2 JO The \^est American Scientist' 



EDITORIAL. 



The Editor has had the pleasure this month of havinjBf the com- 

 panionship of Prof. Robert E. C. Stearns, of the United States 

 National Museum. Dr. Stearns visitrd his old home at Berkeley, 

 California, where he was connected for many years w^ith the Uni- 

 versity of California, and spent a few weeks at San Diego in the 

 interests of the U. S. Geological Survey, witn which he is also 

 connected. He has returned to Washington, D. C, with data re- 

 lating, to thirty localities in this county where fossil remains have 

 been found, together with fifteen boxes of specimens, mainly fossil 

 shells, collected in this city, of which we hope to give our readers 

 a report in the future. 



A large number ol very interesting and valuable papers are at 

 hand, and for which we have to thank Professors W. G. Farlow, 

 T. H. Lewis. Wm Trelease, Robert E. C. Stearns, Geo. G. Groff, 

 Drs. C. C. Parry, R. W. Sh-feldt, J. G. Cooper, G. W. Barnes, 

 Messrs. E. Hikebrand, G. W. Eichtenthaler, the Bancroft Co., 

 Chas. P. Gaelf and others. 



AMONG THE MAGAZINES. 



Si. Nicholas for October is the last but not the least excellent 

 number of the current volume. A charming story by Miss Alcott, 

 with which it opens, lends strength to the hope that there are 

 "more to come" in the new year of 6?. Nicholas. The present 

 story is entitled "An Ivy Spray." It is a kirmess story, and it 

 tells in a strong, helpful style how a brave girl danced her way to 

 happiness. 



Dr. C. Fred Pollock, author of several medical works, and a 

 prominent physician of Glasgow, Scotland, begins in The Chau- 

 taiiquan for October, a series of articles on physiology, which are 

 to continue through the year and form a part of the Required 

 Reading of the C. L. S. C. Original drawings by the author add 

 much to the clear understanding of the subject. 



The frontispiece of the October Century is a striking portrait of 

 Harriet Beecher Stowe, engraved by T. Johnson from a photo- 

 graph by Sarony. This protrait is apropos of a paper by James 

 Lane Allen, entitled "Mrs. Stowe's 'Uncle Tom' at Home in 

 Kentucky," which recounts the life of the Kentucky slave of the 

 old time, in a series of typical scenes, pointing out some consider- 

 ations which it is thought should qualify Mrs. Stowe's point of 

 view. The illustrations, by Mr. Kemble, drawn from life, repro- 

 duce characteristically the epoch which Mr Allen describes. A 

 sketch is also given of the mistress of that time and her round of 

 duties. 



