1903.1 NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 



803 



the Conchological Section, have been issued. In addition we are in- 

 debted to :\Ir. Clarence B. :\Ioore for the pubhcation of No. 3 of VoL XII 

 of the Journal, consisting of 136 pages, profusely illustrated with 

 text engravings. 



Under the auspices of the Academy, therefore, there have been 

 issued during the year 2182 pages and 129 plates of scientific matter. 



The statistics of distribution are as follows: 



Proceedings, delivered to members, '_^* 



" exchanged, ^^"^ 



" to subscribers, ^ 



1,150 



7fl 

 Journal, exchanged, ' 



" to subscribers, _ 



104 



Thirteen members and five correspondents have l^een elected. The 

 deaths of seven members and three correspondents have been an- 

 nounced, and the following members have resigned: William H. 

 Roberts, Thomas G. :\Iorton, Charles D. Lippincott, E. Shirley Borden 

 and Miss Ethel Smith. 



The most notable event in the year's history was the adoption, :\Iay 5, 

 of a revised code of By-La^^•s, providing for several changes in adminis- 

 tration. The most important of these relate to the meetings of the 

 Academy and the duties of the Committee on Publication. Instead 

 of a meeting every Tuesday evening throughout the year, sessions are 

 now held on the first and third Tuesdays from October to May 

 inclusive, thus decreasing the number from fift3'-two to sixteen. It 

 was held that the constantly increasing tendency to the division of 

 scientific interests into specialties and the consequent organization of 

 sections and special societies interfered with attendance on general 

 meetings, and that all interests involved would l^e better secured hy 

 meeting less frequently. It is, perhaps, premature to pronounce ait 

 opinion on the results of this important change, but it is quite apparent 

 that the interest of the meetings held since last October has been better 

 sustained than for some years previous. The reference of papers direct 

 to the Pul^lication Committee instead of indirectly to the Academy, 

 a change unavoidable in view of the decrease in the luimber of meetings 

 if promptness of publication were to be secured, has been found in 

 practice to be desirable, as the interval between the reception of a paper 

 and its appearance in print has been much reduced — has been, in fact, 

 reduced as far as seems to be at present practicable, while it is con- 



