346 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 426. 



is the effect on the disposition of the animals, 

 and George M. Sternberg tells of the history 

 and possibilities of ' Preventive Medicine.' 

 Finally, J. McKeen Cattell presents 'A sta- 

 tistical Study of Eminent Men.' 



The Plant Woi-ld for January starts a new 

 volume in a new dress, with a cover in two 

 colors designed by Mr. Shull. Having 

 changed its publisher and been copyrighted, 

 it will henceforth appear promptly. It con- 

 tains 'Obtusilobata Porms of Some Ferns,' by 

 C. E. Waters ; ' The Preservation of Our Na- 

 tive Plants,' by Euth E. Messenger; 'Dimorph- 

 ism in the Shoots of the Ginkgo,' by G. N. 

 Collins; and numerous short articles and 

 notes. ' The Families of Flowering Plants,' 

 which has been running for three years as a 

 supplement, has been completed, and for the 

 present four pages are added to the size of the 

 journal. 



The Zoological Society Bulletin for Janu- 

 ary contains a description of the recently com- 

 pleted lion house in the New York Zoological 

 Park with notes on its contents, which were 

 mainly presented by friends of the society. 

 A list of the more interesting animals includes 

 a pair of snow leopards, another of Prejval- 

 sky horses, a cape hunting dog (Lycaon) and 

 a Tasmanian wolf. This last is the second 

 specimen brought to this country alive, the 

 first being in the National Zoological Park. 

 It is rather surprising to learn that the chee- 

 tah is now rare in captivity, at least outside 

 of India. The number contains a brief ac- 

 count of the New York Aquarium and its 

 work. 



The Museums Journal of Great Britain for 

 January has an account of the Dutuit Bequest 

 to Paris, which comprises, besides other art 

 treasures, many rare and beautiful books. The 

 collection has been in process of formation 

 since 1832, and had been so well cared for that 

 many of the specimens had never been un- 

 packed. Among the many notes is recorded 

 the formation for the Sydney Museum, New 

 South Wales, of a collection of colors and 

 chemicals used in color making, with samples 

 of fabrics dyed with them. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 



The 32d annual meeting was held December 

 20, 1902. A new code of by-laws was adopted, 

 the principal change from the old code con- 

 sisting in the statement of the powers of the 

 general committee in conformity with the 

 statute under which the society is incorpora- 

 ted, and the establishment of an executive 

 committee to care for routine business. 



The report of the secretaries showed a pres- 

 ent active membership of 110, a net gain of 

 2 during the year; besides the annual meeting 

 16 meetings have been held, with an average 

 attendance of 3Y; 38 papers were presented. 



The treasurer's report showed a gross in- 

 come of about $950 and expenditures of $460. 



Professor J. H. Gore, of the Columbian 

 University, was elected president for the en- 

 suing year; Messrs. Hagen, Marvin, Little- 

 hales and Abbe were elected vice-presidents. ' 

 The treasurer, Mr. Green, and the secretaries, 

 Messrs. Hayford and Wead, were reelected, 

 and the following were elected on the general 

 committee: Messrs. De Caindry, Paul, Wins- 

 ton, Watkins, Briggs, Fischer, Bauer, Day and 

 Harris. 



The meeting regularly falling on January 

 3, 1903, was ordered omitted on account of 

 the meetings of the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science during the week 

 on which that date fell. 



The 561st meeting was held January 17, 

 1903, with the new president. Professor J. H. 

 Gore, in the chair. 



The evening was devoted to reports from the 

 committee on mathematical science. 



Professor Cleveland Abbe, of the U. S. 

 Weather Bureau, spoke of the German Mathe- 

 matical Union and the new ' Encyclopaedia of 

 Mathematics.' The Mathematical Union or 

 Association originated as a branch of the As- 

 sociation of German Naturforscher und 

 Aerzte at the Heidelberg meeting of 1889, and 

 its duties were definitely formulated at the 

 Bremen meeting in September, 1890. It now 

 numbers about 550 members ; it has published 

 two or three miscellaneous volumes, such as 

 a list of German mathematical theses by can- 



