Record. lxxi 



Whereas, It is understood that the question of admitting such speci- 

 mens to the mails at merchandise rates is to be considered by the next 

 International Postal Congress, which is announced to meet in Washington 

 in May next: — 



Besolved, That the Academy of Science of St. Louis favors the adoption 

 of an amendment to the present regulations which shall admit to the inter- 

 national mails 



" Objects of natural history, dried or preserved animals and plants, geo- 

 logical specimens, etc., of which the transmission has no commercial inter- 

 est, and the packing of which conforms to the general conditions concerning 

 packages of samples of merchandise; " 



Besolved, That the Postmaster General of the United States be and he 

 is hereby respectfully requested to instruct the delegates from the United 

 States to vote for the above or some similar amendment. 



Mr. P. C. Compton, of St. Louis, was elected an active 

 member. 



April 5, 1897. 



Vice-President Engler in the chair, eighteen persons 

 present. 



Professor Frederick Starr spoke briefly of the Academy 

 and its work, stating that the duties of an organization like 

 the Academy of Science were threefold : first, to its members ; 

 second, to the scientific world : and, third, to the community 

 at large; and with a minuteness of detail which showed a 

 thorough knowledge of the past history of the Academy, 

 Professor Starr reviewed what the Academy had thus far 

 accomplished in each of these three directions. 



A paper by Mr. Charles Robertson, on North American 

 bees — descriptions and synonyms, was read by title. 



Mr. H. C. Irish spoke on the relations of the unfolding of 

 plants in spring to meteorological conditions, giving a his- 

 torical resume of the principal work in phenology thus far 

 done in this country and in Europe, and presenting charts on 

 which the vegetable periodicity for a series of years was con- 

 trasted with the temperature variations for the same years. 



April 19, 1897. 



President Gray in the chair, twenty-one persons present. 

 Dr. C. Barck read an interesting address on Helmholtz- 

 his life and work. 



