468 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF 'SCIENCES 



The Academy records with sorrow the death of Professor William Stratford, a 

 member of long standing and a former Corresponding Secretary. He was a promi- 

 nent member of the faculty of the College of the City of New York, having served 

 on its teaching staff for over 41 years. Born in 1844, he graduated with A. B. at 

 the City College in 1865 and later took the degrees of M. D. and Ph.D. at New York 

 University; he became tutor in Natural History in the City College in 1866, under 

 Professor J. C. Draper, whom he succeeded as head of the department in 1886. He 

 was a well known member of scientific organizations in New York, was a recognized 

 expert in biological microscopy, conducting important experiments in the early days 

 of photo-micrography and devising new combinations in the mathematics of lenses. 

 In his work in the City College, he early introduced laboratory methods and developed 

 its museum, enriching its paleontological materials with the fruits of several expedi- 

 tions to the Rocky Mountains. He is best known as a teacher and as the devoted 

 friend of those whose interest in Natural History led them beyond the door of the 

 class room. His private laboratory was always filled with volunteer students, and 

 he was generous, even to a fault, in giving them his time, means, apparatus, — every- 

 thing he had. And he followed the career of each of "his men" with the keenest 

 interest. He was never too busy to do them favors, no matter the cost, and the 

 only reward he asked was to see them become prominent as teachers, physicians, 

 biologists. 



Bashford Dean, Committee. 



The secretary read a letter from Dr. Joseph D. Hooker, expressing his 

 appreciation of his election to Honorary Membership in the Academy. 

 The Academy then adjourned. 



Charles P. Berkey, 



Secretary pro-tem. 



SECTION OF GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 



March 2, 1908. 



Section met at 8:30 P. M., Vice-President Grabaii presiding. 



The minutes of the last meeting of the Section were read and approved. 



The following program was then offered : 



Robert T. Hill, Geological Problems of the Windward Islands. 

 Roswell Johnson, The Mid-continent Oil Fields. 



Summary of Papers. 



Mr. Johnson said in abstract: The production of oil in Oklahoma and 

 Kansas, generally called the mid-continental oil field, has forged ahead 



