ANNALS OF THE ACADEMY 67 



are not distributed by chance in the celestial spaces. Professor Newton's first 

 paper was published in i860, and was succeeded by a number of others, the last 

 having been read to the National Academy in April of the present year [1888]. 

 " In the judgment of the committee these researches are of a very high order 

 of merit and of interest." 



The meeting of the evening of April 18, 1888, was made 

 further memorable by the presentation of the second Henry 

 Draper Medal to Professor Edward C. Pickering, Director of 

 the Harvard Observatory " for his work in astronomical pho- 

 tometry and photography." The report of the committee on this 

 award is also printed in full in the Proceedings,^'" but it will be 

 of interest to quote a few paragraphs from it, as follows: 



" The Committee on the Henry Draper Medal begs leave herewith to report 

 that it has carefully considered the investigations which have been made in astro- 

 nomical physics since the award of this medal in 1885, and that, as a result of 

 such consideration, the said committee desires to recommend that the Academy 

 award this medal for the year 1887 to our fellow-member, Prof. Edward C. 

 Pickering, the Director of the Harvard College Observatory, for his recent work 

 in astronomical photometry and photography. 



" Professor Pickering was appointed to the position which he now holds in 

 February, 1877. An examination of the annual reports which he has presented 

 to the visiting committee of the observatory will show the great amount and the 



great variety of the work which has been done there under his direction 



Most of it is in the department of astronomical physics, and this it is to which 

 the committee desires to direct attention. 



" The work in astronomical physics, which has been done in the observatory of 

 Harvard College under Professor Pickering's immediate supervision, seems 

 readily divisible into three classes: First, stellar photometry; second, stellar pho- 

 tography; and third, stellar spectrum photography 



" In the opinion of the committee, Professor Pickering has displayed in these 

 researches a skill, ingenuity, and vigor which entitle him to an honorable place 

 among the scientific men of our o\\ n or of any previous age." 



The committees charged with the consideration of awards of 

 the Lawrence Smith and Henry Draper medals found their 

 action hampered by a clause in the deeds of gift of the funds on 

 which the medals were based, requiring that awards in each case 

 should be for investigations made, or publications completed 

 " since the time of the last preceding award and presentation of 



" op. cit., p. 300. 



