,120 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [jUNE 1, 



There being no quorum, the meeting was adjourned to the 

 "first Monday in October. 



Before adjournment Dr. Britton spoke of a curious occur- 

 rence of vertical needle-shaped ice crystals in limonite soil on 

 Staten Island. These crystals were from two to three inches 

 high, and the apices covered with soil, showing that they had 

 been projected through the crust and had grown from below. 

 Areas of many hundred square yards were covered with them. 

 The crystals were deflected in the direction of the prevailing 

 wind, and were smaller at the edges of the areas. Normally the 

 ground was boggy. It is thought that this phenomenon is due to 

 compression. 



Prof. Martin announced the death of Prof. C. A, Joy, and 

 was appointed a committee of one to draw up and present a 

 suitable resolution. 



Note by the Editor. 



It is my painful duty to announce to the Academy the death 

 of the Librarian, Dr. John 1. Northrop, the result of a distress- 

 ing accident which occurred at Columbia College, June 27th, 

 1891. 



Dr. Northrop graduated from the School of Mines as a 

 mining engineer in 1883. After some time spent in travel, he 

 returned to this country and entered the Department of Geology 

 of the School of Mines, occupying the position of Fellow and 

 devoting his time to zoology. Kecently he made a trip to the 

 Bahama Islands, where he remained for several months, making 

 a large collection of the flora and fauna of the section. His re- 

 sults are embodied in a paper read before the Academy and pub- 

 lished in the current volume of the Transactions. 



Dr. Northrop was elected a member of the Academy in 

 1887. In 1890 he was chosen Librarian, to fill the vacancy oc- 

 casioned by the resignation of A. W. Vogdes, and re-elected 

 this spring. Dr. Northrop leaves a widow and ciiild. 



H. T. Vulte. 



