202 ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. [ Maich I3, 



February 27, 1893. 



STATED meeting. 



The President, Professor H. L. Fairchild, in the chair. 

 One hundred sixty persons present. 



The second lecture of the Popular Lecture Course was delivered 

 by President David J. Hill, of the University of Rochester, 

 entitled : 



THE ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. 



The lecture consisted of a sketch of the physical geography of 

 the Pacific Islands and a description of their flora and fauna, with an 

 account of the arts of life and social customs, illustrated with lantern 

 sHdes. 



March 13, 1893. 



stated meeting. 



The President, Professor H. L. Fairchild, in the chair. 



Forty-five persons present. 



The Council report recommended the election as active members 

 of Mr. and Mrs. George C. Buell. The report was adopted, and 

 the candidates were elected by formal ballot. 



I'he Librarian, Miss Mary E. Macauley, announced the addi- 

 tion of one hundred fifty titles to the library. 



The following paper was read : 



NOTE ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF SURDS AND 

 IRRATIONALS. 



By Professor Arthur Latham Baker. 



Under the head of Surds, the typical statement of the text books 

 is — " If the root of a quantity cannot be exactly obtained, the 

 indicated root is called a Surd ov Irrational Quantity." 



To make the inference doubly sure, that Surd and Irrational 

 Quantity are synonymous terms, some add — " Quantities which are 

 not surds are termed rational quantities." 



