I 12 
SCIENCE. 
deduced from the observations of W. H. Bacon, Cunard steamer 
Scythia." all by W. A. Ropers. 
CHEMISTRY. 
Rotary power of glucose and grape sugar — H. W. Wiley. 
Actinism— A. R. Leeds. 
The occurrence of oxide of antimony in extensive lodes in Se- 
nora — Mexico. 
Convenient scale and apparatus in gas analysis — E. W. Morl-y. 
On the constitution of tartrates of antimony — F. W. Clarke. 
Action of sunlight on glass— Thomas Gaffield. 
Near ratio of oxygen to nitrogen in the atmosphere— E. W. 
M or ley. 
SUBSECTION MICROSCOPY. 
"Microscopic studies in Central Florida,” C. C. Merriam ; 
The errors of a few English, French and American stage micro- 
meters," William A. Rogers ; “Apparatus used in photographing 
microscopical objects." Samuel Wells; "A new freezing micro- 
tome, ' William Hailes ; " Microscopical investigations of the 
Havana yellow fever,” George M. Sternberg; “Permanent mi- 
croscopic preparations of Amphibian blood corpuscles," S. H. 
Gage; “Permanent microscopic preparations of Plasmodium.” 
S. H. Gage. 
BIOLOGY. 
“ Comparative anatomy as a part of the medical curriculum," 
Harrison Allen ; “ Distinguishing species of Populus and Juglans 
by the young naked branches," W. J. Beal; “ Observations on 
Japanese Brachiopoda," E. S. Morse; “An investigation of the 
peach yellows,” B. D. Halsted; “ Incomplete adaptation as illus- 
trated by the history of sex in plants,” L. F. Ward ; “Evolution 
cf parasitic plants," Thomas Meehan ; “ Anthrax of fruit trees, or 
the so-called tire-blight of the pear and twig-blight of the apple 
tree," I'. J. Burrill ; “ Further notes on the pollination of Yucca, 
and on Pronuba and Prodoxus," C. V. Riley; “ Fossil Dinoce- 
rata in the E. M. Museum at Princeton, N. J.,” F. C. Hill; 
“ Origin and Succession of Felidae," E. D. Cope; “ Preservation 
of fossil insects and plants at Malon Creek," J. W. Pike ; “ Me- 
nobranchus lateralis,” P. R. Hoy. 
GEOLOGY. 
Before the geologists were presented ten essays : " The Cupri- 
ferous series in Minnesota," N. H. Winchell ; “ The excavation 
of the upper basin and clove of the Kaaterskill, Catskill Moun- 
tains, N. Y.,” Alexis A. Julian ; ■“ Progress of geologic d investi- 
gation in New Brunswick, 1870-1880," L. W. Bailey; “ The ter- 
tiary age of the iron ores of the lower Silurian limestone valleys,” 
H. C. Lewis ; “ Note on the Turquoise localities of Los Cerillos," 
B. Silliman ; “ Los Cerillos, New Mexico, an area ot recent erup- 
tive rocks with mineral veins,” B. Silliman ; “ Iron mines of Ore 
Hill, Conn., and vicinity, and the making of pig iron," W. A. 
Stearns; "Law of land forming on our globe,” Richard Owen ; 
“ Karnes and eskors in Maine,” George H. Stone ; “ Occurrence 
of tin ore at Winslow, Me.," C. H. Hitchcock. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
The anthropologists met to listen to the following essays : “Eth- 
nology of Africa, illustrated by a large manuscript map," A. S. 
Bickmore ; “ Myths and folk lore of the Iroquois,” Erminn.o A. 
Smith ; “ Prehistoric altars of Whiteside county, Illinois," W. C. 
Holbrook; “ Theory of primitive democracy in the Alps," D. W. 
Ross ; “ Ancient mounds in the vicinity of Naples, Illinois, Pt. II. 
Illustrated with skulls, pipes, copper axes, bone implements and 
other articles from the mounds, "j. G. Henderson ; “ The mounds 
of Illinois,” William McAdams; “ Prehistoric and early types of 
Japanese pottery," E. S. Morse. 
In the evening Mr. Alexander G aham Bell brought bi fore the 
Association his recent discovery of the Photophone, and researches 
with Mr. Sumner Taimer in the production and reproduction of 
sound by means of light. 
Saturday, August 2 8th. 
In general session a few new members were elected, and on 
motion of Professor Ormond Stone, the standing committee of the 
Association was instructed to n fer the subject of standard time to 
a special committee. In section A a sub-section H of mathematics 
and astronomy was organized with Mr. Simon Newcomb, of Wash- 
ington, as chairman, and Mr. Winslow Upton, of Washington, as 
Secretary. 
The following papers were also read in the various sections and 
bi-sections. 
PHYSICS. 
“On the present condition of musical pitch in Boston and vicin- 
ity,” Charles R. Cross and William 7 '. Miller; “ The Co-efficient 
of expansion of gas solutions," from the Mtssrs. E. L. Nichols 
and A. W. Wheeler, and “The new action of magnetism on a 
permanent electric current," by Mr. E. H. Hall ; the latter being 
among the most important papers, theoretically considered, ever 
contributed by an American to the science of physics. Then came 
" A simple device for projecting vibrations of a liquid him without 
a lens,” by H. S. Carhart ; “ Observations on some recent hail- 
storms in North Carolina,” by j. R. Blake; and “ Results of a 
magnetic survey of Missouri,” by Francis E. Nipher. 
MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY. 
“ The solar parallax for meridian observation of Mars in 1877," 
by J. R. Eastman ; “A note on zodiacal light,” by H. C. Lewis, 
and a “ Tidal theory of the forms of comets." 
CHEMISTRY. 
“ On a solution of ferric gallate and ferric oxalat • as a reagent 
for quantitive analysis of ammonia," N. B. Webster. 
“ Description of new substituted acrylic acids," C. F. Malberry. 
“ The valuation of indigo," L. M. Norton. 
“ The soil supply of nitrogen for plants,” W. O. Atwater. 
“ Incrustations termed in pines used in gas wells," H. L. Nason. 
“ A modification of Berber's process for the valuation of coal," 
Charles E. Monroe. 
“ Observation on the temperature and chemical character of 
Mystic Lake, Mass," W. R. Nichols. 
MICROSCOPY. 
“ On the limits of visibility with the microscope," A. E. Dolhcar. 
“ Minute anatomy of the human Larnyx," Carl Seiler. 
“ Infusoria found in fresh ponds,” S. P. Sharpies. 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
“ Endo-cranium and the maxillary suspensorium of the bee,” 
G. Macloskie. 
“ Tongue in snakes and birds,” C. S. Minot. 
The age of the copper bearing rocks of Lake Superior, M. E. 
Wadsworth. 
Structure and nomenclature of the brain, with special reference 
to that of the cat, Burt. G. Wilder (three papers). 
Plan of the cerebro-spinal nervous system, S. V. Clevenger. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
Aboriginal pottery and stone implements, S. S. Holdeman. 
Rude argillite implements, C. C. Abbott. 
The Dacotah tribes, H. B. Carrujton. 
Discoveries in the Mammoth, Wyandot and Luray caves, H. 
C. Hovey. 
We propose to offer the readers of Science verbatim re- 
ports of the principal addresses, and lengthy abstracts of the 
leading papers, read before this important meeting of the 
Association, and will commence the series with that of the 
ADDRESS OF PROFESSOR GEORGE F. BARKER, 
THE RETIRING PRESIDENT OF THE ASSO- 
CIATION. 
Some Modern Aspects of the Life Question. 
The number of roots in our equation 0 / life increases the difficulty of 
solving it, but by no means permits the acceptance of the lazy assump- 
tion that it is altogether insoluble or reduces a sagacious guess to the 
level of the prophecy of a quack . — Haughton. 
Ladies and Gentlemen of the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science. 
The discovery of new truth is the grand object of scienti- 
fic work. The exultation of feeling which comes from the 
possession of a fact, which, now, for the first time, he 
makes known to men, must ever be the reward of the scien- 
tific worker. As investigators and as students of science 
we are met here to-day at this our annnual session. Each 
of us during the past year has been endeavoring to push 
outward further into the unknown, the boundary of present 
knowledge. When, therefore, we thus meet together it is 
fitting that, from time to time, our attention should be called 
to the progress which has been made along some one of the 
various lines of research, and to the milestones which mark 
the epoch of advance along the way which science has 
traveled. Moreover, we may profitably sum up at such 
times the work done in particular directions, and encourage 
ourselves with prospective and retrospective glances. In 
these summings up, however, a difficulty arises. The range 
of modern scientific thought includes an immense area. 
The field of knowledge is already so vast, that, seen from 
the vertical distance necessary to make a wide survey, that 
small portion of it which is familiar to any one individual 
is scarcely visible. In consequence, to use a mechanical 
figure, the solid contents of a man’s acquirements being 
given, the depth thereof is inversely as the area covered. 
He, therefore, who undertakes to speak even for one single 
department of science distributes his stock of knowledge 
