286 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES 



By Peofessoe EDWARD C. PICKERING 



HAEVAED COLLEGE OBSEEVATOET 



TWO papers on " Foreign Associates of National Societies " were 

 published in The Popular Science Monthly, Vol. 73, p. 372, 

 and Vol. 74, p. 80, in which the foreign membership of the seven great 

 scientific societies of the world was discussed. It is the object of the 

 present paper to make a similar study of the associate and honorary 

 membership of the leading American societies, based on the latest 

 printed lists. To avoid confusion, members paying fees will be called 

 residents, those who live at a distance and pay no fees, associates, and 

 foreigners, honorary members. All of the American members of the 

 National Academy and the honorary members of the New York Acad- 

 emy, if Americans, will be included in the second class. 



The oldest of American scientific societies is the American Philo- 

 sophical Society held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge. 

 It was founded in 1743, on the initiative of Franklin. Its membership 

 consists of 165 residents, who live within thirty miles of Philadelphia, 

 224 associates and 113 honorary members. The number of persons 

 elected each year is limited to fifteen Americans and five foreigners. 



The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1780, 

 with its headquarters in Boston, is the second oldest scientific society. 

 The numbers of residents (citizens of Massachusetts), associates and 

 honorary members are 193, 87 and 63, and are limited to 200, 100 and 

 75, respectively. 



The New York Academy of Sciences was founded in 1817. The 

 numbers of residents, associates and honorary members are 468, 139 

 and 48, respectively. The numbers of the last two classes are limited 

 to 200 and 50, respectively. 



The National Academy of Sciences was founded in 1863, with its 

 headquarters in Washington. Its membership consists of 113 associates 

 and 45 honorary members. The number of the latter class is limited 

 to 50. 



Lists were next prepared of the associates and honorary members 

 of these societies. Table I. contains a list of those Americans whose 

 names appear on two or more of these lists. The successive columns 

 give the name, place of birth, college, residence, specialty, date of birth 

 and age at the time of election into each of the four societies. Place 

 of birth and residence are indicated by states, or countries, except in the 



