The New York herald., 1877-10-26
ACADEMY OF NATIONAL SCIENCE.

The Academy of National Science held It's third and
last meeting yesterday in Dr. Newberry's lecture
room, In the Columbia College School OF Mines. The
attendance of members was not SO large as on the
previous days, most Of the gentlemen departing for
their several homes they had delivered
their addresses Six addresses delivered yester
day-tne nrst by Professor y. G. Marsh, some g.
gantic dinosauran reptiles from the Rocky Mountains
The last also delivered by Professor Marsh,
aud is given below. Professor Stephen Alexan-
der was heard on the luminous band visible
around tho edge of tho moon In . partial
solar eclipse. J. Lawrence smith exhibited
specimens OF chrome found 10 meteoric iron, and
spoke OF the chemical method adopted in the analyses
Of colunbatcs Professor Alexanders second address
was on the subject Of the inclination In direction
retrogradc OF the shadow Of the planets Professor
Guyot Of Princeton read paper (the only deliv
cred from manuscript the lato Professor Agassiz,
which altogether biographical and was but an in
PRODUCTION to another paper the subject to be
read al the next meeting OF tho Academy.
Professor Marsh delivered Q brief lecture on
"American Cre,aceous Birds {" The Oldest birds
known TO man, he sad are OF the Jurassic period Vi
these TWO species were found IN Europe rne next
Oldest are of the cretaceous age many OF which are
found IN Kansas Al ieast twenty species have been
found IN That State and IN such perfect state Of
preservation TINT almost evory bone Is known Tho
most surprising fact that all those birds bad toch,
which Other known birds ever p0ssossod and which
thought to be confined to reptiles and man mails
In New Jersey there are low species Of crctaceous
birds, but mono have been found with the skull com.
pete; 30 1t is Impossible TO tell whether they had
teeth In Kansas there are Two well marked types
Of large birds which shall call the hesperornis.
and one small, including the ichthuornis and the
apa.ornis rne hespcrornis IS nearly SIX ies' IN
wings, or, II any, they were but rudimcntary
and hidden under tho skin. Their teeth. strange 70
twenty Or thirty specimens nve six bong nearly
complete Wi,h these come others. many OF them
fish aud reptiles, put never before known IN birds.
They also have large wings This species 10 compara-
lively abundant, nearly nifty specimens having been
1ound-a sufficient nlmbcr TO make an almost com.
pete restoration From tho formation Of the fset t
wo ud be natural to say that bird related
tue modern diving birds, such as The LOOM This
thought first, out subsequently, studying the hcad
"a much moro important part than the fcet) found
that related 10 the ostrich, the peculiar formation
Of the feet being merely an adaptation 10 swimming
Indeed is essentially swimming carnivorous bird,
closely allied TO tho ostrich, which IN Its turn 10 moro
nearly related TO the reptiles than any other living
bird.
Professor Marsh announced that he had prepared a
large memoir tho subject Of American cretaceous
birds which is nearly ready Tor publication. II con-
about thirty plates OF the large bird, the hesper
orns and fourteen OF the two smaller types Proofs
Of interesting OF these The Professor had with
him an passed ABOUT The lecture room.
Professor Newberry, OF the dcpart rtment OF natural
history al Columbia College, lccturcd on the succession
plant lie the globe. he illustrated his remarks
with casts fragments OF rock containing IMPRESSIONS
OF branches &c OF the upper aud lower surlan agcA
la that hv tnere were NO I0Ast
no proof their existence in this country has been
iouGd In the Dovonian age land plants were
IN full bloom and Ia sucn variety and lux
uriance 10 resemble tho tropical or semrtropcal
foliage OF the present day. And indeed, from the
proofs OF that iuxnriant oiage and the existence of
coral IN ONO IL almost absolutely proved tbnt the
climate OF this country IN the Devonhn period was
sim lar 10 toat vi the tropical and semtropcal quar-
of the globe al present In Oaio too, there are
i'm prsssIons rom tree ferns OF the suran age. Near
Scnohare there casts o ea icrns oi tue carbon-
erous age Fish ana ierns OF the Iriassic period
found nere, out the fora oil the Jurassic age
has but little represen tation IN this country. lu
the Old World however, there arc plenty OF plants Of
that age Tn.rc are thousand evidences of the ex-
stencc ol cretaceous plants has country The d.
vding limo between the cretaceOus anI tertiary orma-
tons The Professor sad, "has long Deon SUBJECT Of
biter dispute, ald has actually led to the breaking
OF Old friendships among scientific men. "
During the afternoon session, al tne close Of Pro-
fessor Guyots address, the members were invited
down stairs 10 DR. Chandlcr's lecture inspect
electric light, whicn wss made by small steam
engno and rotating magnets, simple process, and
great Improvement on otner electric lights. The In
venliou is by Jabl of, OF Paris.