Record. xxix 



first to last eminently experimental, rather than theoretical or 

 philosophical. He was accordingly ahke exempt from the dis- 

 tractions and denied the stimulus of scientific controversy. To 

 the quiet study of Nature's phenomena he devoted his powers 

 wholly; singularly unbiased by hypotheses and, in the main, 

 indifferent to them. 



For him, the greater the difficulties of an experimental re- 

 search might be, the greater the charm. 



The isolation by him for the first time of pure chromium and 

 of free fluorine, the production of diamonds by a new method, 

 the discovery of calcium carbide and of a host of other metallic 

 carbides, the reduction in the electric furnace of the oxides of 

 tungsten, molybdenum, venadium, titanium, the preparation of 

 metallic tantalum; all these things are but milestones in a sci- 

 entific career of which the entire way is marked with records of 

 worthy endeavor, full of suggestion and incentive to every 

 student of pure science, rich in promise and fruition of applica- 

 tions of the highest utiHtarian value. 



We share the general deep grief that labors so triumphant 

 and so beneficent should cease before the end of the longest span 

 granted to human life, but we also feel that the world has sub- 

 stantial grounds of gratitude for the measure already vouchsafed. 



It was voted to spread this report upon the records of the Acad- 

 emy, to notify the Institut de France of the action of the Acad- 

 emy, and to publish it in the next volume of the Proceedings. 



Dr. B. E. Livingston delivered an illustrated lecture on "The 

 Desert Botanical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution." 



April 15, 1907. 



President Woodward in the chair; attendance, twelve. 



Mr. Julius Hurter presented, for Mr. T. von Hynig, specimens 

 of Pyrites from Glenwood Mine, Des Moines, Iowa. Upon mo- 

 tion this donation was accepted for the Academy and the 

 Corresponding Secretary instructed to express the thanks of 

 the Academy to Mr. von Hynig for his gift. 



Dr. J. F. Abbott presented a paper on " Galvanotropism in 

 Bacteria," embodying the preliminary results of experiments 

 carried on during the last three years. 



It being ordinarily understood that bacteria do not respond 

 to the influence of a galvanic stream too weak to kill them, it 

 seemed important to determine whether this be really so; and 



