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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

drawal of certain public timber lands from entry and their protection as forest reserves; and the utilization of the Weather Bureau and the agricultural experiment stations in forming a service of water statistics and the survey of water-supplies to serve as a basis for the application of proper principles of water management. On the invitation of the Australasian Association representatives were appointed to serve on an International Committee to prepare a uniform system of biological nomenclature.

The meeting of the American Association was immediately followed by that of the American Geological Society, which was followed in its turn by that of the International Geological Congress. The former meeting also took on somewhat of an international character, for several of the European geologists were present, and such of them as chose to take part in the proceedings were given the first places. The meeting of the International Congress was the fifth of the triennial series, and was attended by about two hundred members, nearly half of whom were foreigners from Austria, Belgium, Chili, France, Mexico, Peru, Roumania, Russia, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, and Sweden. Profs. James D. Dana and James Hall were designated honorary presidents of this body and Prof J. S. Newberry president; but he not being able to attend on account of age, the sessions were presided over by one or another of the vice-presidents. Prof. Joseph Leconte presiding at the opening session. The Congress was welcomed by Secretary Noble, in a happily phrased address, in which he spoke of the importance of geology in its scientific and economical aspects, the activity with which its study is pursued in the United States, and the liberality with which it is assisted by the Government. The meetings were varied by the usual number of excursions, ending in a grand excursion of the International Geologists to the Yellowstone Park, the mining districts, the Colorado Cañon, and other points of geological interest in the West.


The American Association has selected Rochester, N. Y., as the place for its meeting of 1802, and the following officers have been chosen for that occasion:

President, Prof. Joseph Le Conte, Berkeley, Cal.; permanent secretary. Prof. F. W. Putnam, Cambridge, Mass.; general secretary, Prof. Amos W. Butler, Brookville, Ind.; council secretary. Prof. T. H. Norton, Cincinnati, Ohio; treasurer, William Lilly, Mauch Chunk, Pa.

Vice-presidents of sections: A, Prof. J. R. Eastman, Washington, D. C.; B, Prof. B. F. Thomas, Columbus, Ohio; C, Dr. Alfred Springer, Cincinnati, Ohio; D, Prof. J. B. Johnson, St. Louis, Mo.; E, Prof. H. S. Williams, Ithaca, N. Y.; F, Prof. S. H. Gage, Ithaca, N. Y.; H, W. H. Holmes, Washington, D. C; I, Prof. S. Dana Horton, Pomeroy, Ohio.

Secretaries of sections: A, Prof. Winslow Upton, Providence, R. I.; B, Prof. Browne Ayres, New Orleans, La.; C, Prof. J. L. Howe, Louisville, Ky.; D, Prof. O. H. Landreth, Nashville, Tenn.; E, Prof. R. D. Salisbury, Madison, Wis.; F, Prof. B. D. Halsted, New Brunswick, N. J.; H, Dr. Stewart Culin, Philadelphia, Pa.; I, Lester F. Ward, Washington, D. C.

Auditors; Dr. H. Wheatland, Salem, Mass.; Thomas Meehan, Germantown, Pa.



LITERARY NOTICES.

The Question of Copyright. By George Haven Putnam New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Pp. 412.

This convenient and timely book contains a summary of the copyright laws at present in force in the chief countries of the world, together with a report of the legislation now pending in Great Britain, a sketch of the contest in the United States, from 1837 to 1891, in behalf of international copyright, and certain papers on the development of the conception of literary property, and on the probable effects of the new American law. To the author's view, the American act of the present year, providing copyright for aliens, can hardly be accepted