18S5.] 223 [Proceedings. 



General Meeting, Jan. 21, 1885. 



The President, Mr. S. H. Scudder, in the chair. 



Mr. Percival Lowell read a paper on the characteristic costume 

 of the Coreans, describing the shape, materials, color, origin, etc., 

 of the garments worn by persons of various rank and occupations, 

 showing with the stereopticon a series of photographs in illustra- 

 tion. 



Prof. Edw. S. Morse read extracts from his notes on the hab- 

 its, superstitions, etc., of the Coreans, which he had gathered from 

 talks with a native Corean, at present living in his family. 



Mr. Scudder showed a map giving the geographical results of 

 the Greely expedition, obtained from photographs of plottings 

 made by Lieut. Lockwood. 



Mr. Scudder also noted the recent discovery of a winged insect 

 from the middle Silurian, which was supposed by Brongniart to be 

 a Blattarian. 



General Meeting, Feb. 4, 1885. 



The President, Mr. S. H. Scudder, in the chair. 



Mr. Wm. ¥, Davis read a paper on " Geographic Evolution," 

 illustrated by models for use in teaching. 



The main point of the essay was that physical geography should not be 

 limited to the description of topographic forms as they now exist, but 

 should consider as well the past forms from which the present ones 

 have been del ived and the future forms into which they will develop. To 

 illustrate the views of this subjeet, a brief statement was made of the evo- 

 lution of volcanic mesas or table-mountains, such as are numerous in Ger- 

 many along the Rhine and in our far western territories ; of the narrow gor- 

 ges, headed by waterfalls, such as are common in New York ; and of the final 

 stage of old plateaus, to which the name of base-level plains was applied. 

 Relief models were exhibited in further explanation of the changes de- 

 scribed. A considerable advantage was claimed for this method of in- 

 struction over those commonly employed, inasmuch as it invests geography 

 with the interest that is attached to all sciences in which the changes con- 

 sequent upon progressive development appear, instead of holding it dow T n 

 to the description of actual and apparently ultimate forms. 



Mr. T. T. Bouve made some remarks in the origin of the mate- 

 rials composing the conglomerates of the Boston basin, empha- 

 sizing the importance of atmospheric disintegration rather than 

 water action in their production. 



