26 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Crass or Natura History Number of 
Sect, 2. JViineralopy sand) (Geolocy,.sem- ernment aes 6 
Dect: 27. ZOOLOPY Meee cepa ate cee See aee eee 5 
Sect. <SumBotany: 4102, ucnteeneenerony ieee eee I 
Sect. 4. Anatomy and Physiology..............--.+-- 2 
Sect. 52 Ethnology acetate aoe eee here fo) 
WOtal’ civ acccyotebo cose ioe acne 44 
It will be seen from the foregoing figures that the number of 
members who joined the sections concerned with the physical 
sciences was twice as large as the number which joined those 
concerned with the natural sciences. This was due to the fact 
that the Academy movement was promoted by the physicists 
rather than the naturalists. As indicated by certain remarks 
of Professor Bache and Senator Wilson, the original plan seems 
to have contemplated the formation of an academy of physical 
sciences. 
It is interesting to notice that the paleontologists aligned them- 
selves with geology rather than zodlogy. The section of botany 
had but one member, and that of ethnology, none. Half the 
membership, in so far as it was assigned to sections, assembled 
in the first three physical sections,—mathematics, physics, and 
astronomy (with geography and geology). 
The first scientific session of the Academy, following the 
meeting for organization, was held in Washington on January 
4 to 9, 1864, in the Capitol, in the rooms of the Pacific Rail- 
road Committee of the Senate which were placed at the disposal 
of the Academy. In the interval between these two meetings, 
however, six committees on technical subjects had been ap- 
pointed. These reported at the January meeting, and in three 
cases the reports were adopted and the committees discharged, 
while in the other three the committees were continued. Four 
additional committees were appointed before the close of 1864. 
The work of these committees and of others appointed sub- 
sequently forms the subject of a later chapter. The importance 
of the scientific committees was felt by President Bache, who 
