Society of Sciences at Harlem. 305 
lyte, and the part for which the electrolyte appears to be pos- 
sessed of conductibility similar to that of metals. 
2. Some recent experiments of M. Faraday, made with 
long metal wires covered with gutta-percha and immersed 
in water, have shown that the celerity of the electricity is 
not always the same in all conductors, metallic or otherwise. 
The Society desires that the circumstances which modify 
this celerity should be determined by exact experiments. 
3. It likewisé requires that a rigorous examination should 
be made of the phenomena which some chemists still explain 
by admitting the existence of the force called catalytic, in 
order to decide whether it be proper definitively to admit or 
reject the existence of this force. 
’ 4. M. F. G. W. Struve published in 1847, in a work 
entitled Htudes a’ Astronomie Stellaire, certain views on the 
structure of the universe and the transparency of space, 
which have been approved of by some astronomers, and dis- 
puted by others; among the former, M. Encke has declared 
that he considers these ideas as hypothetical and without 
foundation. A prize is offered by the Society for the best 
memoir, the author of which shal! point out, as the result of 
deep study, what the actual state of astronomy allows us to 
consider as proved, or at least as probable, in the structure 
of the universe. 
5. By another question in its programme, the society re- 
a quires it to be determined where, when, and how, sugar is 
produced in the human body. 
6. It offers another prize for a comparative description of 
_ the lymphatic and chyliferous vessels in fishes. It requires, 
lst, That the different relations of these vessels and those of 
_ the sanguineous system should be examined ; 2dly, That the 
observations of MM. Fohman and Treviranus on the lym- 
_ phatic vessels, should be repeated and discussed. The com- 
_ petitor must compare, in this point of view, at least three 
very different families, and describe, as completely as pos- 
_ Sible, the entire system of these two kinds of vessels in the 
| same species of fish, accompanying the descriptions with 
| figures. 
7. To inquire by a physiological examination, experi- | 
E VOL. LVII. NO. CXIV.—OCTOBER 1854. U 
