The Preparation of Cells for the Measurement of Osmotic Pressure. H. N. Morse. (Introduced by Ira Remsen.)

A Substance with Remarkable Optical Properties, and Screens Transparent only to Ultra Violet Light. R. W. Wood. (Introduced by Ira Remsen.)

A New System of Positions for Standard Stars, with Notes Relative to its Bearing upon Sidereal Astronomy. Lewis Boss.

On the Spectrum of Hydrogen. L. A. Parsons. (Introduced by Ira Remsen.)

A Possible Explanation of the Difficult Solubility of Certain Compounds containing Fluorine and Hydroxyl. S. L. Penfield.

New or Little-known Elephants and Mastodons of North America. H. F. Osborn.

Complete Skeleton and Restoration of the Cretaceous Fish Portheus Molossus Cope. H. F. Osborn.

A New Small Dinosaur from the Jurassic or Como Beds of Wyoming, apparently a Bird-Catcher. H. 'F. Osborn.

Biographical Memoir of Henry A. Rowland. T. C. Mendenhall. Good Seeing. S. P. Langley.

"Good Seeing" is the title of a paper by Mr. Langley proposing a novel plan for artificially creating the conditions of "good seeing" through a telescope, primarily by abandoning the present practice of keeping the air in an ordinary tube as still as possible, and, on the contrary, violently agitating it, but also by extending the tube itself, as though by a prolonged dew-cap, and by churning or stirring the air through it, obtaining a stillness of the image and conditions of general good seeing such as have hitherto been supposed to be out of the astronomer's control.

BUSINESS MEETING.

[Baltimore, November 12, 1902.]

A business meeting of the Academy, called by the council to consider the report of the president to Congress and such other business as might be presented, was held November 12, with the president, Mr. Alexander Agassiz, in the chair.

The following recommendations of the council were adopted: That an appropriation of $800 be made from the J. Lawrence Smith fund to aid Mr. O. C. Farrington, of the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, in his researches on meteorities.

That the biographical notice of Mr. Augustus A. Gould, prepared by Dr. Jeffries Wyman, be published by the Academy.

That the biographical notice of Dr. John Edward Holbrook, prepared by T. L. Ogier, of Charleston, S. C., be accepted for publication as one of the biographical memoirs of the Academy.

That a committee on publication, to consist of the president, home secretary, and Mr. C. D. Walcott, be appointed with power to act.

That the president be appointed a member of the permanent council of the International Association of Academies.

The following letter was received from Senator J. R. Burton:

UNITED STATES SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON FOREST RESERVATIONS AND THE PROTECTION OF GAME,

Prof. ALEX. AGASSIZ,

President National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D. C.

April 16, 1902.

DEAR SIR: There is now before Congress a bill looking to the establishment of a national forest reserve to include the higher and larger masses of mountains in the Southern Appalachian region.

This measure is to be considered at an early date by the Senate Committee on Forest Reservations, and in order that the best interests of the country may be served in this connection I will be greatly pleased if the Committee on Forest Reservations may have the benefit of the Academy's advice.

Yours, very truly,

J. R. BURTON.

The president appointed Messrs. Sargent, Abbot, and Brewer a committee to consider the matter.

Their report, which was sent to Senator Burton, is as follows:

ALEXANDER AGASSIZ, Esq.,

President National Academy of Sciences.

BOSTON, April 30, 1902.

SIR: The committee of the Academy to whom you have referred the request of the chairman of the Committee on Forestry of the Senate of the United States for an opinion on the advisability of establishing an Appalachian forest reserve, have examined Senate Document No. 84, Fifty-seventh Congress, first session, being the message from the President of the United States transmitting a report of the Secretary of Agriculture in relation to the forests, rivers, and mountains of the Southern Appalachian region (without the accompanying illustrations), and a copy of Senate bill 5228, for the purchase of a national forest reserve in the Southern Appalachian Mountain region, to be known as the “National Appalachian Forest Reserve," and beg to state that they are in full sympathy with the principle of forest reservations intended to preserve the gradual distribution of rainfall in the flow of rivers heading therein.

They do not feel, however, without a personal examination of the region in question, qualified to give an opinion as to whether the recent disastrous floods in various rivers flowing from the Appalachian Mountains, recounted in the reports transmitted by the Bureau of Forestry and by the Geological Survey and contained in Document No. 84, resulted from the actual destruction of the forests, and as to whether their repetition could be prevented by a restoration of the forest growth. No data or records are presented to show that floods equally large did not occur in older times. To make a proper report would require a certain time, as well as an appropriation to meet the expenses incurred by the committee of the academy.

As regards the provisions of the bill, it appears to the committee to be absolutely essential that the Government shall have full ownership and control of all reserved lands, and that these shall be in large continuous blocks. To limit such ownership to detached lots, surrounded by areas held by private parties upon whose concurrence success must depend, would seem to be entering on a dangerous copartnership likely to result in large expenditures and litigation.

C. S. SARGENT,
HENRY L. ABBOT,
WM. H. BREWER,

Committee.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIES.

The following reports have been received from the chairman of the international council of the association regarding the expediency of taking part in an international seismological conference:

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIES,

THE ROYAL SOCIETY,

Burlington House, London, W., August 2, 1902. DEAR SIR AND ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE: The Royal Society has been consulted by His Majesty's Government as to the desirability of Great Britain taking part in an international conference on earthquakes which was proposed at an international seismological conference held at Strassburg April, 1901, and towards the establishment of which the initial steps have been taken by the German Government.

The Royal Society being of opinion that the matter is one falling distinctly within the province of the association of academies, have desired me, as their delegate on the international council, and also chairman of that body, to ascertain, so far as can be done, the views of the international council as representing the constituent academies concerning the desirability of establishing the proposed international inquiry. The expression of these views will greatly assist the Royal Society in deciding what advice to give to the British Government.

I inclose a copy of the resolution passed at the above-mentioned conference, as well as a copy of draft statutes suggested for the proposed association.

I may venture to call your attention to the fact that, besides the national investigations carried out by Japan, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Russia, the British Association for the Advancement of Science, working by means of a committee and with the cooperation of His Majesty's Government, has carried out seismological observations since 1897 at thirty-six stations in various parts of the world. These observations may be spoken of as international in character.

Although, as I am aware, the time is a very inconvenient one, most of the academies being in vacation, I shall be glad to receive an answer from you as soon as possible, since His Majesty's Government has been requested to give in its answer by October 1.

It is to be regretted that a matter so clearly within the province of work for which the Association of Academies was established, was not formally brought before the association at an early date.

I am, yours, very faithfully,

M. FOSTER,

Chairman of the International Council of the Association of Academies.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEISMOLOGICAL CONFERENCE AT STRASSBURG APRIL, 1901.

"La Conférence sismologique de Strasbourg considérant le grand intérêt d'une action commune dans l'ensemble du Monde, recommande la création d'une association des Etats pour l'exécution de certaines tâches qui ne peuvent être menées à bien par l'initiative individuelle ou régionale, demande au haut Gouvernement de l'empire allemand de faire les démarches préparatoires pour amener à un traité d'association."

PROJET DE STATUTS POUR UNE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DE SISMOLOGIE.

§ 1. L'Association a pour objet les recherches tendant à la solution de tous les problèmes de la Sismologie, solution qui n'est possible qu'avec le concours de nombreuses stations sismologiques distribuées sur différents points de la terre.

S. Doc. 81-2

Pour atteindre ce but, les principaux moyens sont:

1. Observations d'après des principes communs (approuvés par l'Association). 2. Expériences sur des questions d'une importance toute particulière.

3. Fondation et entretien d'observatoires sismiques dans tous les pays qui demandent des subventions à l'Association.

4. Organisation d'un Bureau central pour la centralisation, l'étude, le groupement et la publication des rapports envoyés par les différents pays.

§ 2. Sont Membres de l'Association tous les Etats qui y ont déclaré leur adhésion. L'admission dans l'Association a lieu sur demande adressée au président de la commission permanente.

§ 3. Les organes de l'Association sont:

1. L'Assemblée générale,

2. La Commission permanente,

3. Le Bureau central.

§ 4. L'Assemblée générale se compose des délégués officiels des Etats, membres de l'Association.

Chaque Etat de l'Association, représenté par un ou par plusieurs délégués, n'a qu'une seule voix délibérative.

L'Assemblée générale se réunit au moins tous les quatre ans. Elle est convoquée par le Président de la Commission permanente et avec l'assentiment de celle-si. Les sismologues qui sont en rapports réguliers avec leur Bureau national peuvent, sur leur demande, être invités par celui-ci à assister à l'Assemblée générale. Ils seront considérés comme membres extraordinaires de l'Assemblée et n'auront qu'une voix consultative.

Ont en outre accès à l'Assemblée générale les personnes qui sont invitées par le Président de la Commission permanente.

§ 5. La Commission permanente se compose du Directeur du Bureau central et des délégués nommés par les Etats, membres de l'Association.

Chaque Etat ne peut désigner qu'un délégué.

La Commission permanente élit dans son sein le Président, le Vice-président et le Secrétaire général.

La fonction de Président de la Commission permanente et celle de Directeur du Bureau central ne peuvent pas être simultanément remplies par la même personne. La Commission permanente procède à l'expédition de ces affaires courantes ou dans des séances ou par correspondance, au gré des besoins. Elle établit son Règlement.

§ 6. Le Secrétaire général présente à chaque Assemblée générale un rapport sur les travaux et la situation de l'Association.

Le Directeur du Bureau central présente un rapport embrassant tout le champ d'activité de ce Bureau.

§ 7. Le siège du Bureau central est fixé par l'Assemblée générale; il ne pourra être changé qu'à l'unanimité des voix de l'Assemblée générale.

Le Bureau central recueille les rapports fournis par les différents pays, il en donne des résumés généraux, qui seront publiés dans des revues semi-périodiques.

§8. Les Etats faisant partie de l'Association s'engagent à communiquer au Bureau central de l'Association les résultats des observations et des expériences faites dans leur pays et recueillies par leur Bureau national.

§ 9. Les Etats, membres de l'Association, versent leurs parts contributives annuelles au Bureau central de l'Association. Le montant de ces versements est fixé d'aprés le nombre de la population de ces Etats.

Les sommes versées par les differénts Etats sont employées:

1. Pour les frais de publication et d'administration;

2. Pour l'indemnité du Secrétaire général;

3. Pour des subventions à des recherches d'une importance tout particulière. 4. Pour l'entretien des observatoires sismologiques fondés par l'Association. La répartition des sommes affectées à ces différents postes se fait par la Commission permanente.

The following announcements were made:

That the Academy was represented by C. R. Van Hise and E. H. Moore at the installation of Edmund J. James, LL. D., as president of the Northwestern University in October, 1902; and by Edgar F. Smith at the installation of Joseph Swaim, LL. D., as president of Swarthmore College on November 15, 1902.

Mr. Newcomb was appointed a delegate to represent the Academy at the centennary of the birth of Abel, the Norwegian mathematician, held at Christiania the 5th of September, 1902.

The president reported that he had delivered the gold medal awarded to Sir William Huggins by the trustees of the Draper fund.

Before announcing the final adjournment of the session, President Agassiz expressed to President Remsen the appreciation and thanks of the members for the hospitality extended by the Johns Hopkins University.