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Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



Cannon, "Annual Report of the Comptroller of the Currency for 

 1884;" from J. E. Bruce, Vol. V., ' 'Geological Survey of Ohio ;" 

 from C. E. Beecher, "Some Abnormal and Pathologic Forms of 

 Fresh-water Shells from Albany ;" from Chief Signal Officer, 

 "Monthly Weather Review, Nov., 1884;" from Bureau of Educa- < 

 tion, "Building for the Children of the South," and "Circular of 

 Information, No. 6, 1884;" from Edward M. Cooper, Specimen 

 of Fossil-wood ; from Publishers of Publisher's Weekly, "Library 

 Aids;" from Commissioner of Agriculture, "Agricultural Grasses 

 of the United States ;" from N. H. Winchell, First and Twelfth 

 "Annual Reports of Geological and Natural History Survey of 

 Minnesota;" from Smithsonian Institute, " Coues and Prentiss 

 Avifauna Columbiana ;" from Chas. Dury, thirty-six species of 

 Lepidoptera, one species Neuroptera ; from Dr. W. A. Dun, 

 specimen of Arrow-head. 



On the evening of February 6th, Gov. J. D. Cox delivered a 

 lecture upon "Diatoms." He opened by noticing the character 

 and position of Diatoms in the scale of life. They are among the 

 lowest forms of vegetables, and are present in all. sorts of places. 

 Their silicious skeletons make up thick strata of rock. They 

 multiply by fission. A full explanation of the structure of the wall 

 of the Diatom was given ; the investigations of the lecturer show- 

 ing that the walls of the Diatoms are pitted, and that an inter- 

 cellular space exists between the two walls. The remarks were 

 illustrated by a number of magic lantern pictures of broken Diatom 

 shells, which showed the structure accurately. 



On February 13th, S. S. Bassler lectured on "Weather Changes : 

 How Caused ; How Foreseen." After describing the causes of the 

 change of the seasons, and the winds of the equatorial and tem- 

 perate regions, the lecturer gave a brief history of weather predic- 

 tions in the United States. The first work of this kind was in 

 1869, by Professor Cleveland Abbe, in this city, who, by the aid 

 of the Chamber of Commerce and the Western Union Telegraph 

 Company, prepared predictions of the weather. The Signal Serv- 

 ice, at Washington, was organized in 1870, with Professor Abbe 

 at its head. The laws governing the development and progress of 

 storms, were touched upon in a concise manner, and at the close, 



