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854 : Report as Curator of the Boston Society of Natural History. Pp 26.—Minot, C. S.: On the Veins of the Wolffian Bodies in the Pig. (Boston Society of Natural History.) Pp. 13, with plates.—Storer, F. H.: Bussey Institution. Laboratory Notes and On the Systematic Destruction of Woodchucks. Pp. 16—Wadsworth. M. E., Houghton, Mich.: The Mechanical Action of the Divining Rod. P. 1.

Sheerin, Robert, M. D., Editor. The Suggester and Thinker. Monthly. Vol. T, No. 1. July, 1898. Cleveland, Ohio. Suggester and Thinker Company. Pp. 30. 10 cents; $1 a year.

Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. No. 1076. A Catalogue of Scientific and Technical Periodicals. 1665 to 1895. Together with Chronological Tables and a Library Check List By H. C. Bolton. Second edition. Pp. 1247.—An Investigation of the Influence of Impure Atmosphere on the Resistance of Animals to the Organisms of Disease. By D. H. Bergey, M. D. Pp. 10.—Contributions to Knowledge. Ratio of Specific Heats at Constant Pressure and Constant Volume for Air, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, and Hydrogen. By O. Lummer and E. Pringsheim. Pp. 29.

Udden. J. A. The Mechanical Composition of Wind Deposits. Augustana Library Publications. Rock Island, Ill. Pp. 69.

Vocke, William. The Relations of the People of the United States to the English and the Germans. Pp. 20.

Von Nägelli, Carl. A Mechanico-Physiological Theory of Organic Evolution. Summary. Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company. (Religion of Science Library.) Pp. 53.

Wilson, Woodrow. The State. Elements of Historical and Practical Politics. Revised edition. Boston: D. C. Heath & Co. Pp. 656. $2.



Growth of Astronomical Photography.—Reviewing the history of astronomical photography in his address as vice president before the Astronomical and Mathematical Section of the American Association, Prof. E. E. Barnard credited the inception of the idea to the Rev. Thomas Dick, author of a series of astronomical works formerly much read, who, shortly after Daguerre's discovery was announced, speculated upon the practicability of applying it to the moon; thought the planets would prove easy subjects to the new process, and that something might perhaps be discovered about the nebulæ; and suggested that objects not visible to the eye might be found depicted on the plates. While much excellent photographic work has been done on the nebulæ, the photography of the planets seems to-day no nearer realization than in Dr. Dick's time. In 1839, Arago addressed the French Academy on the subject of photographing the skies, and within a year from that time Dr. Draper, in New York, had succeeded in getting a picture of the moon. Five years later Harvard College began its photographic work, and pictures of the moon were secured with the fifteen-inch equatorial. Since then this work has made great advances, to which American investigators have contributed materially. The completion of the Lick Observatory marked a decided advance in study. In photographic work on the sun, detail on the surface was first sought; the prominences next became objects of examination, and the corona was then taken up. With the application of the dry plate, students have gone back to detail on the surface and within the sun spots. A most important branch of investigation is that of stellar photography, which dates from 1882, when the astonishing number of stars shown on Dr. Gill's photograph of a comet at the Cape of Good Hope attracted attention. The work has been taken up with energy by many observatories, and most excellent results have been accomplished.

Officers of the American Association.—The Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science chose Prof. Edward Orton, State Geologist of Ohio, and President of Ohio State University, to be president of the association for 1899, and Columbus, Ohio, as the place of the meeting. The following other officers, and sectional vice-presidents and secretaries, were chosen: General Secretary, F. Bedell. Secretary of the Council, Charles Baskerville. Treasurer, R. S. Woodward. Vice-Presidents: Section A, Alexander MacFarlane; Section B, Elihu Thomson; Section C, F. P. Venable; Section D, Storm Bull; Section E, J. F. Whiteaves; Section F, Simon H. Gage; Section G, Charles R. Barnes; Section H, Thomas Wilson; Section I, Marcus Benjamin. Secretaries: Section A, John F. Hayford; Section B, William Hallock; Section C, H. A. Weber; Section D, James M. Porter; Section E, Arthur Hollick; Section