TELE 
AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Vol. V. — SEPTEMBER, 1871. — Nos. 8 and 9. 
ASSOCIATION NUMBER. 
ec CCORI DD 
The Geognosy of the Appalachians and the Origin of Orystalline Rocks. 
ADDRESS OF THOMAS STERRY HUNT, 
ON RETIRING FROM THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 
FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 
GENTLEMEN OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCE- 
MENT OF SCIENCE :— 
In coming before you this evening my first duty is to announce 
the death of Professor William Chauvenet. This sad event was 
not unexpected, since, at the time of his election to the presidency 
of the Association, at the close of our meeting at Salem in August, 
1869, it was already feared that failing health would prevent him 
from meeting with us at Troy, in 1870. This, as you are aware, 
was the case, and I was therefore called to preside over the Asso- 
ciation in his stead. In the autumn of 1869, he was compelled by 
illness to resign his position of Chancellor of the Washington Uni- 
versity of St. Louis, and in December last died at the age of fifty 
years, leaving behind him a record to which science and his country 
may point with just pride. During his connection of fourteen years 
with the Naval Academy at Annapolis he was the chief instrument 
in building up that institution, which he left in 1859 to take the 
chair of Astronomy and Mathematics at St. Louis, where his re- 
markable qualities led to his — in 1862, for the post of 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. V. (451) 
