910 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIII. No. ! 



requested, and the committee on meetings decided 

 to include an excursion to the swamp itself and 

 to have the technical papers presented during the 

 first stage of the trip. This plan proved to be 

 eminently practicable, and there is every reason 

 why similar plans that bring people so pleasantly 

 together should be more frequently adopted by 

 scientific societies, for, after all, it is personal 

 acquaintance and private discussion that count 

 for most in such organizations. 



The first paper of the evening was by Mr. E. 

 "W. Shaw, who described the "Geography and 

 Geology of the Dismal Swamp." The various 

 plateaus and old shorelines of eastern Virginia 

 were pointed out and their formation explained. 

 The swamp is of recent origin, geologically 

 speaking, and in general is well understood, 

 though the existence of a lake near its center is 

 a distinct puzzle, for the solution of which several 

 more or less plausible theories have been advanced. 



The second speaker. Dr. C. A. Davis, discussed 

 "Peat Deposits," a subject of which he is a, if 

 not the, recognized master. It was explained that 

 the Dismal Swamp is a great coal field in the 

 making; that it is covered with a layer of peat 

 as much as fifteen feet thick in places, and that 

 portions of this might even now be valuable as 

 fuel. 



The next paper was by Mr. E. Zon, whose sub- 

 ject was ' ' The Forest Types in the Dismal 

 Swamp." After a few introductory and general 

 remarks on the relation of forests to climate and 

 soil, the speaker described in greater detail the 

 principal trees of the swamp, especially the 

 cypress and the black gum. 



Mr. F. V. Coville gave an interesting account 

 of the "Plant Life in the Dismal Swamp," and 

 made his many listeners anxious for the morrow 

 when they were to see for themselves the yellow 

 jasmine in bloom, the dense cane brakes and the 

 many other wonders of plant life in their native 

 jungle. 



Dr. F. W. True told of the "Ground Animals 

 of the Swamp. ' ' As these are not numerous, 

 consisting mainly of musk and other rats, swamp 

 rabbits and the like, the speaker so widened his 

 talk as to include fishes, of which there are many 

 varieties; Dears, of which there is an abundance; 

 and snakes, of which there is said to be a super- 

 abundance. 



The last speaker of the evening. Dr. C. Hart 

 Merriam, had for his subject, "The Birds of the 

 Swamp." But as snake stories seemed to taie 

 unusually well, and as birds are only feathered 



reptiles, Dr. Merriam began his talk with an 

 account of certain varieties of snakes that abound 

 in the Dismal Swamp — rattlesnakes, copperheads, 

 water moccasins, king snakes, black snakes, water 

 snakes and just plain snakes. Having disposed 

 of the snakes, the speaker next described the 

 large variety of birds that have been found iu the 

 swamp, and so painted their beauty that, for the 

 time being, even the snakes were forgotten. 



From Norfolk, Va., the entire party of about 

 135 was taken into the swamp and even to Lake 

 Drummond, as the guests of and on boats espe- 

 cially provided by the Lake Drummond Canal and 

 Water Company. 



Many returned to Norfolk the same day, while 

 others camped out near the banks of the lake and 

 returned to Norfolk the following day. 



In every particular the excursion was a delight- 

 ful one, due to the unusualness and the beauty 

 of the place visited; to the exceptional courtesies, 

 including even a complimentary luncheon, of the 

 Lake Drummond Canal and Water Company; and 

 to the untiring supervision of the genial David T. 

 Day, who not only planned the details of the trip 

 but also secured their execution without a single 

 hitch. 



W. J. Humphreys, 



Secretary 



THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The 695th meeting was held on May 6, 1911, 

 Vice-president Fischer in the chair. Two papers 

 were read: 



Simple Ammonia Apparatus for Temperatures to 

 Minus 70° Centigrade: Professor C. F. Mar- 

 vin, of the TJ. S. Weather Bureau. 

 The apparatus described and exhibited by the 

 speaker was designed for general laboratory work 

 wherever a liquid bath maintained at the desired 

 low temperature could be made to answer the 

 purpose. 



The apparatus consisted of a large cylindrical 

 copper tanK about 11 inches in diameter and 13 

 inches high. This was jacketed all around, except 

 on top, with thick wooden walls and an interlining 

 of animal hair felt. Inside the copper tank was 

 placed a ring-shaped iron ammonia flask made up 

 of two short sections of standard iron pipe having 

 annular heads at each end. The flask measures 

 about 10 inches in diameter outside by 9 inches 

 high, and 7 inches across the ring inside. The 

 flask is supported centrally on three lugs inside 

 the tank, and is provided with a suitable outlet 

 pipe and valve at the top. 



