five years next preceding have made such discovery in physical or astronomical science, or such novel application of science to purposes beneficial to the human race, as in the judgment of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States shall be esteemed most worthy of such honor. Resolved, That the Clerk be instructed to transmit to the National Academy of Sciences a copy of that portion of the will of Dr. Barnard relating to "The Barnard Medal for Meritorious Service to Science" and to ascertain whether such Academy will charge itself with the duty of declaring to the trustees at the close of every term of five years, the name of the person whom they judge worthy to receive such medal. A true copy. JOHN B. PINE, Clerk. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COUNCIL. The following recommendations from the council were then read by the home secretary, and were adopted by the Academy: 1. That the Academy accept the trust relating to the medal provided by the will of Dr. F. A. P. Barnard. 2. That a committee of five members be appointed to nominate to the Academy from time to time the name of the person to be designated as the recipient of the Barnard medal. COMMITTEE ON THE BARNARD MEDAL. The following members were appointed by the president as this com mittee: C. F. Chandler, chairman; Lewis Boss, J. P. Cooke, E. S. Dana, G. Brown Goode. NOMINATIONS. Four nominations for membership in the Academy were read by the home secretary. These will be acted upon at the next meeting, in April, 1892. The special session then adjourned. Respectfully submitted. O. C. MARSH, President of the National Academy of Sciences. APPENDIX A. AN ACT to incorporate the National Academy of Sciences. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Louis Agassiz, Massachusetts; J. H. Alexander, Maryland; S. Alexander, New Jersey; A. D. Bache, at large; F. A. P. Barnard, at large; J. G. Barnard, United States Army, Massachusetts; W. H. C. Bartlett, United States Military Academy, Missouri; U. A. Boyden, Massachusetts; Alexis Caswell, Rhode Island; William Chauvenet, Missouri; J. H. C. Coffin, United States Naval Academy, Maine; J. A. Dahlgren, United States Navy, Pennsylvania; J. D. Dana, Connecticut; Charles H. Davis, United States Navy, Massachusetts; George Engelmann, Saint Louis, Mo.; J. F. Frazer, Pennsylvania; Wolcott Gibbs, New York; J. M. Gilliss, United States Navy, District of Columbia; A. A. Gould, Massachusetts; B. A. Gould, Massachusetts; Asa Gray, Massachusetts; A. Guyot, New Jersey; James Hall, New York; Joseph Henry, at large; J. E. Hilgard, at large, Illinois; Edward Hitchcock, Massachusetts; J. H. Hubbard, United States Naval Observatory, Connecticut; A. A. Humphreys, United States Army, Pennsylvania; J. L. LeConte, United States Army, Pennsylvania; J. Leidy, Pennsylvania; J. P. Lesley, Pennsylvania; M. F. Longstreth, Pennsylvania; D. H. Mahan, United States Military Academy, Virginia; J. S. Newberry, Ohio; H. A. Newton, Connecticut; Benjamin Peirce, Massachusetts; John Rodgers, United States Navy, Indiana; Fairman Rogers, Pennsylvania; R. E. Rogers, Pennsylvania; W. B. Rogers, Massachusetts; L. M. Rutherfurd, New York; Joseph Saxton, at large; Benjamin Silliman, Connecticut; Benjamin Silliman, junior, Connecticut; Theodore Strong, New Jersey; John Torrey, New York; J. G. Totten, United States Army, Connecticut; Joseph Winlock, United States Nautical Almanac, Kentucky; Jeffries Wyman, Massachusetts; J. D. Whitney, California; their associates and successors duly chosen, are hereby incorporated, constituted, and declared to be a body corporate, by the name of the National Academy of Sciences. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the National Academy of Sciences shall consist of not more than fifty ordinary members, and the said corporation hereby constituted shall have power to make its own |