237 



Dr. Dunglison announced the decease of the Baron Joseph 

 Von Hammer Purgstall, a member of this Society, who died 

 recently in Vienna at an advanced age. 



A communication was read, entitled '^ Notes on certain 

 modes of measuring minute intervals of time," by Dr. J. C. 

 Adamson, which was referred to a committee consisting of 

 Prof. Frazer, Mr. Justice, and Prof Kendall. 



Judge Kane asked for information relative to photographic 

 representations of the moon, and inquired why the process 

 cannot be so improved as to give pictures of the moon's sur- 

 face, by means of magnified photographs, under intense light, 

 which may be rendered useful for astronomical purposes, and 

 to afford us a more complete knowledge than we now possess, 

 of the actual condition of affairs on the surface of the moon. 



Mr. Justice, in reference to this subject, remarked, that in 

 magnifying photographic representations of the moon's face, 

 the imperfections of the picture (arising from irregularities of 

 the surface upon which the impression is made or transferred) 

 are so magnified as materially to impair the useful effects of 

 the operation. He referred to the difficulty of producing mag- 

 nified images with clear and distinct characters of the objects 

 represented by the photographic process; but expressed a con- 

 fident hope that the progress of the arts would, before long, 

 produce apparatus by which the piesent difficulties in relation 

 to this matter would be overcome. 



The Reporter laid upon the table No. 56 of the Proceedings 

 of this Society, recently published. 



»' Stated Meeting, February 20. 



Present, twelve members. 



Prof. Cresson, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Prof. Fairman Rogers, Mr. Thomas P. James, and Mr. 

 Theodore Cuyler, recently elected members, were introduced 

 and took their seats. 



