'^ \^ 1 xi ii \^ xi 



Editoeial Committee : S. Newcojib, Mathematics ; E. S. Woodward, Mechauics ; E. C. Pickebing, 



Astronomy ; T. C. Mendbnhall, Physics ; R. H. Thurston", Engineering ; lEA Eemsen, Chemistry ; 



Joseph Le Conte, Geology ; W. M. Davis, Physiography ; Henry F. Osboen, Paleontology ; 



W. K. Brooks, C. Haet Mereiam, Zoology ; S. H. Scuddee, Entomology ; C. E. Bessey, 



N. L. Beitton, Botany ; C. S. MiNOT, Embryology, Histology ; H. P. Bowditch, 



Physiology ; J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; William H. Welch, Pathology ; 



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



Friday, May 11, 1900. 



CONTENTS: 



Report of the Watson Trustees on the Award of the 

 Watson Medal to David Gill : Peofessoe S. 

 Newcomb 721 



Experience Notes upon Plot Experiments : Pro- 

 fessor Byron D. Halsted 726 



Modern Problems in Acoustics : Chaeles K. 

 Wead 732 



Opportunities for Biological Study in Paris and the 

 Bequirements for the New Doctorate : PSOFES- 

 SOE Feedeeick C. Newoombe 736 



Tlie Senses of Primitive Man , 740 



Oliver Payson Hubbard : Peofessoe J. J. Ste- 

 venson, Dr. a. a. Julien 742 



Scientific Books : — • 



Boyce's — World and the Individual : PRO- 

 FESSOR E. M. Wenley. a Preliminary Be- - 

 port on the Geology of Louisiana : Dr. W. H. 

 Ball. Loeio on the Physiological Role of 3Iin- 

 eral Nutrients : PEOFESSOE D. T. MacDou- 

 GAL. Wiechmann's Chemistry, its Evolution 

 and Achievements. Peofessoe W. A. Noyes. 

 Books Beceived 743 



Scientific Journals and Articles 747 



Societies and Academies : — 



Biological Society of Washington : F. A. Lu- 

 cas. Section of Geology' and Mineralogy of the 

 New York Academy of Science: Dr. Theo- 

 doee G. White. The Academy of Science of 

 St. Louis: Peofessoe William Trelease. 

 American 3Iatliematical Society: Peofessoe F. 

 N. Cole. The New York Section of the American 

 Chemical Society: Dr. Dueand Woodman 749 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Physical Observations during the Total Solar 

 Eclipse: A. Laweence Eotoh. The University 

 of Cincinnati : PEOFESSOE Thomas Feench, 

 Je. '00 or 1900 : PEOFESSOE E. L. Maek 752 



Current Notes on Physiography : — 



The 3Iexican Boundary ; Glaciation of Sierra 

 Costa, Cat.; The Trough of Lake Nyassa : PRO- 

 FESSOR W. M. Davis 753 



The Making of a Museum : F. A. L 755 



Scientific Notes and News 756 



University and Educational News 760 



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

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor. Profes- 

 sor, J. McKeen Cattell, Garrison-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



BEPOBT OF THE WATSON TBUSTEES ON THE 



AWARD OF THE WATSON MEDAL 



TO DAVID GILL. 



At the last annual meeting of the Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences the Watson 

 medal was, on recommendation of the 

 Trustees, awarded to Dr. David Gill, Her 

 Majesty's Astronomer at the Cape of Good 

 Hope, for his work in perfecting the appli- 

 cation of the heliometer to astronomical 

 measurements resulting in an important 

 advance in astronomy of precision especially 

 in the determination of the parallaxes of 

 the sun and stars, and of the positions of 

 the planets. In accordance with our cus- 

 tom I now have the honor to submit a 

 fuller report on the work in question. 



It is as true of the astronomer as of the 

 poet that he must be born, not made. 

 Although there is no branch of research in 

 which a wider knowledge of the whole field 

 of physical science and a broader grasp of 

 first principles are necessary than in as- 

 tronomy, it is none the less true that this 

 knowledge and grasp must be supplemented 

 by that indefinable quality born in the man 

 which leads him to pursue astronomy with 

 zeal and success. The career of our med- 

 alist offers a remarkable example of this 

 fact. So far as can be inferred from his 

 writings, his early training was rather in 

 the direction of mathematical science, es- 

 pecially horology, than in that of astronomy. 

 His first appearance as an active worker in 



