132 MINUTES OF MKKTINOS. 



March 5, 1908. — Regular Monthly Meeting. Usual 

 routine business and reports of committees and curators. The 

 curators reported progress in regard to the matter of fire 

 escapes for the building. Additions to the Library were 

 announced as follows : Three bulletins from the New York 

 Botanical Gardens, " U. S. National Herbarium Report, 

 Volume X, Part 6." Following the business session the 

 usual scientific discussion took place. A specimen of broken 

 ballast stone, picked up along the railroad track, was exhi- 

 bited, showing most interestingly the process of weathering 

 which the stone had undergone previous to being broken open. 

 For the depth of some half an inch from the surface the stone 

 was reddish brown, while the inner portion was black, the 

 line of contrast between the two colors being very clearly 

 marked. The question of the glowing of the eyes of certain 

 animals in the dark, for instance, the eyes of the cat, was 

 mentioned, and the question of whether it might be due to 

 phosphorescence suggested. The prevailing opinion seemed 

 to be, however, that it was due to reflection entirely. Mention 

 was made of the appearance of prismatic colors obtained by 

 looking at bright stars through an opera glass kept in rapid 

 motion up and down. These colors were supposed to be 

 caused by chromatic aberration of the lenses. Photographs 

 were exhibited of a luxuriant growth of fungi occurring acci- 

 dentally on the gelatine pad of a hektograph. The meeting 

 closed with a lengthy talk by Henry L,. Broomall on " Espe- 

 ranto," given in response to a question as regards the possi- 

 bilities of this and other artificial languages. 



March 12, 1908. — Adjourned Meeting. Illustrated lec- 

 ture, "An Evening with Burns," by Dr. E. D. Fitch. 



March 19, 1908. — Adjourned Meeting. Illustrated lec- 

 ture, "The Sensitive Movements of Plants," by Dr. J. M. 

 Macfarlane, of the University of Pennsylvania. 



March 26, 1908. — Adjourned Meeting. Lecture, "Citi- 

 zenship," b}' Hon. Isaac Johnson. 



