1895.] -Recent Literature. 35 
In another place, Dr. Packard quotes the fact that Bacteria can be 
altered by changed environment, but-has not Weismann pointed out 
that the unicellular forms: stand upon an entirely different basis- from 
the many-celled species, and that acquired characters must be trans- 
mitted among them? Aside from some features like this, Professor 
` Packard’s paper must be regarded as a strong presentation of the neo- 
Lamarckian position. 
Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science for 1893.— 
Among the foremost of the State scientific organizations is the Indiana 
Academy of Science, the third volume of whose Proceedings is before us. 
Of its 274 pages, 70 are occupied by the papers read at the annual meet- 
ing in the holidays a year ago, among which especially noticeable are 
the presidential address of Dr. J: C.. Arthur upon “ The Special Senses 
of Plants ;” E. W. Olives paper on the “ Histology of the Ponteder- 
iaceae,” and Professor Eigenmann’s “ Effect of Environment on the 
mass of Local Species.” More important than these is the account of 
the work outlined and that already done towards a Natural History’ 
Survey of the State. Necessarily, the matter presented is preliminary ; 
a getting together of bibliographies and lists of species, but so enthu- 
siastically has the beginning been made, that we doubt not that in a 
“few years the whole Natural History of the State will be adequately 
understood. For many years Indiana has maintained a so-called geo- 
logical and natural history survey, but so thoroughly has this been 
dominated by politics that but little good has been accomplished by it. 
-One geologist would scarcely get the harness on when a new election 
would put a new person in the office, a condition which has been fatal 
to any definite policy. But worst of all has been the fact that nomi- 
nations, for many years past, have been controlled by party pull, fitness 
for the position not being at all essential. The result has been that 
since the days of Cox and Collett, the office has been occupied by per- 
sons who, no matter how estimable they may,be, are unknown to the 
world of science, and their reports have been scarcely more than a 
waste of so much good paper. This year it is true, the standard has 
again been raised, but this is but one of the accidents of a thoroughly 
pernicious method. The next election is apt to replace the present 
incumbent by one as ill adapted for the place as some of his pre- | 
-decessors. 
2 Although it includes Geology, the Survey is throughout spoken of as the “ Bi ee 
logical Survey.” 
