382 Proceedings of Societies. [Jure, 
— The Smithsonian collections for the International Exhibition have 
been forwarded to Philadelphia from Washington. They are designed 
to illustrate the resources of sea and shore, of the chase and fisheries, in 
the United States. Specimens of all the animals in this country will be 
exhibited, and all the machinery of hunting and trapping will receive the 
amplest illustration. It is stated that there are forty-five hundred casts 
of food fishes now at the Smithsonian ready to be sent. The casts - 
are made of plaster and papier mache, modeled from frozen specimens 
and from photographs. Among the other objécts there will be a run- 
ning screen of the size of eighteen hundred square feet, filled with pho- 
tographs of American food fishes. The dresses of the fishermen in vari- 
ous climates, the varieties of flies used in catching trout, the fishing rod, 
the harpoon, and the lance, will all be shown. ‘The chase of the whale 
will be fully explained by the plainest object lessons, and among the 
treasures is a cast showing the capture of a whale. The exhibition of 
furs will be one of the most remarkable ever seen on the continent. 
The useful products of our inland and foreign waters (other than verte- 
brates), have been arranged by Dr. Dall. Among these will be shell- 
fish, crabs, shrimps, corals, star-fish, sponges, and marine products not of 
an animal nature. Specimens of rare American animals and reptiles, 
and a group of lay figures intended to convey an idea of the character 
and habits of the North American Indians, will complete a very excel- 
lent collection. 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
NATIONAL Acapemy or Scrences, Washington. — April 18-20. 
Professor Henry opened the public session by delivering the annual re- 
port which serves as a review of the year. It was confined to the official 
affairs of the Academy. The report of this year contains a touching 
allusion to the loss the Academy has sustained in the death of Prof. 
Joseph Winlock, the astronomer of Cambridge, Mass. Among the most 
by death during the past year was Vice-President Henr 
although not a member, was one of the founders. 
in the preparation of the bill under which the Academ 
and urged its passage through Congress. Reviewing the presen i 
tion of the Academy, Professor Henry remarked that the plan by 
its headquarters were fixed at Washington presented some inconvenience 
as a centre in comparison with larger cities ; but there is no other place 
in the Union which contains so large a proportion of scientific men to its 
inhabitants, and the local society devoted to science is among the ss 
prominent in the land. ‘The establishment of the Johns Hopkins vers 
versity at Baltimore, is now certain also to concentrate at no great distance 
from Washington a considerable band of prominent men of science: 
