports of the proceedings of the 

 different societies will be given in subsequent 

 issues. The address of Professor Bowditch, 

 President of the American Society of Natural- 

 ists, is published in this number, and other im- 

 portant addresses and papers will follow. 



The International Astronomical Society ap- 

 pears to have held a successful meeting at 

 Buda-Pesth, though it scarcely deserves the 



name 'international' when American, English 

 and French astronomers are unrepresented at 

 its meetings. The existing organization might, 

 however, be developed so that international 

 congresses could be held as important as those 

 in mathematics, zoology, geology, physiology 

 and psychology. 



A CABLEGRAM from London announces that 

 Lord Iveagh (Edward Cecil Guinness) has pre- 

 sented to the Jenner Institute of Preventive 

 Medicine, London, the sum of £250,000, in aid 

 of scientific research in bacteriology and other 

 branches of biology, concerned with the caiise, 

 nature, prevention and treatment of disease. 



The Regents of the University of the State 

 of New York have decided to divide the work 

 in geology and paleontology which was for so 

 many years in charge of the late Professor James 

 Hall, and in so doing have erected two co- 

 ordinate departments, one of paleontology and 

 stratigraphic geology and the other of ' pure 

 geology,' the latter to cover dynamic and phys- 

 ical geology, the crystalline rocks, surflcial 

 geology, etc. They have appointed to the 

 charge of the former Professor John M. Clarke, 

 with the title of State Paleontologist, and to 

 the latter Dr. F. J. H. Merrill, with the title of 

 State Geologist. They have also appointed Dr. 

 E. P. Felt to the position of State Entomologist 

 as successor to the late Dr. J. A. Lintner. 



Professor E. B. Wilson, of Columbia Uni- 

 versity, whose departure for Europe on a year's 

 leave of absence we recently announced, in- 

 tends to visit the Nile region in order to study, 

 if possible, the embryonic stages of the African 

 ganoid Polyptenis, the supposed ancestor of the 

 Amphibia. Those who read Dr. Harrington's 

 article in this Journal will remember that he 

 and Dr. Hunt found this fish in the Nile last 

 summer, but were unable to wait for the breed- 

 ing season. 



M. Gravier has been made Assistant in the 

 Paris Museum of Natural History in the room 

 of the late M. Bernard. 



The University of Marburg has conferred the 

 degree of Ph.D. honoris causa on Professor J. 

 M. Clarke, of Albany. 



Professor Eric Gerard, of the University 

 of Liege, known for his contributions to elec- 



