January 28, 1887.] 



SCIEJSfCE. 



81 



be valued at two hundred dollars' worth, that 

 of England, with its income from foreign invest- 

 ments added, may not exceed one hundred and 

 seventy-five dollars' worth ; that of Great Britain 

 and Ireland combined may be assumed not to ex- 

 ceed one hundred and fifty dollars' worth ; that of 

 France as not exceeding one hundred and twenty 

 dollars' worth ; that of Germany as not exceeding 

 one hundred dollars' worth ; that of Italy as not ex- 

 ceeding eighty dollars' worth ; such being substan- 

 tially the ratios which the average rates of wages, 

 with the per capita national taxation added, bear 

 to each other, and to the wages and taxes of the 

 United States, with corresponding profits added 

 in each case." Again : at the ratio which the 

 national taxes now bear to product in the United 

 States, the actual work required to sustain all the 

 functions of the national government, directly or 

 indirectly, is that of 500,000 men ; whereas, if our 

 ratio were that of England, the labor of 1,348,000 

 men would be required ; if it were that of France, 

 Germany, or Italy, the labor required would be 

 that of 3,000,000, 3,400,000, or 2,950,000 respec- 

 tively. Mr. Atkinson's final conclusions are full 

 of interest and importance, and merit close atten- 

 tion and study. 



In the issue of this journal for Jan. 7 will be 

 found a formidable list of papers read before the 

 Indiana academy of sciences at its last meeting 

 on Dec. 29 and 30, 1886. An examination of the 

 titles, together with the well-known scientific 

 reputation of some of the authors, proves that 

 there is a good deal of vitality in science in Indi- 

 ana at the present time. Not many states west of 

 the AUeghanies can boast of a more vigorous 

 scientific society than this : indeed, the line might 

 be drawn farther east without including one. The 

 Indiana academy, although enrolling more than 

 one hundred members, most of whom are actively 

 interested in scientific work-, was organized only 

 a year ago. It doubtless owes its existence to the 

 enthusiasm of the secretary of a village society of 

 natural history, Mr. Amos W. Butler of BrookvUle, 

 who, in the summer of 1885, assumed the labor 

 and expense of the issue of circulars, appointing a 

 meeting at the capital of the state on Dec. 27 of 

 that year, and making all preliminary arrange- 

 ments. With such men as Kirkwood, Jordon, 

 Coulter, Owen, etc., as a nucleus, the academy 

 was at once clothed with a dignity and character 

 which drew to it nearly all in the state who were 

 engaged or interested in scientific research. The 



second meeting, held a few weeks ago, was largely 

 attended, the membership was greatly increased, 

 and the society appears to be starting upon a career 

 of usefulness, which it is hoped may be a long one. 



As might be expected, the natural history 

 sciences have by far the largest number of votaries 

 among its members at present. This is the result 

 of example and environment ; but mathematics, 

 physics, astronomy, chemistry, etc., already have 

 their representatives in the state, and will not be 

 found slow to claim their share of the yearly pro- 

 gramme. The great danger to which the academy 

 is exposed is the possible loss of interest after the 

 novelty of the thing has worn away. Let it not 

 be in a hurry to increase its membership, and 

 particularly let it be slow to follow the example of 

 so many young societies in breaking up into a 

 half-dozen or more ' sections,' none strong enough 

 to stand alone, while all might do well together. 

 The greatest good which such a society can do is 

 to be found in the inspiration which it affords 

 young men who attend its meetings and breathe 

 its atmosphere. A society similar to the Indiana 

 academy, well directed and full of vigor, in every 

 state of the union, would be of incalculable bene- 

 fit to the science of the country. 



According to Professor Baird's annual re- 

 port, the work of the Smithsonian institution dur- 

 ing the past year has been carried on effectively 

 but quietly, and without any incidents of special 

 importance. The routine work seems to have in- 

 creased largely, for the system of international 

 exchanges now requires the constant labor of nine 

 persons, while that of two formerly sufficed ; and 

 the correspondence, which also used to need but 

 two persons to attend to it satisfactorily, now 

 needs five. The urgent necessity for additional 

 room for the government collections, and a con- 

 gressional appropriation for its provision, are em- 

 phasized by Professor Baird, who says that a new 

 museum building, equal in size to the present one, 

 would scarcely furnish the needed accommoda- 

 tions, so rapid is the increase of the government 

 collections. The lack of explorations during the 

 past year is ascribed to lack of means to under- 

 take any thing of magnitude. The publications 

 of the year are commented on, and some inter- 

 esting statistics given as to the working of the 

 system of international exchanges. During the 



