March 6, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



385 



3. Mary J. Ross, ' The Origin and Development 

 of the Gastric Glands of Desmognatlius, Ambly- 

 stoma and Pig.' 



This work was submitted to the Faculty of 

 Cornell University for the degree of Doctor of 

 Philosophy. 



4. H. F. Thatcher, 'A Preliminary Note on the 

 Absorption of the Hydranths of Hydroid Polyps.' 



The conclusion is reached that the process is 

 not liquefaction of protoplasm, or of withdrawal 

 of the polyp as a whole. The absorption takes 

 place by the degenerating cells of the endoderm 

 and ectodenn being turned into the digestive tract 

 of the colony. 

 Volume IV., No. 3, February, 1903: 



1. Axel Leonard Melander, 'Notes on the Struc- 

 ture and Development of Embia texana.' 



2. W. R. Coe and B. W. Kunkel, ' A New Species 

 of Nemertean (Cerehratulus melanops) from the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence.' 



3. R. P. Cowles, ' Notes on the Rearing of the 

 LarvfE of Polygordius appendiculatus and on the 

 Occurrence of the Adult on the Atlantic Coast of 

 America.' 



The rearing of the larvae of an American 

 Polygordius by the diatom method, and its identi- 

 fication with the European species appendiculatus. 



4. Arthur W. Greeley, ' On the Effect of Varia- 

 tion in the Temperature upon the Process of 

 Artificial Parthenogenesis.' 



The length of exposure to the solution necessary 

 to produce artificial parthenogenesis of the un- • 

 fertilized eggs of Asterias and Arbacia varies in- 

 versely with the temperature. An increase of 

 temperature to 27° C. liquefies the protoplasm of 

 the Asterias eggs and produces a fragmentation 

 of the nucleus. 



5. Wm. Morton Wheeler, ' Erebomyrma; a new 

 genus of Hypogieic Ants from Texas.' 



Containing an account of the first ant-genus to 

 be established by an American. 



Science Abstracts will in future be pub- 

 lished in two sections, Section A: physics em- 

 bracing light, including photography; heat; 

 sound; electricity and magnetism; chemical 

 physical and electro-chemistry; general phys- 

 ics ; meteorology and terrestrial physics ; phys- 

 ical astronomy. Section B: embracing steam 

 plant, gas and oil engines; automobiles; oil- 

 engine-driven ships and launches; balloons 

 and airships ; general electrical engineering, 

 including industrial electro-chemistry; elec- 

 tric generators, motors and transformers; 



electrical distribution, traction and lighting; 

 telegraphy and telephony. The American 

 Physical Society is now joined with the Insti- 

 tution of Electrical Engineers and the Phys- 

 ical Society of London in the direction of the 

 publication and has elected Professor E. H. 

 Hall of Harvard University as its representa- 

 tive on the publishing committee. In con- 

 sequence of this arrangement. Section A will 

 in future be received by all members of the 

 American Physical Society. The American 

 Institute of Electrical Engineers is also co- 

 operating with the committee and taking 

 special means to bring the publication to the 

 notice of all its members, who will in future 

 be able to obtain it at a reduced subscription 

 rate through the secretary of the American 

 Institute. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. SECTION 



OP ASTRONOMY, PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY. 



At the meeting of the section on January 

 5, the following papers were presented: Mr. 

 C. C. Trowbridge on ' Some Facts Regarding 

 Persistent Meteor Trails — the significance of 

 size, color and drift'; Professor Harold 

 Jacoby on a ' Comparison of Astronomic 

 Photographic Measures With the Eeseau and 

 "Without it.' 



At the meeting of Eebruary 2, Mr. Herschel 

 C. Parker read a paper on ' Experiments Con- 

 cerning "Very Brief Electrical Contacts,' ex- 

 hibiting contact keys by means of which he 

 could get a fairly accurate range of adjust- 

 ment from 0.1 second to 0.00001 second. 



Professor Marston T. Bogert gave a very 

 interesting talk on ' Some Products Derived 

 from Coal,' paying special reference to the 

 products from coal-tar. From bituminous 

 coal, by distillation, are derived: (1) Coal 

 gas, (2) ammonia water, (3) tar and (4) 

 coke. 



The uses of coal-gas and coke are so well 

 known as to need no mentioning. In the 

 "United States, the total production of am- 

 monium compounds for the year 1900 

 amounted to 2,700 tons, valued at about 

 $2,000,000. 



