FEBRUARY 8, 1901.] 
Missouri River Bottom,’ by M. A. Carriker, Nebraska 
City. 
“Observations on Traill’s Flycatcher,’ by M. A. 
Carriker, Nebraska City. 
* ‘On the Distribution and Breeding Habits of Bell’s 
Vireo,’ by Merritt Cary, Neligh. 
‘Some Notes on a Chimney Swift Tree,’ by J. 8. 
Trostler, Omaha. 
‘Birds that Nest in the State,’ by L. Bruner, Lin- 
coln. 
‘A Peculiar Disease of Birds’ Feet Observed in 
Western Nebraska,’ by E. H. Barbour, Lincoln. 
* ‘Intestinal Parasites of Nebraska Birds,’ by H. B- 
Ward, Lincoln. 
* ‘Changes in the Bird Fauna of the Prairies in the 
Last Thirty Years,’ by L. Sessions, Norfolk. 
‘ Additional Observations on the Birds of Northwest 
Nebraska,’ by J. M. Bates, Long Pine. 
‘Results of a Collecting Trip to Sioux County,’ by 
J. C. Crawford, Jr., West Point. 
‘Notes on Cherry County Birds,’ by J. S. Hunter, 
Lincoln. 
‘Notes on Birds from Western Nebraska,’ by A. R. 
Graves, Kearney. 
‘ Notes on Some of the Rarer Birds of Gage County, 
by M. H. Swenk, Beatrice. 
‘Additional Observations on the Keeping of Rec- 
ords,’ by R. H. Wolcott, Lincoln. 
‘Sketch of M. L. Eaton,’ by R. H. Wolcott, Lincoln. 
* ‘Behavior of Birds when driven from their Nests,’ 
by W. Edgar Taylor. 
‘Miscellaneous Notes.’ 
After President Trostler had inducted the 
newly elected President into office, the 
meeting was adjourned. 
Epwin H. Barsour, 
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. Secretary. 
THE KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
Tue thirty-third annual meeting of this 
Academy was held at Topeka on Dec. 28- 
29. The following papers were read : 
EK. B. Knerr reported upon an artesian 
well at Muskotah, from which a very potable 
water flows at the rate of fifty-five gallons 
per minute. This water has a temperature 
of 56°F. J. T. Willard gave an account 
of some experiments on the relative digesti- 
bility of raw and cooked proteids. The ex- 
periments were made upon peas, beans, oat- 
* Read by title. 
SCIENCE. 
217 
meal, and flour, with a weak pepsin solu- 
tion. The general results showed that the 
proteids in all these articles were much 
more digestible raw than cooked. While 
cooking diminishes the digestibility of the 
proteids, it of course increases that of the 
carbohydrates. The same author reported 
some results obtained at the Experiment 
Station in reference to the effect on the soil 
of continuous cropping of wheat. The 
figures given showed that the soil was in a 
marked degree deprived of soluble phos- 
phorie acid by this continuous cropping. 
Parallel analyses were made of the soil of a 
field where wheat had been grown continu- 
ously for many years, and of an adjoining 
field where a variety of crops had been 
grown, and in the latter this loss of phos- 
phorie acid did not occur. Professor Wil- 
lard also discussed the effect of oxygen upon 
organic life. The tests made showed that, 
as far as the lower animals were concerned, 
it made very little difference whether they 
breathed oxygen or ordinary air. 
A. E. Langworthy gave a complete re- 
port ofa diamond drill boring recently made 
at Atchison. The drill disclosed no less 
then sixteen seams of coal, having together a 
thickness of fourteen feet and six inches. 
The most interesting of these seams are a 36- 
inch seam at a depth of 1,123 feet, a 28-inch 
seam at 1,187 feet, and a 15-inch seam at 
1,197 feet. The 36-inch vein is a specially 
good quality of coal. An analysis of the 
Mississippian limestone, from this boring, is 
reported by Fred. B. Porter. W. C. Bauer 
reported on the work of the United States 
Coast and Geodetic Survey as carried on at 
Baldwin. 
C. N. Gould read a paper on the salt 
plains of Oklahoma. The largest of these 
covers an area of nearly 50 square miles. 
Salt springs are found in various localities, 
so that a practically inexhaustible supply 
of salt can be obtained. The same author 
reported on the ‘Southern Extension of the 
