664 RECORDS. 



showing the photographic action of the Becquerel rays on a 

 sensitive plate, by use of a written inscription on a card, in the 

 form of a glue-Hne dusted with the powdered uraninite ; a simple 

 mode of attachment of a separate foot to a microscope, in order 

 to render it portable ; and read a note on a visit to the Hub- 

 bard Mine, Fairfield County, Connecticut, with description and 

 analysis of apparently a new lithia mineral from that locality. 



The Chairman suggested that such photographic enlargements 

 might be of great service for study of faces and even goniometric 

 determinations on very minute crystals, where numbers of such 

 ciystals were arranged in coincident planes and proper adjust- 

 ments could be made. 



In the absence of Dr. Ries, an abstract of his paper was pre- 

 sented by Professor Kemp, with emphasis on two important con- 

 clusions : first, that the plasticity of clays was not caused by the 

 predominance of any particular constituent, such as kaolin, but 

 by the physical coherence of minute surfaces ; second, that 

 the fusibility of clays was due, not so much to their mineral 

 components, but to their ultimate chemical composition, and that 

 this could be therefore practically improved, when necessar}^, by 

 intermixture with the proper constituents. 



The Academy then adjourned to October 2, 1899. 



Alexis A. Julien, 



Secretary. 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



October 2, 1899. 



Academy met at 8 P. M., Professor Osborn, presiding. The 

 minutes of the last business meeting were read and approved. 



The Secretary reported from the Council that Doctor Theo- 

 dore G. White had been made a life member, in accordance Avith 

 the regulations of the By-Laws. 



The president welcomed the members of the Academy to the 

 Session, 1 899-1900, and spoke of the promise of a very interest- 

 ing series of meetings during the winter, covering the reports and 



