196 Scientific Intelligence. 



used for weeks at a time. By having on hand three such 

 devices, one for sodium, the second for lithium and the third for 

 thallium salt, the observer can at any instant change from the 

 one to the other and proceed with his measurements for hours if 

 necessary without further care for the flame. By this process of 

 melting down the salts, the flow of fresh material is continuous 

 and the flame is constant and remains practically unchanged for 

 a long period of time. 



3. Report of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for 

 the year ending June SO, 1908. Pp. 84. Washington, 1908. —The 

 annual report of Dr. Charles D. Walcott, Secretary of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, has recently been issued. It gives the usual 

 interesting account of the workings of the Institution in its varied 

 functions, prominent among which are the National Museum, the 

 Bureau of American Ethnology, the International Exchanges^ the 

 National Zoological Park, and the Astrophysical Observatory. 

 The work of the Institution is now so well organized that it goes 

 forward in a manner most satisfactory to all the interests involved. 

 In regard to the new building for the National Museum, it is 

 stated that the walls are completed and the construction of the 

 roof well under way. .There remains, however, the fitting up to 

 the interior, including some ten acres of floor space. The most 

 interesting part of the work of the Bureau of Ethnology has been 

 the excavation and repair of the Casa Grande ruins in Arizona, 

 under the charge of Dr. Fewkes. Although the work has not 

 been completed it has progressed far enough to present a typical 

 ruin, given the general character of the ancient Pueblo remains 

 of that region. This most interesting subject, and others related, 

 are described in detail in an Appendix to the present Report, 

 prepared by the Chief of the Bureau, W. H. Holmes. Other 

 appendixes are given by the gentlemen in charge of the different 

 departments, among which must be mentioned that by C. G. 

 Abbot on the work of the Astrophysical Observatory. A number 

 of special investigations are enumerated which are now being 

 carried on by grants from the funds of the Institution. 



The Annual Report of the Board of Regents for the year end- 

 ing June SO, 1907, has also been issued. This contains the Report 

 of the Secretary, issued in advance about a year since (see vol. 

 xxiv, p. 160). There is also the usual Appendix, pp. 95-709, con- 

 taining selected articles of general scientific interest on a wide 

 range of topics. As most of these are not easily accessible in the 

 original, their republication here should be of great value to the 

 intelligent reading public. 



Obituary. 



George W. Hough, Professor of Astronomy at Northwestern 

 University and Director of the Dearborn Observatory, died at 

 his home in Evanston on January 1 in his seventy-third year. 



