Vol. XXIV. No. 2.] 
POPULAR SCIENCE NEWS. 
branches among its members, by circulating 
papers and notes on local geology and geo- 
logical phenomena, and by the exchange of 
specimens. The final organization will be 
effected February 20, and it is earnestly hoped 
that a goodly number of members will ha\e 
enlisted by that date. All interested are 
invited to correspond with Amadeus Grabau, 
(Secretary of Chapter 132), 154 Maple 
Street, Buffalo, N. Y., at their earliest con- 
venience. — Professor Franklin W. Barrows, 
George T. Wardwell, Amadeus Grabau, 
Organizing Committee. 
*»* 
XEW YORK CITY ASSEMBLY OF 
THE A. A. 
At a meeting of the New York City 
Assembly of the A. A., December 19, it 
was unanimously resolved, that, 
Whereas: Having been informed in a compre- 
hensive communication of our President's efforts to 
secure an oflScial organ for the \. A., and of his 
ultimate full measure of success; 
Resolved: That the Corresponding Secretary 
be instructed to inform the President of the A. A., 
officially, of our entire satisfaction with the maga- 
zines selected — the Popclar Science News, and 
the combined Santa Claus and Swiss Cross. 
Resolved: That this Assembly heartily wishes 
the undertaking and its projectors the thorough 
support and success which thev deserve. 
Resolved : That, inasmuch as this Assembly, 
bein;} a constituent body, can take no direct action 
in the matter, each Cliapter be requested to appoint 
one canvasser to secure as many subscribers as 
possible to one or both magazines. 
Theodore G. White, Cor. Sec. 
This action of the New York City Assem- 
bly is exceedingly gratifying. That Assembly 
was the only one of our larger bodies which 
happened to hold a meeting after the arrange- 
ments referred to had been completed, and 
before the issue of the first number of the 
magazines. It was, therefore, the only one 
to which special notice of our action was 
sent. There has not yet been time to hear 
from other Assemblies and Chapters since 
the issue of the first installment of " The 
Out-Door World." Indeed, at the date of 
this writing (December 30), on account of 
unavoidable delays, the January News is just 
off the press ; but, if the whole Association 
shall be equally hearty in endorsing the new 
departure, the future of the A. A. will be 
brijrhter than ever before. 
We hope to make the personal observations 
of our members a special feature of this de- 
partment, and to this end we solicit as prompt 
and full notes of such observations as possible 
from evervone interested. When convenient, 
let these notes be accompanied by pictures — 
photographs, India- ink drawings, or even 
pencil sketches. 
<♦» ■ 
We acknowledge reports of continued 
interest and activity from Chapters 55, 107, 
108, I20, 15S, 165, 199, 234, 2S7, 347, 354, members. They have studied the evergreens and 
the trees about Plainfield, and have just commenced 
the study of the roots of plants. Illness and 
removal of members have interfered with the work 
of the bird division, but there is great interest in the 
study of birds. All the early-comers have been 
noted, and the specimens in cases have been 
studied. — William Moore, Sec. 
362, 381, 399, 404, 414, 440, 444, 452, 478, 
4S1, 494, 513, 5S4, 603, 604, 624, 957, 965, 
and 972. 
*♦>- 
REPORTS FROM CHAPTERS. 
jS, Philadelphia, Penn., [D].— I think the results 
of our work are very obvious. Two of us are doc- 
tors of medicine and a third is a student in medicine. 
The Chapter address is 1314 Franklin Street. — 
Joseph McFarland, M. D. 
923, Columbus, O., [C]. — During the past year 
we turned our attention entirely to the study of 
mineralogy. In this we were very kindly aided by 
Prof. Lord of the Ohio State University, who gave 
us a very interesting lecture on the subject. For the 
purpose of study, we bought a good collection of 
minerals, a large cabinet for specimens, and several 
good books. Besides the Chapter collection, indi- 
vidual members have made collections of minerals 
from the neighborhood, which abounds in sand- 
banks of glacial origin. Regular meetings were 
held every two weeks throughout the year. — S. C. 
Kershaw, Cor. Sec. 
977, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., [A]. — We have 
twelve members, and are getting on quite smoothly. 
Some are studying chemistry, using Cooley's text- 
book, and are making analy.ses of diiferent dyes; 
some are studying botany, using Gray's book, and 
are working up the forest trees that grow in this 
vicinity; others are studying geology, with the help 
of Shaler's geology and Overman's mineralogy, and 
are learning the characteristics of rocks and the 
geological structure of this region. We all enjoy 
our work immensely. ^S. L. Bayard Schindel, Sec. 
824, Fall River, Mass., [B].— Our local Chapter 
and the Wilson Ornithological Chapter (213) have 
progressed so much since my annual report that I 
wish to write of them again. We have increased 
our membership, and have secured a room in the 
Y. M. C. A. building. We have had interesting 
debates, and papers of exceptional excellence have 
been read. The Ornithological Chapter has reached a 
membership of fifty-three. The plan of observation- 
work laid out for our members is succeeding finely, and 
we have on hand a large amount of valuable notes 
and lists. To illustrate our work, on December 3. 
iSSS, two ornithologists, Mr. Strong and Mr. Curtis, 
of Wisconsin, joined us. Through their efforts, we 
now have some Wisconsin members, organized into 
a committee, and studying the bird-life of their 
respective towns. — ^J. B. Richards, Pres. 
264, Plainfield, X. J., [A].— Chapter Xo. 264 (A) 
reorganized in Xovember in four divisions, for the 
study of insects, minerals, flowers, and birds. At 
the meetings of the insect division, the caterpillars 
found in the vicinity of Plainfield were studied. 
Specimens were brought to every meeting, and 
drawings were made and descriptions written of 
each kind. During the winter months, the mos- 
quito, earth-worm, fly, and ant were studied. Much 
interest has been shown in this division, and the 
members are waiting for the spring to continue 
the work. The meetings of the mineral division 
began in Xovember, and have been held in the 
science room, where the members had all the neces- 
sary apparatus for the blow-pipe and chemical tests 
of the minerals of Plainfield. The members have 
studied quartz, calcite, and copper with its numer- 
ous ores. A little study on the formation of rocks 
has also been taken. One excursion to an old cop- 
per mine was made in the autumn. The flower 
division has held regular meetings. There arc ten 
267, Pittsfield, Mass., [CJ. — While we were in 
Waterbury, Conn., last winter, we collected between 
400 and 500 good cocoons of those beautiful silk- 
moths, Saturnia spini and Atlas, also a larga num- 
ber of the Cecropia and Luna. In Great Barrington, 
Mass., in one day, we collected 75 specimens ol 
Grapia progue and about 50 of Vayiessa antiopa, 
besides some very fine Papilios, including Cres- 
phontes. We expect daily in exchange from Ger- 
many 300 lepidoptera and 500 coleoptera. — 
Theodore A. Schurr, Pres. 
353, Philadelphia, Penn., [K]. — During the past 
year we have held twenty-seven meetings, and have 
increased our membership to fifteen, seven having 
joined since our last report. At each meeting one 
of the members is appointed to prepare an essay for 
the next meeting, w hen it is read and discussed ; 
after this, if there are questions to be asked, they 
are in order. At every meeting we have the use of 
the microscope for examining objects that may 
interest us. — Theo. G. Brinton, Sec. 
365, Hyde Park, 111., [A]. — We have at present 
thirty-five members. Our President is Mr. Wm. L. 
Boyd. We have held meetings every two weeks 
during the year, and they have been much more 
interesting than hitherto. — Grace M. Lane, Sec. 
3S0, Elk Rapids, Mich., [A].— Xumber of meet- 
ings, twenty-one; number of members, seventeen. 
Studies : Geology, zoology, taxidermy. Topics of 
late discussions: "Carbon," "What Forms an Inland 
Beach," "Cause of Musical Sound along Telegraph 
Wires." — Frank Vandeburg, Pr«s. ; John Pfeiffer, 
Sec. 
382, Brooklyn, N. Y., [F].— Our work lastwinter 
was chiefly in analytical mineralogy, in connection 
with w hich we read and discussed a portion of Prof. 
Crosby's " Common Minerals and Rocks." During 
the summer the members visited various localities, 
and brought back notes of observations, also several 
additions to the collection, such as a fragment of 
rock from the Rocky Mountains, containing a num- 
ber oftrilobites of various sizes; lichens of various 
kinds, one weighing over seven and a half pounds; 
and a wasp's nest, eighteen inches in diameter. An 
interesting oak-gall, resembling white spun glass 
with rose-colored spots, was observed, and a praying 
mantis and leaf insect brought from Virginia. 
Photography has been of absorbing interest to sev- 
eral of our members, who have taken some credita- 
ble impressions. Several notes in the Swiss Cross 
concerning snakes hiding in their parent's open 
mouth, are indorsed by an observation made by one 
of our members near White Plains, N. Y., who 
killed a black snake, four feet long, and, after death, 
at least a dozen tiny snakes, three to four inches 
long, crawled out of its mouth and were very lively. 
We have received for our cabinet fine specimens ot 
labradorite and crocydolite, or tiger eye, a bottled 
flying-fish, and tropical sea-weed, also Alex. Agas- 
siz's "Expedition of the Blake." Our average 
attendance is seven ; membership, eight. — Henry 
S. FuUerton, Cor. Sec. 
387, Baltimore, Md., [E], Johns Hopkins Univer- 
sity.— During the year we have had sixteen meet- 
ings, fairly well attended, and at one time our ranks 
