























1891.] Editorial. 807 
EDITORIAL. 
EDITORS, E. D. COPE AND J. S. KINGSLEY. 
“He fortieth meeting of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science was held at Washington, between 
August 17th and 25th, inclusive. It was a successful and 
enjoyable occasion, and the membership present exceeded 800. 
Representatives from almost all parts of the country, including 
the Pacific coast, were present. The papers read were generally 
of a high order of merit. A noticeable feature was the large 
number of new specialists who appeared, especially in the Bio- 
logical and Geological Sections, an indication of increased 
activity in these fields, due in the main to the good work which 
has been going on in our. universities. The overflow of entomo- 
logical papers was large enough to give the Entomological Club 
plenty to do,anda_ good many geological papers went over to the 
Geological Society of America, whose meetings overlapped those 
of the American Association. The address of the retiring pre- 
_ sident, Professor George L. Goodale, on the possibilities of the 
introduction and cultivation of plants, now only known in the wild 
state, which shall be of utility to man, was of wide interest. The 
addresses of the vice presidents were as various as usual. That of 
the president of the Geological Section was technical, while that 
of the president of the Biological Section was didactic. Professor 
Prescott made an excellent presiding officer. Excursions were not 
allowed to interfere with the work of the association, and they 
were the more enjoyable on that account. The closing meeting, 
on the evening of the 25th, was an occasion of much hilarity. Not 
the least important contribution to this feeling was the ad- 
_ dress of a youth who presented the association with an invitation 
to hold the meeting of 1893 at Chicago, during the exposition. 
In well-considered language the association was asked to con- 
tribute its mite to one of the vast aggregate of congresses to be held 
there, and thus take part in the rejuvenation of the human race 
which it was anticipated would date from that event. Rochester 
was selected as the place of meeting for 1892. 
—TueE American Society of Geologists met on August 24th 
and 25th, during the meeting of the American Association in the 
Am. Nat.—September.—3. l oe 


