FEBRUARY 15, 1884.] 
taking place at the present time, as well as some of 
the more remarkable ones of past ages. 
Cuvier club, Cincinnati, 
Jan. 5. — In their annual report, the trustees stated 
that the club expended during the year $238.60 in 
the prosecution of the game-laws. The extension of 
the open season for quail through November was sug- 
gested as not likely to do injury; and attention was 
called to the continued pollution of waters, and the 
consequent destruction of fish. The necessity was 
urged of protecting the National park from the specu- 
lator, and such tracts as the Adirondacks from the 
wood-chopper. 
Academy of natural sciences of Philadelphia. 
Dec. 11, 1883. —In an account of the formicaries 
of the carpenter ant, the Rev. H. C. McCook related 
observations proving that the females of Camponotus 
pennsylvanicus, when fertilized, go solitary, and, 
after dispossessing themselves of their wings, begin 
the work of founding a new family. This work they 
carry on until enough workers are reared to attend 
to the active duties of the formicary; as, tending and 
feeding the young, enlarging the domicile, etc. After 
that, the queens generally limit their duty to the 
laying of eggs, and are continually guarded and re- 
stricted in their movements by a circle of attendant 
workers, or ‘court.’ The facts are further illustrated 
and enlarged by a series of observations made by Mr. 
Edward Potts, in accordance with the speaker’s sug- 
gestions and directions. They establish or confirm 
the following points: 1. The manner of depositing 
the eggs, which, as well as the larvae, are cared for: 
by the queen until workers are matured; 2. The stages 
in the development of the egg and larvae are par- 
tially noted; 3. The time required for the change 
from larval to pupal state is about thirty days; 4. 
About the same period is spent in the pupal state, the 
entire period of transformation being about sixty 
days; 5. The work of rearing the first broods begins 
the latter part of June, or early in July; 6. About 
twenty-four hours are spent by larvae in spinning the 
cocoon; 7. The ant-queen probably assists the callow 
antling to emerge from its case; 8. Not only the 
larvae, but occasionally the antlings, are fed by the 
queen; 9. The young workers, shortly after emer- 
ging, begin the duty of nurses, caring for the eggs, and 
tending the larvae. 
Jan. 1.— Professor Joseph Leidy exhibited speci- 
mens of tin ore from the Black Hills, Dakota. They 
consisted of a mass of granite containing cassiterite, a 
fragment of quartz with the same, and a mass of pure 
Cassiterite of about one-pound weight. He had also 
seen several pounds of large grains obtained from 
gold-washings. From among these he had picked 
out several characteristic crystals, 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
THe death, last Friday, of Professor Arnold Guyot 
of Princeton, removes one more of those distinguished 
men of broad scientific culture, who, nurtured in 
| 
SCIENCE. 
209 
Europe, have given the best fruits of their lives to 
America. His influence on the young men under 
his teaching was second only to that of his devoted 
friend and countryman, Agassiz. We shall speak 
more at length of his life and characteristics in a 
future number. 
—It will be a source of pleasure to those who 
are aware of the reliable and conscientious character 
of Dr. Joseph Leidy’s contributions to science, to 
learn that he has been awarded by the Geological 
society of London the ‘ Lyell medal,’ with its accom- 
panying purse of twenty-five pounds, in recognition 
of hisimportant services to paleontology. In a letter 
received from Warington W. Smith, foreign secretary 
of the Geological society, dated Jan. 25, Dr. Leidy 
is advised of the award, and requested to depute 
some fellow of the society to receive the same at the 
anniversary meeting to be held on the 15th inst., for 
transmission to Philadelphia. 
— The fourth volume of the census reports has been 
issued from the press. This is upon the ‘agencies 
of transportation,’ and includes the statistics of rail- 
roads, steam-navigation, canals, telegraphs, and tele- 
phones. Naturally the first of these subjects takes 
up the bulk of the volume, monopolizing 651 pages 
out of a total of 869. The statistics and discussion 
of this subject, as well as of telegraphs and tele- 
phones, have been prepared by Mr. A. E. Shuman, 
whose thorough acquaintance with the subjects, and 
whose painstaking care, are amply illustrated by the 
reports in question. 
The total railroad mileage in operation on June 1, 
1880, is given as 87,781 74%. This was under the 
management of 631 corporations. The total cost of 
construction was $4,112,367,176, and of equipment, 
$418,045,458. The assets of the whole system 
amounted to $5,586,419,788, and the liabilities, $5,- 
425,722,560. The paid-in capital stock aggregated 
$2,613,606,264, over 80% of which earned a profit at 
an average rate of 6;37,%. ‘The total number of 
stockholders (estimated, in part) was not far from 
300,000, giving an average of $8,700 of stock to each. 
The aggregate freight mileage was 582,548,846,695, 
and the passenger mileage, 5,740,112,502. To illus- 
trate the amount of railroad travel, it may be said 
that this represents an average travel of 114 miles for 
each man, woman, and child in the country. The 
above figures, when contrasted with those represent- 
ing the condition of the railroad interest in this 
country at the close of 1882, show an immense growth 
during the two years anda half. At the latter date 
there were in operation not fewer than 117,717 miles, 
an increase of 29,835 miles, while the capital had in- 
creased in approximately the same proportion. At 
that date the total railroad mileage of the globe is 
given (Spofford’s Almanac) as 264,826, of which this 
country owned over 44%. The total of all Europe 
was less than that of the United States, being but 
105,895. The statistical tables of the report upon 
railroads contain, 1°, a general financial exhibit of the 
several roads; 2°, a general balance-sheet; 3°, traftic 
operations; 4°, passenger and freight mileage; and, 
