120 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [JUNE 1, 
There being no quorum, the meeting was adjourned to the 
first Monday in October. 
Before adjournment Dr. Britton spoke of a curious occur- 
rence of vertical needle-shaped ice crystals in limonite soil on 
Staten Island. These crystals were from two to three inches 
high, and the apices covered with soil, showing that they had 
been projected through the crust and had grown from below. 
Areas of many hundred square yards were covered with them. 
The crystals were deflected in the direction of the prevailing 
wind, and were smaller at the edges of the areas. Normally the 
ground was boggy. It is thought that this phenomenon is due to 
compression. 
Pror. MARTIN announced the death of Pror. C. A. Joy, and 
was appointed a committee of one to draw up and present a 
suitable resolution. 
Note by the Editor. 
It is my painful duty to announce to the AcADEmy the death 
of the Librarian, Dr. Joun I. NortuHROP, the result of a distress- 
ing accident which occurred at Columbia College, June 27th, 
1891. 
Dr. NortHROP graduated from the School of Mines as a 
mining engineer in 1883. After some time spent in travel, he 
returned to this country and entered the Department of Geology 
of the School of Mines, occupying the position of Fellow and 
devoting his time to zodlogy. Recently he made a trip to the 
Bahama Islands, where he remained for several months, making 
a large collection of the flora and fauna of the section. His re- 
sults are embodied in a paper read before the ACADEMY and Bah; 
lished in the current volume of the TRANSACTIONS. 
Dr. NorrHrop was elected a member of the ACADEMY in 
1887. In 1890 he was chosen Librarian, to fill the vacancy oc- 
casioned by the resignation of A. W. Voapss, and re-elected 
this spring. Dr. NortHRopP leaves a widow and child. 
Bea L. ViauTE, 
