NOTES. 763 
of pure science in our country.: The Coast Survey in like manner, 
and the survey of the Territories, have built up centres of science 
and gathered at Washington a number of scientists, which have 
made that city second to no other scientific centre in the United 
States, and developed the energies and collected the results from 
observers scattered over the country. The direct influence of sur- 
veys, geodetic, geographical, and geological, in developing our 
science is most apparent. Certainly our colleges and universities 
thus far have not proved to be centres for the advancement of 
science ; they tend to act rather as conservators of knowledge. 
Exception should of course be made for Harvard and Yale. 
It is not to be overlooked that some of the most talented obser- 
vers are not connected with any college or survey, and science has 
been largely indebted to isolated students for her most valuable dis- 
coveries. But it is to state and government surveys that America 
is on the whole most indebted for her present scientific position ; 
in other words to grants of money and incentives to work from 
people. It is for this reason that the proposal on the part of a 
number of the scientific citizens of the state of Massachusetts, 
who lately had a hearing before the State Committee on Edu- 
cation in regard to a re-survey of the topography, geology and 
biology of the state, will we hope, meet with favorable action on 
the part of the legislature this winter. By the annual appropria- 
tion of $20,000 for a period of fifteen years, a careful, elaborate 
and most useful survey of that small state can be made. No sur- 
vey has been made for nearly forty years. The value of the brief 
and incomplete reports published by the state, about forty years 
since, 7. e. the botanical works of Mr. G. B. Emerson, Gould’s 
* Invertebrates of Massachusetts,” Storer’s “ Fishes of Massachu- 
‘setts, and Harris’ “ Treatise on the Injurious Insects of the State,” 
—the value of these, not to speak of the other excellent reports, 
as educational works, in making students of science, in assisting 
state teachers and in aiding farmers and gardeners in combating 
injurious insects, cannot be overestimated. . 
So valuable have these works been considered, that the state 
reprinted those of Drs. Gould and Harris at a cost of $20,000. 
Every motive of state pride and economy calls for a thorough and 
final survey of the state, with reports on all departments of | 
science, botanical and zoological as well as geological and topo- — 
hical. Several other states, as Pennsylvania, Kentucky, North 
