1876.] Proceedings of Societies. 127 
The librarian reports that there were nineteen hundred and forty 
additions to the library from January 1 to November 30, 1875, being an 
excess of two hundred and eighty for the eleven months named over the 
number received during the twelve months of the preceding year. Re- 
ferring to the income at the disposal of the academy for the support of 
the library, the report continues, “ At the annual meeting, held Feb- 
ruary 16th, the treasurer announced the munificent donation by Isaiah V. 
Williamson, Esq., to the academy, of ground rents to the amount of twen- 
ty-five thousand dollars as a permanent fund for the use of the library, 
It is confidently hoped that the interest on this sum, together with the por- 
tion of the interest derived from the legacy of the late Dr. Thomas B. Wil- 
son devoted to the same use, and amounting together to eighteen hundred 
dollars per annum, will be sufficient, not only to keep the library sup- 
plied with the current scientific literature, but also to enable the library 
committee to secure, from time to time, the many very desirable books 
of an earlier date which are still wanting in most of the depart- 
ments,” 
Boston Society or NATURAL HISTORY. — January 5, 1876. Prof. ` 
W. H. Niles read a paper on the evidence of a widely spread geological 
force, exhibited by certain rock-movements. Referring to the phenomena 
of spontaneous fracture and expansion of rock in a north and south di- 
rection in quarries at Monson, Mass., Groton, Conn., Berea, O., and, 
Lemont, Ill., he inferred that they could not be due to. local causes, 
but explained them by a north and south compression of the strata, due 
to the contraction of the earth, and showed the important bearing of the 
subject on the question of mountain-building. Mr. L. S. Burbank noticed 
some rare trees of the Merrimack Valley. 
AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SocreTy. — December 6th. Judge Daly 
spoke on the progress in geographical research in Africa, with special 
reference to Stanley’s recent explorations. He was followed by remarks 
from Mr. Bayard Taylor, who claimed that “ Stanley’s journey from Zan- 
zibar to the N yanza, and his exploration of the eastern shore of the lake, 
have never been surpassed for boldness, rapidity, and success by anything 
in the records of African travel.” se 
Acapemy or Sciences, San Francisco. — December 20, 1875. Dar- 
lingtonia Californica, the pitcher-plant of the Pacific coast, formed the 
subject of a paper by Mr. Henry Edwards, who gave an account of its 
appearance, of its functions as a fly-trap, — though its digestive powers 
Were questioned, — of the different insects entrapped by it, and of its dis- 
tribution and habitat. 
ACADEMY or Sciences, New York. — December 13, 1875. Papers 
on A New Phosphide of Silver, and a Method of estimating Silver by 
Phosphorus, by Prof. W. Falke, and on a Direct Process in the Manu- 
facture of Iron in Japan, by H. Newton, were read. 
CamBrinex ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB. — December 10, 1875. Dr. 
