ad y SECRETARIES’ REPORT. XXVITI 
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARIES. 
WASHINGTON, City, December 19, 1885. 
To the Philosophical Society of Washington: 
We have the honor to present the following statistical data 
for 1885. 
At the beginning of the year the number of active members 
was . : . 3 ; ; i : : , hg Bole 
This number has been increased by the addition of 22* new 
members and by the return of 3 absent members. It has 
been diminished by the departure of 6 members, by the 
death of 1, by the resignation of 5, and by the dropping 
of 7 for non-payment of dues. The net increase of active 
members has thus been . : : é y ; f 6 
And the active membership is now... : : ot, ae 
The roll of new members is: 
C. F. ADAMs. H. L. HopexK ins. W. A. SHUMWAY. 
Car BARUS. J. P. Ipprnas. W. iH. WEED. 
T. M. CHATARD. B. P. MANN. BAILEY WILLIS. 
TF. A. Goocu. C. F. Marvin. H. M. WILson. 
Ree EL ANS: : T. C. MENDENHALL. J. L. WoRTMAN. 
WILLIAM HALLOcK. J. KF. Moser. G. M. WRIGHT. 
THOMAS HAMPSON. C. C. Nott. ALEX. ZIWET. 
G. L. RAVENE. 
The names of deceased members (active and absent) are: 
HorAcE CAPRON. F. B. Hove. W. C. KERR. T. R. Peas. 
There have been 16 meetings for the presentation and discussion 
of papers (not including the public meeting of Dec. 5); the average 
attendance has been 48. There have been 6 meetings of the Mathe- 
matical Section ; average attendance 15. 
In the general meetings 32 communications have been presented ; 
in the mathematical section 14. Altogether 46 communications 
have been made by 32 members and one guest. The number of 
members who have participated in the discussions is 41. The total 
number who have contributed to the scientific proceedings is 54, or 
31 per cent. of the present active membership. 
The General Committee has held 17 meetings. Attendance below 
10 on one evening only, and four times as high as 15. Average 
12.2. Corresponding average last year 11.9, and in 1883 10.3, 
when the attendance was below 10 at five meetings. 
Very respectfully, G. K. GILBERT, 
Henry FArRQuHaAR, 
Secretaries. 
*The figures in this report have been brought down to Jan. 16, 1886, so 
as to correspond with the list of members. They differ somewhat from those 
read to the Society at the annual meeting. 
