72 



SCIENCE. 



Vol. XXII. No. 549 



BIOLOGICAIi SUR^^Y OF INDIANA. 



At the last meeting of the Indiana Academy of Science, 

 at Terre Haute, a Biological Survey was established for 

 the State of Indiana, and Prof. Lucien M. Underwood, 

 Green castle, Ind., Division of Botany; Prof. Carl H. Eigen- 

 mann, Bloomington, Ind., Division of Zoology; Prof. Ver- 

 uon P. Marsters, Bloomington, Ind., Division of Palseon- 

 tologj', were appointed Directors to organize the survey 

 and outline the preliminary work ordered by the Academy. 



It is the purp>ose of the survey : (1) To ascertain 

 what has already been accomplished in the direction of 

 making known the character and extent of the life of the 

 State, and to this end to prepare a complete bibliography 

 of materials bearing on the botanj', zoology and palseon- 

 tology of Indiana, to be published by the Academy. (2) 

 To associate the various workers throughout the State, 

 and so correlate their labors that all will work together 

 towards a definite end, and ultimately accomp)lish the main 

 purjjose of the survey, namely, — the making known of the 

 entire fauna and iiora of Indiana, its extent, its distribu- 

 tion, its biological relations, and its economic importance. 

 (3) To stimulate the teachers of biology throughout the 

 State to encourage in their pupils the accumulation of 

 material, which shall make known the local extent and dis- 

 tribution of life-forms, and thus contribute facts that will 

 be useful in the survey and at the same time develop acute 

 observers for continuing the study of the natural resources 

 of the State. It is thus intended that the colleges and 

 secondary schools will form with the survey a mutually 

 helpful relation. (4) Ultimately to secure for the Acade- 

 my a collection that will illustrate the biology of the State. 

 Until such collection can be otherwise provided for, the 

 Academy will designate certain public or jsrivate collections 

 where accumulated material may be deposited temporarily. 

 Material sent to the directors will be thiis held for the 

 future disposition of the Academy. 



It is earnestly requested that all persons interested 

 in any department of biological work will jjlace 

 themselves in relations with the Directors of 

 the survey at once in order that their woi'k may 

 be made to contribute the most effectively to the public 

 good, and in order that the Directors may know on whom 

 they may depend for gaining information from various 

 portions of the State. All contributions from jsersons in- 

 terested will be properly credited in the reports of the 

 survey. Correspondence is solicited with the director of 

 the particular branch in which any one is interested, and 

 such directions in regard to collecting and sending ma- 

 terial will be given on application. By the assistance of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, the directors are able to send 

 printed directions for co-Uecting to such as apply for them. 

 In ordering these it will be necessary to specify in what 

 particular branch information is desired. 



It is the purpose of the Division of Botany during the 

 present year to make such additions and corrections 

 to the published "Catalogue of the Plants of Indiana" as 

 are possible, and to secure definite information regarding 

 the distribution of such rare forms as are there published. 



Specimens illustrating the distribution or occurrence of 

 any plant within the limits of the State must be deposited 

 with the survey before any notice of their belonging to 

 the state flora can be published. This will insure the 

 ability to verify in future any fact published by the sur- 

 vey. In sending such material it is desirable that notes 

 on the station, habitat, range and abundance of the plant 

 be noted, together with any other information that will be 

 of value. In addition to the flowering plants and ferns 

 covered in the above, it is the intention of the Division to 

 commence the study of the distribution of the lower cryp- 

 togams, concerning which almost nothing has been pub- 

 lished from Indiana. While collections win be made of 



all forms, special attention will be given at present to the 

 study of (1) Mosses, (2) Hepaticse, and (3) Parasitic Fungi. 

 Specimens are earnestly desired of all species, even 

 those that are most common, from all portions of the State. 

 It is desirable to state with each species the data indicated 

 above, with particular reference to the habitat. In the 

 case of jjarasitic fungi, it is necessary to indicate the host 

 and to include suificient cjuantity of the host plant, that 

 doubtful determinations may be verified. The Director 

 has been promised the assistance of specialists in the study 

 of material accumulated. 



The leading aim of the Division of Zoology during the 

 season will be the compilation of a comp)lete bibliography 

 of the vertebrates of Indiana and of as many invertebrates 

 as can be provided for. 



At the same time any material showing 

 the distribution of animals in the State is especial- 

 ly desirable. To determine the distribution, complete 

 collections of the vertebrates of as many localities as pos- 

 sible should be made. Collections should always accom- 

 pany notes, so that the observations may be verified by 

 some specialist. 



No oiDjDortunity should be neglected to observe 

 the breeding habits and seasons, and the animal 

 with young should, whenever possible, be preserved and 

 forwarded to the Director, who will transmit it to the 

 proper authority for record. 



Another subject which should receive attention is the 

 migration, or seasonal appearance and disappearance of 

 mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes. 



The next meeting of the Australasian Association for 

 the Advancement of Science will be held in Adelaide, 

 South Australia, commencing on September 25. The 

 Association has now been in existence since 1888. 

 Four meetings have been held, viz.: In September, 1888, 

 at Sydney— President, H. C. Eussell, C. M. G., B. A., F. E. 

 S., Government Astronomer, N. S. W. ; in January, 1890, 

 at Melbourne — President, Baron F. von Mueller, K. C. M. 

 G., Ph. D., F. E. S.; in January, 1891, at Christchurch — 

 President, Sir James Hector, K. C. M. G., M. D., F. E. S.; 

 in January, 1892, Hobart — President, His Excellency Sir 

 Eobert Hamilton, K. C. B. The meetiug in Adelaide will 

 be presided over by Ealph Tate, F. L. S., F. G. S., Pro- 

 fessor of Natural Science at the University of Adelaide. 

 Since its commencement the Association has grown stead- 

 ily and now numbers about 900 members. The work is 

 divided into sections as in the British Association, whose 

 rules on most points have been closely followed. The Presi- 

 dents of sections for the Adelaide session are: Section A. 

 — Astronomy, Mathematics and Physics: H. C. Eussell, 

 C. M. G., B. A., F. E. S., Government Astronomer of New 

 South Wales; Section B. — Chemistry: C. N. Hake, Chief 

 Inspector of Explosives, Victoria; Section C. — Geology 

 and Mineralogy: Sir James Hector, E. C. M. G., M. D., 

 F. E. S., Du-ector of the Geological Survey of New Zea- 

 land; Section D. — Biology: C. W. De Yis, Curator of the 

 Brisbane Museum; Section E. — Geography: A. C. Mac- 

 donald, F. E. G. S., Hon. Secretary of the Victorian 

 Branch of the Eoj'al Cveographical Society of Australasia; 

 Section F. — Ethnology and Anthropology: Eev. S. Ella, 

 New Soiith Wales; Section G. — Economic Science and 

 Agriculture: H. C. L. Anderson, M. A., Director of Agri- 

 culture, New South Wales; Section H. — Engineering and 

 Architecture: J. E. Scott, Lecturer-in-Charge of the 

 School of Engineering, Canterbury College, Christchurch, 

 New Zealand; Section I. — Sanitary- Science and Hygiene: 

 A. Mault, Secretary to the Central Board of Health, Tas- 

 mania; Section J. — Mental Science and Education : Henry 

 Laurie, LL. D., Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy 

 at the University of Melbourne. 



