50 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VOL. XXXII. 
But can we not see already the dawn of a new era in natural 
science, brought about by this very multiplicity of independent re- 
searches and vast accumulation of material? Generally speaking, 
the obvious facts of natural science have been discovered, and inves- 
tigation is trending away from them toward the deeper, more remote, 
and more fundamental phenomena. Students following these deeper 
lines of research sooner or later find themselves on the border where 
their scientific field touches their neighbor’s. The morphologist who 
seeks to explain the causes of development soon finds himself in- 
volved in questions of physiology. Physiologists, on the other hand, 
in studying the functions of the nervous system, for example, have 
found it possible to draw important conclusions from data furnished 
by morphology. The geologist supplies the biologist with informa- 
tion concerning the conditions that have influenced the geographical 
distribution of organisms, and learns from him in turn what organ- 
isms have to teach as to the nature of the environment in which 
strata have been deposited. And so it is throughout all the related 
sciences. A good example of this tendency is furnished by the pro- 
gram of the American Morphological Society, which is holding its 
meeting as we go to press. We notice such titles as the following: 
“Grafting Experiments upon Lepidoptera,” “ The Effect of Salt Solu- 
tions on Unfertilized Eggs of Arbacea,” “ Some Activities of the Polar 
Bodies of Cerebratulus,” “ The Reaction of Amæba to Light of Differ- 
ent Colors and to Reentgen Rays.” Surely we may expect these 
papers to contain as much physiology as morphology. 
A movement seems to be well under way toward a closer union of 
the natural sciences based not upon superficial observations and 
poorly grounded speculations, but upon a deeper insight into the 
real facts. It is the purpose of the American Naturalist to aid 
and encourage this movement. We desire that our pages afford a 
common meeting-ground where the morphologist, the physiologist, 
the zoologist, the botanist, the anthropologist, the palzontologist, the 
geologist, and the mineralogist may meet to discuss the problems in 
which they have a common interest. But it is not merely articles 
dealing in broad generalities that we want. Accounts of the most 
minute investigations will be cordially welcomed, if only the results 
are shown to have some significance from our point of view. 
Of course, ultimately, all human knowledge is a unit, and no fact 
lacks significance; but we have no ambition to cover such a field. 
How, then, shall we define our province? 
