GENERAL MEETINGS. 15 
Mr. W. D. Jounson followed with a written communication, in 
which he took the ground that topography had within recent years 
lost almost or quite completely its old significance of description of 
places, and was now almost universally understood to refer to sur- 
face forms, the ups and downs, the hills and valleys, etc., and to 
nothing else. This position was defended by very diverse and 
numerous citations. 
Mr. H. G. Oapen followed with a written communication, in 
which he argued that the topographical features which, taken to- 
gether, constitute topography, comprise not only natural relief, but 
artificial relief also, such as railway cuts and embankments, dams, 
mounds, etc., and that generally hills and valleys, streams and ponds, 
towns and roads, etc., should be, as they have been, regarded as 
topographical features. 
Mr. Gitpert THompson held that permanent hill features alone 
constitute topography, and set forth the general applicability of 
this view by illustrative crayon drawings. 
A general discussion followed, participated in by Messrs. W. D. 
Jounson, G. THompson, DooLitrLE, WINLOcCK, HarKness, E. 
_ Farquaar, and M. Baker. 
3038p MEETING. May 7, 1887. 
The President in the Chair. 
Forty-four members and guests present. 
Announcement was made of the election to membership of Mr. 
Harry VANDERBILT WURDEMANN. 
Mr. J. W. CHICKERING read a paper on 
THE MUIR GLACIER, ALASKA, 
illustrated by a map and diagram. 
Mr. Marcus Baker commented on this communication and re- 
marked that in a careful inspection of the shores of Lynn Canal in 
1880 he was unable to discover more than a small proportion of the 
glaciers reported by Mr. Muir. 
