xii The Biological Society of Wasliington. 



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 Molinje and 

 Ranzaniinse. 



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



December 18, 1897— 284th Meeting. 

 (EIC4HTEENTH 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 N^ear 1898 

 were elected as follows : 



President — L. 0. 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 Cotmcil — William PI. Ashmead, Ed- 

 ward \j. Greene, Ch. Wardell Stiles, F. W. True, M. B. ^V^aite. 



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 i)rei>aration. 



