New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-04
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE.AD-
VANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.
From Our Own Reporter.
MORNING SESSION.
SECTION OF MATHEMATICS AND PHYS


called Prof A. ID. Bachs 10 the chair The frst paper
was the theoretical determination Of the Dimensions
of Donatis comet, in which Prof w. A. Norton dis
cussed and reviewed the observations and calculations
of European asI and also the paper of Prof
Peiree at the Springfield meeting, with whose resdlts
Prof Nortons results for the most part agreed. One
Of the views peculiar to Prot. Norton is that the
nucleus probably evolved in thirty six hours,
giving periodical variations in the Jets of luminous mat
His general view was that the matter of the tail
contained particles attracted or repealed with various
force from repusi0n twice that OF gravity TO a.
traction about half that of gravity Other comets may
have had the repelied matter predominant, making
narrow tail like that Of 1S43 had little matter of
intermediate character between strongly repealed and
strongly attracted particles, and thus had double tail
like that of 1144.
Dr. B. A. Gould made some inquiries concerning
Prof Nortons modes of calculation, to which Prof.
Norton made very satisfactory replies. With regard
to Prof Nortons theory, DIR. Gould objected that it
assumed TOO many independent varisbles by allowing
an indefinite number Of degrees of force to the par
cles of the tail. Still, Dr. G.. acknowledged with
great coidsGty the thorouehness and value OF Prof.
Notions Investigations Prof Hackley also ques.
toned Prof N. concerning the assumptions made as TO
the bass of his calculations.
Prof. g. w. Coakey of Maryland gave an account
of biz own investigation of comets tall the theory
that the tail ia very high tide IN the luminous ocean
of envelope around the nucleus.
Mr.. r. +. Harrison of Willingford, Connecticut
read paper ON the solution of ice in inland waters
From his thermom erical investigations (which he de-
Winter he concludes that tie average temperature of
the water under closed pond of ice rises from the
early Winter from the heat OF the earth beneath and
this warmth of water assists in dssoving the ice more
rapidly in Spring This led to lively conversation
for lew moments, in which Prof. HOrsford endeav-
ored to force Mr. Harrison to ackno wledge that large
part of this heat might have from the SUM- direct
Prof. Elias LOOMS read paper upon natural ice
houses, and frozen wells He thought that deep
cavities were traps catch cold air. which into
them by ts own gravity and cannot escape except by
thn ,n,,shT thu
cavity favorable to the epton of the cold air. and
ts internal walls and floor not of nature TO
it rapidly, the temperature will be much below the
mesn temperature OF the external air. He read de-
scriptous of several such and mines
in Europe and in the United States The proof that
the cold air of Winter RUS into open wells is found i'll
the fact that columns of vapOr are seen rising from
such ellis in frosty weather The that all open
wells do not freeze is found in the fact that in st
wells there is in fact stream running through the WELL
not remaining posed to the air long enough to freeze
Mr.. j. NJ. Ordway thought the explanations of Prof.
LOOMS we're insufficient. The effect Of friction upon
currents of air is SO great that we canpot reason upon
the flow of air of different temperatures would
upon the flow of fluids of different denstes.
President Hitchcock remarked that Prof Loomis's
remarks certainly failed to explain the wel-known
cases, such as these in the Ural Mountains wherein
there is rapid circulation of air at al of the
year, the cavities having lateral openings as well as
openiDgs at the top. He also called attention to the
fact that frozen wells found almost not quite In
vargbly, in loose gravel.
The discussion carried for some time between
Messrs. LOOMS Ordway, and Hitchcock, and the Sec
tion then adjourned t. dinner.
SECTION or GEOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY.
Col j. w. Foster IN the chair.
Chas H. Hitchcock Of Amhsr st, Mass, gave paper
on Inc sge of the coal basin of RHODE Island, attempt
1g to show that it belongs 10 the Oldest Of the three
divisions.
Prof w. b. Rogers doubted some of Mr.. Hitchcocks
conclusions he was Dot that the beds Of Rhode
Island cid not reach through the whole coh-bearing
peIioo. 800 t...
Prof Agassz said that when we saw the deposits Of
peat ia Massachusetts,. and of wood in the swamps of
the South and how different tbey were, aud that they
might both day be turned into coal we should not
conclude that two basins of coal in different attitudes
were of different ages because they differed in lithoog
ical character III fossis; we saw how different the
annsls growing in these swamps and boys were now.
He prepared to show tina: deposits formed III or
near periods might not contain single Identical fossil
and that therefore, present criterion of synchron
ism from identical ,ossls lacked one element of
tainty Nor was il necessary that deposits should be
very thick TO represent long period Since the crea
ton Of msn there had been but 60 20 feet of coal reef
formed in the Foridas and the carboniferous period
might contain innunerable epochs. He thought that
az yet facts not sufficiently numerous to
thOrize us TO draw any very definite conclusions.
Col Foster said that he had long been satisfied that
the attempt to establish the synchronsm OF different
beds over large surfaces must fail
Prof Agassiz said that he did not wish to be under
stood as disparagDg the value Of Pa&ontology in the
that it should be carefully compared with the present
distribution Of animals the surface of the earth
President Hitchcock of Amherst gave paper on the
opers of East Hampton an ancient fern, as yet
but inn erfecty described.
President Hitchcock then presented to the attention
Of the Section boulder OF granular quartz, the in.
terror Of which presented the singular appearance of
ripple mark.
DR.. j. G. Morris read a paper by DR.. c. johnson of
Baltimore on very fine trpoli found in Nottingham,
Calvert Co, Md. The paper was short, consisting
principally Of list Of the shells composing it, and the
opinions Of several gentlemen TO whom he had sub
mied specimens Of this dlatomaceous earth.
Prot. Agassiz asked if there were any samples of
this earth present.
DR.. Morris said that Mr.. Tyson would furnish them.
Prof. w. Ii. Rogers said that he had found consid-
cradle beds of this in Virginia and North Carolina and
generally in come ctioD with fossils which were clearly
referabe the Meiocene He thought that this would
be foDnd to be at the base Of the Meiocene II was
very interesting trace Il deposits for 80 great
dstsn along what might be supposed to be ancient
seabosrd.
PJest. Hitchcock then gave description of some
brec(iaed trachytic dykes in Shelbourne VT, with
special reference to their temperature when formed
He supposed the fragments composing the breccia to
have been washed III by the water OF ocean, then
to be heated to nearly 1000 which would cement the
breccia.
Prof. Agassiz asked how there could be any ocean
which would wash pebbles into such heated spots
President Hitchcock said that he made the suggestion
only because it was the best he had
Prof Agassiz thought that nauraiss should proceed
with the same care and exactness in their reasoning
which was used in mathematics. They should be as
careful in making their hypothesis. Until then we
should have those wild theories of spontaneous genera
ton Darwjnsm, and the like, which were the
disgrace Of science.
Mr. j. ID. Whitney read paper, prepared by him
self and Col Foster, ON the origin and strait
graphical relations Of the trappean rocks of Lake
Superior. IL was a minute description aud discussion
OF the traps found in the Lake Superior region, espe
ciay about the copper mines at Keweenaw Point and