December 30, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



923 



width along mucli of both coasts and in the 

 numerous river valleys. The interior of the 

 island is a plateau with large areas covered 

 by barrens and sphagnum bogs. In passing 

 eastward from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia 

 the flora becomes distinctly poorer, many spe- 

 cies dropping out and few new ones appearing. 

 Cape Breton with a smaller area than the rest 

 of the province and forming its northeastern 

 limit shows a further decrease, although a 

 comparatively large number of forms are 

 known from the island that do not occur on 

 the mainland, while others grow more luxuri- 

 antly there, even at the extreme north. Among 

 the former may be mentioned Samolus flori- 

 ])undus H.B.K., Peramium Menziesii (Lindl.) 

 Morong, Parnassia parviflora DC. and Galium 

 kamtschaticum Steller; among the latter Gy- 

 pripedium regince Walt., Caltha palustris L.,' 

 Anemone canadensis L., Blephariglottis Meph- 

 ariglottis (Willd.) Eydb., Vagnera stellata 

 (L.) Morong and Rubus Ghamcemorus L. 

 The dwarf mistletoe, Razoumofshya pusilla 

 (Peck) Kuntze, apparently of wide distribu- 

 tion in northern Nova Scotia, extends at least 

 fifty miles up the west coast of the island. 

 The ferns are also noteworthy. All the com- 

 moir and a majority of the rarer species of 

 the mainland grow at least as well in Cape 

 Breton, together with two additional species, 

 Dryopteris Felix-mas (L.) Schott and Poly- 

 stichum lonchitis (L.) Roth., the former 

 widely distributed, but the latter known only 

 from two widely separated localities. 



The third paper, by Le Roy Abrams, was 

 on 'Notes on the Flora of Southern Cali- 

 fornia.' After speaking briefly of the topo- 

 graphy and general climatic conditions of 

 southern California Mr. Abrams called at- 

 tention to the extreme variation in the flora 

 and exhibited a series of specimens illustrating 

 the coastal and mountain floras. Among these 

 specimens were three of his recently described 

 new species: Cheiranthus suffruiescens, Heu- 

 chera elegans and Godetia Dudleyana. 



Other especially interesting plants exhibited 

 were Romneya trichocalyx Eastw., Quercus 

 Engelmanni Greene and Galochortus Gata- 

 . lince Wats. Edward W. Berry, 



Secretary. 



DISCUSSION AND G0RBE8P0NDENCE. 



THE NOMENCLATURE OF PHYSIOGRAPHY. 



To THE Editor of Science: I regret very 

 much that the technical nomenclature of the 

 comparatively new science of physiographic 

 geology does not suit Dr. Eastman, of Har- 

 vard. 



It is essential to ultimately possess a de- 

 scriptive name for every topographic form. 

 This is a difficult task, and one, in which a 

 field worker, like myself, who seldom has the 

 leisure or opportunity to devote to closet 

 study, finds most dilficult, but we do the best 

 we can, and some people manage to under- 

 stand us. 



If I am not mistaken, the science of paleon- 

 tology, which is indebted to Professor East- 

 man for his editorial and linguistic assistance, 

 has been floundering for over a century in the 

 throes of an obscure and specialized nomen- 

 clature which may be as unintelligible to the 

 physical geographer as the verbiage of the 

 latter seems to Professor Eastman. 



It is my opinion, founded on some experi- 

 ence, that language is only an instrument for 

 recording ideas, and that so long as the work 

 is accomplished, the kind or character of the . 

 tool is irrelevant. No one appreciates more 

 than I the importance of simple English to 

 good literary form; but I think Professor 

 Eastman is wasting words. Science's useful 

 space, and myself and most valuable time, in 

 discussing an elementary lack of literary style, 

 weakness inherent in most men except a few 

 rare literary geniuses, whom, so far as I am 

 aware, have not been noted for their acumen 

 in scientific research, or even in scientific 

 statement. - Eobt. T. Hill. 



A peculiar habit of the badger. 



Only now, in reviewing the classic work of 

 Dr. Elliot Coues on ' Eur Bearing Animals,' * 

 have I been brought face to face with his 

 statement regarding a peculiar habit of the 

 badger. Otherwise, the information here 

 given would have been made public long ago. 



On p. 288 of that volume he quotes Audu- 



* U. S. Geol. Surv., Hayden. Misc. Pub., VIII., 

 1S77. 



