Miscellaneous Intelligence. 423 
IV. MISCELLANEOUS SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
1. National Academy of Sciences.—The National Academ y of Sciences 
poe nee its semi-annual session in Washington, D. C., on the 24th of 
January la 
The lowing are the titles of the communications presented during 
the sessio 
3 the ited bio are > seem of Nevada, with statistical tables and metal- 
lurgical tae , by 
“On wats sani of jaloadas analysis, by Prof, W. Grsns.” 
«= "On mde cary eer wd its applications in saving precious Berg panes 
gold, b Prof. B. Siz 
“On he lim ts and  earaiile of the vision of American Soldiers as deduced by 
the Satisticl Depart ent of the Sanitary ee by . Gourp 
“On 
mary triangulation of the Coast of New England, by Prof A.D 
Bao HE, Saati ent U. t Survey; communicate: RD. 
n the relation of Lang to Ethnology, z ” Be 
é Seciatien on the Annular Eclipse of October, 1865, made at Lebanon, IIL, 
by Prof..Srepuzn ALEXANDER.” 
Biographical memoirs of deceased members of the Academy were 
read as follows: Of the late General Joseph G. Totten, Chief Engineer 
. 8. Army, by Gen. J. G. Barnard; of the late Prof. Benjamin Silli- 
man, by Prof. Alexis ‘Caswell ; of the late Capt. James M. Gilliss, U. 8. 
Navy, Supt. Naval Observatory, by Dr. B. A. Gould. 
The — of Vice-president, made vacant by the resignation of Pro- 
fessor Dana (in consequence of the state of his health) was filled by the 
eleétion of Prof. Henry. 
Of the Committees appointed at the request of Departments of the 
Government to conduct certain investigations, that on Magnetic Devia- 
tions in Iron Ships, and that on Experiments in working steam expan- 
the —s Houses and States of metrical standards of weights an 
measures; to introduce the system into the post offices, by m a 
shaper Joie weigh fifteen grams, instead of fourteen a seventeen 
hundredths, or half an ounce; and to cause the new cent and two cent 
pieces oe be so coined that they shall weigh iecamiesy “five and ten 
grams, and that their diameters shall be made to bear a determinate 
and a ratio to the metrical unit of length.” 
