48 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 13, No. 3 
an empirical basis and that it is accepted because it agrees with experiment 
in widely separated branches of physics. 
Mr. Joun B. HenperRson, a regent of the Smithsonian Institution, died 
January 4, 1923, in his fifty-third year. Mr. Henderson was born at Loui- 
siana, Missouri, February 18, 1870. In spite of his many legal, political, and 
diplomatic activities he devoted much of his life to the study of marine 
biology and especially to the making of valuable collections of specimens 
many of which are now to be seen in the U.S. National Museum. Among his 
writings may be mentioned ‘‘ The Cruise of the Tomas Barrera.”’ Mr. Hender- 
son was a member of the AcaApremy and the following affiliated societies: 
Archeological, Biological, Geological, and Historical. 
Dr. A. 8. Hircucock of the Bureau of Plant Industry has been elected 
president of the Biological Society of Washington for 1923. 
The election of Dr. T. WAYLAND VAUGHAN as president of the AcADEMY 
for 1923 was announced at the annual meeting on January 9. 
Dr. C. D. Waucort, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, was elected 
president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science at its 
annual meeting held in Boston, December 26-30, 1922. 
