159 



lania; two Jinculosa; six of his new genus Schizostoma; 

 and one Paludina; the whole being from the Southern States. 

 Dr. Franklin Bache having temporarily taken the chair, — 

 Prof. A. D. Bache called attention to the report made by him 

 in February last, to the Treasury Department, on the progress 

 of the construction of standard weights and measures, and of 

 balances. A copy of this report had been presented to the So- 

 ciety at a previous meeting. 



The work of constructing standards had been commenced by the 

 late Mr. F. R. Hassler in 1835; and at the time of his decease the 

 standard weights for the Custom Houses of the United States and for 

 the States had been made, and generally delivered. One-third of the 

 capacity measures had been completed, and the rest were in different 

 stages of progress. About one-fourth of the measures of length 

 had been finished, and the rest were in progress. Many other stan- 

 dards for miscellaneous purposes had been made and delivered. The 

 balances used in the office of weights and measures to adjust stan- 

 dards had been made; two other balances had been finished, and 

 thirty, intended for distribution to the States, had been commenced. 



The standard weights sent to the Custom Houses and States, con- 

 sisted of 1 lb. troy; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50 lbs. avoirdu- 

 pois; besides which, sets of weights from 10 oz. to joVo °^* ^^^7 had 

 been distributed to the States. 



The standard measure is a yard, subdivided. 



The liquid capacity measures sent to the principal Custom Houses 

 and to the States, consisted of a gallon, half gallon, quart, pint, and 

 half pint. 



The standard of dry measure was the half bushel, one of which 

 had been prepared for each of the States. 



The set of balances consisted of three; one for weights from 1 lb. 

 to 150 lbs., one for medium weights, and one for small weights. 



The plan of construction of the balances had been modified by Mr. 

 Joseph Saxton, who had been appointed assistant in the office of 

 weights and measures in January, 1845. The work on the balances 

 had been advanced, during the past year, about one-seventh towards 

 completion, being now about two-fifths done. 



Much progress having been made in the preparation and distribu- 

 tion of standard measures when Professor Bache came into the charge 

 of the work, he had deemed it necessary to adhere to the methods of 



