PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OP WASHINGTON. 123 



ZoRNow (Anton Robert). Demonstration de la solution du 

 probleme de Malfatti, donnee par Mr. Steiner, p. 178, du tome 

 i., cab. 2. 



Journal fiir die reine und angewandte Matbematik, von A. L. 

 Crelle. Vol. x., 1833, pp. 300-302. 

 Nouvelles Annales de Matb. Vol. vi., 1847, pp. 346-350. 



Mr. HiLGARD called attention to a paper on tbe general prob- 

 lem of tangencies in tbe Smitbsonian Contributions to Knowledge 

 by Mr, Alvord. 



122d Meeting. April 1, 1877. 



Tbe President in the Chair. 



Fifty-one members and visitors present. 



Mr. C. Abbe, in tbe absence of Mr. Parker, Chairman, read 

 the report of tbe Committee on 



THE meteor of DECEMBER 24, 1873. 

 (^This report will appear hereafter.') 



Remarks were made by Messrs. Hilgard, Harkness, and 

 Coffin, mainly on tbe difficulty in obtaining trustworthy obser- 

 vations on meteors, sufficient for determining their apparent paths 

 and altitudes. 



Mr. B. F. Greene made a communication on 



THE navy compass, 



exhibiting and contrasting tbe Liquid Compass now provided, 

 and such as were in use only a few years ago, and describing the 

 great improvements which have been introduced, greatly increasing 

 precision, delicacy, and stability. 



Remarks were made by Mr. Harkness, mainly on the device 

 of Mr. Ritchie for elevating the compasses on board the moni- 

 tors, and Messrs. Hilgard, Coffin, F. M. Green, Abbe, and 

 Alvord. 



