SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 



OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 



FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodward, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, 

 Astronomy ; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics ; R. H. Thurston, Engineering ; Ira Remsen, Chemistry ; 

 Charles D. Walcott, Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Henry F. Osborn, Paleon- 

 tology ; W. K. Brooks, C. Hart Merriam, Zoology ; S. H. Scudder, Entomology ; C. E. 

 Bessey, N. L. Britton, Botany ; C. S. Minot, Embryology, Histology ; H. P. Bow- 

 ditch, Physiology ; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; William H. Welch, Pathol- 

 ogy ; J. McKeen Cattell, Psychology ; J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, August 23, 1901. 



CONTENTS : 



Joseph Le Conte {with plate): PROFESSOR Andrew 

 C. Lawson 273 



An American Senate of Science : WJM 277 



Some Strange Practices in Plant Naming : Charles 

 Louis Pollard 280 



The Use of Hydrocyanic Gas for the Extermination 

 of Household Insects : W. E. Be ATTIE 285 



Engineering Education in London 289 



Scientific Boohs : — 



Frazer on Bibliotics or the Study of Documents : 

 Dr. E. S. Woodworth. Hasluck on Taxi- 

 dermy : F. A. L. Mosso's La Democrazia : Dr. 

 Gustavo Tosti. 3Iurray on Atoms and Ener- 

 gies: Professor W. S. Franklin 291 



Scientific Journals and A rticles 296 



Societies and A cademies : — 



Section H, Anthropology, of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the A dvancement of Science 297 



Quotations : — 

 Priority in the Discovery of the Malarial Parasite. 

 Impressions of a German Congress 297 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 



The Maryland Coastal Plain; Dunmail Raise; 



Brittany: Professor W. M. Davis 299 



A New Archeological Publication : HARLAN I. 



Smith 300 



Government Railways in Europe 301 



Scientific Notes and News 301 



University and Educational News 304 



MSS. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Pro- 

 fessor J. Mclveen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



JOSEPH LE CONTE. 



Joseph Le Conte was born in Liberty 

 county, Georgia, on February 26, 1823 ; he 

 died in Yosemite Valley, July 6, 1901. In 

 the years spanned by these dates he lived a 

 life well worthy of respectful commemora- 

 tion, a life whose record must exercise a be- 

 nign influence upon the rising generation of 

 scientific workers. To make such a record 

 is not the purpose of this brief article. 

 Here all that may be attempted is a grate- 

 ful acknowledgment of having known and 

 worked with the man, to outline his career, 

 to indicate the goal he aimed at and the 

 chief turning points on the highway of his 

 life as he pursued that goal, and to make 

 some loving comment on the most salient 

 features of his personality. To those who 

 feel keenly, as the writer does, the imperfec- 

 tion of this sketch, it will be a satisfaction 

 to know that at the time of his death Pro- 

 fessor Le Conte was engaged upon, and had 

 practically completed, his autobiography, 

 and that this will be published at an early 

 date. 



Joseph Le Conte was of French descent. 

 His earliest American ancestor was Guil- 

 laume Le Conte, a Huguenot, who fled from 

 Rouen after the revocation of the edict of 

 Nantes, served under William of Orange in 

 England, and finally settled in this country 

 near New York, in the year 1698. His 

 grandson Louis was born in 1782, graduated 



