8 GILBERT 



a series of meetings, and drafted the following resolutions, 

 which were submitted to the several societies for adoption : 



1. Resolved., that in the opinion of this Committee, some form of 

 joint organization of the scientific societies of Washington is desir- 

 able. 



2. Resolved., that it is the sense of this Committee, that the body- 

 representing the federated societies should have a scientific character 

 and be representative in scientific as well as in business matters. 



3. Resolved., that in the opinion of this Committee, the body under 

 discussion should primarily repi-esent the scientific societies as a federal 

 head, competent to initiate action. 



4. Resolved., that in the judgment of this Committee, the auton- 

 omy of the several scientific societies should be maintained. 



5. Resolved., that in the judgment of this Committee the Joint 

 Commission should be modified in the following particulars : 



I St. That its name be changed to the Washington Academy of 

 Sciences. 



2d. That it assume independent scientific functions. 

 3d. That it have power to add to its members. 



6. Resolved., that the Committee, therefore, recommends to the 

 several societies that they instruct the Joint Commission to take such 

 action as may be necessary to carry the above recommendations \i. e., 

 of the resolution 5] into effect. 



On the nth of January, 1898, the Joint Commission met and 

 received reports of the action of the societies with reference to 

 the resolutions. The Biological, Entomological, National Geo- 

 graphic, and Geological Societies adopted the resolutions ; the 

 Chemical had held no meeting ; the Anthropological adopted 

 resolutions 5 and 6 ; the Philosophical adopted all the resolu- 

 tions with the proviso that final action should be submitted to it 

 for ratification. 



A representative committee of eight was appointed to draft a 

 constitution for the proposed Academy, and was empowered to 

 add to its members. The appointees were : 



JFor the Joint Commission., George M. Sternberg. 



Anthropological Society., Frank Baker. 



Biological Society^ C. Hart Merriam. 



Chemical Society., H. N. Stokes. 



Entomological Society, L. O. How^ard. 



Geological Society., Arnold Hague. 



Geographic Society., W J McGee. 



Philosophical Society.,']. R. Eastman. 



