Sg6 Editors' Table. [November, 



tive sizes, etc., of the masses forming the brain, is but the thres- 

 hold of the investigation. The study of the cell-structure, on 

 which so much depends, is a work of years, and the science of 

 the anatomy of these parts has yet to be created. And yet the 

 report before us does not hesitate to enter the perilous question 

 of responsibility, and to make assertions regarding the freedom 

 of Guiteau's will ! Truly the need of an education in the nat- 

 ural sciences for medical men was never more strikingly displayed 

 than in the Guiteau trial, and this its irrelevent appendix. 



It is just now the fashion among the editors of the news- 

 paper press to decry Arctic exploration. The scientific results to 

 be obtained by such investigations are, however, too important to 

 be surrendered to a temporary sentiment. As long as persons 

 are found willing to undertake such expeditions, they should be 

 sent, and the responsibility of their fate will rest with themselves 



The loss of most of Lieut. DeLong's party, however, is the 

 more to be regretted since it seems to have been unnecessary. 

 The greater part of their number might apparently have been 

 saved, had they divested themselves of the unreasonable preju- 

 dice against eating human flesh. 



It has been reported that a number of the council of the 



British Association for the Advancement of Science, agreed to a 

 proposition to meet in 1884, in Montreal. It is further reported 

 that other members have expressed dissatisfaction with this 

 course, and desire to have the decision reversed. Such a meet- 

 ing in this country would undoubtedly interfere with the meeting 

 of the American Association the same year by drawing members 

 from it. The more agreeable alternative would be to have the 

 meetings combined into one grand association. The only ob J ec " 

 tion to this proposition is the greater mass of papers that would 

 be brought before such a meeting, and the greater length of time 

 required to transact its business than has hitherto been thought 

 available for the meetings of either association. 



This objection could be gotten over by restricting the number 

 of papers; but the difficulty of doing this satisfactorily is 

 obvious. 



The editor of the Gardeners' Monthly, who is also a con- 

 tributor to the New York Independent, has several times recently- 

 presented himself as an antagonist of the Naturalist. Beillg 

 placed by our critic in the excellent company of Mr. Darwin, 

 Professor Gray and Mr. Riley, we have heretofore permitted our 

 friend to enjoy the diversion all to himself. We had hoped tnat 

 the failure of his attempted corrections of these well-known 

 authorities, would have inspired him with a little caution. 

 But we now think it time to apply the language used by the late 

 Mr. Darwin in a letter to one of our editors, that this gentl^" 

 " is the most inaccurate man he had ever known." We think Mr. 



