National Republican., 1878-04-17
sRssION OF sCIEHrIsrs.

Meeting OF the National Acodouny Of bcSeucefs
The National Academy Of Sciences met at the
Smithsonian Institute yesterday morning The fois
lowing members were present:
The President, Professor Joseph Henry, and Cen
crsl Henry L. Abbot, United States army Professor
Alexander Agassis, Cambridge, Nass.; Professor
Spencer p. Baird, Washington; President y. A. p.
Barnard, New York city, foreign secretary; Gen.
sral J. q. Barnard, United States Amy Professor
J. II. c. Conn, United States navy. Washington; !;
Or. Elliott Coues, United States army, Washington;
Professor T. D. Cope, Haddonfeld, N. j.; Professor
George Davidson, United States coast survey, San
Francisco. Cal; william Ferre United States coast
survey Washington; DR.. wolcott Gibbs, Cambridge,
Mass the Vice President DR.. Theodore Gill, Wash.
ington; Professor S. s. Haldeman, Chickio-, Pa. /;
Professor Asaph Hall, United States navy, Washing
ton; DR.. p. v. Hayden, United States geologist
Washington; Professor J. r. Iiilgard, United States
coast survey, homo secretary; George W. Hill,
Nyack Turnpike. n. Y; J. Homer Lane United States
Const Survey, Washington; Professor g. T. langley,
Allegheny, Pa; Professor o. c. Marsh, New Haven,
Conn; General NJ. c. Meigs, Quartermastcr General
United States army, Washington; Professor Simon
Ncwcomb, superintendent United States Nautical
Almanac, Washington; Professor william A. Nor
ton, New Haven, Conn; Professor C. II. +. Peter,
Clinton, n. v; Professor y. c. Pickering, Cam.
bridge, Mass; Raphael Puuipelly, oswcso, N y;
Rear Admiral John Rodgers, United States navy,
superintendent Naval Observatory Washngton;
Fairman Rogers, Philadelphia, Pu, treaAreri Dr.
william d. Rogers, Boston, Mass: Charles 4. Schott,
United States Coast Survey Washington; Professor
Benjamin silliman, New Haven Conn; Professor
J. Lawrence Smith, Louisville Ky.; Professor viii.
| liam +. Trvwbrdge, New York city; General q. X.
Warren, United states army Dr. J; J; woodward,
United States army, Washington; Professor Charles
During The private session Of the academy, a
/ communication wns made 10y the representative Of
the Subscribers TO q fund amounting to $40 go which
has been presented to Professor Joseph Henry as
testimonial Of their high appreciation o. his ser
vices and his unselsh devotion N the cause OF SET
ence the principal OF which Is hnaly go tn the Nj
| tional Academy Of Sciences to form fund to be
known as the Joseph Henry Fund" the Interest
of which will be devoted to assist original research
THE PUBLIC SESSION
| began at noon and was very interesting The fol.
| Formation and Structure Of Alacrnno Reef on
the Yucatan Bank by Alexander AR.stiL' Ihls
paper was discussed by Messr'. J. f. Hilgard' Cope
Professor C. H. T. Peters. Of litchfcld ObSerya;
tory, Clinton. \. V presented an astronomical
chart. upon which he had lGbored for fifteen ycarS
aud added few explanatory remarks upon y.
The Theory Of Matcrponts," by William ierrel
Remarks upon this paper were made by Messrs
Peters Trovbridgc. aud Smith.
Upon invitation, Hon. I. ]. t1ingmRn, Of North
Carolina, related certain observations OF water
spouts made by him In that state.
f"Pcuort on the orbits OF the Satellites OF Mar,
by ASaph Hall. Professor Hall IS now famous rs
the discoverer Of the mo1ns Of Mars. The reading
ELECTED remarks and inquiries from MCssr; Ncw'
comb Young, Peters, J. T.. llilgard. aud Pickering
"On the relation OF L"Css and Drltt TO Secular s.
integruiiOn," by Raphrcl PnInpcly. McssrS: WI
liam B. Rogers and Alex. AgaSsiz discussed thii
paper giving instances In confirmation OF the coi
| clusionS arrived at by Professor Pumpelly.
"On the Characteristic InvcrtehrHte Forms Of the
Central Zoc-IeUgraphIcal Province Of the United
States" by Asa Packard, jr In the ahsencc OF DR.
Packard this paper was read by DR.. Elliott C0ucS
The proceedings OF the day wore concluded with
on interesting paper by Professor J. l.. ilgnrd, on
AN Optical Ocean salinOmetcr" accompanied by
! an exhibition Of instruments.
PROGRAMME FOR TO-DAY.
The following is the programme for the scientific
session, beginning at noon:
preliminary report OH the deep-Fea dredging o
the United States Coast Survey stenmer Blnke dur
ing the past winter In the Gulf Of Mexico aud INC
GulfStrcam" by Alex Agassiz. "AbraSiOns on the
| Northwest Coast Of America by George Davidson
"On the Law Of Boyle and Mariotte," by wolcot
Gibbs. Memoir on the Intersection Of Circles and
the Intersection Of Spheres" by Benjamin Alvord
plan for Measuring the Velocity OF Light BY 81
mon Ncwcomh. "0n the Force OF Effective Mole
cular Action" by William A.. Norton. Remarks
on the value Of the result obtained for the Soal
Iaralax from the English Telescope Observations
by {. II. +. Peters "On the Vertebrate Fauna o
the Permian Period of the United States" Dy H.
Cope. "PhOtOmetric Comparison OF the Coinpo
nents Of Close Double STAR by L. G. Pickering.
MEMORIAL MEETING.
Al eight o'clock In the evening meeting will b
held In the chapel of All Souls Church, corner o
Fourteenth and l. streets, for reading memoirs o
deceased member.
The following will be read: Biographical Mem
DIR OF Louis Agassiz: second part. Relating T. hi
life and work in America, by Arnold Guyo'
Memoir Of Jeifries Wyman," by Asa Packard, u
In his absence this memoir will be read by Di
Elliott COues. Memoir Of y. Mahan," by llcnr!
l. Abbott.