460 The American Naturalist. [May, 
EDITORIAL. 
EDITORS, E. D. COPE AND J. S. KINGSLEY. 
HE U. S. National Academy of Sciences is entertaining a 
proposition to divide its membership into classes. These are 
ten in number in the plan, as follows: Mathematics, Physics, 
Astronomy, Geodesy and Mechanics, Chemistry, Geology, Botany, 
Zoology, Anthropology, and Political Economy and Statistics. 
A classification of the sciences which shall be consistent with - 
their nature and relations is of course difficult, and the above 
arrangement may be criticised, especially on the part of biologists. 
It is, however, reasonable that physiology, embryology and paleon- 
tology should be relegated to botany and zoology respectively. 
But psychology cannot be properly so referred, and its omission is 
a defect in the plan which it is important to remedy. 
We believe that such a division into classes will be useful 
in directing attention to possible deficiency or excess in the re- 
presentation of the various branches of science. But it must be 
borne in mind on the other hand that no equality of representa- 
tion will be possible, and the departments, if adopted, will be 
filled as nearly as possible in accordance with the number of de- 
serving candidates which can be found. 
In order to secure a more equal and just representation, another 
plan of division was proposed some years ago which was not 
adopted. Four classes were recommended, viz.: Psychology, 
Physics, Natural History and Applied Science. It was proposed 
to give to the first and last-named classes fifteen members each, 
and to the second and third, which would correspond with the 
old sections A and B of the American Association for the Ad- 
vancement of Science, thirty-five members each. This may be a 
better scheme’than the one now before the Academy. 
The new plan proposes that any of the classes may be called 
together and hold meetings to consider questions relating to their 
departments. This is a proposition to be considered with care. 
Occasions requiring such separate action will be rare, and per- 
