DECEMBER 15, 1899. ] 
which came as predicted. Professor Newton 
and Professor Adams of England calculated 
that there was a large bunch or collection of 
these meteors traveling around the sun with an 
orbit of about thirty-three and a quarter years. 
This orbit at one point intersected the orbit of 
the earth. It was later shown that this orbit 
was practically identical with that of Tempel’s 
comet of 1866. Three other similar cases of a 
connection between the meteor showers and 
comets have been found, and these seem to in- 
dicate either that the showers and comets are 
identical, or that the meteors are parts of a 
disintegrated comet. 
In observing the meteors, the best results are 
obtained from photographs. Professor Elkin 
of Yale has a battery of cameras fastened to an 
equatorial axis, each camera covering a distinct 
part of the heavens. By means of two such 
arrangements several miles apart, the exact 
distance between the two stations being known, 
it will be possible to get photographs from 
which can be deduced with accuracy the path 
of the meteors, the velocity, and the distance 
from the earth. 
The Columbia University Observatory was 
obliged, on account of the sale of the old ob- 
servatory site and the storage of the instru- 
ments, to make arrangements for observing the 
expected shower from other places. Col. P. S. 
Michie of West Point placed the observatory 
there at the service of Professor Rees, and Mr. 
C. A. Post of Bayport offered his time and in- 
struments. A report on the work done during 
the week, November 13th to 18th, will be pre- 
sented to the Academy. Wm. 8. Day. 
Secretary. 
SECTION OF GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 
AT the meeting of November 25th, Mr. Charles 
Barnard presented a paper on ‘Some Recent 
Changes in the Shore Line of Nantucket.’ 
These changes have become apparent by com- 
parison with the outlines indicated in Shaler’s 
map of 1888 (Bull. No. 53, U. 8. Geol. Survey). 
The shore line there represented as nearly 
straight, from a point just beyond the Range 
Lights to Brant Point, in the harbor, has become 
materially changed by a rapid advance of the 
beach on each side, so that the original shore 
SCIENCE. 
895 
end of the breakwater is lost to sight in the 
sand or covered by buildings. 
On the north shore, beyond the Apron Beach, 
the sea has steadily advanced upon the land, 
the increase of material at the breakwater hay- 
ing been evidently derived in large part from 
the bluffs. 
At the eastern end of the harbor the narrow 
beach, styled the Haulover, between the main 
island at Manumet and the shore end of Great 
Point, was broken through by the sea in the 
storm during the night of December 16, 1896, 
and the opening has now become an inlet a mile 
in width, with a depth of 11 feet at low water, 
each end of the remaining beach having been 
bent back into the harbor in the form of a 
curved hook. The entrance of the tide through 
this inlet has caused a decided increase in the 
five narrow bars of sand, which extend like 
finger points from the shore of Coatue Beach. 
It does not appear to have seriously affected 
the current at the breakwater, nor reduced the 
scouring action of the tides at that point; but 
shoals seem to be growing at about one-third 
the distance between the harbor and the port 
entrance, at the slackwater caused by meeting 
of the tides from east and west. 
The eastern shore, from the harbor south, 
shows a rapid destruction by the sea, and at 
Squam Pond a river of beach sand has been 
swept in. 
At Sankaty Light the apron beach has very 
considerably increased, particularly at Siascon- 
set, and to the south and west, the width of the 
beach now reaching about the third of a mile. 
A similar advance of the sea is shown along 
the south shore, though toa less degree than 
on the east, the wastage of both shores having 
contributed to build out the apron beach at 
Siasconset. 
The subject was further discussed by Profes- 
sors Rk. E. Dodge, J. J. Stevenson, H. L. Os- 
born, J. F. Kemp and others. 
On motion by Professor Stevenson, a commit- 
tee of three was appointed by the Academy to 
prepare resolutions in reference to the recent 
death of its distinguished honorary member, Sir 
William Dawson, of Montreal. 
ALEXIS A. JULIEN, 
Secretary of Section. 
