New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-19
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY or SCIENCES.
LAST DAY GoF THE MEETING--PAPERs on MANY
sUBJECTs-A RECEPTION IN THE EVENING.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUSE.I


IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-To-day's meeting
closed the semannua session OF the National Academy
Of Sciences There unusually large attendance.
both Of the public and the members Of the Academy The
proceedings opened with a short Orandum on
Composite Photography in Cranioogy." By DR.. John g.
Billings II presented In his absence by MAJOR j.
W. Powell. Accompanying it were a large number Of
photographs Of certain OF thevaous the Amer
team Continent. Major Powell supplemented the
paper and the photographs with interesting statA
ments. He considered the application OF composite
photography to the study Of human crania By Dr.
Billings Of peculiar Interest anthropOlogiss. at the
present stage Of investigation. Il might be that
new method OF investigation would furnish results not
heretofore reached but It had be confessed that the
study Of cranoogy for ehnc purposes that is for the
classification Of mankind races had been thus far
slnguary frutess None Of the facts relating 20 form
ano capacity OF the Uranium had been satisfactorily
related with other lines OF facts relating TO the different
racesr II had been found mpraoticabe TO classify
kindly characteristics Of :he skull This was shown by
the fact that large body Of scholars had accepted
scheme Of classification hitherto presented To some er-
tent and in algeneral way the capacity of the skull
had been correlated with the degree culture attained
by different peoples but such correlation neither
specific nor nvariable. The original object Of Grant
Oogsts had been TO classify mankind In this they had
failed but the study OF crana had had other OF
great value ana any method which more clearly as
sembed and presented the multfariOus facts of the
science. would be welcomed by all anthrOpologists
The next paper presented By Professor A. W. Wright,
described Some Experiments upon the spectra Of OIy
gen. 1t was followed by paper by Professor Elliott
Coues on The Application OF Trinomia Nomenclature
to Zoology" Professor f. W Clark offered few re
marks upon Jade Implements from Alaska" brought
from there by the Point Barrow Expedition. He ex-
hibited two of the implements OF which true
jade the other specimen OF the mineral pectote which
known to appear In this form. Professor Henry L.
Abbot spoke Recent Progress in Electrical Fuses
He explained at length arrangement FOR explOd
ing tOrpedOes IN salt water without the of batteries
on shore. The next paper read by Professor 8.
Dillcr on The aVOlcanic Sand that fell at Unaaska,
October 20 1888 and Some Considerations Concerning
its Composition" The speaker thought that the basic
character OF the sand, which contained 522 per
Silica and presented crystalline FORM could be readily
explained by the supposon that the most sci0s part
OF the magma blown away in the form Of dust The
service Of the sand he considered doubtful Mr. Apple
gate supposed IL TO have from the new volcano near
Makuskin, only nineteen miles distant was said TO he
comparatively Inactive for number OF years. The
sand IN professor oilers opinion undoubtedly OF
volcanic origin and It's angular character showed that
had not been subject TO much abrasion election.
The unaered condition Of the minerals and ground
hdcated that hey had not been exposed 20 pherc
influences Tor long period. These fact. favored the
opinion N Mr. Apologize that the sand from the
new volcanic crater near the island OF BOgeslOO.
Professor .. c. Marsh. the chairman then formally
announced the death OF Two members in course OF
the past year General A. A. Humphrey. L. :. A, and
Professor Arnold GuyOt OF Princeton General Abbot
l. s. A and Professor D. Dana were appointed their
oographers The association adjourned 10 meet on
October II. at Newport, r. l. reception given
this evening in honor the members Of the Academy By
Gardner U. Hubbard at MS home IN ConEccticut-aye