262 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



ration which, he stated, has been taking place in Boston harbor 

 for a considerable period of time, and mentioned several strik- 

 ing facts in illustration of his statement. 



Professor Eustis remarked that he could corroborate Lieu- 

 tenant Davis's statement, from former personal observation. 



Professor Peirce spoke of the great importance of the sub- 

 ject, and, on his motion, it was 



" Voted, That Lieutenant Davis's paper be referred to a committee 

 of five." 



" Voted, That Messrs. Treadwell, Eustis, Peirce, M. Wyman, and 

 Lovering be that committee." 



Professor Peirce offered the following resolutions, which 

 were unanimously adopted : — 



" Resolved, That Professor A. D. Bache, President of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, be requested and em- 

 powered to correspond, in the name of the Academy, with such foreign 

 scientific bodies as may appear to him advisable, with a view to the 

 union of scientific men of different nations, for the purpose of taking 

 such steps as may best show their respect for the memory of the late 

 Professor Schumacher, and their sense of the services which he has 

 rendered to the science of the world. 



" Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Academy, the foundation of 

 a Schumacher medal and prize would be most appropriate to the 

 memory of our honored associate, — though the Academy, on its 

 part, will of course concur in any plan that may be determined on." 



Professor Peirce presented a paper by Mr. U. A. Boyden, 

 giving an account of a fall of rain at a temperature much 

 below the freezing-point of water ; and also a paper by Rev. 

 Thomas Hill, on the catenary curve. 



Professor Agassiz communicated, at considerable length, the 

 results of some of his observations, during the past winter, on 

 the Florida Coral Reefs. He described their topographical 

 features, structure, and mode of formation, and pointed out 

 some striking differences between them and all other kinds 

 of reefs hitherto observed. He stated that the present barrier 

 reef succeeds to two others, more elevated, contained with- 



