Joe 
024 
lar mass of quartz, and may be a cosalite with about 
half its Pb replaced by Agy. Mr. A. H. Low 
described a new modification of the battery method 
for the estimation of copper, by which great accuracy 
in results is attained in from one to two hours. 
Substances which usually interfere with this process 
are either quickly removed, or their presence is ren- 
dered harmless by original methods. A full descrip- 
tion of the process will soon appear. 
Numismatic and antiquarian society, Philadelphia. 
April 3. — Dr. Brinton spoke of some recent explo- 
rations made by him in the Trenton gravels, in search 
of the evidences of the existence of the palaeocystic 
man. —— Mr. Scott mentioned the fact that arrow- 
heads had been found at Otaheite, apparently of 
buman manufacture, but which, upon investigation, 
turned out to be made by the action of the sands of 
the seashore under the influence of the winds. —— 
Mr. Barber exhibited a copper currency used by the 
Haidah Indians. It was a thin plate of worked cop- 
per in the shape of an axe-head, with a hole at each 
end, and some remarkable groovings. Its value was 
estimated at two dollars. ‘They range in size from 
one inch to two feet. 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
THE following is a complete list of the papers read 
at the meeting of the National academy of sciences, 
April 15-18: — G. K. Gilbert, The sufficiency of terres-— 
trial rotation to deflect river-courses: T. Sterry Hunt, 
The origin of crystalline rocks: Simon Newcomb, On 
the photographs of the transit of Venus taken at the 
Lick observatory: A. E. Verrill, Zodlogical results of 
the deep-sea dredging expedition of the U.S. fish-com- 
mission steamer Albatross: Ira Remsen, The quanti- 
tative estimation of carbon in ordinary phosphorus; 
Reduction of halogen derivatives of carbon com- 
pounds: Elias Loomis, Reduction of barometric ob- 
servations to sea-level: C. S. Peirce, The study of 
comparative biography: C. S. Peirce and (by invita- 
tion) J. Jastrow, Whether there is a minimum per- 
ceptible difference of sensation: S. P. Langley, The 
character of the heat radiated from the soil: J. E. 
Hilgard, On the depth of the western part of the At- 
lantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, with an exhibition 
of a relief model; On the relative levels of the west- 
ern part of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico 
with respect to the Gulf Stream; Account of some 
recent pendulum experiments in different parts of the 
world, made in connection with the U.S. coast and 
geodetic survey: E. D. Cope, On the structure and 
affinities of Didymodus, a still living genus of sharks 
of the carboniferous period; On the North-American 
species of mastodon: Theo. Gill and (by invitation) 
John A. Ryder, The characteristics of the lyomer- 
ous fishes; On the classification of the apodal fishes: 
Theo, Gill, On the ichthyological peculiarities of the 
bassalian realm: George F. Barker, On the Fritts 
selenium cell; On a lantern voltmeter: George J. 
Brush, On the occurrence of mercury in native silver. 
SCIENCE. 
from Lake Superior: H. A. Rowland, Progress in 
making a new photograph of the spectrum: B, Silli- 
man, On the existence of tin ore in the older rocks 
of the Blue Ridge: H. M. Paul (by invitation), The 
Krakatoa atmospheric waves, and the question of a 
connection between barometric pressure and atmos- 
pheric electricity: John S. Billings, Memorandum on 
composite photographs in craniology: A. W. Wright, 
Some experiments upon the spectra of oxygen: Elli- 
ott Coues, On the application of trinomial nomen- 
clature to zodlogy: E. M. Gallaudet (by invitation), 
Some recent results of the oral and aural teaching of 
the deaf, under the combined system: F. W. Clarke, 
(by invitation), Jade implements from Alaska: Henry 
[Vou. III, No. 64. — 
L. Abbot, Recent progress in electrical fuzes: J. S. . 
Diller (by invitation), The volcanic sand which fell 
at Unalashka, Oct. 20, 1883, and some considerations 
concerning its composition. The following biographi- 
cal notices of deceased members were also read: of 
Gen. G. K. Warren, by H. L. Abbot; of Professor 
Stephen Alexander, by C. A. Young; of Dr. J. Law- 
rence Smith, by B. Silliman; and of Dr. John L. 
LeConte, by S. H. Scudder. 
— Tornado circular xxi., just issued by the signal- 
service, accompanies a second series of preliminary 
tornado-charts, showing the local storms of March 11, 
in their relation to broad cyclonic circulation of the 
same date. Eight tornado-tracks are mapped, — one 
in southern Illinois, one in central Kentucky, the rest 
in Mississippi and Alabama, — all occurring between 
two and seven in the afternoon. Their attitude with 
regard to the centre of low pressure is much the same 
as was shown for the tornadoes of Feb. 19. They 
are from seven hundred to a thousand miles south 
by east of the cyclone centre, within the area of warm 
southerly winds, and just east of the area of cool 
north-westerly winds; the two being separated by 
strong thermal gradients. There were five persons 
killed and fifty wounded by these tornadoes. The loss 
would have been much more severe, had not the 
people secreted themselves in cellars and ‘ dug-outs’ 
on the approach of the storms. A more detailed 
study is promised at a later date. 
— Dr. G. Stanley Hall, the well-known writer and 
lecturer on philosophical and educational subjects, 
has been appointed professor of psychology and peda- 
gogics in the Johns Hopkins university. Dr. Hall was 
graduated at Williams college, and at a later day re- 
ceived the degree of doctor of philosophy from Har- 
vard college, and afterward prosecuted his studies in 
Germany under Ludwig and Wundt. His lectures 
have been sought for in many colleges, and his co- 
operation in educational associations has been highly 
prized. He has written for the Princeton review, 
Mind, The nation, and other periodicals; and many 
of his papers were collected and published in a sepa- 
rate volume. He is now engaged in a prolonged 
inquiry respecting the education of young children, 
from which important results are anticipated. He 
is aman of unusual aptitude and training; and his 
friends believe that in the chair to which he is now 
appointed he will exercise a strong influence for good, 
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