204 Tke American Geologist. September, is*j7 
The American Association for the Advancement of 
Science at its recent meeting in Detroit elected F. W. Putnam 
of Cambridge president, andL. O. Howard of Wasliington per- 
manent secretary. The vice-president of section E (geology 
and geograpiiy) is H. L. Fairchild of Rochester, and the sec- 
retary is Warren Upham of St. Paul. 'J'he next meeting, the 
fiftieth anniversary of the Association, will be held in Boston. 
Cafe of Good Hope. The first (1896) annual report of 
the Geological Commission has recently been published. Be- 
sides the otticial reports it contains short papers on special 
topics, a map of the dolerites of Eastern Nieuwveld and a 
sketch plan of the Congo cave. The staff is as follows : G. S. 
Corstorphine, geologist: A. W. Rogers and E. H. L. Schwarz, 
assistant geologists ; H.P.Saunders, secretar}^ 
U. S. National Museum. On the recommendation of 
Hon. (yhas. D. Walcott, acting assistant secretary of the 
Smithsonian Institution, in charge of the U. S. Nation- 
al Museum, an important change has been made in the 
administration of the Museum. Three sections have been or- 
ganized — a section of anthropology, a section of biolog} and 
a section of geology, each having a head curator with an an- 
nual salary of $3,500. Dr. W. H. Holmes has been appoint- 
ed head curator of anthropology; Dr. Frederick W. True, 
head curator of biology, and Dr. G. P. Merrill, head curator 
of geology. Dr. 'J'rue and Dr. Merrill are already connected 
with the Museum, and it is expected that Dr. True will con- 
tinue to act as the executive curator. Dr. Holmes leaves the 
Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, to accept this position, 
but was formerly connected with the U- S. Geological Survey 
and the Bureau of Ethnology (Science.) 
The Maryland Geological Survey has just issued its first 
volume, which is a very attractive report of over 500 pages 
and numerous maps. The second volume, which will contain 
a description of the building and decorative stones of the 
state, is well advanced and will be issued the coming winter. 
