434 DOOLITTLE — VARIATION OF TERRESTRIAL LATITUDE. [Oct. 11, 



The Committee on Mr. Van Denburgh's paper recom- 

 mended its publication in the Transactions^ and it was so 

 ■ordered. 



The meeting was adjourned by the presiding officer. 



Special Meeting^ October 11^ 1897. 



Yice-President Pepper in the Chair. 



Present, 41 members. 



The special meeting was called by the President for the 

 reception of communications on subjects of science. 



Lord Kelvin was presented to the Chair, and took his seat 

 in the Society. 



Communications were made by Prof. Heilprin on " The 

 Absence of Glacial Action in J^^orthern Africa." 



By Prof. G. F. Barker, on " The Constitution of Matter." 



By Prof. Doolittle, on " Latitude Yariation." 



By Dr. Kennelly, on " A Speculation upon the Nature of 

 Cathode Kays." 



By Dr. D. G. Brinton, on " The Measurement of Thought 

 as Function." 



The meeting was adjourned by the Chair. 



THE VARIATION OF TERRESTRIAL LATITUDE. 



BY C. L. DOOLITTLE. 



{Read October 11, 1897.) 



As the distinguished scientist with whose presence we are favored 

 this evening has on various public occasions shown a deep interest 

 in the problem of latitude variation, it has occurred to me that a 

 brief communication on this subject might not be out of place on 



