1903.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 811 



of the Section, and was its able Director from the beginning. Dr. 

 Charles Schaeffer died November 23, 1903. He likewise was one of 

 the early zealous members of the Section, and had been its skillful and 

 diligent Recorder for about fifteen years. 



Notwithstanding these severely crippling losses, the Section has kept 

 up its meetings and field excursions with almost undiminished ardor. 

 There have been nine meetings, with an average attendance of eight, 

 and nine field excursions, with an average attendance of twenty-nine. 

 At the meetings communications were made b}^ Miss Emma Walter, on 

 the Florissant (Col.) region; by Dr. Florence Bascom, on the geology 

 of the neighborhood of Philadelphia; by Prof. Oscar C. S. Carter, on 

 the old copper mines near the Perkiomen and on the climate of Mani- 

 toba; by Mr. S. Harbert Hamilton, on' the geology of eastern Cuba, 

 and on petroleum; by Mr. Lyman, on jade; by Mr. F. J. Keeley, 

 on crystal flviid inclusions containing solids with Brownian move- 

 ment, and on fossil bones and shells from a cave in the Cambrian 

 limestone of Durham Furnace ; by Messrs. Carter, Hamilton and Lyman, 

 on the trap ; besides a number of shorter communications. The field 

 excursions visited: 1. The Cambrian, New Red and ancient gneiss 

 rocks near Edge Hill and northeastward to the Pennypack; 2. Certain 

 crystalline rocks near Westchester and eastward to Darby creek; 



3. Crystalline rocks, schists and Caml^rian near Pennypack creek; 



4. The New Red and crystalline rocks of Buck Ridge proper and south- 

 ward through the Neshaminy Gap; 5. Crystalline rocks near the Ne- 

 shaminy from the Gap to Flushing; 6. The New Red section along the 

 canal from New Hope to Point Pleasant; 7. The crystalline rocks and 

 Cambrian sandstone of a cross-section of Buck Ridge near the Buck 

 Hotel; 8. The New Red and trap near Pottstown; 9. The crystalline 

 rocks with numerous minerals between j\Iedia, jMineral Hill, Blue Hill 

 and Newtown Square. Some mineral specimens were obtained for 

 the Academy's collection. 



The interest shown in the meetings and in the field excursions seems 

 amply to justify the encouragement given the Section by the Academy. 

 Aside from the value of any original work done for the direct 

 increase of the world's science, it is unquestionably useful to promote 

 by these gatherings and discussions the love of the natural sciences. 

 It is out of a large body of comparatively inconspicuous lovers of the 

 natural sciences that issue, from time to time, the neccssarity small, 

 select percentage of devoted and able workers in that field, and also 

 the generous benefactors of the Academy and kindred institutions. 

 In addition, there is room for a feeling of satisfaction that something 



