Maech 31, ]R99.] 



SCIENCE. 



48< 



the lake as a feeder for the Dismal Swamp 

 canal aud also as a possible source of water 

 supply for Norfolk. The cleared land was said 

 to be well adapted for truck farming, while the 

 cypress aud juniper lumber was also available, 

 and the latter, being of rapid growth, could be 

 cultivated. 



Mr. "William Palmer spoke further on the 

 physiographic features of the region aud of the 

 animals, stating that the swamp lay near the 

 northern limit of many Southern species. The 

 Prothonotary Warbler was said to be abundant, 

 aud the manner in which the Chimney Swifts 

 bred in the hollow cypresses was described. 



Mr. Vernon Bailey noted the occurrence of 

 such Northern forms as the Shrew, Star-nosed 

 Mole and the Lemming Mouse. 



Dr. A. K. Fisher spoke of the manner in 

 which the sphagnum pushed out into the ditches, 

 and drew attention to the fact that the removal 

 of the dam at the entrance of the canal feeder 

 would drain the lake, as the canal had been 

 dredged out some distance from the shore. 



Professor Lester F. Ward gave an account of 

 a visit to the swamp in 1877. 



O. F. Cook, 

 Recording Secretary. 



THE WASHINGTON BOTANICAL CLUB. 



The fourth regular meeting was held at the 

 residence of Mr. A. J. Pieters, March 1, 1899. 



Mr. T. A. Williams, in discussing ' New or 

 Interesting Lichens,' exhibited specimens of 

 Omphalodium Arizonicum Tuckerm., aud re- 

 ported the collection of this rare lichen in the 

 White Mountains of New Mexico, by Professor 

 E. O. Wooton, this being the second time that 

 the species has been obtained by collectors. 

 The original specimens were discovered by C. 

 G. Pringle in Arizona. The validity of the 

 genus Omphalodium was discussed, and the 

 opinion expressed that it was abundantly dis- 

 tinct from Parmelia. Specimens were also 

 shown of four new species of lichens belonging 

 to the genera Sijihula, Lecanora, Gyalecla and 

 Omphalaria, with comments on their distin- 

 guishing characters and relationships. 



Mr. Frederick V. Coville gave a systematic 

 review of 'The Currants and Gooseberries of 

 Southeastern Oregon,' exhibiting many speci- 



mens aud explaining the differentiation of 

 species from aggregates, such as Ribes divarica- 

 turn and R. lacustre. 



Mr. Pieters exhibited a gigantic specimen of 

 Lophotocarpus calycinus from the shores of Lake 

 Erie, commenting on its eastern extension. 

 Charles Louis Pollard, 



Secretary. 



THE NEW YORK SECTION OF THE AMERICAN 

 CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 



The regular monthly meeting of the New 

 York Section of the American Chemical Society 

 was held on Friday evening, the 10th inst., at 

 the Chemists' Club, 108 West Fifty-fifth street. 

 Dr. Wm. McMurtrie presiding and eighty-five 

 members present. Dr. Doremus made a special 

 announcement of the annual exhibition of the 

 New York Academy of Sciences, and urged any 

 members having new and interesting material 

 to contribute the same to the exhibits. 



The following papers were then read : 



1. Frederick S. Hyde, 'Preparation of 

 Graphitoidal Silicium.' 



2. W. O. Atwater, ' The Conservation of 

 Energy in the Human Body.' 



3. Joseph F. Geisler, ' Paraffin as an Adul- 

 terant of Oleomargarine.' 



4. L. H. Renter, ' Manufacture of Pure 

 Phenyldimethylpyrazolon-sulphonic Acid. ' 



5. L. H. Reuter, ' Manufacture of B Naph- 

 thalene-sulphonic Acid and Benzoyl-sulphonic 

 Acid for the Manufacture of Ether.' 



6. A. Bourgougnon, ' On the Determination 

 of Sulphur in Sulphites.' 



While the first paper was before the meeting, 

 the President of the Society, Professor E. W. 

 Morley, of Cleveland, arrived, and was invited 

 to take the chair. He made a few remrks on 

 the interest taken in the Section by its members, 

 as evidenced not only by the full attendance 

 and interesting list of papers to be read at this 

 meeting, but by the uniformly high character 

 and abundance of material announced for each 

 and every meeting. 



Professor Atwater stated that the large calo- 

 rimeter chamber, in which a man can live for a 

 week or more at a time, has been so perfected 

 that an analysis of pure alcohol by combustiou 

 can be made in it to within 0.1 per cent, of the 



