REPORT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING 
265 
tive duties has been so severe that the investigation is suspended, at least for a time, and Dr. 
Hovey proposed to return the grant. The Committee hesitated, but at last accepted the pro- 
posal, and the amount of the grant, together with interest, has been repaid, to the Treasurer 
of the Academy. 
No. 4, C. C. Trowbridge, Columbia University, New York, has received from 1909 to 
1917, grants amounting to $1400 to aid in the study of meteor trains. The work of the last 
year has consisted of the further collection of illustrations of meteor trains and the study of 
spectrum observations. No further grant is sought. A letter from the recipient follows. 
Dear Professor Morley: 
I beg to submit herewith a brief report relative to the grant made to me from the J. Law- 
rence Smith Fund for aid in work on the atmosphere of the earth and on the trains of meteors. 
The progress for the year 1917 has been as follows: Work has been continued on the collec- 
tion of illustrations of meteor trains; on the study of meteor train theories, and study of 
the spectrum observations. 
It has been shown that there is good reason to believe that the spectra of trains observed in- 
dicate a gas phosphorescence similar to that of 'active' nitrogen (nitrogen in the phosphores- 
cent state) rather than the light from hot metals as believed by the various observers. Fur- 
ther observations of importance have been made on the auroral features of the meteor train 
zone. This phase of the investigation is bound up with meteor train study for the following 
reasons : 
The meteor train zone and the main aurora are the same; the potential gradient across 
this zone is probably the cause of the visual effects in both cases. The drift of the atmos- 
phere as shown by drifting trains in the meteor train zone unquestionably has an important 
bearing on the electric discharges which cause the auroral glow. 
Financial Statement 
Total funds received to December 31, 1916 $1,153.50 
Total expenditures to December 31, 1916 1,020.67 
Balance, December 31, 1916 $132.83 
(as per financial statement submitted March 26, 1917) 
Received from Treas., Nat. Acad. Sciences, March 22, 1917 250.00 
Total $382.83 
Expenditures in 1917 
January M. M. King, typewriting $2.40 
February Science reprints 8.00 
March Exchange on Washington check 10 
March 12 Geo. Merritt, Jr., asst. 23 hours 13.80 
April 2 J. Boldtman, photographer 1.50 
April 2 Bureau of Supplies, Columbia Univ 1.20 
April 30 J. Boldtman, photographer 3.40 
May 1 Geo. Merritt, Jr., assistant 19.60 
May 10 Bur. of Supplies, Columbia Univ 1.60 
June 1 Amy E. Davis, assistant 36.00 
June 15 Mabel Weil, assistant 62.70 
June 18 Printing, New Era Printing Co 5.89 
$156.19 
