Abstract of Minutes. 295 
Vice-President Greely, Department of the Air, and Vice-Presi- 
dent Ogden, Department of the Land, presented their annual 
reports. Not yet published. 
February 6, 1891. : 47th meeting. 
Meeting held in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club. 
President Hubbard in the chair. Attendance, 50. 
The meeting was devoted to an account of the U. 8. 8. Pensa- 
cola expedition to the west coast of Africa. 
Mr. Cleveland Abbe described the cruise in general terms and 
gave some account of the geodetic surveys executed in and the 
climate of South Africa. 
Mr. Heli Chattelaine, of Switzerland, read a paper on the 
Dialects and Folk-Lore of the Portugese portion of West Africa. 
Mr. Frank H. Bigelow read a paper on the island of Ascension. 
February 13, 1891. Special meeting. 
Meeting held in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club. Vice- 
President Greely in the chair. Attendance, 225. 
Hon. Geo. B. Loring, Ex-U. 8. Minister to Portugal, delivered 
an address upon the “ Kingdom of Portugal.” ot published. 
February 20, 1891. 48th meeting. 
Meeting held in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club. Vice- 
President Hayden in the chair. Attendance, 40. 
Mr. F. H. Newell read a paper on “‘ Natural Gas and Oil in the 
Eastern United States.” This paper was discussed by Mr. W J 
McGee. | 
Mr. C. D. Walcott read a paper on “The North American 
Continent during the Cambrian.” This paper was discussed by 
Messrs. Gilbert and McGee. It is planned to publish the paper 
in The National Geographic Magazine, Vol. 3. 
February 27, 1891. ‘ Special meeting. 
Meeting held in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club. Vice- 
President Greely in the chair. Attendance, 225. 
Major C. E. Dutton, U. 8. A. delivered an address upon “ The 
Hawaiian Islands: their scenery, volcanoes, people, and politics, 
with a few words about the reciprocity treaty with the United 
States.” 
Foregoing abstract prepared by the secretaries March 2, 1891. 
