TRANSACTIONS. 



Tin Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science was opened in the 

 Senate Chamber, in the Capitol, at Topeka, on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 21st 

 of November, 1883, and was continued through that and the following two days. An ab- 

 stract of the proceedings is given in the following pages, the papers accepted by the Pub- 

 lication Committee being printed in full. 



The proceedings of the afternoon of the 21st were of a business nature, and included 

 the presentation of reports by the officers, and the discussion of ways and means looking 

 toward the enlargement of the usefulness of the Academy, and the proper growth of its 

 museum and library. 



A committee appointed to report on the revision of the constitution and by-laws of the 

 Academy presented a draft, which, after slight modification, was adopted by the Acad- 

 emy. The following is the instrument as adopted: 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



CONSTITUTION. 



Section i. This association shall be called the Kansas Academy of Science. 



Sec. -'. The objects of this Academy shall he to increase and diffuse knowledge i n the various de- 

 partments of science. 



Sec. 3. Members of this Academy shall consist of two classes: active and honorary. Active mem- 

 bers maj be annual, oi life members. Annual members may be elected at any meeting of the Acad- 

 emy, and shall sign the constitution, and pay an annual fee of two dollars. Any person who shall at 

 en.- time contribute fifty dollars to the fun. Kef this Academy, may be elected a life member of the 

 Academy, free of assessment. Honorary members may be elected on account of special prominence in 



science, on the written r< mmendation of two members of the Academy. In any case, a two-thirds 



veil- of members present shall elect to membership. Applications for membership in any of the fore- 

 going classes shall be referred to a committee on applications for membership, who shall consider such 

 application, and report to the Academy, before the election. , 



Sec. b Tl fficers of this Academy shall be chosen by ballot at the annual meeting, and shall con- 

 sist of a president, two vice presidents, secretary, treasurer, board of curators, and librarian, who shall 

 perform the duties usually appertaining to their respective offices. The president, secretary, and 

 treasurer, -hall constitute an executive committee. 



SEC.o. Unless otherwise directed by the Academy, t In- annual meeting shall be held at such time 

 and placi as the Executive Committee shall designate, other meetings may be called at the discretion 

 of the i.\. . utive Committee. 



Si • 6. This constitution may be altered or amended at any annual meeting, by a t h ice-fourths 

 majority of attending members of at least one year's standing. No question of amendment shall be de- 

 cided on the day of it- presentation. 



BY-LAWS. 



1. The several departments of science shall be assigned to commissions, whose duty it -hall be to 



report through their chairman at such lime and place as the Academy shall direct. These reports shall 



include a brief summary of the progress of the department during the year preceding the presentation 



of the report. 



2. The President shall deliver a public address on the evening of one of the days of the meeting, 

 it the expirati f hi- term of office. 



::. No meeting Of this Academy shall be held without a notice .if the same having been published in 

 the papers of the State at least thirty days previous. 



I. No bill against the Academy -hall be paid by the Treasurer without an order signed by the 



President and Secretary. 



