Mr. Wheeler made some remarks on "A new Blow-pipe Re- 

 agent." In the course of some experiments on the use of hydriodic 

 acid, he had found that by the use of tincture of Iodine (suggested 

 by Mr. Luedeking, of Washington University) he was able to get 

 the very striking and characteristic reactions on the iodides of the 

 volatile metals with the alcoholic solution of the iodine. 



Mr. Wheeler was asked to reduce his remarks to writing, and 

 same were referred to Publication Committee. 



Dr. Curtman called the attention of the Academy to the groups 

 ot littte black spots to be found on the peels of apples. Exam- 

 ination with the microscope had shown them to be colonies of 

 fungi, uniformly distributed over the surface, and wholly external 

 to the apple. A great number and variety of apples had been 

 examined and these colonies of fungi had been found on all — as 

 often on one part of the apple as on another — and the individual 

 spots from i inch to i inch apart. It was not apparent that they 

 were at all injurious to the fruit. Dr. Curtman expects to give the 

 matter further attention in the future. 



The following gentlemen were elected to associate member- 

 ship : Eliot C. Jewett, Dr. W. Hoffman, George M. Bartlett. 



Academy adjourned. 



Afril 20, 1885. 



The Academy met Monday evening, April 20, 1SS5. President 

 Nipher in the chair, and Messrs. Leete, Tivy, Wheeler, Gray, 

 Evers, and Englcr, present. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



Mr. H. A. Wheeler made some remarks on temperature obser- 

 vations in deep mines. 



The result of his observations in the deep copper mines in the Kewee- 

 nawan rocks of lake Superior indicated probably the lowest rate of ther- 

 mal increase with descent into the earth that has been recorded. The 

 usual rate is between 50 and 60 ft. of descent for i deg. F., and seldom ex- 

 ceeds 70 ft. ; in the lake Superior region the rate varies from 9?- to 122 ft. 

 of descent for an increase of i deg. F., and an average of five mines gave 

 108 ft. of descent for a rise of i deg. F. These rates were obtained by taking 

 two points as far apart as possible where conditions could be found that 

 were favorable for reliable observations, i.e. free from the modifying influ- 



