1888. ] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 89 
II. Thatin place of Chapter VII., as now existing, the follow- 
ing be substituted : 
Of Sections, 
1. Sections of special branches of science may be established or abol- 
ished by the Academy, upon recommendation of the Council, and one 
month’s notice. 
2. Sections shall be organized with at least a Chairman and Secretary, 
and these officers may take charge of the meeting of their section dur- 
ing the presentation of its scientific business. 
III. That Section 2, of Chapter VIII. be amended as follows : 
To insert after the word ‘‘ Patron” the words: 
Or a Life Member. 
Mr. GeorcGE F. Kunz exhibited a specimen of the gold- 
bearing zine blende from Wales. 
Dr. N. L. Brirron announced the discovery of an Archean 
plant in the limestone of Sussex Co., N. J. Specimens were 
exhibited showing carbonized stipes, of a breadth from one- 
eighth to one-quarter of an inch, linear and parallel, and appa- 
rently alge. He named this Archwophyton Newberryanum. A 
full description will be published in the ANNALS, Vol. IV. 
Pror. J. A. ALLEN read a paper 
ON THE STRUCTURE OF BIRDS IN RELATION TO FLIGHT, WITH 
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RECENT ALLEGED DISCOVERIES IN 
THE MECHANISM OF THE WING. 
(Abstract. ) 
After reviewing the discussions of December 12th and 19th, 
from the ornithologist’s standpoint, and making some explana- 
tions of a personal character, the author read as follows : 
It has been said that the problem of the flight of birds (and 
by implication the particular point under discussion) was a 
question of mechanics, and not of ornithology or anatomy. On 
the contrary, itis strictly an anatomical one, and wholly within 
the domain of ornithology. 'The general subject of the flight of 
birds is both mechanical and ornithological, since it involves the 
consideration of the structure of a bird’s wing—its bony frame- 
work, its muscles, and its general form, which latter varies end- 
lessly in different groups of birds. 
