xii The Biological Society of Washington. 



December 4, 1897 283d Meeting. 



The President in the chair and 37 persons present. 



Frederick V. Coville exhibited a globose mass of pine needles 

 found on the shore of a lake in northern Idaho, commenting on 

 the probable cause of its formation. 



The following communications were presented : 



L. J. Briggs : Causes of Water Movement in Soils.* 



Sylvester D. Judd : Protective Adaptations of Insects from an 

 Ornithological Point of View. 



Theo. Gill : The Distinctive Characters of the Molinse and 

 Ranzaniinse. 



C. W. Stiles : The Honorary Ph. D. 



December 18, 1897 284th Meeting. 

 (EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.) 



The President in the chair and 29 persons present. 



The annual reports of the Recording Secretary and Treasurer 

 for the year 1897 were presented, and officers for the year 1898 

 were elected as follows : 



President L. O. Howard. 



Vice-Presidents Richard Rathbun, C. D.Walcott, B. E. Fernow, 

 F. V. Coville. 



Recording Secretary Charles L. Pollard. 



Corresponding Secretary F. A. Lucas. 



Treasurer F. H. Knowlton. 



Additional Members of the Council William H. Ashmead, Ed 

 ward L. Greene, Ch. Wardell Stiles, F. W. True, M. B. Waite. 



The following standing committees were appointed by the 

 Chair: 



On Communications B. E. Fernow, chairman ; F. V. Coville, 

 M. B. Waite, E. A. De Schweinitz, W. H. Ashmead. 



On Publications C. Hart Merriam, chairman ; T. S. Palmer, 

 F. H. Knowlton. 



* Substance embodied in a Bulletin of the Division of Soils, *U. S. De 

 partment of Agriculture, now in preparation, 



