by time or by improper exposure to causes of change, and substitutions which may be made unintentionally or without the knowledge of the vender, and adulterations which imply intentional debasement for the purposes of deception and gain. The general conclusion is reached that the drug market is so fairly honest that persons who really desire to obtain articles of standard quality, and at a proportionate price, have very little difficulty in being able to do so, and can be suited by respectable dealers throughout the land, while poor and adulterated articles are present, and are very likely to be obtained by ignorant persons or by those who are indifferent to the character of the dealer, and are desirous of regulating their purchases by the price rather than the quality of the goods. Crude drugs can usually be obtained of good quality, though many are sold, which have deteriorated by prolonged or careless preservation. Powdered drugs (those of fair quality can usually be obtained) are liable to the grossest adulterations, particularly those which are frequently handled (like spices) by both grocers and druggists. That this practice still continues is shown by the fact that powders are often sold at the price of, or at an inadequate advance upon, the crude drug, notwithstanding the loss incurred in drying and powdering. Infusions, decoctions, solid and fluid extracts, and tinctures are all found to vary in strength and quality from good and indifferent to positively bad; some manufacturers adhering to the requirements of the Pharmacopoeia, while others admit inferiorities in order to save cost and to be able to undersell.

HARD RUBBER ZOOPHYTE TROUGH.-A new zoophyte trough, just brought to notice, is so neat, convenient, and free from faults that it cannot fail to be used with pleasure. Two plates of glass, somewhat like glass object slides, are separated by a half ring of soft rubber, and clamped to

gether by two plates of hard rubber, held together by binding screws, and cut away to show the objects, as illustrated in the engraving.

These troughs contain many valuable features; any thickness of glass can be used, and it can be easily taken out for cleaning, and easily replaced if broken, and the thickness of the cell can be varied indefinitely by using different thicknesses of sheet rubber between the glasses. The whole contrivance is an adaptation, in a most attractive and valuable form, of the troughs which have been used for holding living objects, and for exhibiting crystallization, in the projecting microscope. It can be obtained from Mr. Walmsley, manager for R. & J. Beck, 1016 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

THE ACME MICROSCOPES.-John W. Sidle & Co., of Lancaster, Pa., have issued a catalogue which gives a fair representation

of their new enterprise. Besides the very simple and excellent Acme microscopes and the accessories belonging to them, much information is given in regard to microscopical supplies in general.

THE SPENCER OBJECTIVES.-The partnership heretofore existing between C. A. Spencer & Sons, has been dissolved, and Herbert R. Spencer announces that he will hereafter furnish lenses marked H. R. Spencer & Co., made after the same formulas, and of the same uniform excellence, which have for years past characterized the lenses made under his supervision, by the old company.

GUTTA PERCHA CELLS.-These rings for mounting dry objects, can be obtained from Lloyd H. Smith, of Geneva, N. Y., at from fifty to eighty cents per hundred. They are such as are used by Prof. H. L. Smith, and are suitable for diatoms and other thin objects.

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SCIENTIFIC NEWS.

-The U. S. Entomological Commission designs preparing for publication, probably in the appendix of its third report, a bibliography of American (and Canadian) economic entomology. The bibliography will contain' references to papers, articles and notes in agricultural and popular scientific periodicals, as well as journals devoted to bee culture, and as complete as possible references will be made to entomological notes in those periodicals which appeared prior to 1850. The titles of notes, articles, reports on works, will be entered under the name of authors, or of periodicals, especially agricultural reports and papers, with brief digest of contents given in a line or two, in the same style as in Mr. Mann's excellent bibliographical record of Psyche, the organ of the Cambridge Entomological Club, of Cambridge, Mass.

After due pains are taken such a record will necessarily be quite imperfect. The compiler will have to rely much on aid from authors of any and every article or note on economic entomology. Its completeness will greatly depend on the care with which entomologists may prepare lists of their own articles. Entomologists are therefore earnestly requested to coöperate by sending full lists of their papers or notes on any subject connected with economic entomology (not general or scientific entomology unless bearing on the applied science) and prepared in the style of that of Psyche, to A. S. Packard, Jr., at Providence, R. I.

-Jacob Boll, of Dallas, Texas, died recently in Western. Texas at a distance from civilization. He was a native of the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, and was a pupil of Agassiz before the latter came to the United States. He was active in promoting educational reform in his native country, and was an authority in entomology. During a long residence in Texas he was an untiring collector, and sent many specimens to Europe. His collections of insects, especially of Lepidoptera, are une

qualed for beauty. He was a good geologist, and contributed articles to various journals, including the AMERICAN NATURALIST. For two years previous to his death he was engaged in explorations, for Prof. Cope, in the Permian region of Texas. He discovered numerous remarkable extinct vertebrates, which have formed the subject of various papers. These number thirty-two species, and they have thrown great light on the nature of vertebrate life at that early period. Mr. Boll was a most amiable man, and his death is a serious loss to science.

- The report of the committee on science teaching in schools, read by Dr. Youmans before the American Association, arraigns the unscientific methods by which science is usually mistaught in schools. He justly claims that science, as a means of training the faculties in the various ways to which they are severally adapted, is not taught in the public schools. It is not made the means of cultivating the observing powers, or of stimulating inquiry, or of exercising the judgment in weighing evidence, or of forming original and independent habits of thought. Wide personal differences of capacity, aptitude, attainment and opportunity not only exist among children, but they are the prime data of all efficient mental cultivation. In the graded schools, just in proportion to the perfection of the mechanical arrangements, individuality disappears; and with individuality goes originality. Science, if rightly pursued, is the most valuable school of selfinstruction. From the beginning men of science have been selfdependent and self-reliant, because self-taught.

- Mr. Alfred R. Wallace has published, says the Academy, a new work entitled "Island Life," which deals with the problems presented by insular faunas and floras by the aid of the most recent geological and physical researches. A special feature in the work is the importance attached to former changes of cliniate, as indicated by glacial phenomena and the luxuriant floras of polar regions; these are carefully investigated, and a somewhat novel solution of the whole problem of geological climates is given.

-The third annual book of the Michigan Sportsmen's Association contains some excellent reading matter. The report on nomenclature, barring some inaccuracies, is an excellent one, and most timely, as is Mr. Fred. Mather's and Mr. J. G. Portman's papers on fish propagation and protection. Such associations. and publications as these, will tend greatly to increase the interest of the public in economic zoology and all that pertains to it.

-The conch fisheries of the Bahamas, according to the Scientific American, are of considerable importance, many tons being exported to Italy, France and Germany from Nassau; in Italy they are cut into sleeve buttons and brooches, and in France and Germany they are used in porcelain manufactories. $50,000 worth of conch pearls are annually exported from Nassau.

Dr. Anton Fritsch is making a series of galvanoplastic. models of the Stegocephali found by him in the Gas-Kohle of Bohemia, which will be of much use to palæontologists, judging by a specimen which we have received. They are for sale by Dr. Fritsch, at Prague, or Mr. Jamrach, 180 St. George street, London, Nos. 1-18, at 100 marks.

Having observed, among the Artemisias which cover immense regions of North America, neither flies, nor worms, nor any insects (also no scorpions or tarantulas), M. Poirot has suggested that the plant might prove adverse to the metamorphoses of phylloxera, by covering the ground with branches of Artemisias.

-The entomologists of New York have organized a society under the name of the "New York Entomological Club," and in January issued the first number of Papilio, the organ of the club.

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PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.-Papers read at the session commencing Tuesday, November 16, 1880, at New York :— 1. Report on the dredging cruise of the U. S. Steamer Blake, Commander Bartlett, during the summer of 1880, by Alexander Agassiz. 2. On the origin of the coral reefs of the Yucatan and Florida banks, by Alexander Agassiz. 3. On some recent experiments in determining the electromotive force of the Brush dynamo-electric machine, by Henry Morton. 4. Measurement of new forms of electric lamps operating by incandescence, by Henry Morton. 5. On the intimate structure of certain mineral veins, by Benjamin Silliman. 6. Mineralogical notes, by Benjamin Silliman. 7. The relationship of the carboniferous Euphorberia to living and extinct Myriapods, by Samuel H. Scudder. 8. On the structure of the extinct Carnivora of the family Nimravida, by E. D. Cope. 9. On the Canidæ of the Miocene period, by E. D. Cope. 10. On the basin of the Gulf of Mexico, by J. E. Hilgard. II. On the origin of the coral reefs of the Yucatan and Florida banks, by Alexander Agassiz. 12. Observations on ice and icebergs in the polar regions, by F. Schwatka. 13. On the duration of the Arctic winter, by F. Schwatka. 14. On the ellipticity of the earth as deduced from pendulum experiments, by C. S. Pierce. 15. On an improvement in the Sprengel Air-pump, by O. N. Rood. 16. On the thermal balance, by S. P. Langley. 17. On measurement of radiant energy, by S. P. Langley. 18. Causes which determine the progressive movement of storms, by Elias Loomis. 19. On the antimony mines of Southern Utah, by J. S. Newberry. 20. On the conglomerate ore deposits of the United States and Mexico, by J. S. Newberry. 21. On photographing the Nebula in Orion, by Henry Draper. 22. On condensers for currents of high potential, by George F. Barker.

23. On Sigsbee's gravitating trap, by Alexander Agassiz. 24. On the deposits of crystalline iron ores of Utah, by J. S. Newberry. 25. On the origin of anthracite, by T. Sterry Hunt. 26. On the star-list of Abul Hassan, by C. H. F. Peters. 27. Dimensions of the brain and spinal cord in some extinct reptiles, by O. C. Marsh.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 28.-The following papers were presented for publication: "The Parasites of the Termites," by Joseph Leidy, M.D. "Remarks on Bathygnathus borealis," by Joseph Leidy, M.D. Dr. Koenig remarked on Jarusite from Colorado.

Oct. 5.-Mr. Martindale spoke on an unusual peculiarity of growth in the chestnut. Messrs. Meehan and Potts on transformation of starch in growth. Dr. Hough called attention to the decay of Abies nigra in Maine and the Adirondack region. Dr. Horn on insects in wood.

Oct. 12.-Mr. Barbeck remarked on Empusa musca and Fungi on oaks. Rev. Dr. McCook recorded the discovery of cutting ants in New Jersey, and also spoke on honey ants from Australia. Dr. Koenig described a substance composed of six atoms of lead, two of bismuth, and nine of sulphur, from Colorado, which he proposed calling Begarite. Dr. McCook and Dr. Horn discussed the distribution of insects.

Oct. 19. Mr. Ford spoke on the natural history of the oyster. Oct. 26. Dr. Horn remarked on the classification of the Carabidæ.

Nov. 2.-Mr. Meehan remarked on moisture upon blossoms of Yucca gloriosa. Dr. Horn on Dynastes hercules and tannic acid of galls.

BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY, Nov. 17.--Dr. M. E. Wadsworth read a paper on the amygdaloidal structure and vein formation, with special reference to the copper-bearing rocks of the Keweenaw district of Lake Superior, being a reply to Prof. James D. Dana. Dr. B. Joy Jeffries spoke of a peculiar look of the color-blind, which is little recognized but curiously interesting. Mr. F. W. Putnam showed a carved human bone found in Maine, and remarked on its character and origin. Mr. S. W. Garman described the early stages in the development of the tree toad, and described a case of “ a toad found in solid rock."

Dec. 1.-Mr. J. Orne, Jr., read a sketch of the late Mr. Geo. D. Smith. Dr. M. E. Wadsworth discussed the appropriation of the name "Laurentian" by the Canadian Geological Survey. The president gave further details of the structure of the carboniferous centipedes, to show that they should be classed as a distinct sub-order of Myriapods. Dr. E. Palmer exhibited some objects of archæological interest taken from caves in Mexico.