SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 147 



The next subject discussed was that of Phosphorescence by Di'. 

 Eleanor Seymore. Her paper was extremely interesting and it dealt 

 with Phosphorescence not only among unicellular forms, but also among 

 higher organisms, such as insects and the lower vertebrates. A consid- 

 erable discussion followed. 



C. A. Whiting then spoke on Chlorophyl in Animal Forms. He briefly 

 described the several conditions under which it is found in animals, be- 

 ginning with the clearly symbyotic forms and ending with those where 

 the Chlorophyll seems to be an integral part of the animal. 



Mr. Knight and Dr. Conistock announced the subjects for the No- 

 vember meetings of the S,ections of Astronomy and Geology, respectively. 



Prof. Grinnell will lecture before the Biological Section at its De- 

 cember meeting (12th) on Mammalian Ecology. 



About twenty-five members and visitors were present. 



On motion the meeting adjourned. 



C. A. WHITING, Secretary. 



2. Section of Astronomy. 



The Section met in regular monthly session at the Normal School 

 on Monday, November 21, 1904. Present a goodly number and Chairman 

 Knight presiding. 



Mr. Knight opened the exercises of the evening by reading a num- 

 ber of recent extracts relative to meteoric observations at various points 

 during the August period, the observations having been confined chiefly 

 to August 10th, 11th, and 12tii, and to the Persean group. He also gav<* 

 an interesting account of an observation made by himself and daughter 

 in November, when they were rewarded with a view of about a dozen 

 fine meteors of the Leonid group. Among the facts of astronomical in- 

 terest mentioned by Mr. Knight were the following: 



Harvard is to have a sixty-inch reflecting telescope. 



The bright star Aldebaran is to be occulted by the moon on Decem- 

 ber 20th, at about 5 o'clock p. m. Aldebaran is said to be eight hundred 

 and eighty times the mass of the sun, with a dicxmeter of over 8,000,000 

 miles; a distance so great that a meteor traveling at the rate of thirty 

 miles per second, would require over three days to cross the disk of 

 the star. Yet, notwithstanding the immense volume, the accultation will 

 occur in a moment, so great is the distance of the star from us, and will 

 continue for about one hour and eight minutes. 



Encke's comet completes its successive periods in about two hours 

 less time each. It will appear again on Decemlaer 1st, near Altair, which 

 is Alpha Aquilae. 



The planet Jupiter is now in ojjposition for the first time since its 

 fifth satellite was discovered by Prof. Barnard, in 1892. Jupiter's period 

 of revolution is twelve years, aiid the position- of opposition brings it 

 180,000,000 miles nearer the earth than when in conjunction; and is, 

 therefore, the most favorable opportunity for observation. 



The satellites of Uranus revolve alDout their primary in a direction 

 opposite to the motion of the planet. This movement is apparent rather 

 than real, being due to the fact that the inclination of the planet to the 

 plane of its orbit is about ninety degrees. 



The chairman introduced Mr. B. E. Baumgardt, the speaker of the 

 evening, who proceeded, in his own clear and concise form, to give a 

 cursory account of his observations at the World's Fair in St. Louis, 

 where he had gone to attend the international astronomical congress. Mr. 

 Baumgardt gave it as his ponion that in its personnel, discussions and 

 results, this was the most remarkable scientific gathering that has ever 

 been held in the history of the human race. This opinion was confirmed 



