REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 11 



It has been found practicable to approve a second grant on behalf 

 of the journal. Terrestrial Magnetism, which was warmly recom- 

 mended by the committee for such aid last year. Professor Bauer, the 

 editor, as in the case of the first grant, agreeing to send out a specified 

 number of copies of his journal to scientific men and institutions. 



In November of last 3^ear an application was received from Dr. Carl 

 Barus, now connected with Brown Univeisity, for a grant from the 

 Ilodgkins fund in aid of his experiments on atmospheric condensation. 

 This application, having been duly passed upon, was approved. 



This research is supplemental to the experiments already conducted 

 by Dr. Barus, as described in Bulletin No. li}, of the Department of 

 Agriculture, and will be: 



1. A study of the origin, activity, and growth of the condensation 

 producing dust particles; theii reactions on each other, their relation 

 to electric radiation, etc, 



2. A study of the gro7/th, etc., of water corpuscles after conden.sa- 

 tion; the reaction of corpuscles of difl'erent sizes on each other, etc. 



A preliminary report was submitted b}' Dr. Barus, and, in accord- 

 ance with the usage of the Institution and as a matter of interest to 

 those engaged in similar i vsearches, he has been invited to publisli in 

 the scientific journals a detailed account of his experiments. 



A grant has been approved on behalf of Prof. Dr. R. von Lenden- 

 feld, of the University of Prague, for a study of the motion of birds 

 in actual free flight, a subject to which, although primarily known as 

 a zoologist and meteorologist, Dr. von Lendenf eld's attention has been 

 directed for years, and for the better understanding of which he has 

 made numerous anatomical preparations, physiological observations, 

 etc. The investigations of Dr. von Lendenfeld have been aided by 

 the Society for the Advancement of Scientific Research in Bohemia, 

 and also b}^ the Austrian Government. His publications have been 

 numerous, the simultaneous issue in German and English of his mono- 

 graph on flight having been arranged for by the author with Mr. 

 Fischer in Jena and Messrs. Macmillan & Co. in London. 



Dr. von Lendenfeld's published work on his Australian explorations 

 and researches was submitted to the Institution in 1893, at which time 

 he entered his application for a grant, since fully considered and 

 advised upon, and now approved as above stated. 



Since my last report an»application has been received for a grant in 

 aid of the researches on the spectrum which have been prosecuted 

 with ardor by Dr. V. Schumann, of Leipsic, for several years. As is 

 the custom, the question of the advantage to. science of such a grant 

 was referred to leading specialists, both in this country and Europe. 

 The testimony thus obtained as to the value of the work already 

 accomplished by Dr. Schumann, added to my own knowledge of his 



