652 The American Naturalist. [August, 
Reso.tveD: First.—The section of Zoology of the American Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Science recommends that the date of the 
completion of printing of a single issue be regarded as the date of pub- 
lication ; 
Second.—That the Section recommends that such date be printed on 
the last signature of all publications, whether books periodicals or 
“ separates.” 
REsoLvED: (1) That the Section of Zoology of the A. A. As. S. is 
impressed with the desirability of introducing the custom of placing all 
publications on record at some central agency together with the date of 
publication. (2) That a committee be appointed to obtain the approval 
of these resolutions by publishing societies at home and abroad. (3) 
That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the British Assoc. 
Adv. Science ; the Zoélogical Society of London; Australasian Assoc. 
Ady. Science; Association Francaise; Société Zoologique de France ; 
Versamml. der Deutscher Naturforscher, n. Aertzte; Zoologisches Ges- 
selschaft ; and the International Congress of Zoology held at Leyden. 
To act as the committee above referred to, the President of the Sec- 
tion appointed: S. A. Forbes, Champaign, Ill.; E. A. Birge, Madison, 
Wis.; W. A. Lacy, Lake Forest, Ill.; George Dimmock, Canobie Lake, 
N. H. 
The above resolutions were adopted by very large majority vote. A 
proposition to regard as the date of publication, the date of receipt at 
the central agency of record was introduced. This was not approved, 
as it was evident that no private arrangement made by naturalists could 
supersede the customs long since current in the world of authorship. 
The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a 
peculiar custom which it seems to us might be improved. This is the 
use of the term vice-president to designate the presidents or chairmen 
of the respective sections. This expression gives use to confusion, as 
these officers are not the vice-presidents of the sections, but the presid- 
ents. If the expression vice-president of section so and so is used, a 
president is supposed, who does not exist. To avoid conflict with the 
title of the president of the Association, the term chairmen might per- 
haps be used for the so-called vice-presidents, but actual presidents of 
the sections. 
The decimal system of record, called the Dewey system in library 
catalogues, appears to the management of the Naturalist to be the best 
method which has yet been devised. It, therefore, follows Natural 
— and La Revue Scientifique in adopting it. 
