New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-08-20
.>Nr.L SCIENTIFIC CONVENTION /,


CAusRIDGE. Thursday Aug d.
The Convention net this morning IN general
session and 6nishei up variety Of business matters
before the division
The following resolutions, presented BY Prot FEiscX
we're unanimously adopted
Resoss1 That COMMITTEES be appointed TO consider 10
pracacabiiy o. Introducing universal system OF scales
and iari- Tor >c|elrfc measurement
FesoirsS That this Committee be directed 90 correspond
wih oher societies TITS snd ore IN countries and re-
| port a. the next uee-lg OF The Association.
on motion OF Prof PIERCE also. the Secretary Of the
Smithsonian Institute, PROT HENRr va. elected Chair.
man Of the Committee 50 to be appointed The re-
naming members vii be designated BY the presiding
officer
! The staining Committee ported a recommen-
da,ion for the adoption Of new bylaw providing for
the choice Of Honorary Members OF the Association
which was supported BY Prof X p. Roexss who
wished however. that the number might BE- very re-
.tucted 70 be kept full only a. vacancies may occur
The matter was referred 10 Committee, for consider
alton.
Dr. c. F.JAcK,0N presented communication
from COMMITTEES Of the Academy Of Sciences OF
France addressed to himself ss former President OF
the Association The object OF the communication
va. 70 provide for the erection OF bronze statue o.
the eminent Naturalist Of France Nj GEorFREr d.
- HILsIRE. Or Jackson earnestly advocated the pro
.ect and after debate the matter was referred.
Nafr Scientific Ass0ci0fi0us.-rh Standing Com
mitiee reported the reception OF Memorial from the
Mississippi Association OF Geology and state History
STATING the organization and objects Of the Society
The Association has been established for the purpose
developing the geological, mnerslogica. and pAleonfo
logical character OF Mississippi and tor collecting and
disseminating such know ledge among the citizens OF
the region Al may aid In bringing shout Geo og.cal
Survey Of the state. The Committee earnestly recon-
mended unanimous approval Of these objects and as
expression OF the cordial Interest felt 10 such aoors
submitted the toll wing Resolution, which was forth
with adopted
Rs0re9 That he American Assoc Tor the Advance
S.i.es - ne .flr,,,r III 49, f,f,,, 80 w.
History Of the several States and that Committee be
appointed 20 memorable the Stale Governments which
have mad no Geoogca surveys or which nave had them
suspended on the Importance and necessity Of establish
ing or resuming them
The general meeting here diss lived, and the
Convention again resolved into is two distinct
Sections The following sketch embodies the main
points Of the topics under consideration this morning
In the
sECTION 0F NATURAL HISTORY AND GEOLOGY
The officers for to-day are President EVERETT
for Chairman and Prof C. p. ADAMS, Secretary.
The first business a series Of observations
by Prof AGAssIz, on the
Circulation of Fluids M Insecfs.-The manner
Rhlcn the Lllls circulate IN the sOllfe OF insects
question said the Professor which has been long dis
cussed but never fully understood among naturalsis
and for want Of precise material information on the
subject views rather than facts have been presented IN
our works The organs Of respiration have been well
known to be tubes opening outwardly, and dividing
within the body These are found 20 be situated not
only in the body itself but in the Jaws and In the
fceefs Of the head-so that all parts OF the body
found to be supplied win respiratory vessels. But
sI..HNn 81 - HHaF.H
duced into the body and how these circulate through
All the different parts, has not been understood
Prot went on 70 sum up the result. Of the invest
cations OF others, and demonstrated that contact
takes place between the air and the blood The mode
OF circulation he observed, may be Illustrated by In.
jecting the vessels OF the living insect with coonns
uds Tor this purpose be preferred solution OF indigo
pure spirits OF turpentine Nsturasts he continued,
were led. by the want OF sufficient knowledge upon
the subject. 10 investigate the manner n which thu
circulation scarr.ed on In the remOer parts Of the body
And hrst ind that the rachea not all Of the
same description We must Al once distinguish two
kinds The respiratory trschea OF the insect are
found 10 terminate In bags which would 40 first appear
10 be little vessels but which on close examination
prove be minute lungs distributed through the body
The other kind be would call crcEafory rachs1 which
would require huid 20 be ted 70 be nourshed and o.
provide for the secreuOns These have afr sacks
or vosices, being tubes, much divided and sub
divided and terminating in the mos, minute threads
The Professor continued for some time longer 20 give
explanations and diagrams OF these Investigations aud
the
Mir0gcs on Lake SupeyiOr.-The phenomens of
Mirage observed Dr. Jackson, have at all times excited
the wondering admiration OF mankind Even those most
vsrsed in the OF natural phenomena cannot is
TO be strongly Impressed with these magnificent spec
tsce they the North shore Of Lake Superior
Those by Dr. occurred in the months ofJuly and
August lsi7 For many successive days the phenomena
were presenting themselves IN rapid succession along
the coast opposite lse Royae and the coast Of the
l.l.nd itself in the bays which deeply .nient ts
shores Al Rock Hsrb0r. on several occasions, DR. j.
observed the LITTLE Island and points ts outskirts
most perfectly represented with inverted pictures 0
their entire forms hanging over their SUBMITS The
images Of the spruce and arbor via. trees which crown
them being seen with beautiful distnciness directly
over their terrestrial orginsls-almos tops againsi
their tops-~hle the picture oi Little skf Wa one
day seen Represented beside the phantom island On
the 9Th July KeeWeeuaw Point seen In mirage A.
a distance The most wonderful mirage was observed
from the north Of se k0yale while The party oi
Dr. Jackson coasung along from toe eastern u
the end of the is ard For several days in
succession they had almost hourly magnificent fflf
tuor. Of these curious phenomena To- some Instances
the form OF the Island appeared changed oNing tp tn'
minute refracu0ns Of the line % coast AZ umes me
yield. o. the strange feif'cuons produced y inc
atmosphere over the great axe and ~ he draws neAf
10 the horizon expands his brOst cheeks most good
naturedy, sends out long. pear shsped necs
lis probable observes Dr. mat this extraordinary
Superior being an and 90 fresh water n hgn
northern latitude (bet~een go -nt 90 north has
nearly uniform and constant TEN perature probably not
lar from the mean temperature ~ tie climate. 10
ranges from 81 70 ~ F-neger ri.ing above the
after temperature excepting In shallow places nesr
shore The ar on the surface OF the Lake rarely ~
higher Temperature than 50, while thsi 10 the iorcss
At noon IS frequently a. high A. ~ and ~
lis obvious then, that during summer day ne or
10 the forest. becomes highly raned by heat and taxes
10 proportional quantity OF water 10 the STATE 70 10
visible moisture When this current OF warm AR sldes
from the surface Of Lake, the warm air, by 10
specific levty from rsreiscon, Goats upon tn cooler
ar Of the Axe and does NOT directly minge ~lth H.
The CONSEQUENCE necessarily . that srr y noTarr
. coniened Al The surfaces Of contact o. tne warm and
cold ar and thus a - produced % Nnlcn me
objects reflected from below seen as 10 ifrof -
Meanwhile ~ refrsction. this image i seen znef ~
tnan 10 really IL painted the mist Ins, 10 ne 1pin
lon OF Dr. i obviously the cause Of ine'e sifaase
phaltoms
TIE next Communication ~as double one D. /
President HITCHCOCK on the
Rirsr Terrace, Of ne C0Hnsciiet Vgiey and
On Erososs Of tsf Esrils safae1 -Prest H. sad 40
leading object was 70 elicit observations and remarks
on the subject Of Terraces theme which has excited
good deal Of ln,eres. lie supposed Te might divide
80. T.--.ca. into three varieties