464 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Scotchman, the distinguished chemist, Prof. J. J. J. Kyle. Like all 

 similar societies with us, it has had an ebb-and-flow experience, and, 

 judging from the annual report for 1875, now before me, the monthly 

 stances in that year were not prolific in scientific memoirs. 



The regular monthly meeting, which should have been recently 

 held, was transformed into an excursion to the steamboat-landing to 

 welcome the daring explorer, Moreno, a member of the society, and 

 who had just returned from a long and hazardous expedition, made 

 without companions, and for scientific purposes, in the wilds of Pata- 

 gonia. The society turned out in strong force, and, accompanied by 

 many other friends and admirers of the " Livingstone of South Amer- 

 ica," as he has been called, proceeded to the pier, where a scene of en- 

 thusiastic embracing ensued, which I imagine must have been serious 

 to one with a less firm physique than that of Moreno. Thereupon the 

 noisy, good-humored throng accompanied him to his home, where a 

 repast was served. The society has in contemplation a public dinner 

 to the explorer, at which it is probable he will give some information 

 as to his experiences and the scientific results he has gathered. 



The rooms of the society are central, very comfortable, and well 

 supplied with scientific periodicals. There are seven hundred books 

 in the library. 



The society offers prizes of a gold medal, suitably engraved, to be 

 given as rewards for the satisfactory solution of scientific problems. 

 These were for 1875 : 



1. The most important applications of chemistry to the industries 

 of the country. 



2. The most important applications of physics to national public 

 works. 



3. The best method of utilizing the raw materials of the country. 



4. The best material for general construction suited to the republic. 



5. The best method of manufacturing materials of construction. 



6. The best work on physico-natural science, or its industrial ap- 

 plications. 



7. The best work on exact science, or its applications. 

 The awards for the previous year were : 



Luis Gardella. For a steam-engine with multiple boiler. 



Conrad Forrer. For an electric clock. 



M. Puiggari. Memoir on the manufacture of sulphuric from the 

 raw materials of the country. 



Julius Lacroze. Memoir upon the utilization of the hard woods 

 of the country in the pavement of Buenos Ayres. 



Vincent Gaetani. For the manufacture in the republic of arti- 

 ficial marble. 



It appears to be the custom, on the 28th of July, to celebrate the 

 anniversary of the society by a conversazione^ at which ladies are 

 also present. An exhibition of objects of scientific interest was this 



