June 9, 1899.] 



SCIENCE. 



819 



to the mainland leads to the inference that 

 other deposits of the same age, which have es- 

 caped erosion, may be found farther north, up 

 the old estuaries, where theoretically the forma- 

 tion once extended. 



The general surface features of the islands are 

 such as are characteristic of typical morainal 

 regions, consisting of rounded hills and corre- 

 sponding depressions, many of the latter occu- 

 pied by ponds or swamps. 



To an inquiry by Professor Kemp, Dr. Hol- 

 lick stated that only indefinite lignitic remains 

 had been detected in the deposits, and that no 

 ilmenite boulders had beeu recognized. The 

 Chairman explained that the Pinus rigida, of 

 sparse occurrence onNaushon, was the prevail- 

 ing conifer along the south shore of Cape Cod 

 to the eastward, while, on the other hand, the 

 -beech was rarely found on the Cape. The 

 morainic chain of the Elizabeth Islands ex- 

 tended to the northerly part of the Cape, in 

 Brewster, separated from the south shore by 

 modified glacial deposits in Deunis, Harwich and 

 Chatham. 



Professor R. E. Dodge was inclined to be- 

 lieve that the whole aspect of the topography of 

 'these islands was that of a drowned shore line, 

 modified by subsequent erosive action, probably 

 not caused by easterly winds. Professor J. F. 

 Kemp favored the view of the author, that 

 present erosive action was mainly concerned ; 

 and Dr. Hollick pointed out that the prevailing 

 direction of the wind was southeast, that ex- 

 tremely violent currents prevailed in the chan- 

 nels, especially during ebb-tides, that saudspits 

 occurred only at the east end of the channels, 

 and that, during the process of sinking and ero- 

 sion, the embayments deepened, met and united, 

 and thus the channels were cut through. 



Professor Levison exhibited by the lantern 

 six photographs of minerals, natrolite and cal- 

 cite, taken by refiected light ; four enlargements 

 of photomicrographs, by reflected light, of minute 

 groups of aragonite, pyrite, apophyllite and 

 stilbite ; a new method of showing the photo- 

 graphic action of the Becquerel rays on a sensi- 

 tive plate, by use of a written inscription on a 

 card, in the form of a glue-line dusted with the 

 powdered uraninite; a simple mode of attach- 

 jnent of a separate foot to a microscope, in 



order to render it portable ; and read a note on 

 a visit to Hubbard's Mine, Fairfield county, 

 Connecticut, with description and analysis of 

 apparently a new lithia mineral from that local- 

 ity. The Chairman suggested that such photo- 

 graphic enlai-gements might be of great service 

 for study of faces and even goniometrio de- 

 terminations on very minute crystals, where 

 numbers of such crystals were arranged in co- 

 incident planes and proper adjustments could 

 be made. 



In the absence of Dr. Ries, an abstract of his 

 paper was presented by Professor Kemp, with 

 emphasis on two important conclusions : First, 

 that the plasticity of clays was not caused by 

 the predominance of any particular constituent, 

 such as Kaolin, but by the physical coherence 

 of minute surfaces ; secondly, that the fusi- 

 bility of clays was due, not so much to their 

 mineral components, but to their ultimate chem- 

 ical composition, and that this could be, there- 

 fore, practically improved, when necessary, by 

 intermixture with the proper constituents. 



The Academy then adjourned to October 2, 



1S99. 



Alexis A. Julien, 

 Secretary of Section. 



TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB, MAY 9, 1899. 



The regular program of the evening con- 

 sisted of an address by Mr. Samuel Henshaw, 

 'Notes on the Flora of Porto Rico,' giving an 

 account of the people, customs, climate and 

 present conditions of that island. He exhibited 

 numerous specimens of Porto Rican utensils and 

 articles of household use of vegetable manufac- 

 ture, including many applications of the cala- 

 bash gourd, from spoons to chopping-bowls, 

 many ways of using palm leaves, etc., etc. He 

 referred to the immense growths of Bougain- 

 villea, showing a specimen, of Crotons in the 

 open sun, of Fourcroya, Lantana, etc. He 

 showed many photographs, portions of large 

 tree fern aud banana trunks, a tall wooden 

 mortar and dumbbell-shaped wooden pestle, 

 musical instruments made from gourds and 

 from other sources. Orchids were few, the re- 

 ports of their occurrence proving to be founded 

 chiefly on aroids and Tradescantias. By one 

 coming from the North the most singular sen- 



