PROCEEDINGS AMERICAS PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, HELD AT PHILADELPHIA. Voi,. XVIII. JULY To DECEMBER, 1878. No. 102. Stated Meeting, July 19, 1878. Stated Meeting, August 16, 1878. Present, 4 members. Vice-President, Mr. Fraley, in the Chair. A letter accepting the appointment to prepare an obituary notice of Prof. Joseph Henry was received from Prof. Fairman Rogers. A communication entitled "Saponin in its relations to Physiology, by B. F. Lautenbach, M.D., Ph.D., Prosector of Physiology in the University of Geneva," was presented by Mr. Piatt, with a letter from the author. A communication was received entitled, " Oil Well records in McKean and Elk Counties, Pa., by C. A. Ashburner." Dr. Sadtler made a verbal explanation in reference to his comments on his correspondence with Prof. Morton (see PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XVIII. 102. A. PRINTED NOV. 21, 1878. minutes of May 17) in which he gave Prof. Morton credit for correctly quoting Dr. Sadtler's letter. And the meeting was adjourned. Stated Meeting, September 20, 1878. Present, 5 members. Vice-President, Mr. Eli K. Price, in the Chair. Prof. Houston communicated the following notes: 1. On a new system of Electric Lighting, in which the sparks (" extra sparks") produced by interrupting feeble currents are utilized for the purpose of dividing the light. 2. On a new form of Electric Lamp, depending also on the development of the extra-spark, instead of the continuous arc. These notes embodied the results of the joint investigations of Prof. Thompson and himself. Mr. Eli K. Price read a communication entitled "Nature's Reforesting," and offered the following resolution, which was adopted: Resolved, That of the paper on "Nature's Reforesting" 300 extra copies, without cover, be printed at the expense of the Michaux Legacy. The death of Mr. Henry Armitt Brown, at Philadelphia, Aug. 24th, aged 33 years, was announced by Mr. Price. Pending nominations 857 to 870 were read. The following persons, on scrutiny of the ballot boxes by the presiding officer, were declared duty elected members of the Society. Hon. Carl Schurz, of Washington, D. C. Mr. J. B. Knight, of Philadelphia. Rev. Fredk. Augustus Muhlenberg, D.D. of Philadelphia. Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S.A. Dr. A. S. Packard, Jr., of Salem, Mass. Mr. Joel Asaph Allen, of Cambridge, Mass. Mr. Samuel H. Scudder, of Cambridge, Mass. Rev. William Rudder, D.D., of Philadelphia. Dr. Morris Longstreth, of Philadelphia. Prof. Houston gave notice of his intention to move at the next meeting of the Society, certain corrections in the last page of the printed proceedings (p. 728), being the records of the meeting held June 21, 1878. And the meeting was adjourned. Stated Meeting, October 4, 1878. Present, 13 members. Vice-President, Mr. Fraley, in the Chair. Letters accepting membership were received from the Rev. W. Rudder, D.D., dated Media, October 1; the Hon. Secretary of the Interior, Carl Schurz, dated Department of the Interior, Washington, October 2; the Rev. F. A. Muhlenberg, D.D., dated 4307 Walnut street, Philadelphia, October 2; Mr. J. A. Allen, dated Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass. October 2; Dr. Elliott Coues, of the U. S. Geological and Geographical Surveys of the Territories, dated Washington, October 2; and Prof. James C. Watson, of the Observatory of the University of Michigan, dated Ann Arbor, September 18, 1878. Photographs for the album were received from Mr. A. R. Wallace, dated Waldron Edge, Duppas Hill, Croydon, England, and from William II. Flower, F.R.S., of the College of Surgeons, London. A letter was received from Mr. A. M. Fox, dated Penjerrich, Falmouth, September 4, 1878, respecting the decease of his father, Mr. R. W. Fox (July 25, 1877, aged 88), and the disposition of publications forwarded to him. Letters of acknowledgment for publications of the Society received, were read, as follows: Royal Society of Tasmania, February 17 (95, 96); Physical Society of Berlin, June 16 (96, 98, 99); Natural History Society of Göttingen, June 15 (99, IV i, ii); Holland Society of Harlem, June 25 (100 ; List); Teyler Foundation of Harlem, July 6 (100; List); Royal Society of Luxembourg (100; List): Royal Institution, London, June 1 (III to XI; XVI, ii; 100); Society of Antiquaries, London, June 18 (100; List); Statistical Society, London, July 15 (100; List); Royal Observatory, Greenwich, July 19 (99, 100); Royal Society of Edinburgh, July 5 (100); Maine Historical Society, - (101); New Hampshire Historical Society, July 8 (101); Massachusetts Historical Society, July 9 (101; Cat. iii); Boston Public Library (101); Harvard College, July 9 (Cat. part iii); New York Hospital, July 8 (101); New York Historical Society, June 10 (101); Albany State Library, July 12 (Cat. part iii); U. S. Military Academy Library, July 16 (101); New Jersey Historical Society, July 8 (101; Cat. ii); Pennsylvania His. torical Society, July 8 (101 ; Cat. iiij; Franklin Institute, July 26 (Cat. ii); Mr. John Fulton, Johnstown, July 8 (101); Peabody Institute of Baltimore, July 31 (Cat. iii); Naval Observatory, Washington, July 8 (101); Dr. William Elder, Washington, July 22 (101); Georgia Historical Society, July 9 (101); Rantoul Literary Society, July 8 (101); Chicago Academy of Sciences, July 8 (101); Sig. Mariano Barcena, Mexico, July 8 (100). Letters acknowledging the receipt of diplomas were received from the following members: Dr. D. G. Gilman, dated Amherst, July 10, 1878; Mr. Lorin Blodget, Philadelphia, July 8, 1878; Mr. Coleman Sellers, Philadelphia, July 8, 1878; Mr. George Stuart, Philadelphia, 1528 N. 18th street, July 29; Mr. John Fulton, Johnstown, Pa., July 8; and Dr. William Elder, Washington, D.C., July 22. Letters announcing the transmission of publications to this Society were received from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pest, July 16; the Natural IIistory Society at Riga, January, 1878; Zoologico-Botanical Society at Vienna, April 29, 1878; Physical Society at Berlin, June 15, 1878; Holland Society of Sciences at Harlem, July, 1878; Royal Academy of Lisbon, February 7,1878; Meteorological Office at London, July, 1878; Secretary of State of New Hampshire, August 10, 1878; Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, August 17,1878; Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, September 5, 1878; Coast Survey Office at Washington, August 17, 1878; Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, September 3, 1878; Department of the Interior, Washington, July 24,1878; * Department of State at Washington, August 31, 1878; the Argentine National Observatory, April, 1878; and from the Argentine Scientific Society, Buenos Ayres. Donations for the Library were received from the Mining Surveyors and Registrars of Victoria; Royal Academies at Berlin and at Brussels; Natural History Societies at Riga, Offenbach am M., Bremen and Boston; Anthropological Society, and Geological Institute at Vienna; Physical Society at Berlin; Holland Society at Harlem; Geographical Society and Revue Politique at Paris; Geographical Commercial Society at Bordeaux; Royal Geographical, Geological, Antiquarian, Zoological and Metereological Societies of London; Meteorological Office of the Royal Society; Prof. Richard Owen, and London Nature; Joseph Gurney Barclay, Esq. Peyton, Essex, Eng.; Geological Survey of New Hampshire; Museum of Comparative Zoology and Peabody Museum in Cambridge, Mass.; American Journal of Science and Art; Mr. Henry T. Eddy, of Princeton, N. J.; Princeton College; Franklin Institute; Journal of Pharmacy, Medical News, Penu Monthly; Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania; American Journal Mathematics, Baltimore; Mr. Asaph Hall, of Washington; Kansas Agricultural Report,Topeka; Geographical and Statistical Society, Mexico; Ministcrio de Fomento, Mexico; and the Argentine Scientific Society in Buenos Ayres. Also previously, and not noted, from the Royal Danish * Cartas de Indias from tne Government of Spain. |