28 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
lish the minor papers in the Proceedings of the Academy, but 
this action was never taken, the first issue of the Proceedings 
having been devoted to the reports and minutes. 
Besides formally adopting a constitution and by-laws, acting 
on reports of scientific committees, and listening to scientific 
communication, the Academy transacted other important busi- 
ness at the meeting of January, 1864. It elected the first foreign 
members, or “ Foreign Associates,” as they were styled in the 
constitution. ‘The by-laws provided that not more than ten 
Foreign Associates might be elected at any one meeting, and the 
Academy proceeded at once to elect this number. This first list 
comprised Sir Wm. Rowan Hamilton, Karl Ernst Von Baer, 
Michael Faraday, J. B. Elie de Beaumont, Sir David Brewster, 
G. A. A. Plana, Robert Bunsen, F. W. A. Argelander, Michel 
Chasles and Henri Milne-Edwards. 
The Academy had not been in existence six months when 
it lost one of its original members, Professor Hubbard, one of 
the youngest of the incorporators, who died on August 16, 1863, 
at the age of 46 years. The event was reported at the meeting 
of January, 1864, and in accordance with the by-laws, Dr. B. A. 
Gould was appointed to prepare a biographical notice. This 
notice, the first of the series of biographical sketches published 
by the Academy, was read at the New Haven meeting, August 
5, 1864, and printed in the first Annual.’ 
In accordance with the by-laws, the death of three eminent 
scientific men of the country not members of the Academy was 
announced at the meeting of January, 1864, and three members 
were appointed to prepare biographical sketches. Only two of 
the sketches appear to have been presented, however, and the 
practice was not continued in subsequent years, doubtless on 
account of the burden which it imposed on the membership, and 
the lack of funds for printing. 
Of the second session of the Academy for the year 1864, 
which was held in New Haven on the sth and 6th of August, 
little has been recorded, beyond the fact that ten papers were 
* Pp. 71-112. 
