SCIENCE 



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



Astronomy ; T. C. Mendenhall, Physios ; R. H. Thurston, Engineering ; Iea Eemsen, Chemistry ; 



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



W. K. Brooks, C. Hart Mkeeiam, Zoology ; S. H. Scudder, 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, June 8, 1900. 



CONTENTS: 



Variation and some Phenomena connected with Be- 

 prod^iction and Sex : Peofessoe Adam Sedg- 

 wick 881 



The Language of Hawaii ( II. ) : Erasmus Darwin 

 Preston 894 



Coal Floras of the Mississippi Vallev : De. Charles 

 E. Keyes .". 898 



On the Zoo-Geographical Relations of Africa : Dr. 

 Theo. Gill. 900 



Scientific Books : — 



Jones on Tlie Theory of Electrolytic Dissociation: 

 Professor Jas. Lewis Howe. Walker's In- 

 troduction to Physical Chemistry: Professor 

 A. A. Noyes. Goblot's Essni snr la classifica- 

 tion des sciences : E. A. S. General. Books Be- 

 eeived 902 



Scientific Journals and Articles 908 



Societies and A cademies : — 



Science Club of the University of Wisconsin : 

 Professor Wm. H. Hobbs 908 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Reply to Professor Kingsley's Criticism : Pro- 

 fessor Joseph Le Conte. Glacial Erosion in 

 the White Mountain Notches: Philip Emer- 

 son. Floating Sands and Stones : E. O. Hovey. 

 Diurnal Bange of Temperatures : E. D. Pbes- 

 ton. Eogiea and Antarctica : Dr. Theo. Gill.. 909 



Notes on Physics : — 



The Absorption of Light in a rarefied Gas and 

 the Sun's Corona ; Modern Views of Matter : W. 



S. F 913 



Note on a Ntw Abyssal Limpet : Dr. Wm. H. Dall 914 



The Planet Eros 914 



Tlie Cambridge Exploring Expedition to the Siamese- 

 Malay States 915 



Scientific Notes and Netiis 916 



University and Educational Neios 919 



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

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

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



VABIATION AND SOME PHENOMENA CON- 

 NECTED WITH BEPBODUCTION 



AND SEX.^ 



In the following address an attempt is 

 made to treat the facts of variation and 

 heredity without any theoretical preconcep- 

 tions. The ground covered has already 

 been made familiar to us by the writings 

 of Darwin, Spencer, Galton, Weismann, 

 Eomanes, and others. I have not thought 

 it advisable to discuss the theories of my 

 predecessors, not from a want of apprecia- 

 tion of their value, but because I was an- 

 xious to look at the facts themselves and 

 to submit them to an examination which 

 should be as free as possible from all theo- 

 retical bias. 



Zoology is the science which deals with 

 animals. Knowledge regarding animals is, 

 for convenience of study, classified into 

 several main branches, amongst the most 

 important of which may be mentioned ; (1) 

 the study of structure; (2) the study of 

 the functions of the parts or organs; (3) 

 the arrangement of animals in a system 

 of classification ; (4) the past history of 

 animals ; (5) the relations of animals to 

 their environment ; (6) the distribution 

 of animals on the earth's surface. That 

 part of the Science of Zoology which deals 



* Address of the president to the Zoological Sec- 

 tion otthe British Association for the Advancement of 

 Science, Dover, 1899. 



