928 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXIX. No. 754 



Sueli is a sketch of our present knowl- 

 edge of the ions of the atmosphere. With 

 the publication of Mr. Wellisch's and 

 Mr. Sutherland's investigations we have 

 reached a definite idea of the small ion in 

 air— a molecule, which, as the attraction 

 of its charge brings about collisions which 

 would otherwise not occur, acts as if it 

 were one of more than the normal size — 

 the conception enabling our experience to 

 be not only simply but exactly described. 

 Of the large ions, no such definite picture 

 can as yet be drawn. Ions similar in char- 

 acter have been observed in gases from 

 flames and in other cases, and it is to be 

 hoped that the material which is now being 

 collected may soon prove sufficient, in the 

 hands of those specially skilled in the 

 methods of the kinetic theory of gases, for 

 a discussion of the life history of these 

 molecular clusters. The study of the nat- 

 ural ions has a special interest, as a wider 

 determination of the facts of the ionization 

 of the air means an advance towards a 

 more comprehensive knowledge of atmos- 

 pheric electricity. J. A. Pollock 



Univeesitt op Sidney 



TEE ELIZABETH THOMPSON SCIENCE 

 FUND 



The thirty-fourth meeting of the board of 

 trustees was held at Harvard College Observa- 

 tory, Cambridge, Mass., on April 29, 1909. 

 The following oiEcers were elected: 



President — Edward C. Pickering. 



Treasurer — Charles S. Eackemann. 



Secretary — Charles S. Minot. 



It was voted to close the records of the fol- 

 lowing grants, the work having been com- 

 pleted and publications made: No. 115 to H. 

 S. Carhart, and No. 128 to L. J. Henderson; 

 and to close upon receipt of publications the 

 accounts of the following grants : No. 96, H. 

 E. Crampton; No. 103, E. Anding; No. 112, 

 W. J. Moenkhaus; No. 126, L. Cuenot; and 

 No. 132, W. G. Cady. 



Reports of progress were received from the 

 following holders of grants : 



137. C. H. Eigenmann. 



138. Mme. P. §afarik. 



139. J. Koenigsberger. 



140. K. E. Guthe. 



141. J. T. Patterson. 



142. W. J. Hale. 



143. R. W. Wood. 



144. G. A. Hulett. 



145. J. de Kowalski. 



146. M. Nussbaum. 



No. 

 98. J. Weinzirl. 

 111. R. Hiirthle. 

 117. E. Salkowski and 



C. Neuberg. 

 119. J. P. McMurrich. 

 123. E. C. Jeffrey. 

 131. F. W. Thyng. 

 133. J. F. Shepard. 



135. A. Negri. 



136. H. A. Kip. 



The secretary stated that during the past 

 year no reports had been received from the 

 following holders of grants : 

 22,27. E. Hartwig. 121. A. Debierne. 



109. A. Nicolas. 124. P. Bachmetjew. 



It was voted to make the following new 



grants: 



No. 147. $200 to Professor Johannes Miiller, Meck- 

 lenburg, Germany, to investigate the 

 physiological chemistry of inosit. 



No. 148. $200 to Professor C. C. Nutting, Iowa 

 City, Iowa, for a report on the Gor- 

 gonacea of the Siboya Expedition. 



No. 149. $200 to Professor Ph. A. Guye, Geneva, 

 Switzerland, for determinations of 

 atomic weights. 



No. 150. $100 to Professor Charles A. Kofoid, 

 Berkeley, Cal., for an investigation of 

 the life history of the Dinoflagellates. 



No. 151. $150 to Professor Otto v. Fiirth, Wien, 

 Austria, for a research concerning the 

 relation of the internal secretion of the 

 pancreas to the general metabolism and 

 especially to the combustion of carbo- 

 hydrates. 



No. 152. $150 to W. D. Hoyt, Esq., Baltimore, Md., 

 to study the fruiting of the marine 

 alga, Dictyota dichotoma. 



No. 153. $250 to W. Doberck, Esq., Sutton, Eng- 

 land, for a position micrometer to be 

 used in astronomical observations. 



No. 154. $100 to Dr. J. P. Munson, Ellensburg, 

 Washington, for an investigation of the 

 minute structure of the chelonian brain. 

 Charles S. Minot, 



THE RETIREMENT OF PRESIDENT ELIOT 

 The faculty of arts and sciences of Harvard 

 University has passed a minute on the services 

 of President Eliot which reads as follows : 



