10 SCIENCE. 
MEETING OF THE IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
Tue eighth annual session of the Iowa Academy of 
Sciences occurred in Des Moines, Iowa, Dec. 26 and 27, 
18938, and was one of the most largely attended and profit- 
able in the history of the Academy. About thirty Fellows 
were in attendance, and over forty papers were pre- 
sented. 
The officers elected for the coming year were: Dr. L. W. 
Andrews, Président; Prof. H. W. Norris and Dr. C. R. 
Keyes, Vice-Presidents; Herbert Osborn, Secretary-Treas- 
urer; and Professors Arey, Hendrixson and Nutting ad- 
ditional members of the executive committee. Dr. L. W. 
Andrews presented a paper on the “Assumption of a 
Special Nacent State,” in which he concluded that the as- 
sumption of such a condition is the survival of an obso- 
lete doctrine and that it explains nothing which cannot be 
as well explained without it. In another paper he treated 
of some peculiarities of Ferric Sulphocyanate, discussing 
them from a physico-chemical basis. 
Prof. A. A. Bennett made a verbal report upon certain 
work done in the Chemical Laboratory of the Iowa Agri- 
cultural College and called attention to the methods in 
vogue in instruction in chemistry. 
Prof. W. 8. Hendrixson, of Grinnell, Iowa, discussed 
“The Electrolysis of Silver,” detailing a method by which 
pure silver could be obtained in a rapid and easy way, 
and, in another paper entitled “Some Laboratory Appar- 
atus,’ he described several inexpensive forms, one of 
which was for the distillation of water. 
Prof. G. W. Bissell presented some notes on experi- 
mental engineering at the Iowa Agricultural College, giv- 
ing the results of some studies, the result of which can 
be used to advantage in the designing of certain kinds of 
machinery. 
Prof. 8. Calvin, of Iowa City, discussed the “Geological 
Position of Benettites Dacotensis, MacBride,” with obser- 
vations on the stratigrophy of the region in which the 
species was discovered. This was a careful description 
of the geological features of the region of Hot Springs, 
South Dakota, with the conclusion that this fossil belongs 
to the Cretaceous. 
Dr. C. R. Keyes read a paper upon the “Derivation of 
the Unione Fauna of the Northwest.” He compared the 
faunee of different river basins and discussed at length 
their relations and derivations. In discussing the paper 
Professor Shimek, of Iowa City, called attention to the 
similarity of the Unione Fauna of eastern Nebraska and 
eastern lowa, whereas in central and western Iowa these 
forms are much less plentiful. 
Prof. J. L. Tilton, of Indianola, discussed the “Origin 
of the Present Drainage System of Warren County.” The 
present river valleys aud larger ravines fit into the pre- 
glacial valleys, whise in the smaller divisions only do we 
find erosion without regard to the pre-glacial configura- 
tion of the country. 
H. F. Bain, of the Geological Survey, in a paper on 
“The Structure of the Mystic Coal Basin,” presented data 
from a number of different sections, showing a remark- 
able persistence of character in the coal strata at different 
points, which has had a very important bearing upon the 
development of the coal industry of southern Iowa. In 
another paper he gave a careful record of the strata pene- 
trated inthe boring of the “Deep Well at Sigourney.” 
These borings of nearly two thousand feet penetrated the 
various formations to the “St. Peters” and entered the 
Oneota. 
EK. H. Lonsdale, of the Geological Survey, in a paper 
entitled “Southern Extension of the Cretaceous in Iowa,” 
presented the results of an extended examination of the 
southwestern portion of the State,in which he has been 
able to determine the occurrence of Cretaceous deposits 
[Vol. XXIII. No. 570 
at points considerably farther south than hitherto recog- 
nized. 
A. G. Leonard, on the “Zine Deposits of Northeastern 
Towa,” showed that these deposits have proven quite valu- 
able and are being extensively worked, occupying the 
same localities as the lead deposits, which at one time 
were worked with profit, but have for a number of years 
been practically abandoned. He also spoke of “Satin 
Spar from Dubuque, Iowa,’ and exhibited some very 
handsome specimens of this mineral. 
H. A. Jones, of Grinnell, Iowa, in a paper on the “Coal 
Measures in Powesheik County,” indicated the location of 
coal seams and coal measure strata in the vicinity of Grin- 
nell and at other points in the same county. 
Prof. T. H. McBride, of Iowa City, presented some very 
interesting “Notes on North America Cycads,” in which 
he described the occurrence of a remarkable new species 
of Benetites found in South Dakota. He also showed 
photographs of a large specimen of the fossil and a speci- 
men of one of the living species for comparison. In an- 
other paper he discussed the “Distribution of Rhus 
typhina.” 
The presidential address by Prof. L H. Pammell was 
devoted to a discussion of bacteria, their relation to mod- 
ern medicine, the arts and industries. It wasa very com- 
prehensive and interesting account of the historical de- 
velopment of bacteriology and of the relations which these 
organisms bear to modern medicine and to various im- 
portant industries. He also presented the following 
papers: “The Powdery Mildew of the Apple,” “Further 
Notes on Cladosporium carpophilum” and “Notes from the 
Botanical Laboratory of the lowa Agricultural College.” 
Prof. H. W. Norris, of Grinnell, in a paper on the “De- 
velopment of the Har of Necturus,” presented the results 
of a very careful study of this organ and exhibited draw- 
ings of sections and also, for comparison, reconstructions 
of the ear of Amblystoma. 
Prof. B. Shimek, of Iowa City, in “An Additional 
List of Iowa Molusea,” recorded a considerable number of 
species additional to the list which he published some 
years ago. He also presented a paper and exhibited 
specimens illustrating the variations in certain Succinidz 
occurring in the loess, comparing them with living forms 
and showing conclusively the great range of variation 
in certain species. He considers these shells an import- 
ant factor in determining the age of the loess formations. 
Prof. C. C. Nutting, of Iowa City, gave two anatomical 
papers, one devoted to the “Vascular Supply of the Teeth 
of the Domestic Cat,” in which he showed that the distri- 
bution of the blood vessels to the teeth was different from 
what has been commonly held; the other discussed the 
“Homology of the Inca Bone.” 
Mr. Herbert Osborn, of Ames, presented a paper upon 
the “Distribution of Hemiptera,’ giving records which 
extend the known distribution of a number of species, 
also a paper including laboratory notes, in which he called 
attention to species particularly useful for laboratory 
work in this region. 
Mr. C. W. Mally, in the “Hackberry Psyllide of Iowa,” 
reviewed the species occurring in the state and gave very 
full descriptions of certain forms which had been studied 
in detail in their different stages. 
Mr. F. A. Sirrine described “A New Species of Plant 
Louse Occurring on Thorn.” 
Aside from these papers, which were read, a number of 
others were read by title and will appear in the proceed- 
ings of the Academy, which will be published by the 
State at an early date. 
Resolutions were passed commending the Geological 
Survey and, also, looking toward the securing of a 
greater amount of scientific literature in the State 
Library. 
