34 The American Naturalist. [January, 



patient training " which follow. We would like to know the technique 

 of the operation, and the name of the operator and that of the institu- 

 tion where he operates. Some grown persons might desire to secure 

 his services, and almost everybody could point out some one else, to 

 whom they think such a course of treatment would be useful. Some 

 peculiar conditions might be found which it would be desirable to re- 

 move permanently, and so save the " labor of long years " etc. 



The editor of the Journal on page 609 stimulates our curiosity further 

 by saying that " Professor Elmer Gates, a psychologist who has for 

 several years been making elaborate studies both in Washington and 

 Philadelphia, has added not a little to our knowledge of the develop- 

 ments of the brain and the relation of particular parts of the brain to 

 thought and emotion and the use of particular parts of the body." The 

 view indeed is not new, but the confirmation given by Prof. Gates 

 researches is very interesting " He then quotes language from Dr. 

 Julius Althaus as to the supposed seat of mental activity in the brain, 

 which embodies a general statement of the little knowledge we have on 

 the subject. The question naturally arises as to the alleged researches 

 of Dr. Gates, and the extent to which they have confirmed our hypo- 

 theses on this subject, and if so, as to where they were published ? The 

 editor does not tell us. This is a pity, for assertions without authority are 

 useless to science. Is there any connection between these researches 

 and the alleged vivisection of idiots recounted in the article we first 

 quoted ? The name signed to the latter is not that of Dr. Gates, so we 

 are quite in the dark. A journal which publishes an article by Sir 

 Wm. Dawson, and writes up the Universities, ought to give us more 

 light no these wonderful researches. 



—It is again proposed that the American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science meet in San Francisco in the near future. The 

 Board of Supervisors of that city are said to have extended an invitation 

 to visit the city in 1897. The Association has had many such invitations, 

 and they would have been accepted had the railroad authorities been will- 

 ing to place their rates within reach of the members. The authorities 

 of San Francisco have, however, this time included in their invitation 

 the British and Australian Associations, and we are informed that the 

 British members will have free or nominal transportation via the 

 Canadian Pacific R. R. It is said that the Dominion of Canada will 

 make an appropriation towards defraying their transportation expenses. 

 Perhaps our Congress would be willing to make an appropriation for 

 securing the transportation of our own members. The amount will not 



