SCIENCE 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodward, 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 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. 



Friday, October 9, 1896. 



CONTENTS : 



An International Association for the Advancement 

 of Science 505 



Address iefore Section B of the American Associa- 

 tion for the Advancement of Science by the Vice- 

 President : C. L. Mees 507 



Tlie Cornell Expedition to Greenland: Ealph S. 

 Taee 520 



Albert Nelson Prentiss : Geo. F. Atkinson 523 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 



Waterways of English Lakeland ; Origin of Lake 

 Zurich; Dust and Sand Storms; Physical Geog- 

 raphy of New York State ; Geography from Nature : 

 W. M. Davis 524 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 



Origin of the Ancient Indian Alphabets ; Explora- 

 tions in Yucatan : D. G. Beinton 526 



Astronomical Notes : H.J 526 



Notes on Inorganic Chemistry : J. L. H 527 



Scientific Notes and News 528 



University and Educational News 532 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



A Straight Line as a 3Iinimum Length : Thomas 

 S. FiSKE. * A Curve-tracing Top ' a7id a Curious 

 Optical Illusion : C. B. Waeeing. Embryos of 

 the Smooth Dogfish {Galeus canis): James E. 

 Peabody. The Law of Rhythmic Movement: 

 E. W. Sceiptuee 533 



Scientific Literature : — 



Herrick^s American Lobster: H. C. BUMPUS. 

 Isopentane and Hexane. Some Recent Mexican 

 Publications: John W. Haeshbeegee 536 



New Books 540 



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. 



AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE 

 ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



The American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science will meet next year 

 at Detroit, on the Canadian frontier, and 

 will adjourn to Toronto to welcome the 

 British Association to American territory. 

 The British Association has acknowledged 

 this courtesy by inviting the officers of our 

 Association to attend the Toronto meeting 

 as honorary members and by admitting all 

 members and fellows of our Association as 

 members for the meeting. The Association 

 frangaise pour V avancement des sciences has 

 proposed that it should meet at Boulogne in 

 1898 or 1899, and suggested to the British 

 Association that it should meet at some town 

 on the opposite coast, such as would allow 

 an interchange of visits between the two 

 Associations. This proposal was cordially 

 welcomed, and the British Association will 

 meet at Dover in 1899. 



Within the past few years International 

 Congresses for a number of the leading 

 sciences have been organized. In nearly 

 every case each new congress has been 

 more successful and stimulating than the 

 preceding, and the future growth of these 

 congresses is assured. They are accom- 

 plishing a work, the importance of which 



