Proceedings of the Society. 55 



The dredges are bringing to the surface from the depths of the 

 river the teeth and bones of sharks and other animals of enormous 

 size. Specimens of huge sharks teeth were exhibited. 



Mr. Horace P. Smith read a paper on " Color Perception and 

 Color Blindness," illustrated by colored diagrams on the black- 

 board, giving the latest scientific theories of the action of light on 

 the optic nerve. 



Pertinent to the subject Dr. Heighvvay spoke of the rapid and 

 beautiful changes of color produced by the chameleon. He also 

 spoke of the colors caused by the diffraction of light by ruled 

 lines upon steel plates. These bands were ruled so delicately that 

 100,000 occupied but one inch. 



Mr. Wm. Hubbell Fisher called attention to a work on Bird 

 Colors, by Robert Ridgeway, containing a nomenclature of colors 

 and a comparative vocabulary of color in different languages. 



Dr. Dun stated that the railroad companies of Pennsylvania 

 were required by law to examine certain employees, engineers, 

 brakesmen, etc , annually, in regard to color perception, for it had 

 been discovered that the defect of color blindness could be acquired 

 imconsciously, where it had not before existed ; yet cases had come 

 to light where engineers had performed their duties for years with- 

 out accident, who possessed this defect in a marked degree. 



Dr. Christopher thought that so-called color blindness was 

 often due to color ignorance— a lack of training in the knowledge 

 of colors. He spoke of the difficulty of distinguishing the various 

 colors of tne stars. It was an interesting fact that many of the 

 telescopic double stars showed complimentary colors. 



A paper was read by title, by request, as follows: " A Pre- 

 liminary Catalogue of the Amphibia and Reptilia of the State of 

 Indiana, by O. P. Hay, M. A." 



W. B. Carpenter was proposed for active membership. 



Dr. N. E. Jones, of Circleville, Ohio, and Erasmus Gest, of 

 New York City, were elected Honorary members, and Miss Susan 

 Griffith and Dr. S. H. Collins, active members. 



An election of Curators resulted as follows : 



Curator of Geology, J. W. Hall, Jr. 



" " Entomology, George B. Twitchell. 

 " " Botany, Miss Anna Brown. 

 " " Zoology, Dr. D. S. Young. 



