1879.] 1 ' " 



of Mathematics at Baltimore; Mr. S. H. Scudder ; the Bo- 

 tanical Gazette ; Mr. G. "W. Ranck ; and the Ministerio de 

 Fomento in Mexico. 



The American Journal of Mathematics of Baltimore was 

 ordered to be placed on the list of correspondents to receive 

 the Proceedings. 



The death of the Rev. E. R. Beadle, D.D., LL.D., in 

 Philadelphia, January 6, 1879, aged 66, was announced by 

 the Secretary ; and, on motion, Dr. Robt. E. Rogers, was ap- 

 pointed to read an obituary notice of the deceased. 



The death of Mr. Morton McMichael, in Philadelphia, 

 January 6, 1879, aged 71 , was announced by Mr. Price ; and on 

 motion Mr. Fraley was appointed to read an obituary notice 

 of the deceased. 



A letter from Mr. P. "W. Sheafer, dated Pottsville, Pa., 

 January 6, 1879, reported the result of tests of the visibility 

 of stars in daylight from various depths of the 1600 feet 

 shaft of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, 

 near that borough : 



Pottsville, Pa., January 6, 1878. 



Dear Sir : — The question of seeing stars from deep wells, &c, being un- 

 settled, I requested Mr. Edward Herbert, an intelligent boss miner, now in 

 charge of the deep shaft of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron 

 Company, near this borough, to test the question so far as he could find the 

 opportunity to do so in his frequent ascents and descents of the Pottsville 

 shaft, especially, which is some 1600 feet deep. 



He reports as follows : 



"St. Clair, December 20, 1878. 

 "Myself and one of the workmen have tried this afternoon at several dis- 

 tances in east shaft, if we could see any stars, but failed to see any. The 

 sky was very clear and atmosphere favorable ; the shaft is a down cast, 

 and was entirely free from smoke or steam. I fear we will not be able to 

 solve your problem in the affirmative." 



In reply to a further inquiry, as to the depth from which observations 

 were made, he replies as follows : 



"St. Clair, January 4, 1879. 

 " We have tested it at different depths, from 100 feet down to 700 and 800 

 feet, when the sky has been clear, but have so far failed to see any stars. 



