716 NOTES. 
the association has perhaps deserved a little censure for some 
of its acts, which it is well thus to check before they take root, yet 
we think that some of the remarks in the daily press have been 
made through ignorance of the real work of the association, and 
the special cause of the supposed failure in the ‘‘ science” of the 
recent meeting. 
It must be remembered that the association has one great object, 
as expressed by its name; and science is advanced not only by 
the discussion of papers and facts brought before the association 
by laborers in its many departments, but also by meeting first in 
one section of our vast land and then another, thus bringing the 
workers of all regions together and, by actual contact, cementing 
the knowledge of the East, West, North and South into a true 
American Science; and not only is the.cementing process to be 
accomplished by the reading and discussion of scientific papers by 
the members, but also by bringing the scientists into immediate 
contact with the people at large. When we take this broad view, 
which is, we think, the basis upon which the association was 
founded, we do not think that any meeting can be called in the 
least degree a failure because not all the brilliant lights of Amer- 
ican Science happen to attend, and the papers which are read 
happen to fall short of the usual number, or fail in presenting 
startling discoveries and novel facts and theories. 
That there was a comparatively small attendance of old mem- 
bers from the eastern and even from the central states was un- 
questionably owing to the fact that it was generally understood, 
until almost the last moment, that the meeting would be held in 
San Francisco, and as the time and expense of attending à meet- 
ing there would be far greater than many members could afford, 
they made arrangements for passing their summer 1m other 
regions, giving up all thoughts of going to the meeting this yew 
and when it was decided to hold the meeting at Dubuque itwa 
too late to change plans made for the summer and prepare Pra 
for reading at a meeting which they had given up all hope a 
attending. But even this has had a good result, for we think t i 
association, with this experience, will not again leave the place 0 
the next meeting unsettled at its adjournment. ially 
That the Dubuque meeting was in many respects, opa the 
socially, a decided success cannot be doubted ; for sera 
greatest interest was evinced by the people of Dubuque and a0? 
