OCTlinKK U>. IH03. 



SCIENCE. 



507 



with the association decided last winter to hold 

 their next meeting in St. I/Ouis, and it was ex- 

 pected that, in continuation of the effort that 

 has been made for the last two years, the 

 American Society of Naturalists and most 

 of the bodies of professional men who have 

 met in affiliation with that society would de- 

 cide to hold their coming meeting at the 

 same place. Unfortunately the American So- 

 ciety did not reach a decision as to its meet- 

 ing place until autumn, and in the meantime 

 some of the affiliating bodies had decided on 

 an eastern meeting, though the larger num- 

 ber of them are expected to meet in St. Louis, 

 with the Naturalists, at the time of the Ameri- 

 can Association meeting. 



Desiring and anticipating a large attend- 

 ance, the scientific and educational interests 

 of St. Louis have organized an efficient local 

 committee, and this committee is now at work 

 on arrangements for the meeting. To facili- 

 tate these arrangements, it is desirable that 

 the secretaries of the different sections of the 

 American Association, and of all the other 

 bodies that are to meet there in convocation 

 week, write at the earliest possible date to the 

 local secretary. Professor A. S. Langsdorf, of 

 Washington University, St. Louis, letting him 

 know the estimated seating capacity neede-J 

 for their meetings, as well as the equipment 

 that will be necessary or desirable, so that 

 the -subcommittee on equipment may secure 

 ample provision for each. 



It is probable that the meetings will be held 

 in the Central High School, with a possible 

 overflow into adjacent suitable buildings, but 

 there is every reason to believe that if thy 

 committee is given prompt and definite infor- 

 mation on which to make its arrangements all 

 the meetings can be held so close to one an- 

 other that those desiring to pass from one 

 seotion to another or from either to the ses- 



sions of any affiliated society can do so without 

 loss of time, thus avoiding some of the diffi- 

 culties of the meetings last winter. The High 

 School is a modern building with interior 

 telephone service and other conveniences; ade- 

 quate telephone, mail, express and other facili- 

 ties will be provided and if it is wished a local 

 telegraph office can be established in it; a 

 considerable number of the rooms are provided 

 with lanterns as a part of their regular equip- 

 ment, and enough others to secure reasonable 

 convenience for sections that only occasion- 

 ally use this adjunct can be provided; and 

 arrangements are being made to ensure ade- 

 quate and reasonably cheap hotel accommoda- 

 tions in the vicinity of the High School, which 

 is within easy reach by troUey service of the 

 railroad station and downtown hotels, while 

 the grovmds and buildings of the World's 

 Fair, Washington University, the Academy 

 of Science and the Missouri Botanical Gar- 

 den are all readily reached from this point, 

 which is centrally situated with respect to the 

 extensive troUcy service of the city. Every 

 possible courtesy will be extended to those in 

 attendance at the meetings, by the citizens of 

 St. Louis and the exposition authorities, and 

 it is expected that the transportation committee 

 will secure rates that will make it possible 

 for those living at a considerable distance to 

 attend the meetings without serious expense. 

 It is, therefore, to be hoped that the secretaries 

 of the sections of the American Association 

 and of the Society of Naturalists and all ot 

 the societies that are to meet in connection 

 with these organizations will work in co- 

 operation with each other to prepare a general 

 program that will possess the greatest possible 

 homogeneity and convenience and that the 

 local committee may promptly be placed in 

 possession of definite data on which they lua.v 

 provide ample accommodations for all. 



