77 



The Indian Tribes of North America. Nos. 10 & 11. Philadel- 

 phia. — From Mr. F. W. Grecnough. 



The officers and council to whom was referred the letter of 

 Doctor Warren, of Boston, inclosing a circular from a meeting 

 of gentlemen at Boston, on the subject of the formation of an 

 American Association for the Promotion of Science, submitted 

 the following resolution, which was adopted by the Society. 



Resolved, That the American Philosophical Society, having given 

 the most respectful attention to the letters laid before them by Doctor 

 W. E. Horner, and to the circular letter from the Committee of gen- 

 tlemen of Boston, by referring the first letter to a Special Committee, 

 and the second, with the circular, to the Board of Officers, are of the 

 opinion, founded on the Reports of the Committee and of the Officers, 

 that it is inexpedient for this Society to undertake the organization of 

 an Association, such as is alluded to in these communications. 



Doctor Patterson read an extract from a letter from Mr. T. 

 R. Peale, dated November 13th, 1838. 



In this letter Mr. Peale states, that observations had been made 

 on the night of the 12th — 13th of November, on board of the ex- 

 ploring vessel, the Peacock, (place not given,) relating to the number 

 of meteors. The greatest number supposed to have been observed 

 in any one hour was seventy-one. Mr. Peale expresses his doubts 

 whether, from the motion of the vessel on the night in question, it 

 was possible to be accurate on this point, and believes the number to 

 have been much overrated. 



A display of the Aurora Australis had been witnessed a few weeks 

 before the date of the letter. 



Professor A. D. Bache called the attention of the Society 

 to a very convenient method for determining the magnetic 

 dip and intensity, by one instrument, proposed by Professor 

 Lloyd, of Dublin, and used by him, Major Sabine, and Captain 

 James Ross, in the recent magnetic surveys in Great Britain. 



The approximate dip is observed without disturbing the magnetism 

 of the needle. The angle with the horizon, when the centre of 

 gravity of the needle is removed from the axis by a small weight, is 

 also observed, the needle being in the plane of the magnetic meridian. 



