822 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
achievements of practical chemistry, and discussed its methods. The sub-section 
of anthropology was addressed by Major J. W. Powell, on the social organization 
and government of the Wyandotte Indians. In the evening, the retiring Presi- 
dent, Prof. Barker, delivered the customary address, his subject being, ‘‘ Some 
Modern Aspects of the Life Question.” He took the ground that every action 
of the living body is, sooner or later, to be recognized as purely chemical or 
physical, the life that science has to deal with having no existence apart from 
matter. 
The second day’s meetings were held in Harvard College, Cambridge. he 
appointed eulogy on the late Prof. Henry was delivered by Prof. Alfred M. 
Thayer, who dwelt especially on Prof. Henry’s work as a discoverer in science. 
The practical side of that work was touched in connection with the experiments 
which proved so beneficial to the light-house and fog-signal service. One discov- 
ery—that lard oil, when subjected to a heat of 280° Fahr., is superior to sperm 
oil in fluidity and illuminating power—saves the government $100,000 a year. 
Prof. Alexander Agassiz, Vice-President of Section B., followed with an 
address on ‘‘ Paleontological and Embryological Development,” choosing his 
illustrations from a limited group of marine animals—zaurchins—having less than 
300 living species, and more than 2,000 known fossil species. 
The rest of the day was spent in the museums, laboratories, libraries, the 
observatory, and other buildings of Harvard College. 
The reading of the 218 papers comprised in the programme was to begin on 
the third day, Friday, and continues until the final adjournment on Wednesday, 
September 1. Nearly 600 members were registered the first day, and fully 500 
new members have been elected during the two days completed at this writing. — 
Scientific American. 
THE BRITISH SCIENCE ASSOCIATION. 
The fiftieth meeting of the British Assosiation, commenced on Wednesday 
at Swansea, and is likely to be a very successful gathering, the number of tickets 
issued up to that evening being 790, whilst the list of visitors is likely to be con- 
siderably increased. There was a large attendance in the Music Hall to hear the 
address of the President-elect, Professor Andrew Crombie Ramsay, Director- 
General of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom. Upon the platform 
were professor Allman, the retiring President, Mr. Hussey Vivian, M. P., and 
many other well-known scientific gentlemen. The Mayor of Swansea having 
given the Association a hearty welcome to the greatest tin manufacturing county 
in the world, Prof. Allman resigned the chair, and introduced Prof. Ramsay as 
his successor. 
Professor Ramsay having assumed the chair, proceeded to deliver his in- 
augural address. He said the chief object of this address was to attempt to show 
that whatever might have been the state of the world long before geological his- 
