150 
Journal of the Mitchell Society [ December 
work of the U. S. Biological Survey. There were papers on cestodes 
by Edwin Linton, on bryozoa by R. C. Osburn, on isopods by Miss 
Harriet Richardson. The evolution of species and races in cer- 
tain land shells of the Society Islands was discussed by H. E. 
Crampton who has made a careful study, during several visits to 
the islands, of the local distribution of the different forms. 
Mention should be made of a number of papers by H. S. Jen- 
nings, L. L. Woodruff, and others on the behavior of protozoa in 
respect to conjugation and in response to various stimuli. The 
instinctive actions of higher forms, too, received attention, especi- 
ally in one of F. H. Herrick’s studies of bird behavior (cuckoo) 
in G. A. Drew’s account of the reproductive processes of the squid. 
Finally there were papers dealing with the analysis of physiologi- 
cal processes in the adult. Among these may be mentioned A. 
G. Mayer’s fine study of the cause of rhythmical pulsation in the 
scyphomedusae. H. V. Wilson. 
CHEMISTRY 
The 39th general meeting of the American Chemical Society 
was held in Baltimore Tuesday, December 29, 1908 to Friday 
January 1, 1909 in conjunction with the meeting of the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science. The attendance was 
the largest in the history of the society, partly due to the favor- 
able meeting place and partly due to the fact that recent large 
accessions to the membership have made it one of the largest 
chemical societies in the world. The last report gave an enroll- 
ment of 4008. The great increase in membership during the last 
year was primarily due to the establishment of the Industrial 
Division and the promise of a journal devoted to technical chem- 
istry. This “Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry” 
has now made its appearance. Two years ago the society began 
the publication of “Chemical Abstracts”, a semi-monthly periodi- 
cal, the most complete chemical abstract journal published. 
Three journals are now issued by the society. The success of the 
Industrial Division led to the organization at Baltimore of the 
Division of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, Division of Organic 
Chemistry and the Division of Fertilizer Chemistry. 
