Edtorial Comment. 345 
dividual works of a geologist unless they were of a biblio- 
graphical character. Yet there are enough instances where 
one or two titles not belonging to this category appear, tfi 
make one anxious lest this work should be made the standard 
by which the eligibility of a geologist should be determined. 
If this "Catalogue of geological bibliographies,"' recently is- 
sued by the Congress committee (of which Serge Nikitinis 
president and Emm. deMargerie secretary) should be regarded 
as such standard, the rule would be prohibitory in many cases, 
in spite of the fact that valuable contributions to geological 
liter;iture had been iHade by the parties excluded. 
The Russians have long been in Europe the only competi- 
tors of the Americans in liberal and large undertakings, and 
they have determined to outstrip us in the magnitude and 
generosity with which this the seventh session shall be con- 
ducted. The}'^ have an enormous terrane, incredible resources, 
which are but little understood outside of their own ofticial 
scientists, and they have evidently determined that this gath- 
ering of the geologists of the world shall be so directed as 
to make these facts known throughout the civilized world 
and mark an epoch in the history of Russia's material progress. 
Following is the supplementary circular mentioned. 
p. F. 
The Committee of Organization of the Seventh International Congress 
of Geologists, after having done all that depended upon itself for the 
best organization of the exciu-sions which will take place before and af- 
ter the session, found itself in the position to proijose to geologists 
to take part in them on the least expensive conditions. The low price 
of the excursions is due to the fact that the Russian government lend- 
ing its aid, at the request of the committee, has deigned to grant, as we 
had the honor of stating in the first circular, all possible facilities as to 
the sojourn of the geologists in the empire. Now that these privileges 
have obtained a wide publicity the Committee receives every day re- 
quests, both from geologists whose presence at the Congress is very de- 
sirable, and fnim numerous persons unknown, who have not made 
their names familiar in the domain of geology. Consequently the Com- 
mittee is obliged to announce that geologistH only have the rigid to profit 
by the facilities accorded for their arrivalin Russia and their par- 
ticipation in the excursions, and that these favors are in no way ex- 
tended to persons who have not made themselves known by geological 
publications. 
This exclusion is due principally to the excessive number of geolo- 
gists of other countries — more than GOO — who have expressed the desire 
