660 ANNUAL KECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



paratively few of the specialists of the country who were at 

 all able to attend failed to report themselves, although the 

 Exposition at Vienna involved the absence of some eminent 

 names that had heretofore been prominent at the meetings. 



The local committee of arrangements discharged their func- 

 tions in a very satisfactory manner, the city having prof- 

 fered the use of the magnificent City Hall, in which all the 

 accommodations that could possibly be desired were found 

 under one roof The officers of the Portland Natural-His- 

 tory Society extended a welcome to the association, and free- 

 ly threw open its museum and other apartments. Among 

 the entertainments provided by the committee may be men- 

 tioned a public reception on the evening of the first day of 

 the meeting; a lunch on Friday, which afforded a convenient 

 opportunity for meeting the citizens socially; an excursion 

 in Casco Bay and among the islands in the revenue cutter on 

 Saturday; a general reception and clam-bake at Old Orchard 

 Beach on the following Tuesday ; an excursion to the White 

 Mountains and back on Wednesday, after the regular exercises 

 of the association had closed; an outside dredging excursion 

 on the revenue cutter 3P Cidlough on Friday; and an excur- 

 sion to St. John and back on one of the boats of the Internation- 

 al Steam-ship Line for such as chose to avail themselves of it. 



The more special business of the meeting was well relieved 

 by these pleasant features, which tended better than any 

 thing else to promote the formation and renewal of acquaint- 

 ances among the members themselves as well as with the 

 citizens of Portland. 



The total number of members present was large, amounting 

 to "Very nearly three hundred. One hundred and ten names 

 were added to the list, bringing up the total membership at 

 present to about seven hundred. A pleasant feature in the 

 meeting was the presence of many naturalists actively em- 

 ployed in the vicinity in connection with the labors of the 

 United States Fish Commission under Professor Baird and his 

 associate, Professor Verrill, which had its head-quarters on 

 Peak's Island, in Casco Bay, about three miles from the city, 

 as also of many members of the Anderson School of Natural 

 History undcF Professor Agassiz, which had been in opera- 

 tion during the summer at Penikese. 



The total number of papers amounted to one hundred and 



