The New York herald., 1869-08-25
AaIRJGS Ass0!iAT!O1 Fur Taa ADvAECE-
fisNf OF SGiEHeE.

Fourth DAy-IntercstiBg Papers thc Re-
| cent Gsiipxe-Tic Rocky ITOuntnin Alpine
! He&ios-rhe Pcsbics Of the Corg;emerate NJ
! Purgsfcry, IL. E,-gbe Indian Tribes OF
| South America.
| SALEM, Mass, August a. 1869.
After enjoying 10 their hearts, content the ground
swell OF Massachusetts Bay, visit TO the points OF
interest in the harbor and short tarry at some of
! the fishing towns that dot the coast, on Saturday
last, the American ASSOCIATION for the Advancement
OF Science resumed its sessions hero to-day, Colonel
| Foster, the President, in the chair AS on former
occasions the general session was BRIEF the time
| having been mostly occupied In reading invitations
to the association to visit this that and the other
place, all Of which were accepted. The invitation
| OF the Mayor ana city government OF Boston, ex-
tended last week, TO visit that city declined on
the score Of want OF time account Of the number
OF papers unread and the short time remaining in
| which to transact the business OF the association
| Sixteen new members were elected. II was an
| nounced that new section on microscopy had been
olganizod resolution contemplating that all the
prots OF the future sales OF the proceedings OF the
association be reserved and invested as a nucleus of
| special fund, the interest oil which may at some
future time be devoted to scientific researches under
the association was referred to the Standing Com.
| mittee.
| meetings. The proceedings In Section were ne.
cniarly interesting the papers mostly read having
reference TO the late eclipse. The first paper read
| on the subject was by Professor G. W. Hough His
| observations, in company with Others were made
| at Nation, ILL.,, with instruments and without
| After detailing the character and composition
| OF the expedition he stated that an astro-
nomcal clock was provided to obtain
the accurate time, but it lost IN settling
down to its normal condition, and the party were
ooged to resort TO the telegraph to test Its accuracy
WlIH the sidereal time ut the Dudley Observatory.
It corresponded with the Albany time when the phe
were also provided, IN addition the telescopes and
vari-colored glasses At ten before the true
contact OF the moons limb with that Of the sun a
lunar mountain peak was observed, with five
notcnes, which proves that the moons surface is
Jagged. AS the eclipse advanced measurements
were made and the difference of time OF the ransit
OF the limbs noted on the chronograph, to which
time was conveyed from chronometer. band OF
light was observed on the rimb Of the moon. and
also shooting rays extending along that portion OF
OF light the end OF the eclipse became broken
into bead-like particles, caused, probably, by the
serratea aztec edge Of the moon moon me time recorded
second. The duration OF the beads was noted but
they dd not appear on the opposite crescent after
thirty seconds before The total phase, which latter
| came very suddenly and caused a chill to pass
through the observer, who confessed that he was
startled Venus was seen with the naked eye also
the magnificent corona or halo. The height OF the
full SAIL was two minutes and forty-fve seconds |
and its duration five minutes and fifty seconds alter
the telescope Saturn was seen eight minutes be-.
lore @ ana number Of other stars at five minutes
before totaty. the height OF the protuberance was
not less than 1000 miles.
Professor G. A. Young read paper ON new
method OF observing contacts at solar eclipse by
the spectroscope and also on the spectrum of the
solar prominences and corona, &c. The spectre.
scope furnishes the means OF very accurate obser
vation OF the instant OF first contact In the follow
lnR:-Let an image OF the sun, about two inches in
diameter, be thrown upon the SIT. Bring the CEN
the limb where the contact is to take place The
sPssHtrum, ,o will then be 9ali or,gh, and half
dsmarxation most of the dark nes win ns Extend
clear across both portions OF the spectrum
alike put tae spectrum OF the chronosphere VIII be
tending little way into the dusky spectrum from
the extremity of the dark line in the brilliant por.
be gradually shortened and will finally dlsaDyezr az
the instant OF contact the G line then becoming sx-
time Of contact determined In this nannsr rEs /
about hve seconds earlier than that Of sny Q. lie
other observations, but agreed within one-ffIfd 81
second with that obtained from Measurements 0. \
the photographs.
Or. T. Bassnett read paper, showing ,ha. the |
shape OF the corona, as represented by al. was |
generally OF rhombodal character. HIS theory |
was that there s physical medium filing all inter.
stellar space, which Is driven OF by centrifugal force
at tle equator OF the solar system and drawn in
again at the pole.
Professor Edward c. Pickering claimed that the
light Of the corona Is poarzed in planes passing
through the centre Of the sum- and therefore +
sLlaes by reelected lght. Professor Pierce regarded
the aurora as the most plausible one. The discus.
sion was engaged in by other gentlemen.
"6n the Geology Of venezSea by r. fPe p stevens;
The Rocky Mountain Alpine REGION" by O. {. |
tsa ss,o n, line since the close OF the Quaternary
sssd b Post .ns S.ce5 on FSsss Ss Foas +,
and Fauna Of the Fresh Water Tertiar,,- ''SVI nf
a Iabp VI hv EoVuh
the Rocky Mountain Range north latitude sixty
degrees, and Its influence on Faunai Distributon,b
The paper on the rocky Mountain Alpine Region |
was peculiarly interesting. Professor Perry said |
tnat further exploration would reveal its nora, and
thus 1t could be compared with the Alpine fora OF
Europe The woody belt OF coniferous trees began
al an average elevation Of 6Oou feet It's densest
vation, and Its termination was at an average height
Of ii.3oo feet The growth was most dense and |!
varied where there was the greatest and most regu.
higher elevations the actual limit OF tree !
was vneS Sy conditions
peculiar lectures OF vegetation there met with |
This belt Of trees terminated with singular abrupt.
ness. the PROBABLE explanation was that this tim.
Der line marked the extreme point OF minimum |
winter temperature, below which no Heterogeneous |
cent growth were favorable. The early autumnaI fai
OF snow, necessary In the latter part OF September
winter months. during which 1t retained It's ght. |
feathery texture, aud was not sensbly wasted by |
meit,ng uhtl tue clear, lengthepng days OF summer
Iapldy dissolved them. II was the pressure OF thus
aecumulating weight OF snow that caused the fantas-
.c shape OF Inc tree vegetation that struggled for ex
stence ABOVE the well marked timber line. Qua |,
or 1+2 species fftyslx were usually confined TO !
% ihese Alpine exposures. The superficial extent OF
tnese pare Aipne exposures In Colorado Territory
squaie miles, After brief anuson to the fauna OF
the the paper stated that when accessible il
would douptless afford lavorte resort for sumn1er
pasturage and eventualy yield choice dairy pro. |
ducts eaua uing those OF the Swiss Alps and i,ro-
dnce decots> Hirous tissues rivaIinv fbose csths
ioos OF Cash uere. Az summer resort 1t was ur,.
Sxceilsd In the Vprty Of its atmosphere the clear.