New-York tribune., 1889-12-22
BIOLOGISTS TO MEET THIS WEEK.

IMPORTANT PAPERS TO BE READ AT THE
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Tho American Geological Society will meet III 'Ne
American Museum OF Natural History IN ,i's o'', %
Thursday and continue in session ior se''ia1 -,
The list of papers already announced eA0o0 ~ =, .
and most of them important. Among '"ooo ~. ~,
,rhcb abstracts have been published are papers "
,,,assors sbaIer and Davis, of Harvard, and Htch-
ass ~ Dartmouth Sir william Dawson, OF Montresi
Ds peu ELS and Lawson, Of the Canada SURVEY :
Professors Newberry, Whitfield and BcRmore VI NeW-
York: Hall, of Albany; Williams, OF Corneh' W.
wright of Oberlin; a. Winchen, OF Mcmsah' anu
w,uiams and Clark of Johns Hopkins university,
with Messrs Gilbert, wacott, MCGEE, Emmohs anu anu
Others of the United States Geological survey M ~,
tbe sessions except the one Thursday morning Will
he omen TO the public. In speaking yesterday oi
the new society and the reasons for It's formaIoh ohe
of the officers said
The American Association Of biologists was organized
In 1s4O 1t grew of the necessities Of the geoog'
Engaged on of NewYork Pennsylvania Msssa
rhusett Maryland and Ohio, who thought mat az ieas
occasional consultations essential TO the proper
onment OF their work. The advantages gained Dy ee
consultations were marked that soon the hstufds'
knocked Of the new society and 1t became he
Association OF American biologists and Naturaiss 'e
fore long the chemists and physicists were aomteo ana
the association became the American Association for hc
Advancement Science, whose successful meeting mere
In 1887 is remembered by many.
The American Association has done great work In
making science popular and in educating the public 10
sense OF its indebtedness science but TO do this 1t had
10 depar from its original character and to assume that Oh
n caterer 10 not students oil science Inc
association has grown unweldy the papers presented al
the meetings often and they are pubisheo
only In abstract there is not always sufficient oppor'
tunty for and the restraints upon the several
groups Of scientific studies been felt seriously for
long time.
The development Of geological knowledge through tne
geological surveys has increased the number OF geoogs
70 such an extent the limited advantages offered N
the association not sunced. Biologists during the
last years felt the need Of tribunal before whch
full statements facts and arguments bearing upon ab
sruse questions would be welcome; they have iet inc
need Of society bring together the geoogts oil the
United States and OF Canada 10 destroy locasms ana 70
secure uniformity I'm method The wondrous growth Of
the economic Of country required that such
opportunity interchange OF knowledge and opinion bs
provided.
Several attempts were made to organize society
beginning with 1881 dread of njurng the Ameri-
can for the Of Science, proved
sucent prevent the orgnizaton until the summer Oh
1885, a meeting, called at Cleveland, by Professor
n H. Winchen, Minnesota University, and Professor
c. H. Hitchcock, OF Dartmouth College, determined thai
the organization should be completed which should Dc
entirely Independent of the association though INTENDED
act harmony with it wherever the two organizations
should touch each other. The meeting appointed Pro
lessor Alexander winche Michigan University, chair
man. Stevenson of the University of the
City NewYork secretary OF the organizing committee
These geologists called meeting in Ithaca, N T.
for December 2S, 1883. There the new society was
formally organized with Professor James Hail. of Albany
the nesor geologsts presidents Professor
j. D. Dana OF Haven who in length Of service and
In character Of work. does not rival Professor Hail. fol
they have followed different lines Of research during tho
last fifty years vicepresident Professor Alexander
winche second vice president name familiar TO th
magazine reader II is TO the professional geologlst
Professor Stevenson of this city, secretary and Professor
II. S. Williams, Of Cornell treasurer. The councillors
chosen Professor j. 5. Newberry Of Columbia Col
lege recently received the Murchison medal from the
Geological Society of London Major j. W. Powell, who
has brought the United States Geological Survey to III
present high rank, and Professor c. IL. Hitchcock, o.
Dartmouth, who associated with his father On th
geological surveys Massachusetts and Vermont, ant
himself had charge Of the surveys Of NewHampshre ant
Maine.
The first meeting held at Toronto, Ontario II
August last when papers read by Professors Hall
Dana and many others. At that time the council re
ported list Of 175 Fellows. Since that time the name
Of other candidates have been sent for election.
they should be chosen, the number Of Fellows will no
be far from 200 at the approaching meeting. Beyon'
that number 1t is not likely 10 the requirement
admission very and the ballot is by cor
respondence every Fellow in the society hang the righ
to each candidate. very small number o
negative votes prevents the election