May 5, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



653 



No. 6. iS. A. Mitchell, professor in the Univer- 

 sity of Virginia, University, Va., received in 1915 

 a grant of $500 to aid in securing observations of 

 paths and of radiants of meteors and in comput- 

 ing orbits where observations are sufSoient. Maps 

 in aid of such observations have been placed at 

 the service of volunteer observers, and nearly 

 5,000 observations of meteor paths have been se- 

 cured. These observations, as vrell as a good num- 

 ber othervfise secured, have been discussed and 

 have yielded some parabolic orbits. 



The committee is unanimous in recommending 

 that a further grant of $300 be made to carry on 

 this valuable work. 



The Lawrence Smith Fund now has a cash bal- 

 ance of income of $834.77 of which $250 is al- 

 ready appropriated, though not yet paid over. The 

 cash income balance available is therefore $784.77. 

 There is also an invested income balance of 

 $1,532.50. 



For the Committee, 



Edward W. Moklet, 

 Cliairmun 



EEPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE COMSTOCK FUND 



The committee on the Comstock Fund begs to 

 report that, according to the statement of the 

 treasurer of the National Academy of Sciences, 

 the total income from the fund now available is 

 $1,661.32. 



The next award will be made at the end of the 

 five-year period specified in the bequest, i. e., at 

 the annual meeting in April, 1918. 



Edw. L. Nichols, 



Chairman 

 April 18, 1916 



REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OP THE Vi^OLCOTT GIBBS 

 FUND 



The directors of the Wolcott Gibbs Fund for 

 CHiemical Research respectfully submit the follow- 

 ing report for the year 1915 to 1916 to the Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences. 



On April 29, 1915, President Ira Eemsen re- 

 signed from the board, to the great regret of his 

 colleagues. 



On May 18 Professor T. W. Eichards was elected 

 to fill the vacancy caused by President Remsen's 

 withdrawal. 



Only one appropriation has been made from the 

 income of the fund this year — a grant (No. 6) to 

 Professor Gregory P. Baxter, of Cambridge, of 

 $300 to provide apparatus especially of platinum 



and quartz and materials for his researches on 

 atomic weights and changes of volume during so- 

 lution. 



The unexpended income of the fund is $90.77. 



Satisfactory reports have been received from 

 holders of previous grants. 



Grants 2 and 5. Professor Mary E. Holmes has 

 a paper in press on ' ' The Electro-Deposition of 

 Copper from the Ammoniacal Cyanide Electro- 

 type. ' ' Progress has also been made in the study 

 of the deposition of cadmium and its separation 

 from other elements. 



Grant 3. Professor W. J. Hale has finished his 

 work on the cyclopentadiopyridazine except for a 

 few less important details. He hopes in June to 

 have the paper ready for publication. 



iGrant 4. Professor W. D. Harkins has deter- 

 mined the freezing-point lowerings for thirteen 

 salts in aqueous solutions, nine of which are co- 

 baltammines; and has begun the study of mix- 

 tures of salts. 



(Signed) C. L. Jackson, 

 Edgar P. Smith, 

 T. W. Eichards, 



Directors 



April 6, 1916 



report of the committee on the murray fund 

 Secretary, National Academy of Sciences. 



Sir: The Committee on the Sir John Murray 

 Fund has to report that the unusual expenses due 

 to the designing and striking off of the Agassiz 

 medal, as called for by the terms of the gift, has 

 required all the early income. The Committee 

 deemed best not to touch the original fund, and the 

 income from the fund was not suflSeient to meet 

 these expenses. All these expenses have now been 

 met, but there is no cash balance and no invested ' 

 income. This income has been applied to the 

 payment of the amount advanced from the General 

 Fund, but from now on the interest from the fund 

 will be applied as originally intended, for the 

 striking ofE of the Agassiz medal and contributions 

 to oceanography. 



Arnold Hague, 



Chairman 



report of the committee on the bill, h. e. 528, 



TO discontinue the use of the FAHREN- 

 HEIT thermometer scale in govern- 

 ment PUBLICATIONS 

 Your committee for the consideration of Bill 

 H. E. 528, consisting of Messrs. C. G. Abbot, S. W. 



