70 RECORDS 



The following program was then offered : 

 Informal Reports of the members upon work during the 

 summer in matters of interest to the section. 



Summary of Papers. 



George F. Kunz exhibited a section of the tusk of the ele- 

 phant Tip that was killed several years ago because he had be- 

 come so cross. The section of the tooth showed a large cavity 

 amounting to a couple of cubic inches — near the end of the 

 conical cavity at the root of the tooth. It was suggested that 

 possibly this cavity represented an ulceration of the tooth, and 

 that the bad humor of the elephant was really due to a bad 

 tooth. After discussion by Professor Cattell and others, it was 

 apparently the opinion of those best qualified to know, that this 

 cavity was not the result of any such ulceration, and that prob- 

 ably the elephant would not suffer from toothache in any case. 



William Hallock made an informal report upon barometric 

 and boiling point observations made during the ascent of Mt. 

 Whitney during the month of August. He called attention to 

 the use of the boiling point apparatus as checking the barometer 

 and the necessity of taking into consideration the temperature 

 and humidity of the air, as well as the simple barometric pres- 

 sure. He also referred to certain interesting lava fields on 

 Whitney Creek to the southwest from Mt. Whitney. 



G. B. Pegram gave an interesting account of the work done 

 at the magnetic observatories in this country, and especially at 

 the one at Cheltenham, Md., with which he was connected 

 during the summer vacation. 



Dr. D. S. Martin referred to the interesting minerals exhibited 

 at the Exposition of the South at Charleston, and showed a sam- 

 ple of the ash from Mt. Pelee which was brought to Charleston 

 on one of the incoming vessels. He will report upon this sub- 

 ject in the section of mineralogy later on. 



D. S. Martin, 

 Secretary, pro tern. 



