REPORT ON THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE GENEVA SOCIETY OF 

 PHYSICS AND NATURAL HISTORY, FROM JUNE, 1875, TO 

 JUNE, 1876. 



By Dr. J. Muller, President. 

 Translated for the Smithsonian Institution by M. L. Duncan. 



I. — MATTEKS RELATING TO THE MEMBERSHIP, THE PROCEEDINGS, AND 

 THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 



Our society has experienced this year a great loss in the death of 

 General Dnfour, who was born in Constance, September 15, 1787, and 

 died in Geneva, July 14, 1875. Switzerland loses in him one of its most 

 popular and beloved sons and most illustrious citizens. After the pub- 

 lication of the biographical sketches in the Journal de Geneve^ there 

 appeared a history of his life, a life in every respect complete, and 

 marked by patriotism, disinterestedness, and general usefulness to his 

 country. This biography, besides giving a sketch of the war of the 

 Sonderbund, describes the brilliant career of the soldier, the classic 

 reports of the general, and the conscientious labors of the scientist, 

 whose military chart of Switzerland, requiring thirty-one years for 

 its execution, is a masterpiece of successful perseverance; it likewise 

 states the active part taken by the general in political, legislative, and 

 administrative affairs, both federal and cantonal, as well as his indefati- 

 gable activity in military, scientific, artistic, and philanthropic societies. 

 These publications, of course, render it unnecessary for me to enter into 

 more general details. 



Our society, of which the general had been a member since 1819, and 

 to which he had contributed articles on the strength of iron wire, on the 

 determination of the astronomical coordinates of Berne, and the high 

 waters of the lake, published in volumes ii, ix, and x of our memoirs, 

 has lost in him one of its most zealous members, who took a warm 

 interest in its labors, and attended its meetings with military regularity 

 and punctuality. The energy, kindliness, and uprightness, so faith- 

 fully reflected in every feature, and his uniform politeness, created in all 

 a feeling of respect and affection never to be effaced. 



Our society must also deplore the loss of two honorary members, M. 

 Adolphe Bronguiart, professor of botany, and one of the directors of 

 the Museum of Natural History of Paris, and M. Ch. Desmoulins, of Bor- 

 deaux. 



As to our publications, the first part of volume xxiv of our memoirs, 

 a large half- volume of fifty printed leaves and twenty-eight plates, is 



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