New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-27
SCIENCE.
AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.

yontlIy ueeting Oct %. President George DAVID
On, m the chair A paper on Spectrum Analysis was
presented by Prof. Davidson, in which reference
was made TO the proposed establishment and eDdow.
ment, by Mr. James Lick Of San Francisco OF first
class observatory, fitted with all The necessary
instruments for modern research 70 ne 1inatea ~
very elevated point in the Sierra Nevada MOUNTAINS
CARACAS: SocIEDAD DE CWNcLS FIsIcS
NATURALEs-Sept. %, 1873 DR.. Ernst, Pfesden', IN
the chair. A paper was presented upon the heavy
rains OF the 18th TO the 18th Of September with
proposition TO construct a map, showing their
geographical distribution and intensity. A com
mnnlcation was made by Senor Yillafa1e upon the
enetic-cathartic action Of the AHORd CteTtBOa0 in
which it was stated that Kc beadOna, its tendency
was to produce dllatation OF the pdpl ot the eye
MONTREAL: NATURAL History socIETY.-Theart
regular pthIy meeting Of this Association for tho
Winter took place on the eth Of October, when the
President, DR.. Dawson read paper upon tho occur-
renee at Riyiere du Loup, in Canada, OF tho rare
C0risus specicq, or Swedish D)g.Nooi, which hs
found growing intermingled with the common
Coynns Canadensis and in the most southern locality
in North America hitherto recorded. ii Is also 70 70
fonnd in Yancouver's Island. DIR. j. i. Carpenter
read a sketch Of the fe-lab0rs OF the late iobert
McAndrew OF London, an eminent eonehologist and
one who devoted many years to deep-se14 dredging
in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and Rod sea,
&C He was very liberal in Distributing lis co!lsc-
TONS giving fine specimens 70 the cabinets Ok Yale
COLLEGE and the Smithsonian Institution.
SALEM, Mass: Essex INSTITUTE, Nov. 3-Presi.
dent Wheatland in tho chair. Mr. G. j. Maynard Of
Ipswich made an extended communication on the
different forms of the sternum in birds, abich he
showed to be adapted TO the modes Of Hight and the
peculiar habits of the various groups He illustrated
his remarks by large series Of preparations Of tho
o,,I rf,1lr 4 .Urftc
the notifications of tho form OF the sterlum, lis
greater OF less ossfcation, development Of tie keel
ETC. The union of the cayicles with the keel of the
sternum and with the coracoids. "a in the frsate-
bird which is capable Of ong-sustained flight, wa.
shown as one plan; the peculiar position Of the
coracoids at an angle from the sternum, a in Tie
petrels was second plan; this plan was modified In
the swallows Another plan was that Of the tqrkey,
where the processes Of the steInnm "ere CoFel0ptd
and the arrangement Of tho muscles was such tlat
the bird, while capable OF strong iight u straight
line could not make a sudden turn TO rle1J or LEFT
another form was that OF the broad stcTnun n the
eagle, with the strong and aTched cl4Vlcles OWING
perfect adaptation for the peculiar ana yolen eVo-
iutions which birds with this form Of steuum are
capable OF making Mr.. Pntnam presented py ute'
two papers by Mr.. Robert Ridgway OF Washington,
one on tine Birds OF Colorado" the other on the
" Birds of Salt Lake and the Adjacent Region"
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ScIENcEs.-A meeting Of
mencing on Tuesday, tho 23h of Oct, and lasting
three DAYS. The regular meetings Of this body are
held ia Washington Apri but sessions can be called
by the Council for any time and place which they
may think proper. Tho present officers Of the
Academy are Prof Henry President; Prof. Woleott
Gibbs, e-President; Prof Agassz. Foreign
Secretary Prof. ]. E. HlgaTd, Home Secretary and
Prof. Fairrnan Rogers, Treasurer. The attendance
was about equal to the average, from 20 10 ID mem
bers being present. Among the papers read was an
important one by Prof. Henry upon Sound in
relation to Fog Signals giving the result Of numel
ous experiments made by him as President OF Tie
Lighthouse Board, in the interest OF that service
Dr. Packard made a communication in regagd to e.
vibrations during the month Of September upon tho
coast-survey steamer Bache, in connection VIII the
United States Fish Commission in Wlnh
numerous important discoveries were indicated
Other papers presented were on the Transit
of Venus" by Admiral Sands on the =" G nEt-
and on the Measurement of Nolunes" by li"i. o.
L. Hilgard. On the second Day OF the heelDgi
paper was presented by Prof. Elias LOOMS o. no
Results derived from the L23nlnauci. q me
United States Weather Maps" and one by Pfof
Theodore Gill on :" The Number OF SaSes OF ere,
brstes, and their Mutual Relations winch ELECTED
some discussion on the part OF Sit. MateIhogss
Hawkins A third paper was on Inc Clrees
of Deposition IN American SedimentGry strata ~
Prof. i. s. NewberTy The third days session was
held at the Sfeyens Institute, at Ho1Olen. At this
meeting, two papers were presented, one ~ TIo!;
Alfred 81. Mayer, on " 4 New Method OF AnalysisW
COMPOSITE sound and another bY Prot. Morton, On
Remarkable Flu0Tescence IN New Cneuncal Com'
pounds Both these gentlemen are onicers OF Ms
Stevens Institute. The proceedings OF each day OF
the meeting including verbatim report OF az tle
papers reported IL fuAl IN HE Iridium VI VIC
following mornings.
BosroN: SOCIETY OF NATURAL History. Noy.a D.
Mr.. +. W. Putnam made an extended communIea
ton on the genus Myuae, giving a general aeeoOli
of the anatomy Of this lowest but one oil the vere
brates and showing by specimens exhibited and W
a careful, series of comparisons that the several
species of various authors must be reduced to oae
having geographical distribution on both sides Oh
the Northern Atlantic. and also IN the waters Of tn'
southern coasts of South America. lie showed tha'
the variation in the number of liugnal teeth Whea
is from to II in each row in specimens from tna
North Atlantic and also in those from the Sraltsn
Magellan. could not be considered as OF speclhe lm
portance In order to facilitate reference TO severn
forms of the species, he proposed TO designate 'n'
short and thick form from the North AJante"
septentroRdHs; the long aud slender variety ais
from the North Atlantic under the name OF !'Ho'
as it was this form that GIrard described as DIS
tinct species. and TO which DR.. Albert Gdnther ale
ward gave the specific name of aGiais. The southern
specimens no considered as variety dHsSlm
using the name under which they were deserOeds
q species by Jenyns The material which Ae had 10,
his examination consists of fresh specimen dieaeea
by Messrs. Packard and Cooke on our eastern eoas'
while on the steamer Bache, and acting under w
directions of Prof Baird, the United stat S Commh
siOner Of Fisheries; and large number a specimens
collected bg Mr. j. L. Mills at Grlnd Menan in 3D.
for which he was indebted to Prof Ag3ssiz. who had
also placed in his hands four specimens from In'
coast of England. aud the several hundred speeF