712 NOTES. 
this year, particularly in the valley of the Sacramento, appeared 
to be quite generally affected by it. : 
Mr. Stearns submitted specimens and a description of a new 
species of Truncatella, which he had named T. Stimpsonii; it 
differs from the .only other species of Truncatella credited to the 
Californian province in having longitudinal ribs, the other species 
being smooth. 
Dr. Gibbons announced the expected arrival within a few days 
of Dr. John Torrey and Prof. L. Stone, the latter visiting the 
coast for the purpose of investigating the salmon in connection 
with the introduction of the best variety in the rivers of the 
Eastern States. 
Tuer French Association for the Advancement of Science held 
its first session at Bordeaux, in September, about eight hundred 
members being present. The association is divided into fifteen” 
sections. Many papers were read and various excursions were 
made in the vicinity. 
Tue British Association met at Bristol, in August, and though 
upwards of two thousand members were present, and a goodly 
number of papers were read, yet there seems to have been some 
special cause that has led the press to consider the meeting as not 
so successful as some others. The address of Dr. Carpenter on 
“ Man as the Interpreter of Nature” and Sir John Lubbock’s ad- 
dress on the “ Origin of Insects,” (not yet published) were perhaps 
the most noteworthy productions of the session. 
Tue Swiss Association of Naturalists (Société helvétique des 
Sciences) assembled this year at Fribourg, on the 19th, 20th and 
21st of August, and met with a hospitable reception from the 
inhabitants and authorities of the little city. There is no place of 
half its size in the Confederation but has greater cause to boast the 
number of its scientific students and yet nothing was left undone 
to make the meeting successful. On the evening of the ko 
most of the visitors had arrived and greeted each other informally 
in the Tivoli gardens, a public resort just outside the city 1 a 
regular proceedings opened the following morning at ten o'clock, 
when the President, Dr. Thurler of Fribourg,* welcomed pi 
association in a few words, recounted the part Fribourg had play 
EE E N E 
| oade hid 
* The President is apparently selected from the town where the meeting ÍS he 
= 
K eae eee 
Pig aie ins Menna 
