334 T'/'t" American Geologist. 
November, 1904. 
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
The Secoral Annual Report of the Reclamation Service, a 
volume of 550 pages with maps and illustrations, has re- 
cently ibeen issued as House Document 44. fifty-eighth Con- 
gress, second session. This report contains an account of the 
results accomplished during the field season of 1903. 
"Bibliography and index of North American geology, 
paleontology, petrology and mineralogy for the vear 1903,"' 
bv F. B. Weeks, has recently been issued as Bulletin Xo. 240. 
The forthcoming volume on mineral resources contains, 
for the first time since 1898, tables showing the result of an- 
alyses and tests of building stones. 
The coal and coke resources' of the Latrobe. Pennsylvania, 
region are described by W. R. Camipbell in Folio Xo. no, 
wbich has been recently issued. 
The magnesite product of the United States came last 
year entirely from California. Special mention of this sub- 
sitance is made by C. G. Yale in -the "^lineral Resources for 
1903." 
The Xew York Academy of Sciences, Oct. 17. The pro- 
gram of the evening consisted of a lecture by E. O. Hovey. 
on "St: Vincent. British West Indies. The Eruptions of 1902 
and their immediate results." 
The author gave a summary account of the results obtain- 
ed on twO' expeditions undertaken by him for the American 
Museum of Natural History in 1902 and 1903, for the study 
of the volcanic eruptions of the Soufriere which began in 
May, 1902. Particular attention was devoted to the heavy 
coating of volcanic ash deposited upon the northern portion 
of the island of St. Vincent and the ash-filling of the gorges 
of the Wailibou and Rabaka Dry rivers, the devastation 
wrought in the forests and on the plantations within a radius 
of al>out five miles from the crater and the phenomena of pri- 
marv eruptions observed in the crater and of secondary erup- 
tions observed in the Wallibou and Rabaka ash-beds. The 
nature of the exploding eruption cloud was discussed and it 
was shown how the heavily dust-laden steam cloud kept close 
to the surface of the ground under the influence of gravity 
while its initial velocity was furnished b\- the horizontal com- 
ponent of the explosion. 
About eightv lantern-slides were used in illustrating the 
speaker's remarks. 
The result of ballot for officers was the election of E. O. 
Hovey for vice-president and chairman of the Section of 
Geology and Mineralogy, and Dr. A. ^^^ Grabau of Columbia 
Universitv for s'ccretarv. 
