Miscellaneous Intelligence. 319 



(the last number thus far received), contains the address of Sir 

 Robert Hall, president of the Physical Section, on "that part of 

 the science of theoretical mechanics, which is usually known as 

 the Theory of Screws," under the title "A Dynamical Parable " — 

 that of Edward Schunck, Ph.D., president of the Chemical Sec- 

 ton — on the directions in which the chemistry of the future will 

 probably be developed, under which he spoke of facts and prob- 

 lems in the physiology of plants, and others relating to the de- 

 composition of organic and organized matters and ferments ; and 

 that of Henry Woodward, F.R.S., president of the Geological 

 Section, reviewing the field of research in geology, and pointing 

 out some of the special needs of the science. 



2. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences / Vol. Ill, 

 Part 2. — This volume, recently issued, contains the following 

 papers: Contributions to meteorology, by Elias Loomis, pp. 1-66, 

 with 16 plates; On Flamsteed's stars " observed but not existing," 

 pp. 69-83, and Corrigenda in various star catalogues, pp. 87-97, 

 by C. H. F. Peters ; Ratio of meter to yard, by C. B. Comstock, 

 pp. 101-103; composite photography as applied to craniology, by 

 J. S. Billings, and on measuring the cubic capacity of skulls, by 

 W. Matthews, pp. 105-116 with 20 plates; on a new craniophore 

 for use in making composite photographs of skulls, by J. S. Bil- 

 lings and W. Matthews, pp. 119-120,4 plates; on the Syncaricla, 

 pp. 123-128, 2 plates, on the Garnpsonychidse, pp. 129-133, 1 plate, 

 and on the Anthracariclse, by A. S. Packard, pp. 135-139, 2 plates; 

 also on the Carboniferous xiphosurous fauna of North America by 

 the same author, pp. 143-157, 4 plates; on two new forms of 

 polyodont and gonorhynchid fishes from the Eocene of the 

 Rocky Mountains by E. D. Cope, pp. 161-165, 1 double plate; 

 notes on the third memoir, page 45, part 1, by A. M. Mayer. 



3. Smithsonian Institution and .the Fish Commission. — It is 

 expected that Professor Langley, who for the past year has been 

 the Assistant Secretary in the Institution, will be made Secretary. 

 Mr. G. Browne Goode has been appointed Commissioner of the 

 Fisheries and no better appointment could have been made. 



OBITUARY. 



Spencer Fullerton Baird, the Zoologist, the Commissioner 

 of the Fisheries under the IT. S. Government, and the Secretary 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, died at Wood's Holl, Massachu- 

 setts, on the 19th of August. 



Mr. Baird was born at Reading, Pennsylvania, in the year 

 1 823. He graduated, in 1840, from Dickinson College, at Carlisle, 

 Pa., and five years later, in his twenty-third year, was made 

 Professor of Natural History in that Institution. When but 

 fourteen he made, in connection with his brother, Wm. M. Baird, 

 a collection of the birds of Cumberland Co., Pa., manifesting 

 thus early that zeal for natural science which determined his 

 future course in life; and in 1844, the two published, in this 

 Journal, a list of the Cumberland County birds, having in view, 



