International Catalogue of Scientific Literature should be temporarily continued in its present form for the year 1915 and possibly also as a single issue for the period 1916-1920, provided adequate financial support can be obtained, and that at the earliest possible date opportunity be taken to reconsider the whole character of the subsequent work of the organization.

It was also unanimously agreed that, inasmuch as the Royal Society is no longer able to accept financial responsibility for the catalogue, it is essential that adequate financial support, including working capital, be provided.

On the basis of these agreements the conference resolved that a committee be appointed to draw up definite proposals in accordance with the agreements made; that the report of the committee be forwarded to the council of the Royal Society and that the council of the Royal Society be requested to take such steps with regard to the recommendations of this committee as they think fit.

The committee appointed under this resolution made the following recommendations, subject to adequate financial provision being assured: (a) That the central bureau be instructed to proceed with the publication of the 1915 issue; (b) that the central bureau be further instructed to collect material for the period 1916-1920 with a view to the early publication of the issue of 1916-1920.

The committee further recommended that the council of the Royal Society request the executive committee of the international council of the catalogue to proceed to collect information as to the various issues raised in the foregoing resolutions of the conference and to report at as early a date as possible.

At a meeting of the interim committee of the National Research Council on November 6, 1920, following a report by Dr. Yerkes on the conference, the following motion was adopted:

That the National Research Council recommend to the council of the National Academy of Sciences that the Academy approve the action of the London conference September 28-29, 1920, on international catalogue and attempt to secure a grant of $25,000 to apply toward the cost of completing the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature during the year 1920, in accordance with the recommendations of the London conference.

INTERNATIONAL AUXILIARY LANGUAGE.

At the Brussels meeting of the International Research Council in July, 1919, a committee was appointed to investigate and report on the present status and possible outlook of the general problem of an international auxiliary language and authorized to cooperate in its studies with other organizations engaged in the same work. Dr. F. G. Cottrell, chairman of the division of chemistry and chemical technology of the National Research Council, was made chairman of the committee. The work of the committee has therefore centered so

far in the offices of Dr. Cottrell in the National Research Council. For the clerical assistance necessary to carrying on correspondence and work of the committee Dr. Cottrell has secured funds from gifts from various private sources. The committee has secured cooperation through the appointment of a special committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and similar committees from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Council on Education, besides securing active support from several American universities. The Classical Association of Great Britain and the Classical League of America have also appointed committees on the subject. At the meeting of the executive board on April 25, 1920, the chairman of the council was authorized to appoint a representative of the National Research Council on a special joint committee to make a preliminary study of the general subject of an international auxiliary language, to be composed of representatives of the National Research Council, the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

It is the purpose of the International Research Council's committee to make a broadly constructive and nonpartisan study of the whole subject of international auxiliary language.

EXTENSION OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.

At a meeting of the executive board, October 12, 1920, on recommendation previously made to the board by the interim committee, a special committee on revision of membership of the executive board was appointed, of which Dr. James R. Angell was made chairman and Messrs. E. D. Adams, Gano Dunn, Vernon Kellogg, and J. C. Merriam members. The purpose of this committee is to consider the advisability of extending the membership of the executive board so as to include a larger representation on it of the leaders of science, commerce, and industry not otherwise connected with the council. So large a part of the membership of the board at present consists of the general officers of the council and chairmen of its divisions that it was felt desirable to bring into the board a larger number of men whose interests were not already specifically committed to particular parts of the council's activities. A report of progress was made by this committee on December 14, but a final report from it has not yet been submitted to the executive board.

JOINT COMMITTEE WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE ON ABSTRACTING AND LISTING SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE.

In April, 1920, the National Research Council and the American Association for the Advancement of Science appointed a joint com

mittee to consider the matter of abstracting and listing scientific literature. This committee met in May and prepared a report which was formally presented to the executive board of the National Research Council in December.

In the meeting of this committee special attention was given to the relation of the Concilium Bibliographicum (Zurich, Dr. H. H. Field, director) to the work of abstracting and listing scientific literature. The financial difficulties under which the Concilium Bibliographicum have labored for some years seem to make it necessary that special support be found for the concilium. In this connection it seemed advisable to review the work of the concilium and to consider if an arrangement could not be made whereby its work might be widened.

The report of the joint committee recognized that the Concilium Bibliographicum should be perpetuated and might well serve as the nucleus of a proposed international institute for scientific bibliographic work. This committee decided that the National Research Council, because of its type of organization and its international connections, is the most suitable American agency to become responsible for the initiation of the international abstracting and listing of scientific literature. The officers of the council, therefore, have had several conferences with a philanthropic foundation to consider the financing of such an institute with the Concilium Bibliographicum as a nucleus, and have met with a cordial response from this foundation. Negotiations are now under way which it is hoped will lead to a satisfactory arrangement for financing the proposed work for a number of years.

COMMITTEE ON PREPARATION OF INTELLIGENCE TESTS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

This committee has completed the preparation of two scales for use in grades 3 to 8. Early in 1920 arrangements were made with the World Book Co., of Yonkers, N. Y., for the publication of materials necessary in connection with the methods which had been developed.

The commercial royalty from these publications, which are to be known as the National Intelligence Tests, is to be paid to the National Research Council for the support of similar research on methods of psychological examining.

During the spring of 1920 an extensive experiment, the purpose of which was to supply data for the equalizing of five alternative forms of each of the intelligence scales, was conducted in the schools of Washington, D. C. Subsequently the scales were standardized, with the cooperation of Messrs. J. F. Guy and J. L. Stenquist and Dr. Helen T. Woolley, by their application in the schools of Washington, Pittsburgh, New York, and Cincinnati.

The record blanks for Form 1, scale A, and Form 1, scale B, scoring keys, and a Manual of Directions were finally prepared for press during the summer and published in August, 1920. The Manual contains, in addition to instructions for the administration of the tests, age and grade forms for Washington and Pittsburgh and tentative general age standards.

The manuscript for four additional alternative forms of scale A and likewise of scale B has been prepared for publication, and it is anticipated that Form 2 of each scale, with appropriate scoring keys and revision of the Manual of Directions, will be published early in 1921.

After 1920 the work on intelligence tests for elementary schools will be conducted under the auspices of the division of anthropology and psychology. The original special committee appointed by the executive board of the council, prior to the organization of the division of anthropology and psychology, has been constituted a committee of the division. The continuation of this work will be financed from the royalties received from the National Intelligence Tests.

COMMITTEE ON PACIFIC EXPLORATION.

The committee on Pacific exploration was authorized by the executive board of the council in June, 1918, to consider the need for research and exploration in and around the Pacific, the best methods for cooperation in furtherance of present work, and in the initiation of new plans. The first important subject to come before this committee was an invitation from the Territorial Government of Hawaii to call a scientific conference in Honolulu. Such a congress was organized on an international scale, meeting in Honolulu in August, 1920. The countries represented were Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Philippine Islands, and the United States. The deliberations of this body resulted in a report on the problems most urgent in the Pacific and recommendations as to how they can best be taken up.

At a subsequent meeting of the committee in Washington a recommendation was made to the executive board that its responsibilities be delegated to the division of foreign relations. This recommendation was approved and a new committee under this division was appointed, to be known as the committee on Pacific investigation.

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION.

The American Geophysical Union, organized in 1919, to serve as the "American national committee" of the International Geodetic and Geophysical Union, and to serve also as the committee on

geophysics of the National Research Council, comprises seven sections, as follows: (a) Geodesy, (b) seismology, (c) meteorology, (d) terrestrial magnetism and electricity, (e) physical oceanography, (f) volcanology, and (g) geophysical chemistry. The last of these, section (g), was added to the union early in 1920 to make provision in the union. for geophysical activities previously without representation in it. Originally organized as a committee of the division of physical sciences, the American Geophysical Union was, on February 14, 1920, made a committee of the executive board of the council in recognition of the breadth of interest of the sciences drawn together in its organization. The union held its first annual meeting on April 23, 1920, when its organization was completed and ratified by action of its assembled members. The function of this body is to represent the National Research Council and to care for the interests. of the United States in the deliberations and activities of the International Geodetic and Geophysical Union, and to act as an advisory and initiatory body in promoting the advancement of geophysics in the United States.

DEATH OF CHAIRMAN BUMSTEAD.

Dr. H. A. Bumstead, professor of physics and director of the Sloane Physical Laboratory at Yale University, and chairman of the National Research Council for the year July 1, 1920, to June 30, 1921, died suddenly in the night of December 31, 1920, on a train which he had taken from Chicago to return to Washington.

The following resolution was unanimously adopted by the interim committee of the council on January 3, 1921:

Resolved, That the National Research Council learns of the death of Dr. Henry Andrews Bumstead, chairman of the council, with great sorrow and profound sense of loss. Dr. Bumstead in his association with the council had revealed to its officers and members not only a high capacity for administration, and a most loyal fidelity to the aims and work of the council, but also a sweetness of disposition and personal attractiveness which had won for him the devoted and affectionate regard of all of his colleagues in the council. In his death the council and the scientific world lose a man of most eminent attainments, highest character, and lovable personality.

The National Research Council extends to the bereaved wife and family its deepest sympathy and condolence and wishes to express to them its full appreciation of the great value of the services which Dr. Bumstead rendered it in the period of his association with it and the great loss which it suffers by his untimely death. But may we all remember that “that life is long that answers life's great ends."