SCIENCE 



Editoeial Committee : S. Nbwcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodwabd, Mechanics ; E. C. Piceeeing, 



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 Meeeiam, Zoology; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology; N. L. Beitton, 



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



J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKbsn Cattell, Psychology ; 



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



Friday, April 30, 1897. 



CONTENTS: 



Tfie National Academy of Sciences : 669 



An Essay on the Classification of Insects : John B. 

 Smith 671 



Sow may 3fuseums hest Retard the Advance of Sci- 

 ence? P. A. Bathee 677 



Internal Secretions considered in Relation to Varia- 

 tion and Development : Albeet Mathews 683 



A Layman's Vieios on Scientific Nomenclature: 

 Theodoee Eoosevelt 685 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 



Contributions to Ethno-hotany ; Cannibalism in 

 Europe; The Pre-history of Northern Europe: 

 D. G. Beinton 688 



Scientific Notes and News : — 

 Sow Flowers attract Insects; The Scientific Ex- 

 position of the Government at the Tennessee Ex- 

 position ; General : 689 



University and Educational News 694 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



The Re-distribution of Type-specimens in Museums : 

 F. A. Bathee. The Quarternary of Missouri : 

 J. E. Todd. A ' driftless ' Ridge : O. H. Hee- 

 SHEY 694 



Scientific Literature : — 



Von Tubeuf on the Diseases of Plants induced by 

 Cryptogamic Parasites: Geo. F. Atkinson. 

 Recent Books on Quaternions : Alexandee 

 Macfaelane 696 



Scientific Journals : — 



The Journal of Geology : H. F. B 701 



Societies and Academies : — 



New York Academy of Sciences ; Section of Geol- 

 ogy : Eichaed E. Dodge. Boston Society of 

 Natural Sistory : Samuel Henshaw. The 

 Texas Academy of Sciences : Feedeeic W. 

 SiMONDS. The Academy of Science of St. Louis : 

 William Teelease 702 



New Books 704 



MSS. intended tor publication and boolis, etc., intended 

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

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



TSE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



The annual meeting of the National 

 Academy of Sciences in Washington began 

 on Tuesday, the 20th inst., and continued 

 through the following Wednesday and 

 Thursday. 



■ The meeting was remarkable for the un- 

 usually small number of scientific papers 

 presented and the unusually large number 

 of obituary notices and biographical mem- 

 oirs read. 



In the order of their presentation the 

 scientific papers were : ' An Experimental 

 Study of the Influence of Environment upon 

 the Biological Processes of the Various 

 Members of the Colon Group of Bacilli,' by 

 Adelaide Ward Peckham (presented by Dr. 

 Billings) ; 'On the Energy involved in Recent 

 Earthquakes,' by Dr. Mendenhall, who, with 

 Professor A. S. Kimball, presented a second 

 paper on ' A Eing Pendulum for Absolute 

 Determinations of Gravity,' the first being 

 discussed at some length by Professors Agas- 

 siz, Eowland, Gilbert, Hastings and Men- 

 denhall; 'On the Variation of Latitude,' by 

 Dr. S. C. Chandler ; ' On the Position of the 

 Tarsiids and Relationship to the Phylogeny 

 of Man,' by Dr. Theodore Gill; 'A New 

 Harmonic Analyzer,' by Professors Michel- 

 son and S. W. Stratton ; ' A report on the 

 Variation of Latitude and Constant of 

 Aberration from Observations at Columbia 

 University,' the joint work of Professors 

 Rees and Jacoby and Dr. Davis, presented 



