circumstances, it may scarcely be regarded with well-founded hopes of realization—there is undoubtedly no more worthy single service to be rendered students in systematic pteridology than the publication of precisely such a work as Christensen has undertaken in his 'Index Filicum.' The need of the work is undeniable; the parts already published are of high worth; the manuscript of the remainder is ready for the printer; and we can only express our hope that the necessary support shall be given-and at once-to insure the issuance of the remaining parts.

WILLIAM R. MAXON.

U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, August 15, 1905.

SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. THE August number of The Physical Review contains the following articles:

A. DE FOREST PALMER: Thermo-electric Determination of Temperatures 0° and 200° C.’ LOUIS BEVIER, JR.: The Vowel A° (as in Raw), ✪ (as in Rope), U (as in Rude).'

WM. J. RAYMOND: The Measurment of Inductance and Capacity by Means of the Differential Ballistic Galvanometer.'

J. B. WHITEHEAD: The Magnetic Effect of Electric Displacement.'

E. R. DREW: The Infra-red Spectrum of CO, and Nitrogen.'

THE Contents of The American Naturalist for August are as follows:

PROFESSOR D. P. PENHALLOW: A Systematic Study of the Salicaceæ.'

J. A. CUSHMAN: Developmental Stages in the Lagenida.'

DR. B. M. DAVIS: Studies on the Plant Cell.'VII.

Notes and Literature: Nature Study; Zoology, Wasps Social and Solitary, Trouessart's Catalogue Mammalium, Supplement.

SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. ORGANIZATION OF A NATIONAL SOCIETY OF TEACH

ERS OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE.

A CONFERENCE was held at Asbury Park on July 5, 1905, for the purpose of discussing the advisability of organizing a national society of teachers of mathematics and natural science. The conference was attended by thirty-seven

teachers representing nearly all the larger associations of teachers of mathematics and natural science in the United States. Many letters received from teachers who were unable to be present expressed sympathy with the proposed movement.

Professor Thomas S. Fiske, of Columbia University, was elected chairman of the conference and Dr. Arthur Schultze, of the High School of Commerce of New York, was elected secretary.

Con

There was absolute agreement in regard to the advisability of forming closer permanent relations among the associations represented, and a large majority were in favor of effecting this by means of a national association. siderable discussion, however, arose as to whether the new society should be one of mathematical teachers only or one including also teachers of science. The western associations, for the most part including teachers of science as well as teachers of mathematics, strongly advocated a mixed organization, while the teachers from the eastern states seemed, to a considerable extent, to favor a purely mathematical society. The views urged by the western delegates prevailed, and on motion of Professor E. R. Hedrick, of the University of Missouri, a resolution adopted to the effect that a national society of teachers of mathematics and science be organized.

was

The details of the organization were referred to the following executive committee: Professor Thomas S. Fiske (chairman), New York, N. Y.; Professor C. E. Comstock, Peoria, Ill.; Professor E. R. Hedrick, Columbia, Mo.; Mr. Franklin T. Jones, Cleveland, O.; Professor William H. Metzler, Syracuse, N. Y.; Mr. Edgar H. Nichols, Cambridge, Mass.

Up to the next meeting this committee is to act as council of the society and a report of its proceedings is to be published in School Science and Mathematics.

In the following list of associations represented at the conference the names of regularly appointed delegates are distinguished by the letter (D).

New England Mathematics Teachers Asso

ciation. Chas. E. Bouton, Harvard University (D); Paul Capron (D); Mr. Nichols, Brown and Nichols School, Cambridge (D).

Association of Teachers of Mathematics in the Middle States and Maryland.-John C. Bechtel; Fletcher Durell, Lawrenceville, N. J.; A. Newton Ebaugh; Miss Susan C. Lodge; Donald C. MacLaren; Wm. H. Metzler, Syracuse University (D); J. T. Rorer, Central High School, School, Philadelphia (D); Arthur Schultze, High School of Commerce, N. Y. (D); H. C. Whitaker.

Central Association of Science and Mathematics Teachers.-Otis W. Caldwell; Jos. V. Collins (D); C. E. Comstock (D); G. W. Greenwood (D); Charles H. Smith; Charles M. Turton; J. W. Young, Charles W. Wright. Missouri Society of Teachers of Mathematics.-F. T. Appleby; J. S. Bryan, Central High School, St. Louis (D); H. Clay Harvey (D); E. R. Hedrick (D); B. F. Johnston; John R. Kirk; J. W. Whiteye.

Chicago and Cook County High School Teachers' Association.-Edward E. Hill (D); Fred R. Nichols (D); Chas. M. Turton (D). Mathematical Section of Michigan SchoolMaster's Club.-Miss Emma C. Ackermann (D).

New York State Science Association, Mathematical Department.-Glenn M. Lee.

North Eastern Ohio Center, G.A.S. and M.T. -Lemar T. Beman, Cleveland High School (D); Charles A. Marple (D).

Ohio Association of Teachers of Mathematics and Science.-Franklin T. Jones (D); Wm. McLair (D).

St. Louis Association of Science and Mathematics Teachers.-Wm. Schuyler, McKinley High School, St. Louis (D).

DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE.

THE BOLYAI PRIZE.

AMERICA will rejoice that at last Hungary is honoring herself in honoring her wonderchild, John Bolyai. His marvel diamond, the most extraordinary two dozen pages in the history of human thought, appeared in America in English before it appeared in Hungary in Magyar, proud as they are of

their language; and more, the American was reproduced entire in Japan before even the original was reproduced in Hungary.

An American, not a European, was the first from outside Hungary to make the journey to Máros-Vásarhely only for John Bolyai's sake and to see there the letter in Magyar which constitutes his preemption claim and title-deed to the new universe, and to publish for the first time that letter making the date 1823 ever memorable. On its publication thus in America Charles S. Peirce wrote in The Nation, March 17, 1892, p. 212 in a review of Halsted's Bolyai:

There is a winningly enthusiastic letter from Bolyai János to his father, telling him of the great step. He says: "I have discovered such magnificent things that I am myself astonished at them. It would be damage eternal if they were lost. When you see them, my father, you will yourself acknowledge it. At present I can not say more than that from nothing I have created a wholly new world."

Ten years later this letter was published in Hungary in Magyar and Latin, and now comes the establishment of the great Bolyai prize (Prix Bolyai) by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, of which the statutes are as follows:

1. On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Bolyai the Hungarian Academy of Sciences wishing to perpetuate the memory of this illustrious scientist, as likewise that of the profound thinker, Farkas Bolyai, his father and teacher, has decided to establish a prize to be called the Bolyai Prize. This prize, which is to consist of a commemorative medal-whose obverse will represent the academy with the view of Budapest, and whose reverse will bear an inscription—and of a sum of ten thousand crowns, shall be adjudged for the first time in 1905, then every five years, to the author of the best work in mathematics published during the five preceding years.

The prize may be given to any work deemed worthy of it, whatever the language in which it be written, and in whatever form it be published.

The announcement of the winner will take place during the general meeting of the academy in December.

2. In case the work of a deceased author be deemed worthy the prize, this shall be given to his heirs.

3. The third section of the academy, section of

sciences, is entrusted with constituting, at its March meeting, a committee composed of two home and two foreign members, whose duty it shall be to judge of the value of the works. The committee will meet at Budapest in the first fortnight of October, and name from their number a president and a reporter.

In case of a tie the president's vote is preponderant.

It shall be the duty of the reporter to present a detailed report on the committee's decision.

This report is to be read at the general meeting of the Academy of Sciences the day the prize is adjudged.

4. The works of authors on the committee are excluded from the competition, and they are not to be mentioned in the committee's report.

5. The foreign members designated as part of the committee and who, participating in the delib erations, will spend some days at Budapest, shall receive a compensation of 1,000 crowns. honorarium accorded to the reporter for his work is fixed at 300 crowns.

The

6. The report is to be published in the journal 'Akadémiai Értesitö.' The Hungarian Academy of Sciences will publish this report abroad, and will make it known to all the associated academies.

In accordance with the above statutes, in the course of this present year the Hungarian Academy of Sciences will confer for the first time the Bolyai Prize, consisting of a medal and ten thousand crowns.

The commission constituted by the academy from its members and endowed with the powers of a jury consists of Gaston Darboux (Paris), Felix Klein (Göttingen), Julius König (Budapest), Gustav Rados (Budapest). The deliberations of this commission will be held this October in Budapest.

If I may be forgiven for a bit of prophecy, I venture to predict the prize goes to Poincaré. GEORGE BRUCE HALSTED.

KENYON COLLEGE, GAMBIER, Оню.

SPECIAL ARTICLES.

ON THE PROBABLE ORIGIN OF CERTAIN BIRDS.

It is my purpose to examine in this article the status of nine kinds of birds that have been recorded from North America, and one that has been taken in southern Europe, and

to discuss in some detail their relationship and probable origin.

Appended to the 'Check-list of North American Birds' published by the American Ornithologists' Union there is a Hypothetical List' consisting of twenty-eight different birds which, for various reasons, have an uncertain status in the bird fauna of the region for which the list is given. Of these twentyeight birds I shall consider nine, as from the evidence at hand it would appear that together they throw much light on some hitherto obscure problems. The list includes Cooper's sandpiper, Tringa cooperi Baird; Brewster's linnet, Acanthis brewsterii Ridgway; Townsend's bunting, Spiza townsendii (Audubon); Lawrence's warbler, Helminthophila lawrencii (Herrick); Brewster's warbler, Helminthophila leucobronchialis (Brewster); Carbonated warbler, Dendroica carbonata (Audubon); Blue Mountain warbler, Dendroica montana (Wilson); Small-headed warbler, Wilsonia microcephala (Ridgway); Cuvier's kinglet, Regulus cuvierii Audubon.

Of these nine kinds of birds seven either are represented by single individuals or are known only from figures and descriptions in the works of Audubon and Wilson. On the other hand, the two remaining birds of this series are known by numerous specimens, and my reasons for including them will be presented as each is considered in detail.

It seems essential at this point to call attention to the fact that a number of these birds were discovered at a time when field naturalists were not nearly so numerous as at the present day, and that there may be no doubt as to the reality of at least some of these forms, a number of the types still exist, as will presently be shown.

COOPER'S SANDPIPER, TRINGA COOPERI BAIRD.

Cooper's sandpiper is known from a single individual that was taken on Long Island in May, 1833. The type is still in the National Museum at Washington. The evident relationship of this bird to the knot, Tringa canutus Linnæus, is at once apparent to a student, and even an untrained eye might readily distinguish their similarity. For the

original account of the type of this species the reader is referred to 'The Birds of North America,' Baird, 1858, page 716.

BREWSTER'S LINNET, ACANTHIS BREWSTERII

RIDGWAY.

The type specimen of Brewster's linnet was taken by Mr. William Brewster at Waltham, Mass., on November 1, 1870. The bird is a female. The type still exists in the collection of Mr. Brewster at Cambridge, and no other individual of this kind is known. In appearance the bird differs from other members of the genus in which it has been placed by Mr. Ridgway chiefly in lacking the red spot on top of the head and the dusky spot on the chin characteristic of the adults, especially the males of the genus Acanthis. Therefore, the exact relationship of this bird is somewhat obscure, though its generic status has not been questioned. For the original description of this species the reader is referred to the American Naturalist of July, 1872, page 433.

TOWNSEND'S BUNTING, SPIZA TOWNSENDII
(AUDUBON).

On May 11, 1833, Mr. J. K. Townsend, obtained, while collecting, the type specimen on which this form is based. It is an adult male, and remains unique. The relationship of this bird is obvious; it can only be regarded as the close ally of the dickcissel, Spiza americana (Gmelin). (Cf. Audubon's Ornithological Biography,' Vol. II., p. 183, 1834.)

Commenting on the status of this bird the Committee of the Ornithologists' Union say: 'Its peculiarities can not be accounted for by hybridism nor probably by individual variation.'1

CARBONATED WARBLER, DENDROICA CARBONATA

(AUDUBON).

This bird is known only from Audubon's colored plate and his description of two specimens killed near Henderson in Kentucky in May, 1811. The birds were probably both males. Audubon's account of the event may

1 ́A. O. U. Check list N. A. Birds,' 2d edition, p. 331, 1895.

be found in the Ornithological Biography,' Vol. I., p. 308, pl. 60, 1831.

BLUE MOUNTAIN WARBLER, DENDROICA MONTANA (WILSON).

The Blue Mountain warbler is only known from the works of Wilson and Audubon. The specimens on which they based their descriptions were taken in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The bird was figured, but no specimens are at present known. (Cf. Wilson, American Ornithology,' Vol. V., p. 113, pl. 44, fig. 2, 1812.)

SMALL-HEADED WARBLER, WILSONIA MICRO

CEPHALA (RIDGWAY).*

This again is one of the species described by both Wilson and Audubon. It is said to have been taken in points so widely separated as New Jersey and Kentucky, but is only known by the colored plates and the descriptions made by the above naturalists. It does not seem probable that with all the careful detailed work that has been done in both regions during the last fifty years the smallheaded warbler is till extant. The bird is so widely different from any of its congeners as to make confusion with them impossible, nor has the theory of hybridity been advanced to account for this supposed species. There then remain the two hypotheses as to the status of Wilsonia microcephala; either the individuals which came under the observation of Wilson and Audubon were the last survivors of this species which was dying out and has become extinct, or these birds were mutations' that occurred ephemerally and did not flourish, but died out almost immediately."

CUVIER'S KINGLET, REGULUS CUVIERII AUDUBON.

On June 8, 1812, Audubon obtained on the banks of the Schuylkill River, at a place called Flatland Ford, in Pennsylvania, the only specimen of Cuvier's kinglet known. If

? Muscicapa minuta Wilson (cf. Am. Orn., Wilson,, Vol. VI., p. 62, 1812, pl. 1, fig. 5, nec. Gmelin, 1788).

Cf. Ridgway, Pro. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. VIII., p. 354, 1885.

the bird was preserved the specimen has probably been either lost or destroyed, and we know it only by the admirable plate which Audubon left and by his description of the little bird.*

It does not seem probable that other individuals of this species could have escaped the notice of the many competent naturalists who have worked in the area in question since Audubon's time.

The affinities of this little bird appear to be with Regulus satrapa and it now seems probable that this was a veritable mutation' that I did not survive.

In dealing with the foregoing seven species I have tried to find the simplest solution to account for their presence. In view of the light thrown by the succeeding examples and the data regarding the foregoing, already given, the law of parsimony compels me to consider these forms as mutations (which were not perpetuated) from species still existing which I have, in most cases, been able to indicate.

We have now to consider the two remaining birds making up the nine North American species. They are Brewster's warbler and Lawrence's warbler.

tained on May 12, 1877, near Clifton, Pa. It was also a male. The third recorded individual' was killed long before this and was discovered in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences labeled 'J. C., October 20, 1862. The specimen had no history, but was labeled in the handwriting of John Cassin and presumably was at one time in his collection.

By the year 1885 twenty-two individuals The bird was a male. It was identical in appearance with the type.

Some Light on the History of a Rare Bird,' by Spencer Trotter, Philadelphia, Pa., ibid., Vol. IV., No. 2, p. 59, 1879. Mr. Trotter by correspondence discovers that Mr. Bell, a taxidermist in New York, and also a naturalist, who at times assisted Audubon, recalled the fact that in the spring about 1832, at Rockland, N. Y., he shot what he supposed was a young golden-wing warbler, H. chysoptera. He finally sold it to a man in Philadelphia. Mr. Trotter concludes that this is the so-called Cassin specimen. Also that the words not from Bell' might mean 'note from Bell.'

86 The White-Throated Warbler (Helminthophaga leucobronchialis) in Connecticut,' by William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass., ibid., Vol. III., No. 2, p. 99, 1878. Mr. Brewster identifies a fourth specimen collected at Wauregan, Conn., May 25, 1875. The The sex was not determined. bird closely resembled the type. At this time Mr. Brewster regards 'The validity of this distinctly characterized species' 'as established.'

Capture of a Fifth Specimen of the Whitethroated Warbler (Helminthophaga leucobronchialis),' by William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass., ibid., Vol. III., No. 4, p. 199, 1878. This bird was taken at Suffield, Conn., July 3, 1875. This is an adult male in worn plumage. It differs somewhat from the type, chiefly in being washed with pale yellow on the pectoral region. The yellow on the wings is also restricted and the wing bars are not almost confluent as in the type.