782 The American Naturalist. [September 
pose by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, with 
the result of placing on the free list the following items: Scientific books 
and periodicals devoted to original scientific research, and publications 
issued for their subscribers by scientific and literary associations or acad- 
emies, or publications of individuals for gratuitous private circulation, 
and public documents issued by foreign governments; books and pam- 
phlets printed exclusively in languages other than English. 
All manufactures of metals not otherwise provided for, reduced from 
45 to 35 per cent. ad valorem, or a reduction of 22 per cent. 
These provisions almost remove the onerous and disgraceful tax on 
education and science, which characterized the McKinley bill. It only 
remains to continue the work, so well begun, of the removing the 
tax on philosophical apparatus. The Association continued the 
committee. 
Tue address of Lord Salisbury at Oxford before the British Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Science, as its President, is a general 
review of the present status of selected leading questions in all of the 
great departments of scientific research. "These are treated in a sim- 
ple and straightforward manner, so as to be fully comprehensible to the 
lay member. The value of such an address, in informing the publie 
of the nature of the problems which have been solved and are await- 
ing solution by scientific research, is great. It wili also benefit the 
cause of science in England that so distinguished a member of the 
ruling class should espouse it in so conspicuous a manner. Lord Salis- 
bury adopts the hypothesis of organic evolution, but, like Lord Kel- 
vin, declines to regard Darwinism as a full exposition of it. Against 
it he appeals to the evidence of intelligent design to be seen in the or- 
ganic world. He does not refer to the doctrine of kinetogenesis, which 
so well explains the nature of design. He is not, however, prepared to 
accept as a necessary corollary of the fact of evolution, the origin of 
man from preéxistent Quadrumanas, but calls it “not proven.” This 
is probably as much as we can expect at this time from any one who 
is not a specialist in biology. 
We understand that among the animals imported from India by W. 
K. Vanderbilt for his park near Newport, R. L, are several mangooses. 
It is important that these animals should not escape from confinement, 
as they will inflict great injury on the native and domesticated fauna 
should they do so. They multiply rapidly and devour every living 
thing sufficiently important to serve them as food, whether they live 
under the ground, on the ground, or at a distance above the ground to 
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