1880. | Editors’ Table. 725 
Gray, in his systematic arrangement of plants, places this genus 
in the family Aracez, but Lindley, on account of there being no 
raphides, and as the general characters of the plant would not 
permit of its being placed in any other family, places it in a fam- 
ily by itself, calling it Acoracee. This genus contains but few 
crystals of any sort. On examining a number of specimens I 
found only a few crystal prisms, which effervesced and dissolved 
with hydrochloric acid and were probably oxalate of lime. With 
the exception of the genus Acorus the crystals mentioned in this 
family showed with certainty that they were composed of phos- 
phate of lime when the chemical tests were applied both under 
the microscope and also to the incinerated residue. 
| Zo be continued.) 
co 
EDITORS’. TABLE: 
EDITORS: A. S. PACKARD, JR., AND E. D. COPE, 
The late meeting of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science at Boston, under the presidency of the : 
- Hon. L. H. Morgan, was a very successful one. There was a 
large attendance, most sections of the United States and Canada 
being represented. A considerable number of papers of a high 
order of merit were read. Propositions for a precise and conve- 
nient division of the work of the Association were considered, 
and a report on the subject may be expected at the next meeting. 
The arrangements made by the local committee were excellent, 
and the most convivial member could not complain of any defi- 
ciency of receptions or “lunches,” either as to quantity or quality. 
The excursion to the White mountains was replete with interest to 
the geologist, the more so as it was accompanied by the State 
Geologist of New Hampshire, Prof. Hitchcock. 
Of the addresses of the officers, we refer to two as ciocia 
interesting to our readers, viz: those of Prof. Barker, the retiring 
president, and of Mr: Agassiz, vice-president in charge of Section 
The former was a general exposition of the present state of 
knowledge of the physics of life. The chemical nature of the 
respiratory and digestive functions, and the dynamic characteris- 
tics of muscular contraction were passed in review. The charac- 
_ ter of nervous te'egraphy was discussed, and its relations to men- 
tal phenomena considered. The conversion of force in reference 
