SCIENCE 



A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, PUBLISHING THE 

 OFFICIAL NOTICES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 

 FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



Friday, April 28, 1905. 



CONTENTS. 



Life and Chemistry: Professor Charles 

 BASKER^^LLE 641 



Interpretation of a Water Examination : Pro- 

 fessor W. P. Mason G48 



Scientific Books: — 



A Neio Introduction to the Study of Fishes: 

 Dr. Theo. Gill 653 



Scientific Journals and Articles 661 



Societies and Academies : — 



The Geological Society of Washington: Dr. 

 Geo. Otis Smith. The Biological Society 



of Washington: E. L. MoRRis. Section of 

 Astronomy, Physics and Chemistry of the 

 New York Academy of Sciences: C. C. 

 Trowbridge. The Science Club of the Uni- 

 versity of Wisconsin: F. W. Woll. Meet- 

 ing of Experimental Psychologists at Clark 

 University 662 



Discussion and Correspondence : — 



Alternation of Generations in Animals: 

 Harold L. Lyon. Science and the News- 

 papers: Professor G. N. Stewart and C. 

 C. Guthrie. A Modest Student of Animal 

 Psychology : Professor Maynard M. Met- 

 CALF. A New Form of Stereoscope : Pro- 



fessor Joseph Jastrow 6C6 



Special Articles : — 

 A Revision of the Coccaceae : Dr. C.-E. A. 

 WiNSLOw and Anne F. Rogers. A Connec- 

 tion by Precise Leveling between the At- 

 lantic and Pacific Oceans: Dr. John F. 

 Hayford 669 



Botanical Notes: — 



Recent Classifications of the Green Algae; 

 Seaiveed Studies; Sargent's Manual of 

 Trees: Professor Charles E. Bessey. . . . 674 



The National Academy of Sciences 675 



Scientific Notes and News 676 



University and Educational News 680 



MSB. intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the Editor of Science, Garri- 

 son-on-Hudson, N. Y. 



LIFE AND CHEMISTRY.* 

 As I look into the eyes of those before 

 me, I can not but have the feelings of 

 Molesehott in his address at the reopening 

 of the University of Rome when he found 

 himself 'in the face of an audience whom 

 he had nothing to teach, but from whom he 

 had much to learn.' 



An imposing knowledge of the distinc- 

 tions attained by my two distinguished pre- 

 decessors, perhaps should be depressing; 

 for it is no longer an investment here to 

 forge ahead, but an investment to keep up. 

 On the contrary, their unseen presences 

 stand not as spectres, but as gracious good 

 guardians. 



It becomes necessary in the outset to con- 

 fess to an inner consciousness, that we 

 know. Hoiv we need not consider for the 

 present further than that the internal 

 thought-centers, association or sense-cen- 

 ters take impressions from the external 

 world and transform them into presenta- 

 tions, which automatically, as it were, 

 frame themselves into concepts. The 'ulti- 

 mate nature of reality' is not of immediate 

 moment. 



Doubtless, man from his earliest experi- 

 ence has speculated on the origin and per- 

 petuation of life, that is, nature. This 

 period is no exception. President Jordan 

 has written, 'whatever else may be said 

 of it, this is certainly the age of deliberate 

 scrutiny of origins and destiny.' 



Kaut, among many things, wrote 'Only 



'" Inaugural lecture on the assumption of the 

 head professorship of chemistry in the Colleg« of 

 the City of Xew York, February 28, 1905. 



