<5 4 6 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



found, but has never completed it. It is much to be regretted that 

 this important work has not been finished. In 1889 the academy- 

 sent observers into the field to study the total eclipse of that year. 

 The party consisted of Professors Pritchett, Nipher, Engler, Mr. 

 Charoppin, and Signor Valle. Their report was entitled Total 

 Eclipse of the Sun, January, 1889. A Report of Observations made 

 by the Washington University Eclipse Party at Norman, Cali- 

 fornia. The report was published by the academy, and is a quarto 

 of thirty-nine pages, with six plates. 



The present form of publication of the Transactions is conven- 

 ient, and secures prompt dating of the papers read. Important papers 

 .are printed, soon after reading, as brochures in separate covers. 

 When a sufficient number of these to form a volume has been issued 

 the official minutes of meetings and an index are also issued, and 

 the volume is closed. To give an adequate idea of the range and 

 value of the recent papers printed by the academy would be impos- 

 sible in this article. But few can even be mentioned. Pritchard, 

 Engler, and Mpher have repeatedly printed articles of great impor- 

 tance in mathematics, astronomy, and physics. A series of most 

 interesting papers upon the relations between plants and insects, and 

 other botanical subjects, has emanated from Dr. Trelease's work in 

 the Shaw School of Botany. The indefatigable librarian, Dr. G. 

 Hambach, who probably knows more of the details of the academy's 

 history than any other man now living, has contributed valuable 

 papers, beautifully illustrated with his own drawings, upon fossil 

 -echinoderms. Among other papers by Dr. Woodward are some deal- 

 ing with points of curious interest to the teacher and the anthropolo- 

 gist. In pure anthropology, Dr. W. T. Porter's three papers upon 

 "St. Louis school children Physical Basis of Precocity and Dullness, 

 Growth of St. Louis School Children, and Relations between Growth 

 of Children and their Deviation from the Physical Type of their 

 Sex and Age are almost likely to be classical. 



After this brief historical sketch it will be well, in closing, to 

 summarily state the present condition of the academy. Two hun- 

 dred and eight active members are at present on the list, paying 

 annual dues of five dollars each. There are two hundred and four 

 -corresponding members. The library contains twelve thousand 

 books and eight thousand pamphlets; it is open certain hours daily. 

 Six volumes of Transactions aggregating 4,539 pages, and twelve 

 brochures of Volume VII aggregating 298 pages, have been printed 

 to date. Other publications as above specified have been issued. 

 The exchange list includes 550 scientific institutions. The academy 

 has six thousand dollars of permanent fund, one thousand of which 

 came by bequest from Henry Shaw, one thousand from savings, and 



