SCIENCE 



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



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; E. H. Thukston, 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. McKeen Cattell, Psychology ; 



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



G. Beown Goode, Scientific Organization. 



Friday, July 3, 1896. LEGISLATION RELATING TO STANDARDS.'^ 



_ One of the first official acts of tlie Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences, in the capacity 



CONTENTS : ^^ scientific adviser of the government, was 



Legislation Relating to Standards: T. C. Menden- ^jj^ appointment, at the request of the Sec- 



^^^^- retary of the Treasury, in 1863, the year in 



The Lacoe Collection in the National 3Iuseum: G. ^^^^^ ^-^^ Academy received its charter, of 



Beown Goode , 8 /-< •-- /-i • ttt • i j. j 



a Committee on Coinage, Weights and 



Note on the Devonian Palseospondylus. • TB-EO. GiliL... 10 !• i i -• n j i 



Measures, which has continued to be a 



The Culture given by Science: Geoege Beuce . -,- .,, -? . i a i mi 



„ ^2 standing committee of the Academy. The 



Convention of the American Society of Mechanical " 



Engineers 13 ^^ ^^^ effective forces in securing the pas- 



Current Notes on Anthropology:- sage of the most important, and, until re- 



The Science of Language ; Ethnology and History ; cently, the Only act of Congress COnstitu- 



Primitive Cosmic Conceptions : D. G. Beinton.... 16 ting general legislation on the subject of 



Notes upon Agriculture and Horticulture : — weights and measures. In view of these 



Diseases of Citrous Fruits in Florida ; Combatting ^,^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ account of the remarkable pro- 



Carnation Rust ; Potato Diseases upon Long Island : . , -n j^- pi it i-i 



^ ^ „ -,« gress towards unification of standards which 



Byeon D. Halsted 17 = 



_ . _,.^ ,^, , „ has been made during the past few years, 



Scientific Notes and News : — o jt j ? 



Astronomy: H.J. The Greenwich Observatory ; affecting in one way Or another the whole 



General 18 civilized world, and especially in view of 



University and Educational News 22 very recent activity and interest in this 



Scientific Literature :— country, it seems proper to invite the at- 



Palmer on the Jack Rabbits of the United States : tention of the Academy to a brief resume of 



J. A. A. Woodward's Catalogue of Fossil National legislation relating to weights and 



Fishes of the British Museum; Garman on the „ -i r- j- />.i tvt j.- i 



„ . , , ^ „ mi. Ty 1 ^- measures, from the founding of the -National 



Cyprinodonts : Bashford Dean. 2 he Relative ' *= 



Densities of Oxygen and Hydrogen : W. A. NoYEs. Government to the present moment. The 



Comey's Dictionary of Chemical Solubilities, Inor- task is rendered comparatively easy from 



ganic: L. B. Hall 23 the fact, for which metrologists can hardly 



Scientific Journals : — be too thankful, that such legislation is ex- 



American Chemical Journal: J. Elliott GiLPiN... 27 tremely meager. It is a cause for sincere 



congratulation that in this respect, at least, 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended „^ ,-,, ,-, -^^ ,- ■,. -, ..o,- 



for review should be sent to the responsible editor. Prof. J. * Presented to the National Academy of Sciences 



McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. at its April meeting. 



