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Zoology in the High School: CLARENCE M. WEED.

Editorials; Recent Books and Pamphlets; Recent Literature.

General Notes:-Petrography; Geology and
Paleontology; Botany; Zoology; Entomology;
Archeology and Ethnology.
Proceedings of Scientific Societies.

THE PHYSICAL REVIEW.

Frontispiece: portrait of Professor von Helmholtz.
Studies of the Lime Light: EDWARD L. NICH-
OLS and MARY L. CREHORE.

A Study of the Residual Charges of Condensers
and their Dependence upon Temperature:
FREDERICK BEDELL and CARL KINSLEY.
A General Theory of the Glow-Lamp II.: H.
S. WEBER.

Minor Contributions; Notes; New Books.

BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY.

On the Group of Holoedric Transformation of a Given Group into Itself: E. HASTINGS MOORE.

On the Non-Primitive Substitution Groups of Degree Ten: G. A. MILLER.

Briefer Notices; Notes; New Publications.

NEW BOOKS.

Popular Lectures and Addresses. Vol. II., Geology and General Physics. SIR W. THOMPSON. London and New York. Macmillan & Co. 1894. Pp. x., 599. Light. Elementary text-book; theoretical and practical. R. T. GLAZEBROOK. Cambridge University Press. New York. Macmillan & Co. 1894. Pp. vii., 213. $1.00. Manual of Physico-Chemical Measurements. By WILHELM OSTWALD. Trans. by JAMES WALKER. London and New York. Macmillan & Co. 1894. Pp. xii., 255. $2.25. Electricity One Hundred Years Ago and To-day. EDWIN J. HOUSTON. New York. Johnson & Co. 1894. Pp. 199.

W. J.

$1.00.

SCIENCE.

A WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

Entered at post office at Lancaster, Pa., as second class matter. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

Five dollars annually in advance: single copies 15 cents.

Foreign subscribers may send their subscriptions direct to the publisher ( $5.00 ), or may subscribe and order single numbers through Gustav E. Stechert, London: 30 Wellington Street, Strand, W. C. ( £ 10-6, single copies 8d). Paris: 76 Rue de Rennes (26 fr., single copies 80c). Leipzig: 10 Hospital Strasse (M. 21, single copies 70 Pf).

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BOAS, Dr. J. E. v., Lehrbuch der Zoölogie. 2. Aufl. gr. 8°. Mk. 10; geb. Mk. 11.

BOIS, DR. H. du. Magnetische Kreise, deren Theorie und Anwendung. Mit 94 in den Text gedruckten Abbildungen. gr. 8°. Gebunden. Mk. 10.

BUJARD DR. ALFONS, und DR. EDUARD BAIER. Hilfsbuch für Nahrungsmittelchemiker auf Grundlage der Vorschriften, betreffend die Prüfung der Nahrungsmittelchemiker. Mit in den Text gedruckten Abbildungen. 8°. Gebunden. Mk. 8.

CANTOR, MOR., Vorlesungen üb. Geschichte der Mathematik. 3. Bd. Vom. J. 1668 bis zum J. 1759. 1. Abtlg. Die Zeit von 1668 his 1699. gr. 8°. Mk. 6.

CHRISTIANSEN, PROF. DR. C., Elemente der theoretischen Physik. Deutsch v. Dr. Joh. Müller. Mit e. Vorwort v. Prof. Dr. E. Wiedemann. gr. 8o. Mk. 10.

DODEL, Prof. Dr. ARNOLD, biologischer Atlas der Botanik. Serie 'Iris.' Ausg. f. Hoch- u. Mittelschulen. 7 Taf. à 120X84 cm. Farbendr. Mit erläut. Text. gr. 4o. Mk. 40.

DRUDE, P. Physik des Aethers auf elektromagnetischer Grundlage. 8°. Mit 66 Abbildgn. Mk. 14. ENGLER, A., und K. PRANTL. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien nebst ihren Gattungen und wichtigeren Arten, insbesondere den Nutzpflanzen, unter ten begründet von A. E. und K. P., fortgesetzt von A. Engler. III. TI. 6. Abtlg. 8°. Mit 592 Einzelbildern in 87 Fig. sowie Abteilungs-Register. Subskr.-Pr. Mk. 8; Einzelpr. Mk. 16.

Introduction to Chemical Analysis Mitwirkung zahlreicher hervorragender Fachgelehr

For Beginners.

From the Sixth German Edition of Prof.
Dr. FR. RUDORFF, Professor of Chem-
istry in the Technological High School,
Charlottenburg, Berlin, Prussia, by CHAS.
B. GIBSON, M. D., and F. MENZEL.

1 Vol., 8 vo., Cloth, Interleaved. $1.00 Net, Post Paid.

THE W. T. KEENER CO.,

Medical and Scientific Books,

NO. 96 WASHINGTON ST., CHICAGO, ILL.

GUSTAV E. STECHERT'S Recent Importation of Scientific Books.

ABHANDLUNGEN, physikalische, der königl. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. 4° Mit. 1 Taf. Mk. 10.

BACHMANN, PAUL, Zahlentheorie. Versuch e. Gesammtdarstellung dieser Wissenschaft in ihren Haupttheilen. 2. Thl. Die analytische Zahlentheorie. gr 8°. Mk. 12.

BERGH, DR. R. S., Vorlesungen über die Zelle und die einfachen Gewebe des tierischen Körpers.

Mit

ERLENMEYER'S, E., Lehrbuch der organischen Chemie. II. Thl. Die aromatischen Verbindungen. Begonnen von Rch. Meyer fortgesetzt von H. Goldschmidt, weiter fortgeführt von K. v. Buchka. I. Bd. 8 Lfg. Mk. 6.

FÖPPL, Prof. Dr. A., Einführung in die Maxwell'sche Theorie der Elektricität. Mit. e. Einleit. Abschnitte über das Rechnen m. Vectorgrössen in der Physik. gr. 8°. Mk. 10.

GALLE, J. G. Verzeichnis der Elemente der bisher berechneten Cometenbahnen, nebst Anmerkungen und Literatur-Nachweisen, neu bearbeitet, ergänzt und fortgesetzt bis zum Jahre 1894. Mk. 12. GARNAULT, E. Mécanique, physique et chimie. Paris, 1894. 8°. Avec. 325 fig. Fr. 8.

GEISSLER, DR. EWALD. Grundriss der pharmaceutischen Massanalyse. Mit Berücksichtigung si 1iger handelschemischen und hygienischen Ana' nên. Zweite verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage. 37 in den Text gedruckten Holzschnitten. 8°. Gebunden. Mk. 4.

GUSTAV E. STECHERT,

810 Broadway, New York.

AMONG THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FORMER SERIES OF SCIENCE,

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1883-1894, ARE THE FOLLOWING:

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HOWELL, W. H.
HUBBARD, G. G.
HYATT, A.
HYSLOP, J. H.
JAMES, E. J.
JASTROW, J.
KEDZIE, R. C.
KUNZ, G. F.
LAMBORN, R. H.
LANGLEY, S. P.
LE CONTE, JOSEPH
LEIDY, J.
LESLEY, J. P.
LOEB, M.

LUCAS, F. A.

MABERY, C. F.

MACMILLAN, CONWAY

MARTIN, H. N.
MASON, O. T.
McCook, H. C.
MACLOSKIE, G.
MENDENHALL, T. C.
MERCER, H. C.
MERRIAM, C. HART
MERRIMAN, G. B.
MERRILL, G. P.
MILLS, T. W.
MINOT, C. S.

MONROE, C. E.

MORSE, E. S.
NEWBERRY, J. S.
NEWCOMB, S.

NICHOLS, E. L.
OSBORN, H. F.

PACKARD, A. S.

PENFIELD, S. L.

PENROSE, C. B.

PICKERING, E. C.

PICKERING, W. H.
PIERCE, C. S.
PLATT, CHARLES
POWELL, J. W.

PUTNAM, F. W.
REMSEN, IRA.

RICHARDS, R. H.

RYDER, J. A.

RILEY, C. V. ROYCE, JOSIAH ROWLAND, H. A. RUSSELL, I. C. SCOTT, W. B. SCHUFELDT, R. W. SCRIPTURE, E. W.

SCUDDER, S. H.

SHALER, N. S.

SMITH, E. P.
SMITH, S. I.
STARR, FREDERICK

THOMAS, CYRUS
THOMSON, ELIHU
THURSTON, R. H.
TODD, D. P.
TRELEASE, WM.
TROWBRIDGE, JOHN
TRUE, F. W.
UPTON, W.

VEEDER, M. A.

WADSWORTH, M. E.

WARD, L. F.

WELCH, W. H.

WHITE, C. A.

WHITMAN, C. O.

WHITNEY, J. D.

WILDER, B. G.

WILLIAMS, G. H.

WILLISTON, S. W.

WINCHELL, N. H.

WOODWARD, R. S.

WRIGHT, G. F.

101005

SCIENCE.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: S. NEWCOMB, Mathematics; R. S. WOODWARD, Mechanics; E. C. PICKERING, As-
tronomy; T. C. MENDENHALL, Physics; R. H. THURSTON, Engineering; IRA REMSEN, Chemistry;
JOSEPH LE CONTE, Geology; W. M. DAVIS, Physiography; O. C. MARSH, Paleontology; W. K.
BROOKS, Invertebrate Zoology; C. HART MERRIAM, Vertebrate Zoölogy ; N. L. BRITTON,
Botany; HENRY F. OSBORN, General Biology; H. P. BOWDITCH, Physiology;

J. S. BILLINGS, Hygiene; J. MCKEEN CATTELL, Psychology ;
DANIEL G. BRINTON, J. W. POWELL, Anthropology.

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tion of an inch situated within a foot of our own noses; or on the other hand, we may occupy some commanding position and from thence, aided by a telescope, we may obtain a comprehensive view of an extensive region. The first method is that of the specialist, the second is that of the philosopher, but both are necessary for an adequate understanding of nature. The one has brought us knowledge wherewith to defend ourselves against bacteria and microbes which are among the most deadly enemies of mankind, and the other has made us acquainted with the great laws of matter and force upon which rests the whole fabric of science. All nature is one, but for convenience of classification we have divided our knowledge into a number of sciences which we usually regard as quite distinct. from each other. Along certain lines, or more properly, in certain regions, these sciences necessarily abut on each other, and just there lies the weakness of the special

He is like a wayfarer who always finds obstacles in crossing the boundaries between two countries, while to the traveler who gazes over them from a commanding eminence the case is quite different. If the boundary is an ocean shore there is no mistaking it; if a broad river or a chain of mountains it is still distinct; but if only a line of posts traced over hill and dale, then it becomes lost in the natural features of the landscape, and the essential unity of the

whole region is apparent. In that case the border land is wholly a human conception of which nature takes no cognizance, and so it is with the scientific border land to which I propose to invite your attention this evening.

To the popular mind there are no two sciences further apart than astronomy and geology. The one treats of the structure and mineral constitution of our earth, the causes of its physical features and its history, while the other treats of the celestial bodies, their magnitudes, motions, distances, periods of revolution, eclipses, order, and of the causes of their various phenomena. And yet many, perhaps I may even say most of the apparent motions of the heavenly bodies are merely reflections of the motions of the earth, and in studying them we are really studying it. Furthermore, precession, nutation and the phenomena of the tides depend largely upon the internal structure of the earth, and there astronomy and geology merge into each other. Nevertheless the methods of the two sciences are widely different, most astronomical problems being discussed quantitatively by means of rigid mathematical formula, while in the vast majority of cases the geological ones are discussed only qualitatively, each author contenting himself with a mere statement of what he thinks. With precise data the methods of astronomy lead to very exact results, for mathematics is a mill which grinds exceeding fine; but, after all, what comes out of a mill depends wholly upon what is put into it, and if the data are uncertain, as is the case in most cosmological problems, there is little to choose between the mathematics of the astronomer and the guesses of the geologist.

If we examine the addresses delivered by former presidents of this Association, and of the sister-perhaps it would be nearer the truth to say the parent-Association on the other side of the Atlantic, we shall find

that they have generally dealt either with the recent advances in some broad field of science, or else with the development of some special subject. This evening I propose to adopt the latter course, and I shall invite your attention to the present condition of our knowledge respecting the magnitude of the solar system, but in so doing it will be necessary to introduce some considerations derived from laboratory experiments upon the luminiferous ether, others derived from experiments upon ponderable matter, and still others relating both to the surface phenomena and to the internal structure of the earth, and thus we shall deal largely with the border land where astronomy, physics and geology merge into each other.

The relative distances of the various bodies which compose the solar system can be determined to a considerable degree of approximation with very crude instruments as soon as the true plan of the system becomes known, and that plan was taught by Pythagoras more than five hundred years before Christ. It must have been known to the Egyptians and Chaldeans still earlier, if Pythagoras really acquired his knowledge of astronomy from them as is affirmed by some of the ancient writers, but on that point there is no certainty. In public Pythagoras seemingly accepted the current belief of his time, which made the earth the center of the universe, but to his own chosen disciples he communicated the true doctrine that the sun occupies the center of the solar system, and that the earth is only one of the planets revolving around it. Like all the world's greatest sages, he seems to have taught only orally. A century elapsed before his doctrines were reduced to writing by Philolaus of Crotona, and it was still later before they were taught in public for the first time by Hicetas, or, as he is sometimes called, Nicetas, of Syracuse. Then the familiar cry of impiety was raised, and

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