108 TEANSACTIONS OF THE [fEB. 28,. 



It has been stated that the photographic lens cracked in three 

 pieces while the Clarks were polishing it. 



February 28, 1887. 



SEVENTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. 



The Second Vice-President, Prof. W. E. Trowbridge, in 

 the chair. 



Twenty persons present, in the regular meeting-room of the 

 Society, in Hamilton Hall, Columbia College. 



The following notice was read by request : 



ELIZABETH THOMPSON SCIENCE FUND. 



" This fund, which has been established by Mrs. Elizabeth 

 Thompson, of Stamford, Connecticut, 'for the advancement and 

 prosecution of scientific research in its broadest sense,' now 

 amounts to $25,000. As the income is already available, the 

 trustees desire to receive applications for appropriations in aid 

 of scientific work. This endowment is not for the benefit of any 

 one department of science, but it is the intention of the trustees 

 to give the preference to those investigations, not already otlier- 

 loise provided for, which have for their object the advancement 

 of human knowledge, or the benefit of mankind in general, 

 rather than to researches directed to the solution of questions of 

 merely local importance. 



"Applications for assistance from this fund should be accom- 

 panied by a full statement of the nature of the investigation, of 

 the conditions under which it is to be prosecuted, and of the 

 manner in which the appropriation asked for is to be expended. 

 The applications should be forwarded to the Secretary of the 

 Board of Trustees, Dr. C. S. Minot, 25 Mt. Vernon street, Bos- 

 ton, Mass., U. S. A. 



"The first grant will probably be made early in January, 1886. 



(Signed) H. P. Bowditch, President. 



Wm. Minot, Jr., Treasurer. 

 Francis A. "Walker, 

 Edw. C. Pickering, 

 Charles Sedgwick Minot, Sea-eiary.^*' 



