SCIENCE 



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



Astronomy; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics; K. H. Thurston, Engineering; Iea Eemsen, Chemistry; 



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



Beooks, C. Haet Mekeiam, 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, December 4, 1896. 



CONTENTS: 



The Jurassic Formation on the Atlantic Coast : O. 



C. Maesh 805 



Volcanic Ash in Southwestern Nebraska : EOLLIN 



D. Salisbury 816 



The Modern Version of the Law of Supply and De- 

 mand: E. H. Thueston 817 



In Memoriam — John Gregory Bourke : WASHING- 

 TON Matthews 820 



The Botanical Seminar of the University of Nebraska.. 822 



Fourteenth Annual Report of the Committee on Index- 

 ing Chemical Literature 825 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 

 Pacific Ocean Currents ; The East and West Indies ; 

 The River Etsch : W. M. DAVIS 828 



Current Notes on Meteorology : — 



Climatic Control of Civilization in Africa; Eclipse 

 Observations; Early Measurements of Cloud 

 Heights; The Tornado of September 10th in Paris ; 

 Notes: E. DeC. Waed 829 



Current Notes on Anthropology : — 

 Araucanian Studies; Race Degeneration in the 

 Southern States : D. G. Beinton 831 



Notes on Inorganic Chemistry: J. L. H 831 



Astronomical Notes : H.J .832 



Scientific Notes and News : — 



Geological Field Work of the University of Wyo- 

 ming ; The Weight of Mammals ; General 833 



University and Educational News 837 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



The Date of Publication : J. A. Allen. Vitality 

 of the Spermatozoon : J. I. Peck. The Appear- 

 ance of the Moon: E, L. FuLTON 838 



Scientific Literature : — 



HdbenichVs Grundriss einer exacten Schopfungsge- 

 schichte: W. M. D. Some Recent Researches in 

 the Chemistry of the Cell: Albeet Matthews... 840 



Scientific Journals : — 



The Physical Review 844 



Societies and Academies : — 



The New York Academy of Sciences ; Section of Ge- 

 ology and 3Iineralogy : J. F. Kemp. Anthropo- 

 logical Society of Washington: J. H. McCOEMiCK. 

 Geological Conference of Harvard University : T. 

 A. Jaggae, Je. Onondaga Academy of Science : 

 Philip F. Schneidee 846 



New Books 848 



THE JURASSIC FORMATION ON THE 

 ATLANTIC COAST* 



The absence of all Jurassic strata in the 

 eastern part of the United States has been 

 generally regarded as a settled point in 

 geology for half a century or more. The 

 reason for this vacancy has also been one 

 of the problems geologists have had to deal 

 with, since the formations above and below 

 are well represented. Until a compara- 

 tively modern date, this supposed absence 

 of Jurassic deposits was thought to be 

 true, also, for the rest of this country. I 

 well remember the parting advice given me 

 by an eminent professor of geology with 

 whom I studied in Germany :f " The first 

 thing you should do on your return to 

 America is — ^look for the Jurassic forma- 

 tion. I am sure it is there, full of fossils." 

 This advice I followed, and on my first 

 visit to the Rocky Mountains, in 1868, I 

 found this formation near Lake Como, 

 "Wyoming, well developed, and containing 

 an abundance of typical fossils. As this 

 locality is now a famous one, I have brought 

 here a colored drawing that shows the char- 

 acteristic variegated strata of the Como 

 Bluff, from which so many remains of 



* Abstract of Communication made to the National 

 Academy of Sciences, New York meeting, NoVfe'm^f 

 18, 1896. -i '^>-&i^ 



t Ferdinand Eoemer, whose researches, here ^ naa 

 already added much to our knowledge of: tUe geQl(%y 

 and paleontology of this country. , {)[j^j ,Qi—Lir 



