240 (Oct. 5, 
A. letter of envoy from the Department of the Interior was 
read. 
Donations for the Library were reported from the Annales 
des Mines, Revue Politique, Commercial Geographical Society 
at Bordeaux, Meteorological Committee and London Nature, 
Hssex Institute, Boston Natural History Society, American 
Journal of Science, New Jersey Historical Society, Franklin In- 
stitute, American Medical Association, Journal of Pharmacy, H. 
Phillips, Jr., United States Fish Commission, Surgeon-Gen- 
eral’s Office and United States Geological Survey. 
An obituary notice of the late Henry Seybert was read by 
Mr. Moncure Robinson. 
The death of Prof. J. Reinhard Blum at Heidelberg, August 
22, aged 80, was reported. 
The death of Prof. W. A. Norton at New Haven, Connecti- 
cut, September 21, aged 72, was reported. 
“The Zone of Asteroids and the Ring of Saturn,” by Prof. 
Daniel Kirkwood, of Bloomington, Indiana, was read by the 
Secretary. 
y 
Prof. Barker brought to the attention of the Society a num- 
ber of electrical novelties: small batteries which can be sealed 
up and applied to special practical purposes, such as lighting 
gas lamps, treating nervously diseased patients, ringing an 
alarm bell when the heat of a room becomes unduly raised, 
&c., and a new and much cheaper method of coiling and insu- 
lating wire, by winding the naked wire and a cotton thread 
together on the same spool. These inventions of Mr. Clarke 
of Manchester, were exhibited and explained. 
Pending nominations Nos. 985 to 1006 were read. 
And the meeting was adjourned. 
