SPENCER, Joseph William, geologist, born in Dundas, Canada, 26 March, 1850. He was graduated at McGill university, Montreal, in 1874, with first honors in geology and mineralogy, and then studied at the University of Gottingen, where, in 1877, he received the degree of Ph.D. On his return in 1877 he became science master in the Collegiate institute of Hamilton, Ontario, and in 1880 professor of geology and allied subjects in King's college, Nova Scotia, and vice-president of the same. In 1882 he was elected professor of geology in the University of Missouri, which chair he now (1888) holds. The museum building of this university, which is the largest west of Washington, D. C., was designed by him and erected under his supervision, and he also obtained the large zoological collection and procured the private cabinets of Professor Joseph G. Norwood and Professor George C. Swallow for the geological department. Dr. Spencer's work has been mainly in questions relating to surface and glacial phenomena both in America and Europe, and he was one of the pioneers in this country in the department of lacustrine geology. Dr. Spencer is a fellow of the Geological society of London, and of the American association for the advancement of science, and a member of other scientific societies in the United States and Canada. His scientific papers exceed thirty in number.