276 



comet from the High School observations, they would indicate that it 

 may possibly have touched the sun. He thought that there were 

 strong analogies between this comet and those of 1668 and 1689, 

 which would indicate a period of 21$ years; but further researches 

 must be made before the question of the short period could be settled. 



Professor Rogers suggested that in case of a contact or 

 shock of two such bodies, the sun as the more solid would dis- 

 place a portion of the comet, leaving the remainder to pass on; 

 a suggestion which gave rise to an extended conversation on 

 the subject of the comet, in which Dr. Patterson, Prof. Bache, 

 Prof. Rogers, and Mr. Walker took part. 



Mr. Kane, from the General Committee on the Centennial 

 Celebration, and Prof. Bache, from one of the sub-committees, 

 reported the several arrangements which they had concluded 

 on the subjects referred to them. 



On motion of Dr. Hays, 



The Curators were authorized to have the head and other 

 bones of the Mastodon, now at the university of Pennsylvania, 

 and the skeleton of the Elephant, presented to the Society by 

 the Asiatic Society, and now at the Museum, removed to the 

 Society's cabinet. 



END OF VOL. II. 



