398 The American Geologist. ix-cfiubcr, i-foi 
Whatever may be the exact dates or aUitudes involved, it is certain 
that the w^aters of lake Nicaragua have subsideid in comparatively recent 
years, and that the way to save lake Nicaragua is to construct the great 
canal. B. Shimek. 
State University of lozva, Nov. 25, 1901. 
PERSONAL AND SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
Dr. H. M. Ami, of the Geological Survey of Canada, who 
sustained a rather severe injury to hs left arin and shoulder 
last September, from a fall down the steep clifif at Cap a 
L'Aigle below Quebec City, is sufficiently recovered to resume 
his ofificial duties at Ottawa. 
Dr. Thomas L. Walker, of the Geological Survey of 
India, and formerly lecturer in Toronto University, has been 
appointed professor of Mineralogy and Petrography in the 
same university. Authorities at Toronto University have not 
yet selected from the many candidates the man to fill the vacant 
chair of Geology and Paleontology. 
Geological Society of Washington. On November T3th 
the following program was presented : "Pyrite and Marcabite," 
H. N. Stokes ; "The Geographic Features of New Mexico," 
R. T. Hill ; "Occurrences of Petroleum in the Northern Rock- 
ies," Bailey Willis. The program for the meeting on Nov. 
27th was devoted to "The Geology of Cuba," as follows : 
"Physiography," C. W. Hayes ; "General geology and geologic 
history," T. W. Vaughan ; "Economic Geology," A. C. Spencer. 
Lehigh University is erecting a stone laboratory, 90 f c. by 
43 ft. to be uSed in connection with the steam engineering work 
of the course in mechanical engineering. Next fall the univer- 
sity will offer a new and extended course in electro-metallnrgy 
— the first of its kind, it is believed, to be established in this 
country. The departments of civil engineering and of geology 
have recently received valuable gifts in the shape of surveying 
instruments, microiscopes, and geological specimens for the mic- 
roscopic study of rocks. 
In November Dr. J. W. Spencer left Toronto with Mrs. 
Spencer to spend several months in Mexico and Central Amer- 
ica, intending to return to Washington about May i. The 
object of his travels is to make further investigation of the 
plateau forms, valleys and cafions for the purpose «f compari- 
son with the drowned features of the West Indian region. He 
had previously discovered the geological canal and the proof 
of a very late Pleistocene shallow water connection bet'.veen 
the gulf of Mexico and the Pacific. It is over the isthmus of 
