RECORDS 451 



dren repeated at annual intervals proves that the variations of 

 growth must be interpreted as mainly due to acceleration and 

 retardation of growth, combined with hereditary influences, 

 which determine the amount of annual growth. It has shown 

 that it is possible to determine the essential elements which de- 

 termine the amount of annual growth by admission of regulated 

 measurements. These result in a determination of (i) the rela- 

 tion between final development and development of any given 

 period ; (2) the typical development at a given period ; and (3) 

 the variability of the series in regard to period. 



Charles H. Judd, 



Secretary. 



ANNUAL MEETING. 

 February 26, 1900. 



The Academy met for the Annual Meeting at 8:15, President 

 Osborn in the chair, who opened the meeting with the following 

 address : 

 Members of tJie Nezv York Academy of Sciences : 



You are welcome to the 8ist annual meeting of the Acad- 

 emy. We must congratulate ourselves upon our increasing 

 strength which we trust is keeping pace with the rapid develop- 

 ment of the City of New York as a scientific centre. This is 

 not an institution for popular scientific education — a duty we 

 may well leave to the Schools, the Universities, the Museums, 

 and the recently established scientific parks. Our main object 

 is the centralization of the best scientific thought of the city. 

 In cordial cooperation with the several other scientific societies, 

 this object should constantly be kept in view. We meet for 

 high thinking and the encouragement of research. The rise of 

 this Academy in the esteem of the people of this city and of 

 similar academies abroad, will depend, not upon our scientific 

 organization, which we now believe to be well nigh perfect, 

 thanks to the careful efforts of the last few years ; but upon the 

 scientific discoveries which are stimulated and made known 

 here. We all stand for plain living. The votaries of science 



