1890.] Scientific News. 993 
work of preparing a report for the coming meeting of the Interna- 
tional Congress in this country? In this case it isto be desired that 
the work should be commenced without delay, either through the sub- 
committees already appointed or through others. 
Or shall it accept its discharge at the last meeting of the A. A. A. S. 
as a committee ‘‘ on,” and lapse into the passive glory of the comité 
fondateur ** of’’ the International Geological Congress, like a soul on 
which this mortal conception has conferred immortality? Whichever 
it may decide to do, there is at least one duty of which it cannot divest 
itself. By virtue of its character as representative of the geologists of 
North America it has become the responsible subscriber for the edition 
of the geological maps of Europe assigned to America as to other 
* great countries," By diligent inquiry it has procured a list of insti- 
tutions and individuals, together making up the ten thousand francs 
for the one hundred copies which the map committee in Berlin has 
agreed to furnish to it. The committee is responsible to the North 
American subscribers for the delivery of these maps and the map com- 
mittee in Berlin is pledged to furnish them to the committee. Before 
ceasing its mortal and commencing its spirit career, therefore, the most 
elementary considerations of propriety require that it should provide 
for the fulfilment of this obligation. How this should be done cannot 
be determined without a meeting of the members of the ex-committee 
on, who might be called together as the existing committee of the 
International Geological Congress.—PERSIFOR FRAZER. 
SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
The third session of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods 
Holl was the most successful in the history of the institution. During 
‘the winter and spring a large addition was made to the building, giving 
six additional studies for advanced workers, and affording rooms for 
library and for lectures. This necessitated other changes. The old 
library quarters were fitted up for a chemical room, while a dark-rooın 
for photographic purposes was arranged. Thecrying need in past years 
wasasteam launch, and this want has been met by the purchase ofa thirty- 
nine-foot Burgess launch, capable of doing all the work required of #. 
The attendance both of students and investigators was larger than 
ever before. In the department of instruction twenty-six students 
were enrolled, some coming from the distant States of South Dakota, 
Nebraska, Kansas, and South Carolina. There were seven present 
who were beginning investigation under instruction, while fourteen 
