SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodwaed, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickeeing, 



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; E. H. Thueston, Engineering; Iea Eemsen, Chemistry; 



J. Le Conte, Geology; W. M. Davis, Physiography; O. C. Maesh, Paleontology; W. K. 



Beooks, C. Haet Mebeiam, Zoology ; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology ; N. L. Beitton, 



Botany; Heney F. Osboen, General Biology; H. P. Bowditch, Physiology; 



J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. MoKeen Cattbll, Psychology ; 



Daniel G. Beinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, Janxjaey 15, 1897. 



CONTENTS: 



A National Department of Science: Chas. W. 

 Dabney, Je 73 



Geological Society of America : Ninth Annual Meet- 

 ing, Washington, December 29-31, 1S96 : J. F. 

 Kemp 81 



American Mathematical Society : F. N. Cole 99 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 

 Divinatory and Calendrical Diagrams ; The Racial 

 Geography of Europe: D. G. Beinton 100 



Notes on Inorganic Chemistry: J. L. H 101 



Astronomical Notes : H.J 102 



Scientific Notes and Neios 102 



University and Educational News 107 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



On Certain Problems of Vertebrate Embryology: 

 J. Beaed, Chaeles S. Minot 107 



Scientific Literature : — 



Bailey's Surnival of the Unlike: CHAELES E. 

 Bessey. NuttalVs Popular Handbook of the Or- 

 nithology of Eastern North America: C. H. M. 

 Hertwig and Wilson on The Cell : C. B. Daven- 

 POET. Physiological Papers by H. Newell Martin : 

 S. F. Locke. Behrcns' Anleitung zur Mikro- 

 chemische Analyse : E. E 109 



Societies and Academies : — 



Chemical Society of Washington: A. C. PeALE. 

 T!ie Texas Academy of Science : Feedeeic W. 

 Simonds 115 



New Books 116 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Prof. J. 

 McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



A NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE. 

 the peesent oeganization of the scientific 



WOEK OP THE GOVEENMENT, ESPECIALLY THAT 



DESIGNED TO DISCOVEE AND DEVELOP THE 



EESOUECES OF THE COUNTEY, CONSID- 



EEED WITH EEFEEENCE TO THE 



UPBUILDING OF SUCH A DE- 



PAETMENT. 



The United States Government is doing 

 more to discover the resources of its terri- 



tory and to teacli its people to develop 

 them than any other government in the 

 world. Our many noble establishments for 

 the promotion of science, both pure and 

 applied, are the admiration of all. For- 

 eigners regard these institutions as the most 

 unique feature of our government. They 

 represent the true American idea. It is 

 the more to be regretted, therefore, that this 

 grand idea, so well established in our laws, 

 is not adequately represented in the organi- 

 zation of the government. 



The scientific work of the government is 

 carried on by many agencies scattered 

 through the various departments, the more 

 important ones, however, being connected 

 with the Treasury Department, the Navy 

 Department, the Department of the In- 

 terior and the Department of Agriculture. 

 Some of them are not connected with any 

 department. 



The majority of these bureaus have no 

 logical connection with the departments to 

 which they belong, and an investigation of 

 their origin is necessary in order to find 

 out how they became attached to the sev- 

 eral departments. It usually came about 

 in this way. Some government official be- 

 came deeply interested in a certain line of 

 scientific work bearing upon the develop- 

 ment of the country. After agitating the 

 matter for several years he finally secured 

 an appropriation from Congress authoriz- 

 ing the investigation to be made in the de- 



