1897.] Editor’s Table. 801 
overlap. Especially is this true of the natural sciences. The fusion of 
the biological sciences is wellnigh complete ; and they, in turn, grade 
into geology through geographical distribution and physical geography 
on the one hand, and through paleontology on the other. All of the 
natural sciences, moreover, must seek for their bases within the realms 
of chemistry and physics. Indeed in the development of the new fields 
of biological geology, chemical geology, bio-chemistry, and bio-physics 
we can foresee the clearer and more general recognition of the solidarity 
of the sciences. 
The answer of experience is not less decisive. No one can doubt 
that journals of that classin which Nature, Science, La revue scientifique, 
and Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau are notable examples, meet a 
perfectly well defined need, and their prosperity gives us hope for suc- 
cess. We accept the answers á priori and 4 posteriori and fear no lack 
of a constituency. 
One other point. Every scientific man, as such, may well read two 
general scientific journals, the weekly scientific newspaper and the 
monthly review of scientific progress. We recognize that the first of 
these is already admirably supplied in this country ; we believe that 
THE American Natura.ist should furnish the second. 
Certain matters of detail are determined by the proposed position of 
the Narurauisr. We cannot publish very technical works but shall 
welcome such results of research upon the broader problems of the 
sciences as may be expected to interest a large share of our readers. 
For example, it would be inconsistent with our plan to publish a min- 
ute description of some anatomical feature or a mere list of the species 
found in some region; unless, in the first case, the subject should ap- 
pear to have broad morphological or physiological bearings, or, in the 
second case, owing to the interesting character of the types or some 
peculiarity of their distribution, the list should be shown to have 
exceptional value. On the other hand, papers intended for beginners, 
such as, “Some birds of the garden,” “Some common weeds,” are not 
appropriate for this journal. What we desire is scientific papers writ- 
ten by scientific persons and of interest to scientific workers in more 
than one field. In addition to results of research, we shall look for 
summaries of progress in natural science, discussion of scientific ques- 
tions of the day, and reviews of books and the more important papers. 
Remembering our title, while not forgetting that science is cosmoplitan, 
we shall seek especially the advancement of natural science in America. 
Such, then, is our programme. To carry it out we invite the coöpera- 
tion of every American naturalist. 
