88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



given as follows, beginning on Tuesday evening, October 25th, 

 at half past seven o'clock : — 



By Professor Joseph Lovering, What is Matter? 



By Professor Joseph Lovering, What are Bodies? 



By Charles Jackson, Jr., Esq., History of the Useful Arts. 



By Professor H. L. Eustis, The Britannia Bridge. 



By Professor J. P. Cooke, Light. 



By Professor A. Guyot, Psychological and Physical Char- 

 acters of the Nations of Europe, compared with those of the 

 American People. 



By Professor A. Guyot, The same subject continued. 



By Professor Asa Gray, The Relation of Plants to the Sun. 



By Professor Asa Gray, The same subject continued. 



By Dr. A. A. Gould, Aquatic Life. 



By Professor Joel Parker, The Science of the Law. 



By Professor H. D. Rogers, The Arctic Regions. 



Mr. Folsom proposed a plan for printing the additions to the 

 library, as they accrue, with a small form of type and a hand- 

 press, and pointed out its advantages ; the subject was referred 

 to a committee, consisting of the Librarian, Mr. Folsom, and 

 Dr. Gray. 



Professor Horsford made a communication upon a mode of 

 rendering gutta percha elastic by the action of sulphur and 

 oxide of lead, so as to render it useful as a substitute for india- 

 rubber for car springs and other purposes where elasticity is 

 required, — an important desideratum, on account of the in- 

 creased price of india-rubber. He had succeeded in his en- 

 deavor, but the substance was not equal in value to vulcan- 

 ized india-rubber. Specimens of gutta percha thus prepared, 

 with various degrees of elasticity, were exhibited. 



Three Iiundred and uiuety-foartli meeting. 



February 14, 1854. — Semi-Monthly Meeting. 



The President in the chair. 



The Academy met at the house of Professor Treadvvell, 

 in Cambridge. 



