transportation-rates in Europe, and a list of transportation-rates on the more important rail and water routes from the west to the seaboard. All these are obviously of more or less general interest; but it is difficult to see how it can be considered the duty of the department to publish, as it does in this report, a gratuitous advertisement of one particular western railroad, avowedly furnished by its western passenger-agent. Report No. 57 is on the distribution of the corn and wheat crops of 1882, and the comparative quantity still remaining on the farm. Statistics are also presented regarding the extent and character of the domestic uses of these crops, and tables of transportation-rates are appended to the report.

-The U. S. geological survey has commenced the publication of octavo bulletins to receive such papers, relating to the general purpose of its work, as would not properly come under the heads of annual reports or monographs. Each paper will be issued separately with a distinct number, and will have two paginations, one proper to itself, at the top; and one belonging to the volume, at the bottom, a most convenient arrangement. The first number, just issued, contains a paper by Whitman Cross on hypersthene-andesite, and on triclinic pyroxene in augitic rocks, with a geological sketch, by S. F. Emmons, of Buffalo Peaks, Col., where the principal rocks examined were found. Mr. Cross urges the need of a re-classification of the andesite rocks, and concludes that the chief subdivision of the augite-andesites may much more properly be called hypersthene-andesite Two plates accompany the bulletin.

At its two hundred and thirty-third meeting, held April 7, the Philosophical society of Washington listened to Prof. W. C. Kerr, on the Geology of Cape Hatteras and the adjoining coasts; to Mr. H. F. Walling, on Topographical indications of a fault near Harper's Ferry; and to Mr. S. F. Emmons, on Ore deposition by replacement.

- At the annual meeting of the Cincinnati society of natural history, April 3, the following officers were elected: president, Dr. J. H. Hunt; vice-presidents, Professors John Mickleborough and George W. Harper; secretary, Davis L. James; treasurer, S. E. Wright; librarian, A. E. Heighway, jun. The report of the treasurer showed a balance in the treasury. The membership dues paid during the year amounted to a larger sum than in any previous year. Reports of the curators and custodian were handed in. The latter stated that the use of the museum by instructors of the high schools and academies was increasing yearly. The collections had been increased largely by donation and purchase, and were as well displayed as the limited space permitted.

- By the consent of the surgeon-general of the army, the Washington anthropological society held its last meeting in the army medical museum. Three papers were read, as follows: Myths of the Dhegiha,

the stock including Omahas, Poncas, and Osages, by the Rev. J. Owen Dorsey; A year in anthropology, being a summary of works on man, which appeared in 1882, including those by Americans, those on America, and those of general anthropological interest, by Professor Otis T. Mason; A letter from Sir Rawson Rawson upon the relativity of stature to latitude, derived from the volumes of anthropometry published by the provost-marshal-general's bureau during the war of the rebellion, by Dr. Robert Fletcher.

– Prof. C. H. Hitchcock has just returned home from a tour to the Hawaiian Islands, having visited Kilauea, Mauna Loa, the source of the Hilo flow of 1881, and Haleakala. Kilauea has rarely been filled up with lava so much as at present, the 'black ledge' being covered by over fifty feet thickness of recently cooled lava.

-Mr. Frederick W. True has been appointed acting assistant director of the National museum, to serve during the absence of assistant director, Mr. Goode, who sailed, March 31, for London, to attend the Fisheries exhibition as U. S. commissioner. The Society of American taxidermists will hold their third exhibition in New York, May 1 to 5. The programme of the general meeting to be held May 1, at Lyric Hall, is: President Lucas, The scope and needs of taxidermy; William T. Hornaday, Common faults in the mounting of quadrupeds; Prof. F. W. Staebner, Taxidermic value of animal illustrations; President Lucas, On the mounting of crustaceans; F. S. Webster, Taxidermy as a decorative art; F. S. Webster, How to clean bird-skins of all kinds; Samuel F. Rathbun, How to make good bird-skins; Frederic A. Lucas, New method of skinning turtles; William T. Hornaday, Mounting mammal heads.

RECENT BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS. Partsch, J. Die gletscher der vorzeit in den Karpathen und den mittelgebirgen Deutschlands nach fremden und eigenen beobachtungen dargestellt. Breslau, 1882. 209 p., 4 kart. 4°. Plumandon, J. R. Le baromètre appliqué à la prévision du temps dans la France centrale. Paris, 1883. 15 pl. 12°. Renault, B. Cours de botanique fossile, fait au Muséum d'histoire naturelle. Troisième année. Fougères. Paris, Masson, 1882. 36 pl. 8°.

Rütimeyer, L. Die Bretagne. Schilderungen aus natur und volk. Basel, 1883. 8°.

Saporta, le marquis de. Apropos des algues fossiles. Paris, Musson, 1882. 10 pl. 4°.

Scheffler, H. Die magischen figuren. Allgemeine lösung und erweiterung eines aus dem alterthume stammenden prob. lems. Leipzig, 1882. 114 p., 2 pl. 8°.

Scheiner, Jul. Untersuchungen über den lichtwechsel Algols nach den Mannheimer beobachtungen v. Prof. Schönfeld in den jahren 1869 bis 1875. Inaugural-dissertation. Bonn, 1882. p. 8°.

31

Schmid, A. E. v. Leitfaden für den unterricht in ausgewählten kapiteln der chemischen technologie. Zum gebrauch an handels-, industrie- und gewerbeschulen. Graz. 330 p. 8°.

Schmitz, F. Die chromatophoren der Algen. Vergleichende untersuchungen über bau und entwickelung der chlorophyllkörper und der analogen farbstoffkörper der Algen. Bonn, 1882. 184 p., 1 pl. 8°.

Schultz, G. Die chemie des steinkohlentheers mit besond erer berücksichtigung der künstlichen organischen farbstoffe. Braunschweig, 1882. 1106 p., illustr. 8°.

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1883.

THE PROPOSED MEETING OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE IN CANADA.

THE British association has not yet ventured to hold its meetings in any part of the empire beyond the limits of the British Islands. It has, however, so far crossed the sea as several times to hold meetings in Ireland; and its sister-association of France has set it an example by holding a meeting in Algeria. The idea of such extension of its geographical range is not altogether new. Projects of an international meeting have at various times been discussed, both in Britain and the United States; and it is understood that the present governorgeneral of Canada, who has shown much interest in the scientific progress of the new dominion, has had correspondence with leading men of science in England, with the view of either bringing the association to Canada, or securing a representative delegation to meet with the recently established Royal society of Canada.

The project of a visit to Canada only assumed definite form at the meeting last summer in Southampton. A motion was proposed, we believe by Capt. Bedford Pym, in the general committee, that the association should meet in Canada in 1883. This was lost on a division; but it was understood by the promoters of the scheme that the unfavorable result was in part due to the fact that they were unable to produce a definite invitation from any Canadian city. After the decision to meet in Southport in 1883, they therefore felt at liberty to propose that the meeting of 1884 should be held in the city of Montreal; and this was carried. Unfortunately, however, there was no official communication of this resolution till after the close of the meeting of the American association in Montreal: otherwise some steps might have been taken toward a combined gathering in 1884.

As soon as the resolution of the association was definitely known in Montreal, a movement was made to respond in a fitting manner. After a preliminary meeting called by the

No. 13. 1883.

president of the board of trade, and at which there were representatives of the McGill university and of the Natural history society of Montreal, the mayor was requested to call a public meeting, which was large, influential, and enthusiastic, and which passed resolutions pledging the city to do all in its power to make the meeting successful; appointing, at the same time, a large committee of leading citizens to carry these resolutions into effect.

In so far as accommodations for the meeting is concerned, and funds for its expenses, there can be no doubt that Montreal can entertain the association as well as any of the British cities in which it ordinarily meets; and its geographical position and facilities for access, and for communication with all parts of Canada, the northern states, and the west, present many attractions; while there is reason to hope that a meeting of the British association in Montreal would be attended not only by all interested in science in Canada, but by large numbers of the scientific workers of the United States. The experience acquired last year in entertaining the American association will also afford very valuable guidance. It was felt, however, that the real difficulty lay in the transportation across the ocean of so large a body as the British association, or even of that scientific nucleus of it which constitutes

its essential part. The matter was therefore brought under the notice of the dominion government with the view of securing aid toward the passage across the Atlantic; and it is understood that a grant will be made sufficiently large to insure free passages to the officers of the society, and some of its more important members, who will also be the guests of the city, and reduced rates in favor of all the members who may be able to attend. Letters and printed circulars, giving information as to these points, have been sent to Sir Alexander Galt, the high commissioner of the dominion in London, and to Professor Bonney, the secretary of the association. From one of these, signed by the chairman of the local committee, and by Dr. Hunt, as chairman of the committee of invitation. the following extracts are taken:

for

"The city of Montreal, which has a population of about 150,000 souls, has twice entertained the American association for the advancement of science, the second time, in August, 1882, when an attendance of more than nine hundred members and associates was registered, and the association, with its nine sections, found ample accommodation in the buildings of McGill university. . . . We have assurance that the government of the Dominion of Canada will make a liberal grant of money to defray the expenses of members of the British association in crossing the ocean, and that the various railroad and steamboat lines in Canada and in the United States will offer most liberal arrangements to our guests. The Grand Trunk railway will arrange for an excursion of members of the association to the Great Lakes and Chicago; while the Canadian Pacific railroad will give an excursion to the provinces of the north-west, as far as the Rocky Mountains. The city of Montreal, from its climate, its geographical position, and its ways of communication, offers many attractions alike to the traveller and the student. The large and important collections of the geological survey of Canada, gathered during the past forty years, are in the museum at Ottawa; and these, together with extensive collections contained in the museum of the Natural history society of Montreal, and in that of McGill university, furnish ample materials for the study of the natural history of Canada.

Members of the British association, in coming to Canada, may be assured of a most cordial welcome and generous hospitality, not only from the citizens of Montreal, where every facility will be furnished for their meeting, but from the people throughout the country. It is hoped by the invitation committee that these assurances, and the above statement of the advantages and facilities offered them, may secure a large attendance of the members of the British association at Montreal in 1884."

It is well known that considerable opposition bas existed in England to the project of meeting in Montreal; and it is natural that many of the life-members and associates who cannot visit Canada should view it with disfavor: but it is believed that the leading members of the association are of a different opinion, and that the hearty action of the city of Montreal and the dominion government will do much to disarm such opposition as may manifest itself next summer at Southport, where the final decision must be made.

It is to be observed, that in the present year the meeting of the American association, at Minneapolis, is early (Aug. 17); while that of the British association, at Southport, which is, besides, in the immediate vicinity of Liverpool, is unusually late (Sept. 19). This will allow members of the American association to attend both meetings; and it is stated that the retiring president of the American association, and possibly others of its members, may

avail themselves of this privilege. This may possibly permit arrangements to be made which might substantially unite the meetings of the two associations in 1884, and so prepare for an international meeting in the future. If the meeting of the American association for 1884 can be fixed for some north-eastern city, sufficiently near to Montreal, and can be timed so as to occur a week before or after that of the British association, there can be no doubt that a great number of the members of the latter body would take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the companionship of their American confrères; while, on the other hand, many of these would gladly spend a few days at the meeting of the British association. In this way it would seem that a greater benefit to science might result than even from an international meeting. There would be time for the complete transaction of the business of both associations. Neither would suffer, either pecuniarily or in the value of its proceedings; and there would be the best possible opportunity for interchange of ideas between the scientific men of the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. Nor is it unlikely that some scientific workers from the continent of Europe and elsewhere may be attracted by a combination so unusual. It may thus be hoped that the proposed meeting of the British association in Canada may not only be one of the most successful that this mother of associations has held, but may inaugurate an epoch of renewed activity and progress in the widelyspread scientific work of the two great associations of the English-speaking race.

MODEL OF THE GIANT OCTOPUS OF THE WEST COAST OF AMERICA. WHILE Working on the models of the large Newfoundland squid (Architeuthis princeps) for the Yale and Harvard museums, it was proposed that I should also model the large Octopus of the west coast of America. Nothing was done upon it, however, until the past winter, while preparations were making by the U. S. fish-commission for the International fishery exhibition in London. For this exhibition, Mr. William Palmer, one of the modellers of the National museum in Washington,

nor could make a trip to California for the purpose, the model had to be copied chiefly from specimens preserved in alcohol, and restored according to the best information we could get as to its appearance when living. The largest specimens we could get were badly shrunken by the alcohol; and one of moderate size, with arms about three feet long, was selected; and from this most of the details of the model were enlarged four times.

On all anatomical points we depended chiefly on Professor Verrill's knowledge of the cephalopods. In the color, size, and position of the body, we were aided by descriptions and sketches by Messrs. W. H. Dall and A. Agassiz, who had seen it alive. I was also guided by my knowledge of Octopus Bairdii, the small species of the east coast, which I had several times seen alive.

The position of the middle part of the body

is that often taken by Octopus Bairdii when resting on the bottom after swimming, with the head raised, and the body supported on the thickest part of the arms. The ends of the arms are curved irregularly, as they might be in an animal just starting to crawl.

The highest point of the body is twenty-two inches above the lowest suckers. The arms spread over a circle eighteen feet in diameter, and the connecting membrane between the lateral arms extends three feet from the mouth. The longest arms, those of the second pair, are made as long as the largest measurements from life (sixteen feet); and the shortest, the fourth pair, thirteen feet. The third arm on the right side is shorter than the others, and hectocotylized in the male, and is so made in the model. All the arms are four inches in diameter at the thickest part. The body is made proportionally smaller than in small specimens. The warts on the head are copied from one of the largest specimens examined, the others showing only two pairs over the eyes. The membranes between the arms have been made much as they are in alcohol, but somewhat wider and more distinct along the sides of the arms. The largest suckers are two and a quarter inches in diameter, and decrease in size from the thickest part of the arm toward the tip, and toward the mouth.

For convenience in making and moving the model, the arms are made removable at a distance of three feet from the mouth, just beyond the edge of the widest membrane.

The upper side of the middle part of the model, including the head and body, was modelled in clay, and a mould made from it in plaster. This was then turned over, and the mouth and under sides of the bases of the arms modelled in it. The arms are so much alike that it was only necessary to model the bases of two of them, one right and one left; and from these a plaster mould was taken in which the casts of the bases of all the arms were made. This mould stands against the table at the left in the engraving. The ends of the arms were modelled in a similar way, the back being first finished, and a plaster mould made, which was turned over, and the under side modelled upon it. For modelling the tops of the suckers, a set of stamps was made. A set of suckers of the desired sizes was modelled in clay on a turntable, and plaster casts made of the tops of them, and these used to stamp the tops of the rest of the suckers, which were trimmed round with a knife, and attached to the arm with soft clay, after which, the narrow membranes connect

ing the larger suckers were modelled between them.

When the moulds were dry, the paper casts were made in them by methods which had been used by Mr. Palmer for models of large fishes and cetacea. The moulds having been greased, paper soaked with paste was laid in it, and pressed and rubbed with the hands until it fitted close to the surface of the mould, and the edges of the pieces of paper adhered together. When the first layer of paper was nearly dry, another was pasted over it; and, if the strength of the model required it, other layers were added. The thin membranes between the arms were strengthened by wire netting between the two layers of paper, the meshes being filled with whiting mixed with glue. On the surfaces of the suckers, paper pulp was put in the mould before the paper was pasted in.

After drying several days, the casts were taken from the moulds, the edges trimmed, and the pieces fastened together with glue. The broken places in the casts were mended with paper pulp, the joints covered over with the same material, and, when dry, the surface was smoothed with sandpaper, and varnished with shellac. The siphon was made separately, and afterward attached to the body. The mouth was made of plaster, showing the jaws closed. The eyes are of glass, like ordinary birds'-eyes, painted and silvered according to the best evidence we could get as to their color.

The color of Octopus punctatus seems to differ greatly, according to its moods and surroundings. It is commonly described as light orange or yellow with reddish-brown spots. At other times it appears to be bright orange and crimson, with dark-brown blotches on the back. The model was first painted light gray, on which the other colors were thrown from a brush in fine spots. The orange spots are scattered over the whole surface, and more thickly in patches along the back and sides of the arms. Crimson spots are distributed in the same way; and over both, dark-brown spots are thinly scattered. The faces of the suckers are yellowish white without spots.

The model weighs about seventy pounds, and is stiff and strong enough for ordinary handling, and only liable to be broken by a fall or sudden blow. It is intended to be hung in a horizontal position, as in the engraving, but high enough for the under side to be seen, as well as the upper. It hangs by eight wires attached to rings near the joints in the arms, and connected together above so that it can be hung from a single hook.

The engraving shows the model hanging in